Do Your Kids Believe in God? Does it Matter?

Do Your Kids Believe in God?

I love staying up on the latest research and knowledge on our little ones (there’s still so much we don’t know about how tiny brains develop!) and was particularly interested in a new book by psychologist Lisa Miller: The Spiritual Child. In her book, Dr. Miller has compiled a ton of data showing the scientific links between spirituality and overall health and wellbeing of your child. Is she saying you have to make sure your kids believe in God to be successful or happy in life? No, not exactly, but she is saying that some form of spirituality, a connection to something bigger—perhaps the Universe or nature itself even—improves your kids’ chances of being happy and avoiding risks like drug use and early sex once they reach their teenage years.

This is all especially interesting to me, because I was raised with absolutely zero connection to spirituality. My parents were very sure that when you die, you die, and that’s all there is to it—but growing up in London, I was surrounded by so many spiritual cultures, whether they were Christian, Hindu, or Islamic (I didn’t know a lot of Jewish families in the UK, but have met plenty of great ones in New York!). Anyway, growing up, I really craved spirituality. I wanted so badly to believe in something bigger, some order, some reason for the way things were because, let’s face it, life can be overwhelming, confusing, and hard to make sense of.

Later in my life, I got Baptized, and now my family and I go to church on Sundays. It’s important to me because I think there’s something very comforting and reassuring to feel like there’s someone, or some sort of energy out there, looking out for you. Of course I want my children to know that I’m looking after them first and foremost, but there are so many things beyond even my control—and our belief in God helps bring a certain amount of peace of mind to my little ones.

Like everything else in parenting, though, spirituality and religion aren’t one-size-fits-all. If you don’t believe in God, but still teach your children about the wonder and beauty of our world, teach them how kindness can spread, and help them celebrate all the natural miracles they are fortunate enough to witness every day, you’re probably still reaping the same benefits that Dr. Miller describes in her book. The idea is that looking outside yourself helps you (and your children!) boost resiliency, be more appreciative, and have higher self-worth.

Do your kids believe in God? Do you believe that there’s a connection between spirituality and your child’s wellbeing? I know this is a hot topic (and can get heated!) so chime in, but please be respectful of others. I’m opening this up to discussion to create a dialogue, not to tear anyone down—no matter what their beliefs (or non-beliefs!)