The Parenting for Faith podcast

In today’s episode we speak to Sarah Strand and Emma Parker about the theology behind faith at home. Rev Sarah Strand is Dean of Anglican Formation at Cranmer Hall, Durham, having previously worked as Tutor and Lecturer in Theological Reflection and, before that, served in parishes on Teesside. She is completing a PhD in Divinity at the University of Aberdeen, exploring how young children encounter God through reading Scripture in their family context. Revd Canon Dr Emma L. Parker is the Priest in Charge of St Gabriel's Church, Sunderland. She is the former Deputy Warden at Cranmer Hall, Durham and an author and contributor. She lives in Sunderland with her husband, daughter and red setter and loves early morning runs and dog walks, getting lost in a good book and singing. Links: Buy Growing Together in Faith https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334066521/growing-together-in-faith The questions tool https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/questions/ Join the Parenting as a Church Leader Day on 9 October https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/book-pacl-day/ Sign up as a group or individual for the Parenting Teens for a Life of Faith course this Autumn https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/parenting-teens-course-autumn-2025 Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk A-Z book launch - https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/an-a-z-of-parenting-for-faith-book-launch Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Zoe Strong about dyslexia and faith. Zoe Strong is an AHRC-funded doctoral researcher exploring dyslexia and engaging with the Bible. She also heads up the University of Aberdeen’s Autism and Theology Podcast, and is the neurodiversity topic editor for Practical Theology Hub. We talk to her about the challenges that people with dyslexia might face at church or exploring faith at home and how we can all be part of supporting children and young people with dyslexia in our homes and churches. Links: Accessing God’s Word with Dyslexia or Reading Difficulties https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/post/accessing-gods-word-with-reading-difficulties-facebook-live/ Sign up as a group or individual for the Parenting Teens for a Life of Faith course this Autumn https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/parenting-teens-course-autumn-2025 Join the Parenting as a Church Leader Day on 9 October https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/book-pacl-day/ Autism and Theology Podcast: https://tr.ee/v1JmTAcjX6 Dyslexia definition research https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.14123 Zoe’s dyslexia research https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/23312521.2022.2041531 Scripture Union Scotland’s King of Kings resources https://www.suscotland.org.uk/what-we-do/resources/collection/the-king-of-kings/ Dyslexia friendly products from The Bible Society https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/products/bibles/dyslexiafriendly/ Dyslexia Scotland https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/products/bibles/dyslexiafriendly/ The Chosen TV Series https://www.thechosen.tv/en-us Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk A-Z book launch - https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/an-a-z-of-parenting-for-faith-book-launch Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Dr Leon van Ommen and Lizzy Peach about autism and faith. Leon was born and raised in the Netherlands and has lived most of his adult life in Belgium, and is now based in Aberdeen. He works as Lecturer in Practical Theology, in the areas of liturgy and worship, suffering and healing, justice and reconciliation, and recently in disability theology and autism. He is the co-director of the Centre for Autism and Theology. Lizzy Peach is a Christian, and an autistic parent of four children, all of whom are now teenagers aged between 13 and 19. Two of them are also autistic. She is also a PhD student at the Centre for Autism and Theology at Aberdeen. Links: Find out more about the centre for autism and theology https://www.abdn.ac.uk/dhpa/research/centres/centre-for-autism-and-theology/ Listen to the autism and theology podcast https://www.abdn.ac.uk/events/podcasts/autism-theology/ Autism in Childhood by Luke Beardon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Autism-Childhood-parents-carers-diagnosed/dp/1399805398 Sign up as a group or individual for the Parenting Teens for a Life of Faith course this Autumn https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/parenting-teens-course-autumn-2025 Join the Parenting as a Church Leader Day on 9 October https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/book-pacl-day/ Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Dr Tamara Rosier about ADHD and faith. Tamara is passionate about changing the way in which ADHD is perceived by reassuring people with ADHD that their brains are not ‘broken’ and helping them and their families and friends to understand ADHD better. She speaks and writes about ADHD: as an expert, having written ‘Your Brain Is Not Broken’ and the follow-up ‘You, Me and Our ADHD Family’, as well as being an ADHD coach, with 15 years’ experience working with hundreds of families and individuals as someone with a personal diagnosis of ADHD herself and as the mother of three children with ADHD (and one child who doesn’t have ADHD). Links: Find out more about Tamara and her books at https://www.tamararosier.com/ or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dr.tamararosier/ Sign up for give as you live to raise money for Parenting for Faith at no cost to you https://www.giveasyoulive.com/charity/brf Book The Forge Gathering https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/theforge/ Sign up as a group or individual for the Parenting Teens for a Life of Faith course this Autumn https://www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/events/products/parenting-teens-course-autumn-2025 Join the Parenting as a Church Leader Day on 9 October https://www.parentingforfaith.brf.org.uk/book-pacl-day/ Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s bonus episode we speak to Lucy Rycroft about her new book Be Still. Anna and Lucy share the highs and lows of parenting for faith in the summer holidays and explore what being still might like like for us as parents and carers even in that chaos! Lucy Rycroft is the founder of thehopefilledfamily.com and a part-time music teacher. She previously worked for BRF Ministries in the Parenting for Faith team. She lives in York with her husband and four children. Be Still, is a collection of 30 Bible devotions, reflecting on the concept of being still that can be used really flexibly. Links: Find out more about Lucy and The Hope-Filled Family on her website https://thehopefilledfamily.com/ or Instagram @thehopefilledfamily Grab a copy of Be Still from www.brfonline.org.uk/collections/books/products/be-still-30-devotions-for-those-who-feel-anything-but Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we ask Rachel Turner, founder of Parenting for Faith, your questions. She has worked in churches for over 15 years and continues to consult, speak at conferences and run training days for church leaders, parents and families around the world. Rachel is the author of nine books, and the original Parenting for Faith course. We asked her these questions: 1:19 - What if your kid decides they hate church and they don’t want to go? 9:59 - Any tips for doing chat and catch with under fives? 12:26 - How would you encourage a child who is struggling with self-esteem? 16:33 - How do you help a four year old receive what God speaks over them for their lives in their future, and help frame that for them at that age? 20:19 - Do you have any ideas for helping kids navigate school where their peers and their teachers aren't Christian, and they're coming up against people with opposing views? 23:06 - What tips do you have for helping kids who are learning about Christianity and different faith at school? 25:01 - How can we help under fives read the Bible? 27:17 - How do you avoid feeling overwhelmed? 30:11 - What about kids who are nonverbal either through age or through a disability? How can we instill these values and use some of these key tools with children who don't have that ability? Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Rosie Jefferson about parenting for faith for adopters and foster carers and her new venture Creative Calm. The conversation explores how to prepare for becoming an adopter or foster carers and who to support the people around us as well as how we can all find calm and self-care strategies as parents or carers. Links: Find Creative Calm on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576083088661 or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creativecalm_uk The podcast episodes on new siblings (birth and adoptive) https://soundcloud.com/parentingforfaith-brf/s7e11-the-one-with-the-new-sibling-with-anna-hawken-and-lucy-rycroft form the basis of the new siblings chapter in An A - Z of Parenting for Faith (out Oct 2025) Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Chine McDonald about imperfection and motherhood, sparked by her new book Unmaking Mary. Chine is a mum, writer, broadcaster, author and director of Theos, the religion and society think tank. She regularly contributes to BBC Religion & Ethics programmes, including Thought for the Day on Radio 4’s Today programme, the Daily Service, and Prayer for the Day. She is vice-chair of Greenbelt Festival and a trustee at Christian Aid and Demos. Links: To find out more about Chine and her work go to chinemcdonald.com or instagram.com/chine_mcdonald/ Find Theos Think Tank at https://www.instagram.com/chine_mcdonald/ The 14th century painting Anna mentions is Simone Martini's painting, "Christ Discovered in the Temple," also known as "The Holy Family" based on Luke 2:41 - 51. You can see it here https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Simone_Martini_-_Christ_Discovered_in_the_Temple_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Louise Willis about handling anger. Louise is the founder of Hope for Families. She’s married to Garryl and they have four children. She’s a qualified teacher and recently completed her MA in Theology, Mission and Ministry (Children, Young People and Family specialism), researching the impact of Hope for Families’ most popular course, Handling Anger in the Family. Links: Hope for Families - hopeforfamilies.org.uk on Facebook facebook.com/hopeforfamiliesuk and Instagram instagram.com/hopeforfamiliesuk Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.

In today’s episode we speak to Dorothy Mendez about social media, online safety and relationships. Dorothy Mendez is the Mobilisation Coordinator for A21 UK. A21 is a global anti-human trafficking organisation, operating programmes in over 20 countries, with the mission to Abolish Slavery in the 21st century. Links: A21 resources available at a21.org/content/resources-uk This episode was inspired by the social media and p0rnography chapters of an A - Z of Parenting for Faith. Listen the episodes they summarise on pornography (S7E10) at https://on.soundcloud.com/KJXA3eYiwGd22VhF8 and social media (episodes 31 https://on.soundcloud.com/ngsjjB7yCCBDTLgX7 and 117 https://on.soundcloud.com/1nz8rLEQ1fbWrFrA6 of the first season) Send us your questions and stories at parentingforfaith.org/podcast or email us at parentingforfaith@brf.org.uk Thank you for listening today. If you are able to contribute to the cost of producing this podcast, please click here to give a one-off or regular gift: www.brf.org.uk/get-involved/give/ Parenting for Faith is part of the charity, BRF. We are reliant on donations from individuals and churches to make our resources available to as many people as possible. We are grateful for all donations, big or small. They make a real difference. Thank you so much for partnering with us.