‘Does Every Question Need an Answer?’ Young Humanists launch new guide for parents and carers

22 June, 2015

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Young Humanists, the 18-35 section of the British Humanist Association, have launched a new guide for parents, carers, grandparents, educators and others who find themselves answering big questions posed by inquisitive young minds. Does every question need an answer? A guide to open-ended questioning for parents, written by teacher Lian Montgomery and illustrated by Kathleen Chagall Design, was launched at a packed workshop the BHA’s Annual Conference on Sunday.

Instead of providing answers to questions such as ‘What happens when we die?’ and ‘Why do some people attend church but others don’t?’, the book suggests ways in which parents and others can encourage young people to think for themselves, by responding with probing questions and guidance that enable young people to develop their own opinions on such matters. The guide explains:

‘It can be tempting to believe that children need the security of a solid answer. Surely you should provide your child with secure conclusions when they’re young, and save the difficult ideas for when they’re older, one might think. On the contrary, the so-called security provided by a less-than perfect truth told to a young person can cause a huge shock when it is ripped away at a later date – an experience that many humanists can relate to with regards to their earlier religious education.

‘The sheer number of questions asked by children can lead parents to believe that they crave hard facts. However, children can prove surprisingly pragmatic when faced with an open ended question. In fact, compared to adults, children often display a remarkable flexibility of thought, as well as huge enjoyment in the process of thinking creatively. Furthermore, they frequently have their own thoughts on complex matters from an early age. As adults, it is our place to draw out these germinating ideas, and to scaffold and reinforce the frames upon which they will grow.’

Young Humanists Coordinator Alice Fuller explained, ‘Being a humanist means being able to think for yourself, understand the thinking of others and respecting other points of view. Many questions from enquiring minds are fairly straightforward to answer, but questions that start with “why” often merit deeper exploration. The best way to develop both a young person’s critical thinking and tolerance of diversity whilst at the same time enabling them to find their own way through life’s big questions is to ask them what they think about the questions they ask you, listening to their opinions and prompting them to deeper thought with further queries of your own.’

The guide is available for free from Young Humanists’ website.

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Young Humanists Coordinator Alice Fuller at alice@humanists.uk.

Young Humanists is the 18-35s section of the BHA. Founded in 1896, the BHA is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. We promote Humanism; provide services, support and representation to the non-religious; and promote a secular state and equal treatment in law and policy of everyone, regardless of religion or belief.