Each week, a question for parents to ponder will be posted. Questions will be based on the book “Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children With Justice, Mercy, and Kindness” by Cindy Wang Brandt. All parents are asked to do is think about the question during the week ahead. And if they want to share any thoughts, insights, they are gladly invited to send them to Deacon Carol! Just a little something positive to think about these days!

Question for the week of June 27 2021 is the last Parent Pause question, but let your answers to all of the posted questions keep coming as your child – and you, as parent – keep moving forward. Also, as a follow-up, you may want to check out the book “Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children With Justice, Mercy and Kindness” by Cindy Wang Brandt, upon which most of the questions were based.

Question for the week of June 27 2021: “How do I allow my child’s spirit of hope to sing out to me and to the world around them?”

Question for the week of June 20 2021: “Do I give my child the gift of rest (excluding night time)?”

Question for the week of June 13 2021: “Am I helping my child to “clutter” or “declutter” their lives – do I passionately protect their life space so spiritual presence is felt?”

Question for the week of June 6 2021: “How diverse is my world…and that of my child?”

Question for the week of May 30 2021: “Memorial Day is about sacrifice and freedom: how have I and my family benefited from what others gave?”

Question for the week of May 23 2021: “Does my child see the sacred in others…and do I?”

Question for the week of May 16 2021: “In the hopes of growing a healthy spirituality within my child, do I encourage them to “play with the concept of God”?”

Question for the week of May 9 2021: “How is my God a “mothering God” in my life?”

Question for the week of May 2 2021: “How open am I to new faith insights and ideas?”

Question for the week of April 25 2021: “Does my child’s “Sunday God” (the God they hear about in church and Sunday School) look different from “Everyday God” that they experience Monday – Saturday, and if so, in what ways?”

Question for the week of April 18 2021: “Do I carry spiritual baggage that my child has now inherited?”

Question for the week of April 11 2021: “Does my child “fly” or am I more of a parental “wing-clipper?”

Question for the week of April 4 2021: “What are the “little Easters” I have in my daily life?”

Question for the week of March 28, 2021: “Is my child more of a “creative” or a consumer – and why?”

Question for the week of March 21, 2021: “How does hope belong to your child?”

Question for the week of March 14, 2021: “We are all made in the image of a creative God – so how are you doing as a “creative” being?”

Question for the week of March 7, 2021: “How often do I say the words “what do you think” to my child – does their opinion matter?”

Question for the week of February 28, 2021: “How well are you connected – body, mind and spirit?”

Question for the week of February 21, 2021: “What is child-like joy and do I still have it, show it – and how?”

Question for the week of February 14, 2021: “How are you still a child in an adult version?”

Question for the week of February 7, 2021: “How is my child raising me as much as I am raising them?”

Question for the week of January 31, 2021: “What do I know about God?”

Question for the week of January 24, 2021: “What was spiritual about my childhood?”

Question for the week of January 17, 2021: “Am I raising my child with dignity and how am I doing that?”