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Faith Formation: Parenting

Resources including: Children & Family Curricula & Storytime; Confirmation/Affirmation of Baptism; Denominational Resources; Tween & Teen Mental and Spiritual Health; Sexuality & Identity; and Online/At-Home Tech

Welcome

Welcome to The Ministry Lab's curated list of faith formation resources for Parenting. Here you'll find:

  • Webinars and Training for progressive-minded parents
  • Small/Parent Group books and discussion starters
  • Family-based activities, book lists and devotionals

If you don't find a resource to fit your need, don't hesitate to consult with The Ministry Lab's director, Emily Meyer, who is happy to assist you.

Books for Parents

     Breathe through This by Eline Snel          Dear Parent     Dear Son: Raising Faithful, Just, and Compassionate Men     Don't Mom Alone: Growing the Relationships You Need to Be the Mom You Want to Be by [Heather MacFadyen, Chrystal Hurst]          

Finding Our Way Forward          Cover for Handing Down the Faith     How to Raise an Antiracist     It Starts with You: How Imperfect Parents Can Find Calm and Connection with Their Kids     Letters to the Sons of Society by Shaka Senghor     Little Did I Know     Ordinary Blessings for Parents     Parenting for a Better World: Social Justice Practices for Your Family and the Planet     Raising Them: Our Adventure in Gender Creative Parenting Cover Image     

Books - for Children

As Babies Dream     The Boy Who Grew Flowers     Picture of Can I Have a Hug?          Drawn Together          Eyes That Kiss in the Corners          Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild!     Cover of The Heart of Mi Familia     Home Grown Handbook for Christian Parenting     How to Return a Monster     I Am Perfectly Designed     Reassure children that they are loved and loveable with words of affirmation for kids.     I'll Hold Your Hand     Let's Do Everything and Nothing     Mabel's Topsy-Turvy Homes     Mama's Days: Andi Diehn, Ángeles Ruiz: 9781478875994: Amazon.com: Books     Cover of Marvelous Maravilloso: Me and My Beautiful Family (medium)     Some Daddies     The Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder     Tofu Takes Time     Cover of When Nana Dances     Yes & No     Kids learn about the super awesome powers of their phones—and how to use them safely.     You're Loved

Small Group Books & Discussion Starters

     A Family Like Mine               Picture of A Mind of Their Own     Parenting with an Accent     Peanut Butter and Dragon Wings     Raising Disciples     Raising Good Humans     Picture of The Relationally Intelligent Child     9781587435386.jpg     The Sandbox Revolution: Raising Kids for a Just World     Upside Down Living     Picture of Views from the Spectrum                                                                       And the Raising Good Humans podcast

And the Raising Disciples downloadable study guide.

Activities & Devotions

Let's Do Everything and Nothing

Accompanied by this downloadable activity kit for families.

1.2021 How to Raise Ethical Engaged Citizens.jpg

Doing Good Together offers families Tools to Raise Ethical, Engaged Citizens, including Service Projects, Videos, Reflection Tools, and Book Lists for Young Change Makers and Their Families.

The Ministry Lab is proud to partner with Doing Good Together in creating MN Conference UCC's Family Faith Toolkits.

Splash! Pack: 3 Year Set

Connect with families of young children through Splash! monthly newsletters which help caregivers incorporate faith formation in the events of everyday lives. 

"Making the Most of Mealtime Prayers" by Jason Brian Santos

Websites, Webinars & Trainings

Black woman hugging black teenager.

Supporting Parents of LGBTQIA+ Youth

By Leah Dail

Includes a list of additional online resources for developing your own small group or support network.

Parity

Parity helps congregations and faith organizations, clergy, seminarians, denominations and seminaries become more LGBTQ+ sensitive and celebratory.

Find liturgical elements, full liturgies, tips for diversity inclusion, family and loved ones support, and more.

Bless This Mess

The Bless This Mess Parenting website offers a blog, podcast and reading group guide based on the book.

CONVERGENCE offers:

Parenting: The 6 Needs of Every Child: Small Group Book Study with Videos on Empowering Parents and Kids through the Science of Connection

 

Congregations can engage via:

  • Adult/mentor zoom learning and training
  • Virtual Tween & Teen healthy relationships and online safety training
  • Pre-recorded conversations or trainings

 

     moral development in children     Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Book Lists

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 Presents How to Change the World with a Book Your Tweens Refuse to Read

Inspire your reluctant reader and use literature to do good! along with numerous fantastic book lists for raising compassionate, socially engaged kids.

Raising Luminaries' Books for Littles

A curated list of children's books that address racism, education, identity and numerous other contemporary concerns with humor, gorgeous illustrations and wonderful story-telling.

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Doing Good Together invites parents to support 

The Inner Work of Childhood

How (and Why) To Become a Family of Philosophers

The post includes a pile of wisdom and two book lists:

Click the image for our growing list of recommendations to get you started.     Click the image for our favorite picture books for your youngest philosophers.

Blogs, Podcasts, & Articles

DON’T keep the kids so busy

by Lisa Witherspoon, Director of Children’s Ministries, First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC

5 Ways Parents Can Avoid Gender Stereotypes for Kids

by Ky Myers

How to Raise Climate-Resilient Kids

by Tim Lydon

Parenting Forward | Podcasts on Audible | Audible.com

Parenting Forward Podcast & Facebook group: Raising Children Unfundamentlist

Molly Wright: How every child can thrive by five | TED Talk

Molly Wright: How Every Child Can Thrive by Five - OR How Peekaboo Can Change the World / TED

Smiling parents introducing their young smiling child to their infant

How Parents Help Children Grow in Faith

New research on how parents pass faith to their children provides strong evidence that talking with children about faith in the context of daily life is powerfully important. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff reports on this and other findings in Handing Down the Faith by Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk.

Joe Davis and Agape - Dave Scherer - write letters To My Beloved Children

In Our Library

          Available Hope: Parenting, Faith, and a Terrifying World - Richardson, Julie E     Article or product image     Belonging and Becoming     Beyond the Big Talk Revised Edition                    Front Cover for The Busy Family's Guide to Spirituality     Creating with God     Everyday Blessings          Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity - Kindle edition by Solomon, Andrew. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.               9780819223630: Good Influence: Teaching the Wisdom of Adulthood     9781933794259: For Heaven's Sake     Home Grown Handbook for Christian Parenting     A Homemade Year Jerusalem Jackson Greer ( Paperback )     Cover Image          It's Not the Stork!     It's Perfectly Normal     It's So Amazing!     Let the Children Come: Reimagining Childhood from a Christian Perspective by Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore - Paperback - 1 - 2003-08-20 - from Ergodebooks (SKU: DADAX0787956651)               Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey: Guidance for Those Who Teach and Nurture - By: Catherine Stonehouse, Scottie May     Making A Home For Faith | Nurturing The Spiritual Life Of Your Children, Revised (Caldwell)     Mom, I'm Gay, Revised and Expanded Edition: Loving Your LGBTQ Child and Keeping Your Faith - By: Susan Cottrell, Justin Lee                              Overplayed: A Parent's Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports - By: David King, Margot Starbuck     Parent Wellness Compass Book (PRINT - Secular)          Pilgrim Prayers for Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren     Pilgrim Prayers for Single Fathers     Paperback Pilgrim Prayers for Single Mothers Book               THE SPIRITUAL ART RAISING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES     The Spiritual Child     Stepping on Cheerios: Finding God in the Chaos and Clutter of Life - By: Betsy Singleton Snyder     Sticky Faith               9780738215082: Talk to Me First     They Don't Come With Instructions:…     This Child of Faith     This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids     This Is My Body     9781606740507: To Bless a Child          Why Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen - Walsh, David          9780805087604: What's Inside Your Tummy, Mommy?