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How can I help my granddaughter get rid of hereditary defects?translated

September 25, 2026 · 1 min read

Reader question:

My granddaughter is my goddaughter from my adopted daughter. Heredity: alcohol, drugs, prisons. How can I help my granddaughter get rid of hereditary defects? She is 6 years old.

Vera

Priest's answer:

Priest Evgeniy CHEBYKIN

Hello, Vera.

Yes, genetics has a very strong influence on people, but, nevertheless, we can all, to the best of our ability, resist some of our natural inclinations and at the same time lead a righteous and pious lifestyle.

I think this is precisely the idea that you should carefully convey to your goddaughter and give examples of this kind from the lives of saints. Fortunately, we can find very, very many such examples.

Please try, Vera, to regularly visit the church of God, participate in the Sacraments of the Church, do good deeds and thereby demonstrate to your ward what the life of a true Orthodox Christian should really be like.

May the Lord help you!

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Source: Журнал ФОМА  ·  Read the full story →
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💬 Comments (1) 🌐 Translate comments
P
Photini Bennett
My own goddaughter is the same age, and I’ve noticed how much she copies whatever the adults around her actually do rather than what they say. So I think the priest’s advice about regularly bringing her to church and living it out in front of her is the only thing that really works. The saints’ stories can come later when she’s old enough to sit still for five minutes.
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