Table of Contents
Foreword Matthew Paul Turner ix
Crafting a Family Culture of Conversation The Rev. Karen Ware Jackson 1
Who Am I? Reflecting on Bodies and Souls
Stuck in the Middle: Understanding Your School-age Child Sarah Leer 8
"How Come He Won't Talk to Me?" Building Friendships with Disabled Peers The Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell 14
That's What Counts: Navigating Questions about Gender and Identity The Rev. Becca Girrell 21
Good Enough for Jesus: On Body Image The Rev. Heidi Carrington Heath 30
Let's Talk about Sex: Meeting Curiosity with Honesty The Rev. Dr. Emily A. Peck McClain 35
A Coat with Many Pockets, an Overwatered Plant: Using Metaphor to Discuss Mental Illness and Addiction Ben Pershey 42
God's Not a Fan: Talking" about Suicide The Rev. Dr. Rachael A. Keefe 48
Who Are We? Reflecting on Families and Relationships
Being a Friend Karin Heller Margaret Webb 56
We Go Together: Blended Families The Rev. Emily Brown 62
How Will We Tell Our Children Were Getting Divorced? The Rev. Eliza Tweedy 68
Getting Attached: Foster and Substitute Parenting: The Revs. Ben and Kerry Dueholm 75
Why Did This Happen? Reflecting on Loss
Love Never Ends: Comfort and Assurance in Times of Grief Kristin Cooper King 82
"She's Having the Temper Tantrum You Want to Have": Kids and Pregnancy Loss The Rev. Rebekah McLeod Hutto The Rev. Dr. William J. Hutto 88
Giving Kids a Voice in the Wilderness: Grief The Rev. Hazel Salazar-Davidson 94
What Am I Afraid Of? Reflecting on Fear and Courage
Why We C.A.R.E.: Engaging Kids about Racial Discrimination The Rev. Dr. Michael W. Waters 102
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: The Adultification of Black Girls Yulise Reaves Waters, Esq. 108
Courage and Hospitality: Talking about Race with Children and the Church The Rev. Alexandra M. Hendrickson 115
"Why Can't I Wear This Costume?" Helping Kids Understand Cultural Appropriation The Rev. Dr. B. Yuki Schwartz 123
Are We Doing More Harm than Good Teaching Kids about the Violence of the Cross? The Rev. Traci Smith 129
Asking the Tough Question about Bullying: "What Happened?" The Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund 133
Talking to Kids about Gun Violence The Rev. Allison Sandlin Liles 140
What's Going On? Reflecting on Faith and the Way the World Works
It's Okay To Have Doubts: Lessons on Fact-checking and Faith from Thomas The Rev. Dr. Terrell Carter 146
Love for Your Neighbor: Raising Kids in a Multifaith Community Aliye Shimi 151
Raising Holy Sparks: On Honoring Difference Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg 157
Writing New Scripts: On Mass Incarceration, Women, and Children Casey Stanton 163
A Pledge to Forgive: An Approach to Reconciliation in a Traumatic World The Rev. Elizabeth Grasham 170
What's Fair? Reflecting on Money and Economics
Disciples, Not Fundraisers: Teaching Faithfulness in Anxious Times The Rev. Erica Schemper 176
Naming What They See: Addressing Wealth, Poverty, and Income Inequality The Rev. Eva Suárez 182
Truth and Lies: Reexamining Racial History with Kids The Rev. David Henson 188
"But Those Are MY Toys!": Generosity The Rev. Allie Scott 196
The Life-changing Magic of Setting Limits: Technology Joshua Hammond 202
Endless Song: Having Conversations Again and Again The Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan 209
