4. Have your child own their own faith. When they get to heaven Jesus will not ask them about your faith. Give them prayer/Jesus time by themselves. They need to have a personal intimate relationship with Christ. Encourage them to have a favorite saint. Put a prayer corner in their room. Buy religious books for them. Take them to Church for a Eucharistic visit. Take trips to religious shrines. Every day in class I give my class the opportunity for "Jesus time". "Jesus time" is when a child can read, study, pray, draw, or do coloring pages about Jesus. It is a quiet time where children can express their faith by themselves. Jesus wants a relationship with every person including your child, and please allow and encourage them to have a relationship with Him. Also according to Fr. Payton, "The family that prays together stays together." Encourage private prayer, but children should also see their parents praying on their knees and working on their relationship with Christ.

3. Expose them to wholesome Christian/Catholic media at all ages, even teenagers! This is VERY important! Children are exposed to over 50 hours of media a week (TV, video games, cell phones, computer). How can they live out their faith if they are exposed and bombarded with messages contrary to Christian values? Disney channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, etc., do not promote Christian values. Whatever you expose your kids to that's what they will be like. If they play violent video games like a part-time job don't be surprised if they are in detention for fights at school. If they watch kid-driven sitcoms don't be surprised if they talk back to you.  Check out this article from Kids Health, a secular group. In education classes I learned that children learn most powerfully from observation. Children will copy what they see, I guarantee it.

To counter these influences show children, starting from a young age, wholesome movies and books about good people doing good things. Watch movies about Catholics who love their faith and live their faith. If you don't know what to watch here is a Catholic movie club that makes it a priority to provide families with wholesome media.

I can not express how important this is.

2. Your family's priority should be your faith. If your child sees that going to church and family is a priority for both mom and dad then it will be a priority for them. Fr. Lappe said something in a homily that I will never forget. During soccer season he hears the children playing early in the morning on Saturday. He said, "What would happen if families put their energy into their faith and living it out as they do for their child's sports?" Sport families stand in the cold and rain, they travel hundreds of miles, and they make huge financial sacrifices. Once again when your child meets Jesus in heaven He will not ask your kids how many goals did they score, how many baskets they made, or how many touchdowns they scored. He wants their souls, not their athletic ability. So once again, what are your priorities?

The number one way to keep your kids Catholic is....

1. Are you passionate and excited about your faith? Your children will respond if you are passionate and excited about your faith. If you are on fire about your faith they will be as well. Catholic zeal spreads very quickly (trust me). I try to be excited and convicted in everything I teach my students, because it makes me more credible and believable.  If you have older children it is VERY important to put them in activities that have young people that love their faith. Children should not walk in their faith alone. Try to find a Catholic mentor for your kids that is not part of your family. Young people need to see that it is not odd to be a zealous and excited Catholic. One of the reasons I fell away is that I never knew anyone young like me that was a strong Catholic. Being Catholic is a great privilege not a chore, and show your children that lesson through how YOU live your faith. Children will copy what they will see. Do you pray? Are you excited about going to Mass? Do you have a relationship with Jesus and Mary? How can you expect your child to love their faith if you don't?
I hope this helps. Keeping kids Catholic in this world is not an easy task, so you will be in my prayers. The basic principle is that if you live your faith with joy your child will too.