02/12/2026
Nourishing our own faith growth is one of the best ways for Catholic moms and dads to model discipleship for our kids. From making time for daily prayer, attending adult formation classes to volunteering as a catechist, from reading the Bible to participating in the parish book club, developing our own faith life as an adult teaches our kids that faith formation is a lifelong journey.
We can even use our own struggles to teach our kids. None of us are perfect, and nowhere is this more evident than in parenting. Even the best moms and dads lose their tempers, make mistakes and run out of patience. And we all feel guilty for doing so! Yet if we allow ourselves to be fully human rather than trying to live up to some unrealistic standard of perfection, we are able to parent with a greater sense of understanding, forgiveness and compassion.
Acknowledging our mistakes and imperfections -- to our children, our spouse, even our neighbors or coworkers -- helps us remember that we're all in need of Christ's redemption. We are all sinners. We are all just trying, with God's grace, to do the best we can.
