Need Advice on Helping My Child Navigate Religion in an Interfaith Family ✝️

Hi everyone. I’m hoping for some advice from people who have navigated interfaith parenting or helping a child explore religion.

The other parent (OP) and I are divorced. We have different religious backgrounds, and so do our families. I’m non-denominational, my partner (SO) is Catholic, and most of my extended family is either Lutheran or Catholic. The OP comes from an LDS family. While OP and I were together, they were not actively practicing, but their extended family has always been involved in the church.

We also live in a predominantly LDS community, so naturally that’s the faith my child has had the most exposure to through extended family, friends, neighbors, and school. My child regularly attends church and activities with OP’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Recently, my child has expressed an interest in joining the LDS Church and told me that their family continually asks when they’re going to get baptized (they are several years over the age of 8). I want to be abundantly clear that I’m not trying to make this decision for them as I genuinely believe their faith should be their own. If they grow up, understand what they believe, and decide the LDS Church is where they belong, I will respect that, even if it isn’t the path I would personally choose.
What I’m struggling with is that I don’t think they’re at a point where they understand what they’re asking to commit to.

For example: they can’t explain the the Trinity or the LDS Godhead, who Joseph Smith was and why he’s significant, the LDS plan of salvation and degrees of glory, or even many of the basic beliefs shared across Christianity. It seems like they’re drawn toward a church they’ve been exposed to, but they don’t yet understand its actual teachings or how those teachings may conflict with Christian traditions.

Because of that, I’ve started doing a family Bible study. My goal isn’t to tell our child what to believe. Instead, we’re reading Scripture alongside primary sources from different traditions, including the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. We’re trying to let each sect explain itself rather than relying on internet summaries or stereotypes or dressed up teachings.

We’re also making a conscious effort not to inject our own opinions unless my child specifically asks. Instead, we’re encouraging questions, comparing what each tradition teaches, and discussing where they agree and where they differ.

One thing I’ve noticed is that my child is beginning to struggle because, in some cases, what they’re reading in the Bible doesn’t seem to match what they’ve heard taught elsewhere. I don’t necessarily see that struggle as a bad thing (I think wrestling with difficult questions is part of developing an authentic faith) but I want to make sure I’m supporting them well instead of confusing or overwhelming them.

So, TL;DR: how do you help a child explore faith without simply following family tradition or the religion that’s most familiar to them? Are there resources, questions, or approaches that helped your own children develop beliefs that were truly their own?

⭐️ I’m looking for guidance, not a debate about which religion is “right.” I simply want to help my child make an informed decision rather than one based solely on familiarity or the people they love.