health
March 8, 2026
My teenager is exploring her spirituality. I support her leap of faith, even as a non-religious parent
My daughter is dipping her toes into sacred waters, seeing what it feels like to surrender and finding a sense of meaning to life that is bigger than herself
TL;DR
- Spirituality often increases during adolescence, a phase linked to exploring meaning, identity, and purpose.
- James Fowler's theory suggests teenagers enter the 'synthetic-conventional' stage of faith, involving social components.
- Psychological research indicates spiritual engagement is generally positive for youth development.
- Parents can support adolescent spirituality by being accepting, modeling values like openness and kindness, and encouraging critical thinking.
- The author, while spiritual but not religious, supports her daughter's exploration despite reservations about overt religiosity.
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