I ask my child questions as to his own beliefs and understanding of spirituality, and then I express my own beliefs. I explain to him what lessons I have learned over the years, and the things that I have come to realize are more important in life. I don’t impose my own beliefs on him, but I make sure that I present a good argument as to why I believe the things I do—like how I do not approve of hypocrisy and self-righteousness—and stress the importance of respect toward other people. —Anna Tiglao, makeup artist and mom of one

Being born and raised in a Catholic family, I always teach them good moral values. They both study in an exclusive school for boys run by Salesian priests. Mass is celebrated and attended every week. Priests can be approached for impromptu confessions in school. School activities are centered on spiritual, academics and technical curriculum. Outside school I try to expose them to the less fortunate, and to traditional religious practices.—Maria Imelda P. Tiglao, store manager and mom of two sons

As co-parents, we just try to instill an attitude of gratitude in our kids, and that gratitude is anchored on God’s love and protection. We teach them to be thankful to God for the ability to put food on our tables, provide the roof over our heads, buy the clothes on our backs and every time we get to enjoy each other’s company, because life is a daily blessing from God and we should never take these things for granted.—Bong Esguerra, entrepreneur and dad of two

We believe faith is a personal choice and it is not something you force on anyone, even your children. We hope that by being a good example to him, our son will make it his own choice to live a life that our God will be proud of. We always enjoin our son to thank God for all His blessings and ask for His guidance when we need help. In doing so, he learns that he can count on God no matter what happens in his life.—Paul and Sara Alvarez, parents of Basti, 10 years old

My kids’ school is nonsectarian, and they have a subject on values education. But it does not end there, and we make sure that we fulfill our duties as parents to bridge them to God by reading scriptures, bringing them to mass every week, and praying every night as a family. We also tell them that the most important part of it is being able to do good things to others, as God created us to be an instrument to help and inspire other people.—Angela Contreras, HR, finance and operations support director

I let him know that God is real, and he is accessible. That he can talk to him wherever he is or whatever he is doing. Children listen to God through their parents and guardians. As a mom, I have to model the behavior I want my son to imitate. And this is no small task. It’s a huge responsibility.

I guide Aiden in praying for others and himself. Going to church is not enough. I show him ways to get involved and serve. That compassion has a much stronger meaning than simply feeling sorry for others. I use mealtime and bedtime to share amazing stories that will remind Aiden how magnificent God is. I talk about the many blessings we receive from Him. Expressing gratitude is an essential spiritual practice that is often neglected. —Shelly Lazaro, entrepreneur/talk show host and mom of one

I put God in my son’s life by helping him build a relationship with God. This could be in simple ways like reading bible stories and telling him about God’s marvelous creations like the sky, the sun, the moon and the animals he sees. Another way is by talking about the many blessings we have, like having a family. I always remind him that I am grateful and feel super blessed to have him as our son, and that he is God’s great gift to me and my husband. I also talk to him about situations where God has intervened, like healing someone who is sick and explaining that God deeply cares about each one of us. Lastly, I make sure that he is involved in worshiping God. Aside from saying grace before meals, we hear mass together and we always pray together at night.—Kate C. Joaquin, marketing services manager and mom of one INQ