Raising kids in faith without being annoying about it

I've got a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old, and honestly, getting them to care about going to Mass feels like herding cats some days. They'd rather be home playing with their friends. I used to think the answer was more rules and more talking about sin and hellfire, but that just made them resent it. What's actually worked is letting them see that this matters to me, not because I'm trying to earn points upstairs, but because it makes my life better. We've started a small thing where after Mass on Sundays, we go get appam from that shop near the church and just talk about whatever. My daughter actually asked me a real question about God last week without me prompting it. So if you're frustrated with your kids, maybe it's not about forcing them to understand yet. It's about showing them you're serious without making it a punishment. Would love to hear what works for other parents here.

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@misericordiaApr 29

Not a parent, but just wanted to jump in with how things worked out for me. I feel like talking about punishment etc. usually only leads to fearing God more than loving Him. I think it's much better to show reverence & love to God yourself while you're at Mass - kids usually learn more from example than from what you tell them. And of course, tell them about God, how good He is and explain why you love Him. It really helps if you're in a reverent parish, too.

So I think you're doing the good things really! Praying for you and your children ❤️

@maria_26May 1

Hey,just this morning I saw something related to this in the book ‘My heart with Triumph’ by Mirijana Soldo ,one of the Medjugorge visionaries.She was talking about an incident in which she was at church praying and two kids came in with their grandparents and the grandmother was strictly telling them to pray Hail Mary’s while the kids were whining they they are bored.So Mirijna told the grand mother if you force them ,they will hate prayer growing up.Also that Mother Mary never forces ,she only invites .I personally know people who grew up hating prayer and church because their parents forced them and gave grave punishments for not praying or missing something related to prayer.Even though we force kids on many things while we are small,their way of protesting when the grow up would be almost always giving up prayer or going the straight opposite way .So the best approach is always to show by example ,ask them if they want to come to church ,interest them in church stuff

@maria_26May 1

As a kid I was never taken to Perunal or stuff but I take my kid now for the Christmas celebration ,light and sound show etc,which would keep them close to church .Plus instead of creating a God will punish you narrative ,always talk about the loving God who is always ready to welcome them .I ask my son to talk to Infant Jesus when we spot one at any church.Encourage them to talk to God,sit with them and do it yourself as an example or before family prayers.Teach small prayers like the Guardian Angel prayer before sleep ,Wisdom 9:10-12 before heading to school ,they catch up pretty fast.All we can do is guide them the right way,don’t force,invite .They may not come first but keep on asking everyday ,do you wanna come to church ,like God does everyday with us .

@christie_nahMay 1

Pray, pray, pray! And lead by example. I am thankful to my parents to have drilled it home very early on in our lives that no matter what we become in our lives, careers or otherwise, it is all useless unless we have the faith. Children emulate their parents to an extent, and if you show by example what it is that you prioritize in your life, it will always come back to them, even if they may not always follow it. Most important of all is to pray for them