Catechesis

Bret Nicholaus—author, Loyola Press senior writer, and father of two young boys—shares why he enjoys 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith by Jim Campbell.

Naturally, your child is exposed to the Catholic faith at Mass or in a parish religious education class. But what about the rest of the week? How much exposure to the faith does your child experience before nervously heading off to school the morning of a big test, or following a tough loss in a weekend soccer game?

Since most parents feel uncomfortable, if not ill-equipped, to discuss matters of the faith with their kids, most children receive very little real-world faith training from their parents. That’s why I love 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith—it helps everyday moms and dads recognize and optimize opportune moments for talking about the faith.

In the book, author, theologian, and father/grandfather Jim Campbell cites 52 common opportunities that arise in daily life where parents can easily bring faith into the discussion. From moving to a new neighborhood to dealing with the loss of a pet, from keeping promises to dealing with sibling rivalry, you’ll discover all sorts of meaningful ways to talk to your child about faith regardless of the issue or situation involved. A bonus is that Campbell always provides Scripture verses that tie in to the topic at hand, as well as a prayer that parents and children can pray together.

In the end, 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith offers something substantial for both parent and child: parents gain the confidence to talk openly about faith with their child, and children come to understand that the life of faith goes well beyond the pews in the parish—it extends even to the sidelines of the soccer field!

For a limited time you can purchase 52 Simple Ways to Talk with Your Kids about Faith at 30% off the regular price. Use code FAM7 to receive the discount, which is valid through December 1, 2009.