Great Books for Pagan Parenting, Part 1: Celebrating the Great Mother

While there’s plenty of literature out there for the mainstream religions, and a growing number of books on paganism and earth-based spirituality, it can be difficult to find some non-Christian lit for young ones. I had several youth Bibles growing up (my dad was religious, my mother sort of agnostic), and given that the religion is centered around the book I think it’s to be expected that it would be so readily-available.

But if you want to introduce your children to goddess-centered religion or other forms of paganism, you pretty much have to rely on what you’ve learned yourself. That’s okay; in fact, it makes it more personal, and parents who take an active role in teaching their children rock! After all, parents are their children’s first teachers, right?

That said, having a bit of information gathered in one place can really be helpful. I don’t mean a Bible-type book, but one that explains various holidays, mythologies, recipes, rituals and such. I have found a few that I absolutely love and would like to share. They are pretty much centered on Wiccan holidays but allow plenty of room to allow for personalization, alterations and omissions. Simply put, like any such book, they are what you wish to make of them.

The first book, Celebrating the Great Mother by Cait Johnson and Maura D. Shaw, has activities, stories, and information for every season. From rain sticks to smudging sticks, creating your own runes to dream pillows to harvest dolls, there are creative, fun ideas in every chapter. There are plenty of recipes and meditations, as well as corresponding rituals, altar set-up suggestions, and activities for each Sabbat.

I think I love this book so much because it has such a nature-based, almost shamanic feel to it. From weed walks to fairy talks, to animals, healing, and dreaming, everything seems more focused on nature and the earth rather than lofty concepts that may be too intricate for young children to grasp. Having such tangible activities—the making of goddess figures, for example, or providing offerings to trees—allow kids to engage in the activities and really connect with them on a physical level, which is very important for such tactile early learners.

Do you remember sitting in Sunday school as a kid, if you ever went? I remember being bored out of my mind! I think both parents and children will find the activities in this book to be enjoyable rather than dull. My daughter’s favorites so far have been making and using runes from beans, making solar images, and pretty much everything to do with plants. She also gets a kick out of smudging with a stick that shares her name!