Parenting Stories: Making Faith a Natural & Intentional Part of Kids’ Everyday Lives

Hey there, welcome back No Problem Parents to another Self-Care Sunday on the No Problem Parenting Podcast. And today I'm going to tackle the question, how do I spark my kids' interest in our faith? And I believe that it starts by making faith not just a thing we do, but a joy, like a get to, not a have to, a joy that we live out and model for our kids. And today I'm going to share four short examples or stories of how my own clients have intentionally incorporated their faith into their parenting. From church traditions to meditation practices, even embracing Zen beliefs, each parent has paved the way for their kids to naturally become curious and interested in exploring their faith and connection to God or a higher power. Stay tuned.

Welcome to the No Problem Parenting Podcast. From toddler tantrums to teenage eye rolls, This podcast is your go-to for updated and old school tips and tools that are going to help you become the confident leader your kids crave you to be. I'm your host, Jackie Finneman, a 30-year counselor turned parenting coach, and I've got a lot to share, including hundreds of resources that you have access to right from your home and strategies that are going to boost your confidence and energize you. So whether you're knee deep in diapers or navigating the tween years, or you're launching your child into adulthood, we're going to turn your parenting problems into no problem, one episode at a time. All right, parents, how can we make faith a natural and intentional part of our kids' everyday lives? How do we set a solid foundation for them to really embrace faith and consider it a get-to and not a have-to? Today, I'm going to share four parent stories. These parents told me how they intentionally teach their faith in their parenting and that it's more to them than a routine. It's about making faith a lived experience and a joy that we share with our children, creating a foundation that sparks genuine interest and curiosity in their kids. So as you listen in, I hope these stories spark some ideas and inspiration for your own parenting. Each of these families has a unique approach and I'm excited for you to find something that resonates and feels right for your family too. So our first

parent is mom Sarah. She was tired of dragging her kids to church on Sundays. They were up early anyway, so it wasn't a matter of getting them out of bed, but she just felt like they were going through the motions and it was this have to go to church. We have to go to church. So instead, she thought they're up earlier than church anyway. I want my kiddos to actually look forward to Sunday mornings and going to church. So she changed up the Sunday morning routine a bit.

When the kiddos get up, they have a light breakfast of cinnamon toast or fruit, and then they each share how God showed up for them in the previous week. And then they make an intention about whose life they would like God to bless in the coming week. And then at church that day, their intention is going to be for that person. Then after church, they go out for either donuts and chocolate milk or brunch, depending on their day's events.

Sarah shared that now going to church means more than just going and sitting in the pew and remaining quiet. Sarah's kids actually look forward to Sundays because they're having that special morning time with each other. They're in gratitude and they feel good that they're supporting a friend or family member, somebody in need and helping to fill them up without that person even knowing it. And then icing on the cake is that afterwards they have this special donut day, which is the only day of the week that they get donuts.

It's become a family tradition, a weekly family tradition that they look forward to. All right, next we have a dad named John. And for John, it's really important that his kids are exercising their faith on a daily basis. And so in order to teach that, he needs to model it.

Dad is a kindness influencer. He can turn any criticism or negative response into an opportunity to be kind. And so instead of only the usual Sunday church event and saying grace at routine meals, you know, on a daily basis, John sprinkles faith into daily acts of kindness, especially when he has the opportunity to do that in front of his kids. So he is regularly helping neighbors or just simply expressing gratitude to somebody or giving someone a compliment, being intentional about smiling at people when he's running errands with the kids, saying hello or complimenting other people. John's faith teaches the value of love and compassion. And so he's demonstrating these values in action for his kids. And he also shared that sometimes at dinner or before bed, he'll share a random act of kindness that he did just a simple little thing like smiling at someone. And then he asked his kids, what random act of kindness or love or compassion did you offer someone today? John shared that he does this kindness check in even when he's at odds with one of the kids. He said,

regardless of any of that, it's kind of like that never go to bed on an argument advice. But he says the same thing even when there is something that he and a child are struggling with or the kids are struggling with he still finds time at some point in the day or before bed to ask about something kind that they did for someone else or an act of kindness that they received which I think is just super fun. All right next is Chelsea and Samuel. Now they found some fun and joy in celebrating spiritual milestones like baptism and first communion confirmation and another spiritual holiday is that they celebrate in their church. They marked these occasions with family outings or events by doing something special or intentional based on the holiday or the occasion or the event.

And then when each kid hit a specific milestone for themselves, they would do something special with and for their child. And so one of the things they did is put on a banquet for one of their kiddos when the child made their first communion and they invited 20 friends and family over. They didn't even have a table big enough so they put together long fold-out tables and they connected the dining room and living room together and everybody sat around the entire big long banquet table. The parents made sure that each child's faith-based milestone was such a celebration and acknowledgement of them that her children felt really important and invested in their faith.

They look forward to these milestones now because of the meaning and the growth that they experience in themselves. Chelsea and Samuel believe that celebrating and acknowledging their child's commitment, dedication, devotion, connection with their faith is super important. And they say it's helping their kiddos embrace their faith. So kudos to them. I think that's a super fun family tradition. All right. And then my last story comes from Mark and Maria. They are a couple who were both raised on separate denominations, different religions. Neither one of them had super great experiences growing up with those religions, but they each do have a really strong faith and they wanted to be sure that they teach their children about faith and give them a foundation for being mindful of a higher power. And so they created a Zen zone at their home. So this is an area that's just kind of carved out in a section in their living room. There's a comfortable chair, some floor pillows, a little rug, and it is surrounded by a variety of faith symbols. They encourage their kids to relax in that space whenever they need a minute to calm down, to regroup. If their kids are worried about something, or if the kiddos feel like no one seems to understand what they're trying to communicate, or they just had a rough day, or that they just want to start their day out there in the Zen zone. The only rule that Mark and Maria have is that that space is sacred.

So there can be no arguing or hurtful conversations or behaviors in that space. It is truly a calm space to pray, to meditate, whatever that family member wants to do at that moment to find peace, solace, and rest. Mark and Maria have said the Zen Zone has been a game changer in their home. They taught this to their kids at a really young age. And even though there's still behavior challenges at times with their kiddos in their home, for the most part, the kids recognize themselves when they need to go chill out. Maria shared that they never really did time out in their home. They never sent their kids to their room. They would just say, hey, do you need a Zen zone. I think it's a really great idea. I think you can create that space for any denomination or belief that you have. I think it's also really cool because your family members will know, hey,

you're in need of something. You're either praying for someone or for yourself or needing that peace or solace or rest for yourself. And the rest of the family members, without even having to ask or talk about it, can just kind of know that you need a minute. What a cool idea and a cool suggestion. All right, you guys, as we wrap up this self-care Sunday, remember that your family's Faith isn't just about the routine.

It's about adding joy to the mix, curiosity. Find happiness in your family rituals, in your everyday acts of faith, and celebrate those spiritual milestones. Embracing faith, setting the foundation for your kids, being intentional is a great way to practice self-care and to teach your kids about self-care. All right.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I'm back tomorrow for Mindset and Motivation Monday. all right that's it for today's episode of the no problem parenting podcast hey thanks guys for tuning in if you found value in today's episode click the subscribe button and share it with other parents who might need a little boost stay connected on our socials by following at no problem parents for more parenting tips and get your free download of the 60 ways to respond to your kids without losing your cool go to no problem parents.com until next time remember your confidence comes from embracing both successes and setbacks.

So take a deep breath, embrace the chaos, and remember, you got this.