“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Children whose parents attend church frequently and consider religion to be important are more likely to:
• Attend church frequently, especially if their father or mother takes them to church,
• practice private religious devotion, such as prayer and reading the Bible,
• be involved in religious youth groups as adolescents,
• grow deeper in their faith and avoid large decrease in religiosity later in life,
• be more religious as adults.
Your religious beliefs and practices affect your children’s. Before the Lord, how are you shaping up? Are there any changes you can make to reconnect with God and to bring the benefits of being close to Him to your children?
The following chart shows that adults who attended church regularly during their adolescent years have a higher rate of continuing this good habit. Parents set the pattern of church attendance for their children. It is crucial for parents to encourage this while their children are growing – they are likely to continue worshipping into their adult years.
*It bears emphasizing that these patterns hold for the groups involved, not for all the individuals who make up each group. There is naturally a wide variation among individuals.
http://marri.us/wp-content/uploads/Parents-Influence-on-Childrens-Piety.pdf