Children can feel lonely, as well as their grandparents...

Rachel Turner, Pioneer of Parenting for Faith

Loneliness in young and old

For a fresh perspective on loneliness and how it can affect all generations – not just the stereotypical 'lonely old woman or man' – I tuned in this week to a podcast by Rachel Turner.

Rachel is the Pioneer of Parenting for Faith here at the Bible Reading Fellowship (BRF). She's the author of several books, and the creator of the Parenting for Faith course.

'This week,' she said, 'we're talking about loneliness – in us and our children' (Podcast Number 64). Rachel explores how to talk about loneliness, which we sometimes consider a bit of a taboo – who wants to admit they are lonely? And she looks at how we connect with God about our loneliness. If you're a grandparent, for instance, you might be interested in Rachel's perspective on how children perceive loneliness and how we might encourage our young relatives to express their gut feelings of being out on a limb, alone, feeling excluded... Likewise, she unpacks how being lonely might be understood when we're older.

Creativity

You'll also find in the recording (that's just under half an hour long) an interview with Martha Shrimpton, founder of Nimbus Collective about the role of creativity in our spiritual lives. Martha talks about about the free creative sessions she's offering for children, adults and families while we'e all spending more time at home these days.

The Parenting for Faith Prayer

Loving God, You created parents and children to enjoy a personal relationship with you. Help parents, godparents, grandparents and guardians  to show the children in their care the reality of life lived with you, the excitement of God-connectedness, and the adventure of a lifelong journey of faith in your service. In the name of Jesus. Amen