Talking with Your Kids About God

I have been reading Talking with Your Kids About God  for a little while now.  As I've been reading, I have been writing about this book off an on as things strike me or I have something to get a little deeper in my thinking, but now that I finished this book, I wanted to put down a few more of my thoughts on the book.  I was looking forward to reading the book based on the title and concept of the book.  As a parent, who can't use another tool to help guide their children? 

However, as I dug into the book, I wasn't quite as thrilled.  The beginning was a big turn off for me, to the extent that I almost stopped reading it.  (I am glad I kept reading.)  The beginning conveyed a very serious tone about how important it was to have these conversations with your kids and that left me feeling like I was a terrible parent if I didn't, or if I'd never picked up this book. 

As I kept reading; I realized that I have been very fortunate that I have lived in a Christian community most of my life.  I haven't had to face many of the things this book talks about in a personal way.  I'm grateful I read this book for my own personal development to begin thinking about those things.  As I read I for the most part I knew where I stood about the topics presented, science and God and what not, but this helped me to be able to verbalize or explain my stance. 

I also though toward the end of the book that the author only valued the two extremes of the spectrum of atheists to theists.  Yet in reality I think there is a sliding scale of that.  I think there are many people that fall somewhere in the middle of the arguments she makes.  Sure, they may not have any backing, Biblical or scientific, for their beliefs, but they are still there and if they are talked about and shared exist and could be something we face as well. 

The author was well researched and knew her content well, and there were several scriptural references in the book as well that were helpful.

But have I had these conversations with my kids?  No.  Do I plan to?  In this formal organized fashion she presents?  No.  But, do I plan to be more aware and offer better explanations or presentations of things when it arises?  Yes.  I think some of these concepts are just part of growing your faith.  And I will certainly always teach my kids that we at home are a great resource to help you through the questions when they do arise.