4 Tips to Keep Your Kids in the Faith

Posted by : Blyton Pinto | Parenting

A highly emotional challenge facing parents who practice a Faith is keeping their children in the Faith. Here are some tips to help you

When looking for ideas to help me decide what to write, I always look at the situations I face as a parent. It was easy to decide on this topic. Just like us, many other parents are facing the same challenge.

Sonia and I use a few tips to increase the odds that our kids practice the Faith for the rest of their lives.  Only time will tell whether these tips will bear fruit, but I think they seem to be right.

Tip 1: Don't force, at least sometimes. Age of the child matters

Sometimes we find ourselves precariously perched high up on a thin rope, doing the balancing act between, forcing our kids to attend church-based activities or letting them have their way. The battle in our heads is - If we force our teens, will they get even more rebellious, even worse, resentful of the Faith? If we don't, will they get lost? So we end up doing a mixture of both. As they age, it boils down to negotiation, influence, and equipping your teen to withstand peer pressure in this secular world. You can have a greater sway over less than 10-year-Olds than teens. 

Tip 2: Make God real for them

Don't keep God in Church or on the altar but bring Him down into your daily life. For every little or big achievement, failure, tragedy, or even mundane activity, talk about how you felt God’s presence. Like getting a parking spot in a busy mall on a weekend. Speak of miracles, not only as we popularly know them but also the small miracles that happen daily e.g. retaining your job when many have lost theirs, good health, school, friends, etc. Do you get the point? Attribute everything to God so that your kids will unconsciously begin to learn to do the same.

Tip 3: Surrender to God and pray for your kids

Undoubtedly, this is the most important tip. Nothing will work if you don't back your parenting by prayer and total faith in God. Every day, pray for your kids that they remain in the Faith. Offer one Rosary a day for this intention. Pray that your kids never abandon the Faith and Church. That they remain connected to Jesus and His teaching.

Tip 4: Parents, please practice what you preach

I don't need to elaborate further.

Conclusion

We are facing a crisis of faith and there is a real danger our kids will abandon their religion in their adult life.  But patience, prayer, surrender and our own strong faith in God can ensure that Faith remains to the end of time.

Do you have these battles at home? How do you cope?

I hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you know someone else who may enjoy it too, I'd appreciate if you share.

Blyton.