by Ginny Seuffert | Theme 4: Repeated exercises in the forms of good manners and politeness. Gatto’s fourth theme is that elite private boarding schools offer their students repeated exercises in the practice of good manners and courtesy based on the utter truth that politeness and civility are the foundations of all future relationships and the key of access to places a person might want to go.

by Abby Sasscer | Spring is definitely in the air and what better time to declutter and organize our domestic church than during this beautiful season of Lent. Despite the on-again, off-again winter weather we’ve been experiencing here in Virginia, the Great Purge of 2014 is well underway in our little home in the hills.

by Mary Lou Warren | What can we do if we notice that our children are not motivated to learn? As parents and teachers, we want to inspire and encourage our children to learn and live a full and healthy life. What do we do if we start noticing a problem?

by Lorraine Espenhain | A paradox is a statement or situation that seems to contradict itself. For example, it has been said of the ocean: “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink!” Those who take Christ at His Word, and are not afraid to put that Word into practice in their lives, eventually discover what I call the Divine Paradox of Christianity.

by Marlicia Fernandez | Lent is flying by and the pink vestments (or the rose, as many a priest has informed many a congregation) have made their appearance during the Mass, for Laetare Sunday. That means we are a little more than half-way through the Lenten season. Most of us find that exciting because we see the light at the end of the Lenten tunnel. Easter is right around the corner!

by Ginny Seuffert | Gatto’s Third Theme is that students must gain insight into major institutional forms including courts, military, and corporations, as well as the ideas that drive them. By truly understanding these institutions, students mature into responsible citizens who will not be persuaded by opinion-makers in the major media, but will be capable of forming intelligent, independent judgments, and then acting on them.

by Dr Clark | Many years ago, a group of about forty Catholic homeschool state support group leaders gathered in Chicago for two or three consecutive years, in the month of April, to discuss the growing Catholic homeschooling movement. It was not an easy meeting to attend as we all had children and not much money for such trips.

by Alannah Smithee | I have to go to the dentist. Normally, not a big deal. At least, it isn't when you haven't been stalling. But I have, for quite awhile now, in fact. And I have lain in bed many a long night worrying about it because I just didn't have it in me to call and schedule a date to be tortured.

by Ginny Seuffert | Every student must have strong background in both composition and public speaking. The best way to teach your child how to write is to enroll in Seton’s English program and follow the lesson plans closely, but in my experience composition is the last assignment parents and students tackle.

John Clark shares ideas for when you've got no time to be in the kitchen, and how to cook meals in less than thirty minutes.

by Sarah Rose | The month of March is dedicated to Saint Joseph. Chosen by God to be the foster-father of Jesus, Saint Joseph is perhaps the greatest saint, the one person, after Mary, closest to the Heart of Jesus.

from a Homeschooling Mother | The reason I began to homeschool is not a single reason. I was disheartened at the level of education my eldest son was receiving in the public school. In addition, we were staunch fighters against the so-called “family education,” which was nothing more than a cover and masthead for sex education.

by Dr Mary Kay Clark | Contact someone you know who is homeschooling, and see if there is a support group in your neighborhood. Contact people in your parish and tell them that you are looking for a Catholic homeschooling support group. Contact Cecilia at Seton

by Dr Kalpakgian | By giving Curdie “some” of the truth Irene led him to “all” of it. By giving Curdie time and being content to be misunderstood for a short period, Irene led her friend to the fullness of the truth. To be a messenger like Irene is to speak the simple truth and let God do the rest.

by Monica McConkey | Lent is a great opportunity to refocus our efforts to draw closer to Jesus. Although we can certainly give up a few of our favorite things, we can also add extra prayers and sacrifices. It’s easy to lose focus or momentum throughout the 40 days of Lent. We can get discouraged when we falter or fail our Lenten promises. Sometimes a tangible way of tracking our progress can motivate us to stay on track or even return to it!

by Fr. Robert Skeris | The Gospel of the eight Beatitudes is surely one of the best-loved passages in all of Holy Writ, and deservedly so. For the fact is that men of all climes and times have regarded the Beatitudes as the ladder, so to speak, or the staircase by which the saints ascend to Heaven.

by Liz Beller | As a new stay-at-home mom, I’ve been going through a lot of adjusting. Since when did staying at home all day leave me with less time than I had before?

by Jennifer Tutwiler | These days, the measure of good parenting seems to be how care-free and enjoyable an existence we have enabled for our children. Children are expected to play with their toys, play outside, play with their friends, play sports, play with video games... and yet today’s children are some of the most behaviorally challenged in human history.

by Kerry Costanzo | I love the poem, "The Beautiful Hands of a Priest," and I began thinking the other day about how one could write a similar reflection on the hands of mothers. While a mother’s hands do not share the dignity of those of a priest, they nevertheless have their own special value.

One of the ends of marriage is the procreation and education of children. Procreation has gotten a good deal of attention in the recent history of the Church, but education is often of less interest.