Raising Witches: Teaching the Wiccan Faith to Children

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not excellent
Review: Here's the thing with this book: it's VERY Wiccan, which I am not. And she seems to be lacking an editor; I've found at least 10 editing errors just by reading along. I'm not perfect, but I like to think that something I pay money for would be. Also, the lesson plans are incomplete. She just left blank spaces instead of at least stating (N/A) or whatnot. Makes it look like she was in a hurry to get the book published. Also, it's such a small little thing; I really wish there were more in-depth books out there on this subject.

Now that THAT'S out of the way... Ashleen's books are very homey and welcoming, even to non-Wiccans. I really like her ideas on family camp-outs and such, since I've been working that into my own for a few years now. That in itself is worthwhile to purchase to book. I wish there was a book dedicated to Pagan camping and festival-going! All in all, It's a nice, quick read for Pagan parents.

Rating:
Summary: I wanted to give this five stars... but
Review: I am impressed and wanted to give this book five stars, but I had one problem. This is an instructional complete with lesson plans. I give it four stars because it provides a very, very, very good foundation for teaching the Wiccan religion to the little ones. It lost that last star of excellence because I object to the format the lessons are given to children. Any parent who interacts with his or her children should purchase this book, but to teach ones children in a structured system such as presented here just is not my thing. In short, GREAT BOOK... just not my own personal style of Raising Witches.
So give it a read because it might be your style and even if it is not, it lends itself greatly towards personal adaptation.

Rating:
Summary: Raising Witches: Teaching the Wiccan Faith to Children
Review: I thought there was too much emphasis put on how to help children deal with adult nudity, and secrecy. Could send a dangerous message.

Rating:
Summary: Raising Witches is Easy to Read and Informative
Review: I was hesitant to buy this book, as I own and am not fully satisfied with her first book on pagan parenting. This one seems to be written with more skill. It is easy to read and understand without being condescending, yet it presents a good deal of information as well.

O'Gaea goes into each stage of development and discusses what lessons in lore and magick are appropriate to teach at each level. The science behind her prescriptive view to teaching Wicca is soundly grounded in the modern theory of child development.

There are ideas given here for as young as infancy and as old as adolescence. She also has a chapter relating to formal theology instruction for children of Wiccan Parents- Sunday or MoonDay school. This chapter contains a skeleton for an early childhood as well as an older childhood curriculum which could be adapted and used by pagan homeschoolers or other groups seeking to create a circle of learners. My only disappointment was that I waited so long to order it.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not excellent
Review: I was more satisfied with "Raising Witches" than with Ashleen O'Gaea's other parenting book, "The Family Wicca Book". It is well written and more specific. "Raising Witches" contains guidlines to help parents understand the development of their children. We purchased this book for help with answering questions our young children had about Wicca and our spirituality. We had our answers already, but they werent compatible with what our 4 year old or 7 year old could understand. Being raised in the Christian church, I knew how to relate that faith to a child from all those years of sunday school, but I had no idea how to relate my Wiccan faith to them, as I only knew it in an adult voice. This book gave us guidelines and examples that we are finding very useful for raising our children in our faith.

Another thing I found rather neat about this book is that you could use it for building cirriculum for circle/coven classes for children or even homeschooling if you wanted to include religion as a subject. I recommend this book to first generation Pagans, Pagan parents, and mixed religion households as well as and coven group who participate in family activities.

Rating:
Summary: It's a start....
Review: This book, personally gives you a push- a jump start to teach the wiccan faith to children. It's a good start, but I thought it would do more of the leg work--- Like a workbook outline for adults.. It has inspired me though to create my own childrens workbook, but I have alot of research ahead of me...
I also think someone should be writing out a moon-scouts book for wiccan children!!! I've tried, but I tend to get lost in work and family... Bless'd Be... ^_^ ...