Parents as Spiritual GuidesBy Roberta and Christopher Nelson
- Theme and Description
- Parents as Spiritual Guides encourages spiritual growth and faith development in children and adults by helping parents nurture children’s natural sense of wonder, develop celebrations and rituals in the home, and claim their significant role in the dynamic process of children’s spiritual growth. The program’s participatory exercises foster awareness of spiritual aspects of family life.
- Goals for Participants
- To explore one’s own inner journey;
To keep a journal of one’s own insights, affirmations, and questions;
To explore ways to provide spiritual experiences for children;
To appreciate the important role of parents in their children’s spiritual development;
To gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their own or others’ children;
To companion one another on the pilgrimage of faith development.
- Size of Group
- 12 to 16
- Space Requirements
- A room large enough for the group to sit in a circle together, with breakout space for smaller groups. Tables would be helpful for some activities, but are not required.
- Number and Length of Sessions
- 6 sessions
Length: 2 hours - Leader Training
- Requires a leader or co-leaders skilled in group process.
- Leader Preparation
- 2 to 3 hours per session
- Strengths
- Explores spirituality—with a focus on wonder, courage, justice, faith—through reading, writing, drawing, reflection and ritual, as well as discussion.
Gives participants opportunities to practice talking about spirituality with others.
Each session plan includes goals, materials needed, preparation, and handouts. - Limitations
- Amount of reading required during the session may slow down the process.
- Adaptability
- A larger group would be unwieldy. Good for parents and other adults who are involved in nurturing children’s spiritual growth.
- Unitarian Universalist Values
- Implicit throughout. Specifically addresses the acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in our congregations and respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
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Curricula
