Seven Common Faith Worries Parents Face

Recently found a great article by none other than Focus on the Family on common fears parents share when teaching and sharing their faith with their children. In lue of our recent post on 10 Parenting Tips On Building Faith, we felt it would be a beneficial to share our find. We would like to thank Focus on the Family for their dedication to families and for this great post.

Let's look at seven common faith worries parents face and why you don't have to feel overwhelmed by them.

1. I'm not an expert on Christianity. Good! That means you'll be able to talk with your child in plain English, not theological jargon. If you don't quite grasp concepts like the Trinity and original sin, relax. Use a resource like FaithLaunch, which describes them as simply as possible so that you can do the same for your child.
2. My own relationship with God isn't going too well. If you believe the basics — that we can receive forgiveness by placing our faith in Christ — you're qualified to address the subject with your child. It's important to deal with your doubts, disappointments, and temptations with the help of a pastor or other mature believer, but waiting for perfection isn't necessary. In fact, you might even find the process to be a faith-builder for you.
3. My kid has the attention span of a Chihuahua on caffeine. Are you afraid of boring your child? Whether the cause is ADHD or just too many video games, a short attention span doesn't have to torpedo your takeoff. FaithLaunch is one program that features a wide variety of brief activities, not a bunch of lectures. You can take things at your child's pace, and in bite-sized pieces.
4. I'm no teacher. Fortunately, this doesn't have to be a class. It can be a series of family times — kind of a cross between game night, a devotional, and baking cookies together. You're the leader, but there's no standing at a chalkboard and delivering a memorized lesson. It's as natural as spending time with your child to play with the cat, listen to a song on the radio, or work together on a model plane.
5. I have to do this alone. If you're a single parent, or if you're married but your spouse is reluctant to help, you may need to lead as a team of one. No, make that two: God knows all about your situation. In the case of FaithLaunch, family times have been prepared with you in mind; you won't be required to do anything a mom or dad can't do. If you really need flesh-and-blood support, though, you might consider inviting a friend and his or her child to join you.
6. My kid doesn't seem interested in God. If you haven't talked with your child much about faith before, suddenly immersing yourselves in the subject may seem jarring. You may assume your child isn't interested, yet it's likely he or she has questions but hasn't raised them. Rather than leaping in headlong, you might prepare your child for a couple of weeks beforehand by occasionally asking questions of your own ("Who do you think gave that caterpillar all those legs?") and mentioning your own faith ("I'll be sure to pray about your spelling test tomorrow").
7. I'm afraid I'll do it wrong and I'll never have another chance. The good news is that there are a million ways to do it right. You can blend a resource like FaithLaunch with your personality, your child's interests, your family's schedule, your home's layout, your favorite snacks. Share the truths in your own words, and let your child respond without insisting on the "right" answer. 
   
   Has there been any apprehension on speaking about faith with your children? Have you experienced any of the anxieties listed above? We would love to hear any other worries and how you overcame them. Remember "Faith is not inherited it’s developed" and we get the privilege to instruct.