Parents: How to Build Your Child's Faith
Step 1: Teach your child about God.
Don't assume he'll learn what he needs to know by just attending Sunday school. Teach your child why believing in God is important and will help him. Then, be open to questions. He'll probably have several - a few you can answer - and others that'll challenge you. Try to answer them all to the best of your ability or merely admit you don't know.
Step 2: Offer examples of faith.
Show your child how you applied faith to everyday problems. Did you pray and rely on your understanding of God when a loved one died or you were in trouble? Give details about these times, so your child knows that faith really works. Avoid relying on just Bible stories like David and Goliath because these characters won't be as tangible as you are to him.
Step 3: Pray with your child daily.
The best way to build your child's faith is by praying with him regularly. You can start off simple, incorporate the Lord's Prayer and then go freestyle. When you open up this channel to God for your child, you'll help him develop new faith muscles. After his first prayer is answered, you'll notice he'll be more eager to participate in this activity.
Step 4: Take your child to church.
This suggestion is a no-brainer. Church is the place most people go to learn about faith and set down religious roots. If you make church-going a habit, your child will more readily adopt this habit as an adult. Even if he rebels for a while, he'll return to what he knows later on after he wises up.
Step 5: Address his religious doubts.
You know as well as anyone that with faith there come doubts. Certain aspects of the Bible are difficult to comprehend and at times Christian people mess up. When your child begins to see these things, speak to his concerns. Explain how you hold onto your faith when faced with challenging circumstances or ideas.
Step 6: Be a person of faith yourself.
You'll never be able to build your child's faith if you don't have any yourself. So work on beefing up your own belief system. Do you give up too early to see any real miracles in your own life? Or, are you a cynic who doesn't want to pass on this DNA to a child, but can't shake it himself? Figure out what's holding you back and be a model of faith for your child.
These six steps will help you develop your child's faith. Your work will give him a tool he can use throughout adulthood.
See Also:
How to Teach Your Child About Money
Seven Ways to Improve Your Child's Lunch
Published by Stephanie Modkins
Stephanie M. is a freelance writer who lives in the northwest. Her main goal is to write in a way that entertains, educates or uplifts readers. View profile
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