| What does spiritual parenting mean to you? Do | | | | behavior in relation to the type of person he |
| you think it means raising your child to | | | | is becoming. |
| adopt your religion? Those who are truly | | | | |
| spiritual understand that there is a | | | | Spiritual parenting is a journey deep into |
| different between the two. Spirituality | | | | your heart. If done with curiosity and |
| unites us, while religion puts us in separate | | | | wonder, parenting is one of the most |
| camps which are divided by beliefs. | | | | fulfilling tasks you will ever undertake. You |
| Spirituality has room for all beliefs and | | | | will learn more about yourself than in any |
| recognizes that each creed has strengths and | | | | other earthly endeavor. |
| weaknesses. It has no need to defend itself | | | | |
| to dissenters or cling rigidly to certain | | | | Spiritual parenting is alternative parenting |
| points of view because it has room for all. | | | | at its best. It is not a reaction to |
| | | | something, but a deep response to the love |
| Spiritual parenting is a lot like that. | | | | and responsibility a mother feels for her |
| Rather than making a child into this or that, | | | | child. Within this love are the seeds of |
| it encourages the child to become more of who | | | | awakening, the desire to give her child a |
| he is. This means helping the child to | | | | better life and the understanding that in |
| develop his God-given strengths which may | | | | order to do so, she must question the beliefs |
| ultimately mean that the child will walk a | | | | she has adopted and acted from most of her |
| path that is very different from his parents. | | | | life. |
| | | | |
| Spiritual parenting is about encouraging the | | | | Although it may be challenging, the best |
| unfolding of a child's unique talents. While | | | | aspect of spiritual parenting is having the |
| most parents understand the importance of | | | | opportunity to bear witness to the unfolding |
| attending to a child's physical needs, they | | | | of your child's physical strengths, emotional |
| may not realize that the child's emotional | | | | fortitude, inquisitive mind and compassionate |
| and spiritual needs are equally important. | | | | heart. As I write these words, I smile |
| | | | because I know from experience that there is |
| Spiritual parenting is about acting in the | | | | no greater gift that a parent can give |
| present moment, while keeping a big | | | | herself or her child. |
| perspective. It's about seeing your child's | | | | |