Discussing Religion with your Children

When you’re a religious parent, it’s probably important for you that your children
know God and follow a path that you believe is right for them. However, religion can
be a difficult topic to approach, especially with young children. Introducing your kids to religion at a young age without putting their backs up against the idea can be tricky. Here are a few ideas to positively handle the topic of religion in your family.
Tell Stories
If you want your kids to believe in God and accept your religious views as their own,
a good place to start is by telling them Bible stories. You can  purchase religious books for your kids and for yourself and make reading and hearing about God a natural and fun thing to do. Investing in a good children’s Bible is a great first step, especially one with pictures and language that captures their attention and teaches them the core messages of Christianity.
Pray Together
Make a habit of praying together as a family if you want your children to follow suit. Let your kids see and hear you praying alone or with your spouse, pray together at mealtimes and before bed. Explain to your children the importance of praying sincerely, and for being thankful to God for all the wonderful things they have in their life. This will not only open up a relationship with God for them, but teach them gratitude. Discussing religion with your children does not have to be hard!
Answer Questions
If your kids are curious about God or don’t understand certain things, answer their questions with kindness and patience. They might resist certain practices or question why they need to do these things. Always highlight the benefits of doing the things you do: praying, reading the Bible, being thankful, going to Church, etc. If they ask questions you don’t know the answers to, find a religious leader that you feel comfortable talking to for advice.

Don’t Be Forceful
Kids can be resistant to things that they feel forced to do. While you might want to encourage them to attend Church, participate in Bible study, pray more or develop their relationship with God, be sure not to present these desires as forceful or nagging. Try to show encouragement without bossing them around. Children appreciate freedom and having the choice to do what they decide. Allowing them to make their own decisions around religion might feel reckless, but when handled correctly, this will help them to choose to follow God on their own, which is much more meaningful than them simply attending church out of obligation.
Lead By Example
Children look up to their parents more than you might realize. By showing them that you love God, pray regularly, offer thanks and make important decisions by consulting your bible, they will feel encouraged to follow in your footsteps. Leading by example is a great way to teach your children anything important. If you aren’t upholding the the values you teach, it would be difficult to expect anything different from your children who look up to you.

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Meredith

Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.

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