Raising godly kids in a secular world is exhausting

1d ago1 min read

Trying to instill Christian values in my daughters when everything around them is pushing the opposite direction. School, social media, their friends parents are all living completely different lifestyles. I don't want to be the overbearing religious dad but I also want them to understand what I believe. My oldest is starting to ask hard questions about why we do things differently than other families and I'm struggling to explain it in a way that makes sense to a 12 year old without sounding judgmental of others.

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Comments(5)

NNate B.Regularjust now

Man, exhausting is the right word. Some days I feel like I'm swimming upstream. But I've realized that my kids watching me actually live out my faith matters way more than what I tell them to believe.

CChad R.Regular1d ago

That's a tough balance for sure. We try to make our home the safe space where those values are front and center, even if the outside world's pulling the other way. It helps to stay connected with other families doing the same thing.

CCarl L.Regular1d ago

I get it, man. With two kids heading into their teenage years, I'm starting to see this battle play out too. Keeping open lines of communication and not being preachy seems to be what works best for us so far.

TTony M.New Dad9h ago

I wrestle with this constantly. My kids go to public school and get exposed to so much that conflicts with what we teach at home. I don't shield them completely but we have strong conversations about what we believe and why. It's about building conviction, not just rules.

EEdRegular9h ago

This is the real struggle right here. Can't keep them in a bubble but you also don't want them losing their foundation. My approach is making our home a place where those values feel real and lived out, not just preached.