Participants define what each means to them and share experiences of using Quakerism as they live with and guide their children. Four one-hour sessions.
Discussion Series Outline
Objectives
- Introduce participants to Quaker beliefs, testimonies and practices
- Share parenting experiences
- Discuss how Quaker beliefs, testimonies and practices can guide and support
our parenting.
Plan
Week 1
- Introductions
- Basic tenets of the Quaker faith:
- Homework assignment: What are our beliefs? What are
two or three guiding principles which we try to live by? - Quaker testimonies:
- Another assignment: What are the values most important to you, the
ones you are likely to pass on to your children? - List situations, which our children have encountered during the week.
- Introduce brainstorming
- Brainstorm possible responses to situations listed.
Week 2
- Welcome everyone again.
- Look at the responses given last session to how to keep differing
expectations of parents from harming our child. Consider:- What would the consequences of each be?
- Based on the values you hold dear, which response
would you choose?
- Worship sharing around the clarity and strength of our faith
now as compared with “BC”, before children. Has
your faith changed? How? - Look at the situation taken from list compiled last week.
- What might our responses be?
Week 3
- Think of a value or two which you hold dear, which you hope your
children will embrace. - Pick a situation and brainstorm responses. Which response would
you choose based on your values? - Talk about the Quaker practices.
Week 4
- Pick up on themes from previous weeks
- Look again at Quaker practices. Which have you used with your child?
- As we look at how we can respond to situations, how we can guide our
child to make choices, keeping in mind their developmental level. - Take another situation
- Brainstorm possible responses
- Close with worship sharing