An honest question- Do women tend to become more religious when they have children?

[holyrood]

I myself have been more involved in my faith now as a mom because I realize that it’s not just about me anymore. My actions and how I live my faith influence my children. I have a responsibility to them to set a good example. As a single woman, there was less of that.

This was it for me exactly. I didn’t go to Mass much in college, but as soon as I had a child, when I was 20, I couldn’t imagine NOT baptizing him, and I wasn’t about to baptize him, knowing it means I’m promising to bring him up in the faith, and then ignore that promise.

 

[rayne89]

Yes at least in my case.

 

[LongingSoul]

It seems the Catholic guys I know are all about studying the Faith and going to Mass and praying the Rosary, whereas the Catholic single women I know, while they are PRACTICING Catholics, are more interested in having fun, going to restaurants, etc.

I’d like some (name removed by moderator)ut from married women with children on this. Did you become more religious when you had kids?

It sounds like you are hanging with a certain type of guys (that I wish my daughter could hang with), wanting a certain type of Catholic girl to marry and make a family life with eventually.

There is the aspect that (here in Aus. anyway), if you want your kids to receive first Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation, you have to demonstrate active family practice. That forces people to practice and this can trigger a desire to practice the faith again. I’ve noticed that once the children are grown, that passion for the practice can again dwindle in a lot of parents also but some do continue to practice having had their faith renewed.

I think it is the wisest thing to try and marry a girl who already demonstrates good moral conviction and faithful practice of the faith before marriage. It’s a lottery really to think that a girl might change permanently on becoming a mother.

 

[JMatthewA]

My parents got more religious because of my infant baptism and church school.

 

[jlc2k2]

I guess I am the odd one out. I converted just prior to my oldest child’s birth and it was a very powerful experience. But since the twins came along, it is a lot harder to find time and energy to be more religious. My hope is that when they are older and can understand and participate more, I will be able to incorporate more. For now, I do my best, which is not the same as it was before I had kids.

 

[gardenswithkids]

I guess I am the odd one out. I converted just prior to my oldest child’s birth and it was a very powerful experience. But since the twins came along, it is a lot be more religious. My hope is that when they are older and can understand and participate more, I will be able to incorporate more. For now, I do my best, which is not the same as it was before I had kids.

You’re not the only one.
Time is a factor and the demands of motherhood can take a toll, so outward signs of faith may be put “on hold” when parenting young children.

Sitting in the cry room with my first born at Mass was like purgatory! For a while I stopped attending Mass, then shortly after I started going to Protestant services with my husband. They had nursey care and lots of young families with children–and no cry room or evil glares at people with noisy children. I eventually came back to the Catholic church, and my faith did grow while I was attending a Protestant church. When I came back to the Catholic church, my family grew in size–and we were back to struggles with young children at Mass.