I am saying that the most fundamental way the parents train their sons and daughters in the ways of God is by themselves living the ways of God. There is more here than merely giving a good example. We are here in the realm of divine grace. In God's ordinary Providence He uses those who are in His friendship as the channels of His grace to others. Thus, Believing parents are channels of divine faith to their children, Chaste parents are channels of Christian chastity to their children, Prayerful parents are channels of the spirit of prayer to their children.
Parents also nourish their sons and daughters spiritually by what the parents do.
This may seem unnecessary after what we have just said, that father and mother give religious upbringing by what they are. On the contrary. In things of the spirit, it is not enough to be a professed Catholic. A person must act like one. Because there is in all of us a tendency to divide our lives into two compartments.