Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
Religion
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
Religion
by JOwl, Mar 07, 2009 03:46PM
My daughter is 17 and she now strongly resists going to church with us. We've raised her in the Catholic church and feel strongly that she should go with us, even out of respect for her family, but she insists she doesn't believe in what the church is teaching. Should we force her to go to church every week? Is there a compromise we could offer?
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Mar 08, 2009 03:36PM
, Mar 08, 2009 03:36PM
It is generally not prudent to force the issue. In fact, such an approach will likely result in your daughter's entrenching herself even more stringly in her beliefs and reject what you are offering. It will be helpful if you can speak with her openly and calmly, with respect for whjat she is going through, and express a curiosity in what she is thinking. This is a very normal adolescent experience as she begins to struggle with who she is and wha she believes. How you act will very much determine if she comes through this maintaining respect for you, even though she might not share some of your beliefs.
Related discussions
-
6 year old with Sensory Issues -- but is that it in this... (3 replies):My 6 year old daughter (1st Grader) has been diagnosed w...[more]
-
12 year old daughter and peer pressure (22 replies):My daughter is 12, going to be 13 in August and lately I...[more]
-
3 year old out of controlWe adopted McKinnzie at birth. She was different from th...[more]
I still do not attend church but as a parent myself now, I send my kids to sunday school with their grandparents but will never force them to go. My siblings, that were forced to go to church as well, are still religious people now, and continue to go to church regularly with their families. So, there is a chance that your daughter will see the light and continue to go with you. But, remember, just because she doesn't go to church, doesn't make her a bad person and she won't be going to hell for it! Don't ruin your relationship now!