It is a complex time to be a parent. Our climate is in crisis, and economic inequality is deepening. Racialized violence is spreading, and school shootings are escalating. How do we, as parents, cultivate in our children a love of the earth, a cry for justice, and a commitment to nonviolence? Where do we place our bodies so we teach our kids that resistance is crucial and change is possible? What practices do we hold as a family to encourage them to work with their hands, honor their hearts, and nurture their spirits?
The Sandbox Revolution calls upon our collective wisdom to wrestle with the questions, navigate the challenges, offer concrete practices, and remind parents of the sacredness of the work. Written by parents who are also writers, pastors, teachers, organizers, artists, gardeners, and activists, this anthology offers a diversity of voices and experiences on topics that include education, money, anti-racism, resistance, spirituality, disability justice, and earth care.
Contributors include Frida Berrigan, Leona Brown, Jennifer Castro, Laurel Dykstra, Janice Fialka, Kate Foran, Jennifer Harvey, Sarah and Nathan Holst, Michelle Martinez, Nick Peterson, Dee Dee Risher, en sawyer and Marcia Lee, Susan Taylor, Randy Woodley, and Bill Wylie-Kellermann. Interested in having a book group? Check out the Study Guide here.
The Sandbox Revolution is available now.
Praise for The Sandbox Revolution
“As someone who was raised by activist parents, and as a parent who has brought my own children up in a movement for peace, justice, and equity, I appreciate The Sandbox Revolution. The essays in this book will challenge and comfort all those interested in raising generations of conscious and committed young people.”
–Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, editor of We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible with the Poor People’s Campaign
“The Sandbox Revolution is a living cartography of tears, memory, ritual, prayer, hope, and play that will help you indwell the sacredness of your role.”
– Bayo Akomolafe, author of These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home
“The Sandbox Revolution is a heartfelt guide for all who are questioning how to live in this time of rapid change. Through their honest reflections, these writers, activists, and healers invite us to think and feel our way into our highest hopes for our families and communities.”
–Dani McClain, author of We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood
“You don’t want to read a parenting advice book; you want to let trustworthy stories of diverse families inform and shape the narrative of your own family life. You don’t want sanctimonious preaching about your parenting; you want a collection of voices sharing unflinchingly honest struggles of guiding their kids with integrity in this world. The Sandbox Revolution is the rich resource you need.”
–Cindy Wang Brandt, author of Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness
“We need to teach our kids how to create a world where everyone can thrive. This book will help us do exactly that.”
–Parker J. Palmer, author of The Courage to Teach; Let Your Life Speak; and On the Brink of Everything
Lydia Wylie-Kellerman 