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Anonymous Crane

April 26, 2026

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 ❤️
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