How to Raise Spiritually Healthy Children :
Honoring Sensitivity Cultivates Resilience
BY MARA BISHOP , M . A .
When adults accept children for who they are , we help them stay connected to their inner divinity , an enduring source of spiritual direction not reliant on any institution or religion . When children are connected spiritually , they become more resilient and less likely to suffer from depression and addiction as they get older . In The Spiritual Child , Dr . Lisa Miller shares research that shows children with a spiritual connection are 40 % less likely to abuse substances and 60 % less likely to suffer from depression as teenagers and adults .
We ’ re all born with a set of core characteristics that affect how we interact with others and our environment , a combination of energetic archetypes that make us unique . Adults may influence children ’ s behavior ( for better or worse ) as children often model our actions and repeat our words . However , adults can ’ t change children ’ s natural temperaments . Their energetic personalities are their own .