Faith as a Protective Factor

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Each week, I'll share a tip related to one of the major protective factors correlated with positive mental health: faith and spirituality; social connection; restorative sleep; a healthy relationship with food and movement; and service to others. 

As people of faith, we know in our bones that connection with God is central to our wellbeing. It so happens that scientific research backs this up! Both religion (the organized, community-based system of beliefs we adhere to) and spirituality (the way we relate to those beliefs as individuals) are linked to positive mental health and lower rates of suicidality and substance abuse. When faith is a dynamic part of our lives, we connect with our sense of belonging, gratitude, hope, and purpose. 

How do you weave spiritual conversations into your parenting? Children's book author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich offers three suggestions for talking with kids about spirituality:

1. Live in the questions - kids are naturally curious. Let them lead you into conversations that might touch on elements of faith you don't have a simple answer to. Exploring the big questions together can bring you closer to one another and God--even (or especially) the uncomfortable ones, like why do bad things happen to good people?

2. Share stories - Talk about religious stories, traditions, or rituals from your own background, and "be honest about how you've felt about them over the years." 

3. Recognize and respect diversity - When you ground conversations about faith in respect, rather than fear, you affirm your child's ability to be rooted in their own spiritual beliefs and communicate effectively and kindly across lines of difference. 

For more on Mental Health Awareness Month, check out Child Mind Institute's Dare to Share campaign and their Tip Sheet for Parents on helping kids open up about their mental health.