Relax, it's just God : how and why to talk to your kids about religion when you're not religious

Gold-medal winner of a Next Generation Book Award, silver-medal winner of the Independent Publishers Book Award. As featured on the PBS NewsHour "A gem of a book." — LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW) A step-by-step guide to raising confident, open-minded kids in an age of religious intolerance. Relax, It's Just God offers parents fresh, practical and honest ways to address issues of God and faith with children while promoting curiosity and kindness, and successfully fending off indoctrination. A rapidly growing demographic cohort in America, secular parents are at the forefront of a major and unprecedented cultural shift. Unable to fall back on what they were taught as children, many of these parents are struggling, or simply failing, to address issues of God, religion and faith with their children in ways that promote honesty, curiosity, kindness and independence. The author sifts through hard data, including the results of a survey of 1,000 nonreligious parents, and delivers gentle but straightforward advice to both non-believers and open-minded believers. With a thoughtful voice infused with humor, Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research and everyday experience with respect for a full range of ways to view the world. "Relax, It's Just God" goes beyond the numbers to assist parents (and grandparents) who may be struggling to find the right time place, tone and language with which to talk about God, spirituality and organized religion. It encourages parents to promote religious literacy and understanding and to support kids as they explore religion on their own — ensuring that each child makes up his or her own mind about what to believe (or not believe) and extends love and respect to those who may not agree with them. Subjects covered include: - Talking openly about our beliefs without indoctrinating kids - Making religious literacy fun and engaging - Talking about death without the comforts of heaven - Navigating religious differences with extended family members - What to do when kids get threatened with hell For nonreligious parents looking to raise critically thinking, religiously literate, and highly tolerant children capable of making up their own minds about what to believe, "Relax, Its Just God: How and Why To Talk to Your Kids About Religion When Youre Not Religious" is the secular equivalent of a godsend. With a thoughtful voice infused with humor, author Wendy Thomas Russell seamlessly merges scientific thought, scholarly research, and everyday experience in a book that gives nonreligious parents a toolkit to assist with their unique and complex issues. Among other things, "Relax, It's Just God" teaches parents how to avoid indoctrination; communicate openly but kindly with religious relatives; confront and manage religious baggage so as to not hand it on to the next generation; talk about death without the familiar comforts of religious imagery; give kids a broad overview of various world religions; and show children how to practice true religious tolerance while also vaccinating them against the intolerance of others. A rapidly growing demographic cohort in America, first-generation nonreligious parents are at the forefront of a major and unprecedented cultural shift. Unable or unwilling to fall back on what they were taught as children, secular parents often find themselves at a loss for how to approach religion with their young childrenso they dont. But, as "Relax, Its Just God" shows us, silence is not the answer. A Rapidly Growing Demographic Cohort In America, Non-religious Parents Are At The Forefront Of A Major And Unprecedented Cultural Shift. Unable To Fall Back On What They Were Taught As Children, Many Of These Parents Are Struggling--or Simply Failing--to Address Complicated Religious Questions And Issues With Their Children In Ways That Promote Curiosity, Kindness, And Independence. Author Wendy Thomas Russell Sifts Through Hard Data--including The Results Of Her Own Survey Of 1,000 Nonreligious Parents--and Delivers Gentle But Straightforward Advice To This Often-overlooked Segment Of The American Population. With A Thoughtful Voice Infused With Humor, Russell Seamlessly Merges Scientific Thought, Scholarly Research, And Everyday Experience With Respect For A Full Range Of Ways To View The World.