My teen doesn't want to go to church anymore

3d ago1 min read

My 15 year old is really pushing back on youth group and church. Says it feels fake and he'd rather sleep in on Sunday. Part of me gets it because I remember being that age, but I also want him grounded in faith. I'm trying not to force it because I know that usually backfires, but I'm worried that if I just let it slide he'll drift completely. We talk about God and life stuff but it's not the same. Any dads been through this? How do you balance not being a tyrant with actually being a spiritual leader?

5 comments139 views

Comments(5)

AAntonioRegular1d ago

This is the balancing act right there. You want them to have roots but you also know that forcing religion on a teen usually backfires. Hard situation man.

KKevin M.Regular3d ago

That's a real one. My advice is listen to why he thinks it feels fake instead of pushing back. Could be a good conversation about faith versus the performance part of church.

NNate H.Regular3d ago

Yeah, 15 is a tough age for that stuff. My teenagers have gone through the same thing and sometimes you just gotta let them sit with the questions instead of forcing it. He might come back around when it's his choice.

DDanielRegular3d ago

My oldest went through the exact same phase. I stopped forcing it and instead we had some actual conversations about why faith matters to me and what he was feeling. Turned out better than dragging him there against his will.

RRichardRegular3d ago

That's a tough one. At 15 they're starting to form their own beliefs and that's actually healthy even if it's scary as a parent. Maybe instead of pushing church, have a real conversation about what he thinks is fake about it?