It’s easy to picture (and perhaps you’ve seen it), your teenager sighs, rolls their eyes, and says, “Do we have to go to Mass this weekend? Church is just so boring…” And there you are, in the middle of one of the most common conundrums for Catholic parents today....
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...
Our baby is graduating from college this year. Gulp. I’m not sure how we got here so quickly, but like it or not, it’s happening. Actually, I love it. Watching our kids become who they were meant to be has been the greatest honor. They don’t have it all figured out,...
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...
Recently, the lyrics to the song “One Spirit, One Church” by Kevin Keil and Maryanne Quinlivan, OSU, began running through my mind: We are a pilgrim people, we are the Church of God. A family of believers, disciples of the Lord. United in one spirit, ignited by the...
During this Season of the Resurrection, we are mindful that the ministry of Jesus did not come to an end with His earthly life. Just before His Ascension, Jesus promised to send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen and guide His Church. The Holy Spirit...
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...
If there is one thing every Catholic knows, it’s that Christmas Mass is one of most chaotic Masses of the year. Often the parking lot is overflowing and the pews are jam-packed with people. Not to mention the sheer madness that can ensue when trying to get everyone...
The act of thinking is in a bit of a predicament these days. American culture has never cared less about what has been known for millennia as "objective truth." Despite the apathy, an objective truth still guides and directs reality, whether I or anyone else cares...
Putting my children to bed is my favorite time of the day! I have a 2 year old and 4 year old and life can be so busy and nonstop. Sometimes the end of the day is the only time I have one-on-one quiet time with each child. As a Catholic mom and previous Early...
When I was posed this question, I didn’t understand it at first. Not because I didn’t know what gentle parenting was. Before my baby was even old enough to have a tantrum, I had over-read and over-researched and exhausted myself reading the least scary parenting...
“Alright kids, why do we go to Mass?” We ask a variation of that question every time we arrive at our parish parking lot, usually sweaty and disheveled from wrangling four (soon to be five) children into the van. A mini call-to-action and reminder of why Mass is...
I don’t have time to pray I have almost always struggled to feel like I pray “enough.” Believe it or not, the last time that I could definitively say that I didn’t struggle with that was before I had kids. I have 5 kids now and we also have some neurodiversity in the...
Saint Teresa of Calcutta was known for spending countless hours attending to the dying, the sick, and the poor. This flowed from her rich prayer life: Daily Mass and a daily holy hour. Where did Mother Teresa learn to sacrifice herself for others? Her first teacher in...
This is the third installment of our series on bringing children to adoration as part of a response to the USCCB’s call for a Eucharistic Revival. In the first part of the series, we looked at why it is both appropriate and important for children to go to adoration....
If you could ask a few male saints how they were raised, what do you think they would say? Certainty, every Catholic father wants to raise a saint, but not every father is willing to make the sacrifice or knows where to start. The Father Of St. Thomas More Let’s...
Tradition – The Handing on of Faith St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the...
What if? Every movie, book, or play sees its genesis when someone somewhere utters those two words: what if? What if a mammoth shark terrorizes a beach community? What if a boy befriends a stranded extraterrestrial and works to help the being return home? What...
When I chat with other moms who are raising daughters, there is one thing that really unites us: we’re worried about puberty. How will we navigate the mood swings and the body changes-- and the conversations?? Even those of us who are very comfortable charting and...
These are some of our favorite Catholic gifts for kids that are perfect for Christmas, birthdays, First Communion, and more! Best Catholic Gifts For Kids (Updated!) Don't forget to enter to win a prize package of Catholic gifts for kids valued at over $500 HERE! Erica...
Historically the Rosary is a simple alternative to the Liturgy of the Hours. If you couldn't read or afford the book, these prayers allowed for the lay or common man to enter into contemplative, daily prayer reflecting over the...
I had the best intentions for my first year of virtual schooling. I imagined us waking up early, enjoying a healthy gourmet breakfast, praying the rosary together, reflecting on the daily readings, singing a few songs, and then...
I didn’t sign up to screw up my kids. Fatherhood was going to be GREAT - adventures, hugs, and giving better than I got. 27 years, 10 kids, 6 months of couple's counseling and 1 year of Catholic psychotherapy later, it's the...
These days, we all need a little extra help finding our brave. Teach your children that when fear surrounds us, we can look to the Word of God to find our strength. Pray these scripture verses together as a family and work together to memorize them. 8 Bible Verses...
We pray for the children… Who wake up early and eat the entire box of cereal, Who sleep in until noon, Who wear their pajamas ALL.DAY.LONG. And we pray for the those, Who wake up hungry, but can’t find any food in the house, Who sleep on the floor in a crowded room,...