how many lapsed churchgoers are going back just because they have kids?

[skerriesmum]

I guess the title says it all. I was not brought up with any particular religion. My Irish dh was raised Catholic but I thought he had no time for it anymore, we didn't even have a church wedding. When living in Ireland we used to only go for Christmas and Easter (if we were with my in-laws, who go regularly.) We did have ds christened to keep the peace but it bothered me to lie the whole time, that we were going to teach him to pray etc.
We've just moved to Canada (I'm Canadian) and now dh wants to take ds (3) to mass/Sunday school. I don't have a big problem with it, I just don't feel comfortable going myself.
Most of it I think is that dh wants to give him the opportunity to learn about his heritage/religion (and it's a cultural thing in Ireland, the national schools are all Catholic etc.)
I'm just shocked that he even cares! It's such a big change!
Bit of a rant maybe, but would like to know who else has returned to the fold, as it were...

No I would say I am the opposite: having children has prevented me from going back to church.

Your situation is interesting. Does he want you to go with him? You know what they say, once a Catholic, always a Catholic. I think that is partly true. Your religion kicks in at particular times in your life and perhpas the move away from his culture has made your dh want to do something to keep it alive.

I did exactly the same ... I like church but like my lie-ins more

However once I had kids, I thought that I'd like to give them the "church experience" .... we went for a few years ... ( aged 4 to 10 ) but after that time they decided that it wasn't for them and that the SUnday School teacher was boring, old and bossy.

I still go sometimes - and every so often they come with me ... I don't want to force it on them ....

having said that I am more of a spiritual person rather than a religious one ... and tend to make my kids more aware of this aspect of life ...

He wouldn't force me to go but I suppose ideally he'd like me to, at least once in awhile. You're probably right, Lonelymum, once a Catholic...
I think now that it's not part of the fabric he kind of misses it.

I'll come back to this later, have to go out now, thanks though for the comments!