Families and Children

Children’s programmes

Some Quaker Meetings, including Mt. Eden, Wellington and Christchurch have regular programmes for pre-adolescent children, generally up to about age 10. The children meet with adults and do creative projects focusing on learning about life, spirituality and Quaker practice. In general, our child and youth programmes focus more on process and less on content, often stressing respect, diversity, relationships, curiosity and exploration. Children usually join the full Meeting for Worship for the last 10 minutes or so, and often report on their activities at the Rise (end) of Meeting. Some choose to remain in Meeting for Worship for the full hour instead, and they are welcome to do so.

Families and Children

Many Friends participate in Meeting for Worship and in other Quaker activities with their families. These families include people of all ages, parents with children, couples of diverse descriptions including same-sex couples, Young Friends in their 20s and 30s, older Friends, grandparents with grand-kids, and single people. For some Quakers, the Meeting is their family. Others have partners or children or parents who are not involved in Quaker activities but who enjoy participating on their own. Some Friends grew up as Quakers; some have been involved for several generations; others are new to Friends.  Whatever your family looks like you are welcome in the Quaker 'village'.

Inter-generational Activities: 

Friends value and encourage the participation of people of all ages, genders and ethnicities. Meetings organise regular social activities for families and enjoy inter-generational activities at Summer Gathering and other Quaker events. As well, occasionally Meetings and events hold All Age Meetings for Worship in which elders, parents, youth and children share in contributing to the worship. Whatever our relationship to the children in our lives or in our Meetings - grandparents, parents, relatives or friends - we want to do our best to raise confident, non-violent children rich in empathy and compassion, children able to be true to themselves; we want to be able to relate to them peaceably and respectfully. We want children to find and value their inner quide.  Here are some resources especially for those engaged in the hard mahi of parenting:

Paths to Quaker Parenting: Using Quaker Beliefs, Testimonies and Practices

(You'll find a book of the same name, published in 2009, at the Pendle Hill online book store here.)

There are ample resources available from The Quaker Parenting Initiative, an activity of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. The Quaker Parenting Initiative is dedicated to helping parents find direction and spiritual meaning in their journey with their children, as they love and live with them while seeking how to nurture and guide them. 

Check out Quaker Parent Worship, a space for parents who are currently engaged in bringing up children, to come together for worship, reflection, and connection. It is run by the Woodbrooke Centre in the UK.  The format for this online worship is what is sometimes called an ‘Epilogue’ that will last around 30 minutes. The focus is to have some quiet time together at the end of the day; it will be held in Quaker stillness. You will be joining a silent meeting, there will be space to speak if you feel moved to and there may be an offering, perhaps a reading or music, from the host. After the worship there will be a short time to chat for anyone who wants to stay.