Watching my son arrange dinosaurs during Mass—his way of staying regulated—reminds me how far our Catholic family has come on our autism journey. What once felt impossible has become a chance to witness the Church embracing all her members, including those on the...
Do you ever wonder why your children behave differently than you did as a child? Is one of your children well-behaved while another seems extremely difficult? A study of temperaments can help us parent more effectively, especially if we look to the examples of the...
I was sitting on the soft, green grass at my parents' lake home in rural Minnesota admiring all of creation. The weather was lovely on that bright summer afternoon when my husband of fifteen years walked over to me with the mischievous grin he often wore when he...
Are you looking for ways to awaken your ten-year-old’s faith? Or are you trying to help your 16-year-old granddaughter discern God’s will? Below you’ll find a letter addressed to young people that explores the life of St. Dominic Savio, who died when he was 15, and...
One of the biggest challenges facing Catholic parents today is trying to navigate tricky conversations about everything body-related with our kids. I work in menstrual cycle education– I first started as an NFP teacher about a decade ago, but slowly expanded into...
Saint John Bosco is well known for his work with disadvantaged youth and his innovative educational methods. In a time when teachers used corporal punishment and public shaming, John Bosco’s methods were seen as hugely controversial. Influenced by his first...
Years ago, I said something to my 11-year-old son which he found to be unsympathetic. His response? “I don’t think that is what a real parent would say to her child.” I have no idea how he came up with his frequent one-liners, but perhaps all 11-year-olds have this...
Occasionally, when I am feeling particularly adventurous, I load up the minivan and bring my five kids (eight and under) to the nearby Benedictine monastery for one of their hours of sung prayer. It is a little monastery, and when we go, we outnumber the nuns...
After a career change, I had the privilege of beginning my teaching career this past year at St. John Paul II High School in Avondale, AZ which is run by the Sisters of St. Cecilia, better known as the “Nashville Dominicans.” I was blown away by the fidelity of the...
Here are 3 ways in particular that I rely on the Holy Spirit to parent: The Holy Spirit sanctifies me and fills me with God’s love when I am empty, He comes through on his scriptural promises, and He gives practical gifts which bear fruit. Let’s dive into these one at...
The beauty of the beast. “Sixteen is the terrible twos times eight plus a driver’s license.”—One mother in speaking for many. “Just enjoy them now; those teen years are coming.”—a forewarning from veteran parents to the beginners. Poll one hundred...
Summer is coming on fast and that means more time with your kids, more time outside, more family time…basically more time! More time together is great in theory, but when we come to it without planning, we can find ourselves sitting around watching a show or listening...
As Millennial parents, my husband and I have grappled with the issue of moderating screen time for ourselves and our children. Whether we want to admit it or not, the technology is inescapable, but that’s all the more reason to take seriously our responsibility to...
I often wonder how God is interacting with my autistic daughter. Everyone’s inner relationship with God is to some extent secret, but for many we have learned to recognize the imprint of the Spirit on a person. Indeed, we have a very convenient list of such...
Who are the angels and how should we talk to our children about them? It’s an important subject for Catholics to consider. After all, the existence of angels is an absolute doctrine of our Faith. The Islamic religion believes in angels too, and so does Judaism. Even...
In one of his most famous dreams, St. Don Bosco saw a large ship being attacked by smaller ships. Eventually, the Holy Father steered the larger ship, which represented the Church, safely between two pillars: the Blessed Mother and the Holy Eucharist. Like the Holy...
If you’ve had the terrible, heart-wrenching misfortune of losing a child by miscarriage, I understand. And so does St. Zelie Martin, who experienced child loss multiple times. People try to help, and it is not always a healing experience. This is a list for those who...
Spiritual reading is essential to growing in devotion and knowledge of the Catholic faith and children are no exception! Take the time this summer to read books with your children that will teach them more about God, the saints, and the many ways they can follow...
Being parents makes us responsible not only for taking care of our children, but also for the spiritual education we give them from the moment they are conceived. For this reason, I want to share with you 10 simple ways to help our children grow closer to God. “Do we...