Had this conversation with my 12yo last week and it caught me off guard. He said some kids at school think religion is made up and he wanted to know if I actually believe or just do it because I was raised that way. I tried to be honest about my faith journey but also let him ask questions. Wondering if I handled it right or if other dads have been through this?
I love that your son feels comfortable enough to ask you that. Means he trusts you even if you might not have all the answers. Those conversations are where the real connection happens.
Good on him for asking the hard questions. That's how kids develop their own beliefs anyway. What did you tell him?
12 is such a weird age for this stuff. They're starting to think critically about everything including what adults tell them. I'd say just have the conversation, let him ask questions, and don't worry about having all the answers. That's actually more honest.
That's a tough one man. My oldest asked something similar last year and I realized I didn't have a good answer ready. I think the best thing you can do is just be honest with him about your own beliefs without pushing anything on him. He's old enough to form his own thoughts.
This is where I think it's important to separate your faith from his journey. My kids have asked similar things and I've learned that just telling them what I believe and then letting them explore their own path is better than trying to convince them. The fact that he felt comfortable asking you is actually a win.
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That's a tough but important conversation to have. At 12 he's definitely old enough to ask real questions. How did you answer him? I feel like a lot of dads get caught off guard by this and don't know what to say.