Elspeth's Pagan Parenting Bookshelf

The Parents' Bookshelf

These are some of the many books I've found invaluable as I constantly learn to be a parent! I hope some of them may help you too! (You may purchase any of these books from Amazon.com simply by clicking on the title.)

Pagan Parenting

Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Tradition by Starhawk, Anne HIll, and Diane Baker: If you buy only one book as a pagan parent let it be this one. 'Nuff said.
Celebrating the Great Mother by Cait Johnson and Maura Shaw: This is one of my favorite books. Besides many creative ways to celebrate the Sabbats, the authors also include suggestions for everyday activities that will increase a child's spirituality and awareness of the natural world around him.
The Family Wicca Book by Ashleen O'Gaea: Lots of practical advice from a practicing Pagan family. Ethics, childrens' rituals, how to deal with peers and schools, as well as a section on "answering the hard questions" like death, sex, and discrimination.
Mountains, Meadows, and Moonbeams by Mary Summer Rain: Lovely little prayers, stories, rituals, and fables just for children.
A Child's Seasonal Treasury by Betty Jones: A wonderful book full of stories, poems, games, crafts and recipes to share the joy of the seasons with your child.
The Pagan Family by Ceisiwr Serith: A very practical approach to incorporating paganism into your everyday family life.
WiccaCraft for Families by Maggie McArthur: A wonderful collection of Sabbat celebrations, rituals, songs, recipes, and activities. There are also chapters on rites of passages, men's mysteries, women's mysteries, handfasting and deaths.

Parenting in General

A Call to Character ed. by Colin Greer and Herbert Kohl: A treasury of fables and stories from amny different cultures, each offering a valuable lesson.
Everyday Blessings by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn: Zen parenting. The authors emphasize the need to respect the child's "sovereignity" and independence. While at times it does seem a little vague, it does seem to help you develop more patience with the quirks of youngsters!
Spiritual Parenting by Hugh and Gayle Prather: Although written from a Christian standpoint, this book offers a lot of guidance in dealing with children and their uniqueness. Focuses on parenting as a spiritual process, and learning to enjoy your children no matter what they're doing!
Whole Child, Whole Parent by Polly Berrien Berends: Helps you learn to raise your children by first raising yourself. Deals with many issues modern parents face, such as anger, dreams, maintaining a life; and shares many personal anecdotes.

Learning and Education

The Homeschooling Handbook by Mary Griffin: How to decide if homeschooling is right for you, and how to get started if it is! Includes teaching ideas from the Waldorf and Montessori schools.
How to Teach Your Child by Veltisezas B. Bautista: A guide on how to actually *teach* with units on phonics, reading, science, math and history for kindergarten through grade 6.
How Your Child is Smart by Dawna Markova: A guide to discovering and understanding the way your child learns best, with suggestions for changing your teaching style to meet his/her needs.
Going to School : How to Help Your Child Succeed : A Handbook for Parents of Children Ages 3-8 by Sharon and Craig Ramey: Not everyone can homeschool (or wants to try!) If you're sending your children to public schools, you owe it to them to help make their school experience the best it can possibly be. This guide will help you make the right decisions about your child's public school career, and reinforce the lessons learned in school.

Must-Reads for Parents of Daughters

Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher: This book will make you really mad! It discusses the many ways our society discrimnates against and damages our daughters. Many personal stories of young girls whom Mary Pipher has counseled.
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf: The average woman is 5'4" tall and wears a size 16. The average model is 5'10" tall and weighs 104 lbs. Our daughters are fighting to achieve a totally unrealistic appearance based on these cultural misconceptions of beauty, and it is making them physically and mentally sick.
Things Will Be Different for My Daughter by Mindy Bingham and Sandy Stryker: Get out your pen or pencil and be prepared to scribble all over this book. The authors will help you devise a personalized plan to help your daughter become a happy, proud, self-confident woman.
Celebrating Girls by Virgina Beane Rutten: A lovely book with many simple things to increase your daughter's pride in herself. Being female is a strength; learn to nurture that strength in yourself and your daughter. Includes many activities that can be turned into simple rituals, such as hairbrushing and storytelling.
Wild Girls : The Path of the Young Goddess by Patricia Monaghan: A lovely book of Goddess stories and life-affirming rituals for young women.

Must-Reads for Parents of Sons

Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Michael Thompson and Daniel Kindlon: Learn how to help your son develop his emotional life without becoming "feminine." Help him escape from the "culture of cruelty" our society inflicts upon its sons. This book will help women connect with and understand the men in their llives better, whether sons, or husbands and brothers.
The Courage to Raise Good Men by Olga Silverstein and Beth Rashbaum: Mothers do not have to "let go" of their sons and watch as they grow into emotionally distant men. Get rid of the expectations society has foisted upon us as to how we should raise our sons and learn how to guide them on their journeys to becoming whole people.

MIDI Selection: The Yew Tree