In many families, one parent remembers the church calendar, encourages the children to participate in religious activities, initiates conversations about faith and makes sure everyone is ready for Sunday morning.
Often, that parent is the mother.
A December 2025 Pew Research Center study found a substantial difference between how mothers and fathers describe responsibility for their children’s religious upbringing.
Mothers were more than twice as likely as fathers to say they were taking the lead in that area.
The finding doesn’t mean fathers are absent from their children’s spiritual lives, nor does it establish that mothers are inherently better suited to religious instruction.
But it does raise an important question for Christian families.
Has responsibility for teaching children about faith quietly become another task that mothers are expected to manage largely on their own?
Spiritual Responsibility Can Become Part of the Family’s Invisible Work
Parents handle countless responsibilities that aren’t always visible.
Someone schedules appointments, remembers school deadlines, notices when a child needs new shoes and keeps track of family commitments.
Religious upbringing can involve similar coordination.
One parent may register children for church activities, help them memorize Scripture, encourage prayer and initiate conversations after worship.
These tasks can become so routine that other family members rarely notice how much planning and attention they require.
For mothers already carrying substantial responsibilities at home or work, being the primary organizer of family religious life may add another layer of pressure.
Pew’s research identifies a difference in how parents report taking the lead. It doesn’t measure every task mothers and fathers perform or explain why particular households divide responsibility the way they do.
Still, the finding offers families an opportunity to talk about whether spiritual instruction is being shared intentionally.
Scripture Addresses Fathers as Well as Mothers
The Bible contains numerous examples of women influencing the faith of children.
Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois are remembered for their sincere faith in 2 Timothy 1:5.
Their influence was significant enough that Paul mentioned it while encouraging Timothy in his ministry.
But Scripture doesn’t assign spiritual instruction exclusively to mothers.
Ephesians 6:4 specifically addresses fathers, instructing them to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6 describes God’s words being taught diligently to children throughout daily life.
Taken together, these passages present spiritual instruction as a serious family responsibility rather than a task belonging to only one parent.
That doesn’t mean every household will divide every activity equally.
Work schedules, family circumstances, spiritual maturity and personal strengths differ.
But the biblical emphasis gives fathers good reason to participate actively rather than assuming someone else will handle the subject.
Children Benefit From Seeing Faith Practiced by Both Parents
When children see both parents taking faith seriously, they encounter multiple examples of what Christian commitment can look like.
A mother might lead a conversation about forgiveness after a difficult school day.
A father might pray with a child who is worried about an upcoming test.
One parent might enjoy reading Scripture aloud, while the other is especially comfortable discussing difficult questions.
The important issue isn’t that every spiritual activity must be divided precisely in half.
It’s that children have opportunities to see faith shaping the lives of the adults responsible for them.
A father who rarely initiates religious conversations can begin with something simple.
He might ask what a child learned at church, share a verse that encouraged him or offer to pray about a concern.
Those moments don’t require a formal lesson plan.
They require attention and willingness.
Mothers Shouldn’t Have to Be the Entire Spiritual Program
For some mothers, the Pew findings may describe a familiar experience.
They want their children to know Scripture and grow in faith, but they feel responsible for making nearly every spiritual activity happen.
That pressure can turn meaningful practices into another list of tasks.
The family devotion must happen.
The children need to attend church.
Someone has to answer the questions.
Someone has to encourage prayer.
Christian parents can benefit from remembering that spiritual growth isn’t produced by flawless family management.
Parents are called to teach and model faith, but they cannot manufacture belief in another person’s heart.
That distinction can help reduce the pressure to control every outcome.
A mother can faithfully instruct her children while also inviting her spouse, church community and other trusted believers to contribute to their spiritual development.
Fathers Can Begin Without Waiting to Feel Qualified
Some fathers may hesitate to lead spiritual conversations because they don’t feel knowledgeable enough.
They may believe their spouse understands Scripture better or is more comfortable praying aloud.
But spiritual involvement doesn’t require pretending to possess answers to every theological question.
A father can read a passage of Scripture with his children and discuss what it means.
He can admit when he doesn’t understand something.
He can demonstrate repentance by apologizing after speaking harshly.
He can show generosity, integrity and compassion in everyday decisions.
These are meaningful expressions of Christian discipleship.
The goal isn’t to perform the role of a professional Bible teacher.
It’s to let children see that faith matters personally to their father.
Single Parents and Other Caregivers Matter Too
Not every child grows up with two parents in the home.
Some are raised by single mothers, single fathers, grandparents or other caregivers.
Others have a parent who doesn’t share the family’s religious beliefs.
The biblical responsibility to nurture children in faith shouldn’t become a source of condemnation for families whose circumstances differ from an idealized picture.
Church communities can provide additional relationships, teaching and encouragement.
Trusted mentors, grandparents and other mature Christians may play important roles in a child’s spiritual development.
Timothy’s story itself reminds readers that faith can be influenced across generations.
The central question is how the adults who are present can faithfully care for the children entrusted to them.
A Conversation Between Parents May Be the First Step
The Pew finding doesn’t require families to overhaul every religious routine.
It may simply provide a reason for parents to ask one another how they understand their responsibilities.
Who usually initiates prayer?
Who talks with the children about Scripture?
Who follows up when a child has a difficult question?
Does one parent feel unsupported?
Would both parents like to be more involved?
These conversations should be approached as opportunities for cooperation rather than accusations.
For Christian families, the goal isn’t to prove which parent is doing more.
It’s to help children experience a home where faith is taken seriously, practiced sincerely and shared with love.
And for mothers who have quietly carried much of that responsibility, the research may provide a useful reminder:
The spiritual upbringing of children was never intended to be a burden they must carry alone.
Source: Pew Research Center, How Parents Are Raising Their Children Religiously, December 15, 2025. Scripture: Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:6–7; 2 Timothy 1:5.
