Maybe more suited for slightly older, but when did you realize your kids didn't believe in God?

[Anonymous]

I remember going through very into and very not into church phases as a kid. We introduced the concept of organized religion to our kids because it was important to my spouse. I'd call myself agnostic. I feel like the doubting questions are airing in my 11 and 12 year old. Is that early? Normal?

[Anonymous]

Sounds normal to me; teen years are when I started actually thinking about what was being said in church rather than just thinking of it as arts and crafts plus music for Sunday morning.

[Anonymous]

She was skeptical from day one.

[Anonymous]

There’s questioning and then “not believing”

Questioning is okay. If there was no questioning, there wouldn’t be a thing called faith.


I’d seriously question my parenting skills (or lack-there-of) if I thought they didn’t believe in any higher power.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’d seriously question my parenting skills (or lack-there-of) if I thought they didn’t believe in any higher power.

Hilarious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I’d seriously question my parenting skills (or lack-there-of) if I thought they didn’t believe in any higher power.

Hilarious

LOL indeed. Those folks never fail

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’d seriously question my parenting skills (or lack-there-of) if I thought they didn’t believe in any higher power.

The irony. You should seriously question your parenting skills for making that statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was skeptical from day one.

Same with my son.

[Anonymous]

DH was raised conservative Christian. Middle school (so 11-13) is when he started seriously questioning, and he was fully out by age 14.

[Anonymous]

There is a religion board.

[Anonymous]

By middle school if your kid isnt questioning, Id worry that they arent very bright. But I agree that questioning isnt the same as disbelief. For some kids questions will lead to disbelief and for others it wont. But if your kid doesn't have their own questions, thats a red flag about their intellect and gullibility.

[Anonymous]

11/12 years old and having questions or doubts seems right on time to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a religion board.

Pretty sure the responses there would lean more toward the "Good parenting = religious indoctrination" PP above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was skeptical from day one.

Same. My older kid is just an empiricism by disposition. As he gets older, I hope he can gain more appreciation for uncertainty and feeling as necessary parts of life, but for now it's very black and white.

[Anonymous]

Seems like the right stage developmentally. Parent of a 12yo who recently expressed they weren’t sure what they believe. (And is in organized religion but we as parents expressed we think “God” is more of a concept than a singular deity.)