Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Religion is one of the areas covered by a homestudy, and one that birthparents often use as a screener for potential adoptive parents. In our personal situation, the private Christian agency handling our adoption has an affiliation with the church that we attend. Thus, sometimes, your children may already have knowledge of Christianity.

As Christians, we are called to raise our children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). How can we do this?

Use songs and rhymes: My son and I had a short devotional time each day before his naptime. We sang Bible songs with visuals and read books with spiritual themes.

Read Bible stories for bedtime stories: I have fond memories of my mother reading Bible stories out of a great big children’s Bible. There are many children’s Bibles that break these up into age-appropriate language and length.

Attend Bible class: Most houses of worship offer age-specific Bible classes. Classes use developmentally appropriate materials that engage the child’s attention to impart biblical information (values, important historical figures, important events, etc).

Set the example: Attend Bible classes and services yourself. Watch your conversation – if you talk about so-and-so at church, your children will not only learn that that’s acceptable, but it may turn them off to your value system if it seems inconsistent to them.

Use teachable moments: Use real life situations and talk about them. Use open-ended questions such as, “What if …?” or “What would you do if …?” or “How could that have been handled differently?” and “What could you do next time?” Talk about situations that could arise before they do arise.

Using these ideas will help ensure your child has the spiritual foundation necessary to make good decisions when confronted with choices.