How do I support my 13-year-old daughter who wants to stay in the LDS Church when I have left? Ask Dr. Julie Hanks

In today's episode I talk with Saren and answer the question “How do I support my 13-year-old daughter who wants to stay in the LDS Church when I have left?” Saren is trying to reconcile letting her child be a part of something that she has chosen to leave behind while also respecting her daughter’s agency. To top it off, her daughter has had a difficult time with her mother’s decision to leave the Church.

We discuss strategies—like debriefing after church and staying in contact with her daughter’s teachers—that can help Saren and her daughter discuss spiritual matters while also keeping a pulse on what she is learning. 

This is a great opportunity for Saren to help her daughter develop skills like critical thinking, self trust, and sense of self. They are in different places spiritually, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t maintain a deep and genuine relationship. By being true to herself, Saren is modeling how to individualize spirituality and experience continual growth.