Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
National surveys report that while one-fifth of Americans, including a third of adults under age 30, do not identify with any religion, there is a population of those who identify themselves as "spiritual but not religious." Many are parents, uncertain about how to help their offspring develop spiritually, which is why Columbia University clinical psychologist Miller provides thoughtful advice on encouraging the quest for meaning and purpose in a child's life. Drawing on over a decade of research, Miller explains that spirituality is a biological trait that can be nurtured into a "transcendent relationship"-a sacred connection with a higher power. Addressing a child's first decade in the book's first part, and adolescence in the second, Miller lays out "Six Spiritual Strengths": a spiritual compass, commitment to family, community, "spiritual multilingualism," cognitive empathy, and dream and mystical experiences. She also prescribes a regular routine of "Seven Right Things," with simple strategies like speaking, sharing, and connecting. Full of teaching moments, plenty of families' stories, and lots of sage advice, this highly readable volume should prove useful for unaffiliated and observant parents alike. Agent: Madeleine Morel, 2M Communications Ltd. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A reassuring and instructive lesson in spiritual parenting that strives, but only partially succeeds, to cement the link between science and spirituality.In this paradigm-shifting book on parenting, Miller (Psychology and Education/Columbia Univ., Teachers College) claims that spirituality exists innately in all human beings from infancy onward and that spiritual education is an important part of a child's development. Emphatically, and repeatedly, describing research that correlates different levels of spiritual awakening with different developmental stages across cultures, Miller contends that spirituality is a universal experience. She carefully defines spirituality outside the confines of any particular religion, as "an inner sense of relationship to a higher power that is loving and guiding." Many of the studies the author cites provide surprising and useful information. For example, the knowledge that spirituality correlates to lower rates of substance abuse, depression, and risky sexual behavior in adolescents can encourage parents to make important changes in their children's spiritual lives. Some of the studies could be more open to interpretation, such as twin studies showing that an adolescent "surge" in spirituality is 52 percent attributable to purely genetic factorsthough Miller does not advance alternative explanations. Ironically, the author's focus on the science behind her theory takes something away from the engaging and deeply felt case studies and personal stories she shares in later sections. Unfortunately, she saves two particularly poignant examplesadolescents dealing with depression and sexual addictionfor the penultimate chapter. If the plights of Marin and Kurt had been introduced earlier, Miller could have established more emotional connection with her readers, who would then be more engaged with the science she presents. New science or a leap of faith? Either way, nurturing spirituality in your children may save them a world of pain. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
