I am a Latter-Day Saint (Mormon)

I was raised Mormon and made a conscious decision to leave the faith as an adult. Given that, it may seem strange that I would choose a book to educate my children on Mormon beliefs, but the fact is that my children's grandparents, cousins, and other relatives from my side of the family still believe and practice. We also live in Utah so a good share of the friends and neighbors are Mormon as well and I feel like they should have a basic understanding of something that they're bound to encounter regularly.

Being Utah, there was a wide selection of books about Mormonism in the children's section, but the majority were written for a Mormon audience. I could only find one book written to explain Mormonism to non-Mormon children titled I am a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) by Gayla Wise. I found it to be adequate, but I didn't love it. I had  been hoping for something respectful, but objective, however this read more like a Mormon missionary would present information. I would have emphasized slightly different information and my son was didn't find it a particularly interesting read, but I'm not aware of any better resources. It did introduce my son to vocabulary that he's likely to hear, such as 'ward', 'preisthood', and 'general conference' and it talked a bit about how the church was formed and what Mormons believe. I would give this book a somewhat neutral rating. Not great, but not terrible either and I'm not aware of a better alternative.

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

In honor of Martin Luther King Day tomorrow I selected Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr Martin Luther King by Doreen Rapport for this week's reading. It's a very brief biography and each page includes a direct quote from King himself. The Rosa Parks book that we read a couple weeks ago was more informative, but I actually felt that it was a bit too much for my kindergartener. This one was just right for his age level. It really just provides a bare bones outline of who Martin Luther King is, what he stood for, and how he died. It highlights a few of his notable accomplishments, but keeps it simple and brief. Best of all, each page is adorned with gorgeous illustrations by Bryan Collier. Every one of them could easily be exhibited in a fine art gallery. This book is a beautiful tribute to one of the finest men this country has ever known.

After reading I asked my son how things would have been different if Martin Luther King had promoted violence instead of peace. He decided that a lot more people would have been hurt. We then discussed how if Dr. King had solved problems with his fist, then his power would have ended with his death, but that his powerful words are still helping people today. This was a lovely read and absolutely perfect for introducing young children to the father of American civil rights.

Everyone Prays: Celebrating Faith Around the World

Everyone Prays: Celebrating Faith Around the World by Alexis York Lumbard is a book that illustrates the diversity that exists in various world religions. It does not really get into any specific beliefs or practices (beyond prayer), but it was written in a way that even my three-year-old was able to follow along and learn. Through colorful illustrations, children are shown that there are many different faiths and many different ways to pray. I liked that the book included several lesser known religions such as Sikhs and American Indians as well as the major ones. I also appreciated that the book did a decent job of highlighting some basic similarities between religions while also acknowledging the diversity that exists. It's very clear that while all religions pray, they do not all pray the same way. At the end, there are a couple of pages that offer more details about the various religions and illustrations. It's good information, but I feel it would have been more useful if it had been incorporated into a footnote on each page. I also wish there had been more of a balance between modern and traditional dress in the illustrations. The fact is that most Muslims, Buddhists, American Indians, etc. my children are likely to encounter will probably not look like the people in the illustrations, and I feel that's important for children to understand.

Still, I think this is a good start for introducing young children to world religion. It's not so much information that it overwhelms them, but it gives them a basic overview of religious diversity. After reading, I asked my children what religions that people we know are part of. My kindergartener was aware that many of the people we know are Mormons (though he didn't know the name for it) and also identified some Christian friends. He was surprised when I told him that one of his friends from preschool last year was Muslim. We talked about ways we can be respectful of other people's beliefs, such as when we are guests in their home and they want to bless the meal. I wouldn't recommend it for kids older than 7 or 8, but it's a good resource for younger kids.

If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks

If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold tells the story of a young girl named Marcie who climbs aboard a magical, talking bus. Marcie learns that one of the seats is reserved for a special passenger named Rosa Parks and while they are waiting for her to board, the bus teaches Marcie about Rosa Park's life, her achievements, and her contribution to the black civil rights movement. At the end of the ride Marcie meets Rosa Parks herself and realizes that the other passengers on the bus are also prominent heroes for civil rights, such as Martin Luther King, Jr and Raymond Parks. The story ends with Marcie being dropped off at her school prepared to share all she has learned with her friends.

This was a cute story with lots of information. My kindergartener did find it interesting, although I glossed over a few parts of it. I imagine it would probably be best suited for slightly older kids although he still learned quite a bit. The book briefly mentions the Ku Klux Klan and some of the violent acts that were perpetrated against blacks (lynching, burning homes, etc) so it may be a bit frightening for some younger, more sensitive children. Afterward, my son and I discussed how it would have felt to grow up in a world where your rights are not respected. We talked about how much courage Rosa Parks had to do what she believed was right even though she knew it could be dangerous for her. And of course we talked about how even though we have made much progress because of people like Rosa Parks, that people are still discriminated against today because of the color of their skin and that we still need people who are brave enough to stand against it.

Introduction

Welcome to my blog! Here's a bit of information  in a question/answer format.

Question: Why choose 'Worldly Values' as the name of your blog?

Answer: Within the conservative, religious paradigm in which I was raised, the word 'worldly' carried extremely negative connotations. It was used to mean selfish, evil, and depraved. In reality the definition is:

world·ly 

1: of or relating to the human world and ordinary life rather than to religious or spiritual matters

2: having a lot of practical experience and knowledge about life and the world          

(Source: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Basically, I'm using the word 'worldly' to indicate that my focus is purely secular and not tied to any religious belief.

Question: Does this mean you are anti-theist?

Answer: No, not at all. I'm personally doubtful about the existence of God, but I appreciate the beauty and tradition religion can offer. I oppose discrimination or oppression in any form, including religion-based, but I am not opposed to religion itself. I continue to identify as culturally Christian and am married to a believing Christian. Our family attends progressive Christian services regularly and celebrates Christian holidays. Regardless of what my children believe later on, I feel that learning about faith and tradition will enrich their life. I also believe that a basic understanding of the Bible is a valuable part of a well-rounded education in the Judeo/Christian society in which we live. As they get older, I will neither attempt to persuade them to accept nor reject religion. It is a highly personal decision and I will support whatever they choose.

However, I view religion and morality as completely separate concepts, and I do not use religious justification for teaching values to my children. For one thing, values that hinge on religious belief can be easily rejected if belief falters. Furthermore, while religion can be useful as a means to explain life's mysteries and attach meaning to the human experience, as a moral compass it often goes awry. It is my hope that regardless of their future beliefs, that they will be thoughtful and open-minded individuals who don't shy away from asking difficult questions.

Question: What's your plan?

Answer: My children are both very young (ages 3 and 6) and I've found that picture books can be a fun way to introduce new topics and spark discussions with them. I've decided that each week we will read and discuss one new book about an important issue. Because Sundays seem to be the most convenient day for this, I jokingly refer to it as 'Sunday School'. However, it's completely unlike the Sunday school of my childhood. The style that I prefer to use when teaching my children is to ask thought-provoking questions that encourage them to consider matters and form their own conclusions. Each week I'll post a brief review of the book we covered and the resulting discussion with my children. If you find this a helpful resource, I'd love your feedback. Or if you have book suggestions for us, please leave a comment with your recommendations.

Question: What topics do you plan to cover?

Answer: I live in an extremely non-diverse community, so I'd like to expose my children to as much diversity through reading as I can. We'll read about various cultures and religions as well as topics such as race, gender issues, non-nuclear families, ableism, and other types of discrimination. I also plan to cover other important issues too, such as caring for the earth, fighting poverty, or other world issues. Basically, any issue I deem important or inspiring is fair game, provided I can find an age-appropriate children's book to introduce it.