If we and our children are to keep our faith, we must immerse ourselves in the mind of Christ, not the mindset of the world. Knowing the teachings of the Magisterium (teaching authority) of the Catholic Church is essential to living a life that is pleasing to God. How can we learn these teachings?
Read More »Instilling A Spirit of Gratitude: The 6th Principle of The Simple Life
Several years ago, I received a phone call from a dear friend who invited me to take a free shopping spree at Costco Wholesale Club. The offer was so tempting since anything and everything I would purchase that day would all be paid for. I was so floored by such a generous offer that I felt like one of those eager contestants who had just won the grand prize in “Supermarket Sweep.”
Read More »How to Make Your Home a Domestic Monastery
by Fr. Pablo Straub | At first it seems contradictory that there would be similarity between those who marry and those who go into a monastery or the priesthood. Can there be any two things more unlike?
Read More »Aren’t You Too Old to Have Been Homeschooled?
In passing, I mentioned to a co-worker the other day that college was my first classroom experience. She said “Really?” I explained that, “Yes, I was homeschooled from Kindergarten through 12th Grade.” She said “Oh, wow, cool!” A few minutes later she walked by my desk and said “Wait a minute, aren’t you too old to have been homeschooled???” Well, thanks for that.
Read More »Homeschool Organization for the Disorganized
Some think that a chaotic home means you can't homeschool. John Clark disagrees, and encourages you to focus on establishing something more important first.
Read More »Got Faith? Pumpkin Chili and the Catechism
Several days ago, I was in the kitchen whipping up a pot of pumpkin chili, (recipe included below!) while reflecting on some thoughts regarding faith. Earlier in the day, when my daughter was sitting at the kitchen table working on her Catechism lesson, the subject of faith came up. My daughter wanted to know if everyone who believes in Jesus is a Christian.
Read More »Training Our Children to be Urban Legend Detectors
Of all the cultures and all the philosophies and all the religions which have been known in the world of men, none have placed truth on as high a pedestal as the Catholic Faith. Truth is literally our God.
Read More »7 Ways Our Children Can Keep Their Way Pure | Part 1
How can we as Catholic parents help our children keep their way pure when they go out into the world? We are living in a culture that is becoming increasingly hostile to all that is good, wholesome, and decent. Although we recognize that the souls of our children are ultimately in the hands of God, we also know that He has placed them in our care.
Read More »The Importance of Fathers in our Search for God
These have been a tough couple of decades for fathers in particular, and men in general. [People] attack men’s identity and undermine the whole idea of fatherhood. In the process, women and children are hurt, families are damaged, and our understanding of God Himself becomes confused. Let me outline three criticisms, or problems, which make our times especially hard for fathers.
Read More »Delighting in God: Praying for the Costume Catalog
When I went to retrieve the mail from my mailbox, I saw a Costume Express catalog in the stack of mail waiting for me. I smiled when I saw the catalog because it brought back a memory to me many years ago, when we were teaching our children about prayer.
Read More »Homeschool Kids: Cooped Behind Bars?
Dominic de Souza shares how life as a homeschooling kid can be more fun than going to school with vivid imaginations at work!
Read More »Disorder in the Classroom: Where it Goes Wrong
Government schools have purposefully chosen to ignore God, and that while students may choose to believe in God, this is a belief which students must leave outside the classroom door. Since the government schools and textbooks reflect this denial of the existence of God in what is taught and how it is taught...
Read More »Living with Less: the 5th Principle of the Simple Life
Abby Sasscer, homeschool mom of 3 and public speaker on simpler living, shares her top 3 benefits to living with less and 7 steps to a simpler home!
Read More »5 Tips and Tricks for Teaching Math to Tikes!
Little learners still have to memorize their math facts— addition, and subtraction—and Mom, or in this case Grandma, still has to drill them. Each time I open Math 2 For Young Catholics to one of those long drill pages, I think to myself that it must seem like approaching Mt. Everest to a little kid.
Read More »Taking a Sanity Break: A Homeschool Mother’s Lifeline
Homeschooling mom Lorraine Espenhain has had bad days, with too much to do, long headaches... Sometimes the only answer is to put life on hold. 'Me time.'
Read More »Poverty Awareness: The 4th Principle of The Simple Life
When I was four years old and living in the Philippines, there was an elderly man who would come around our street once or twice a month to beg for food. He was ill and had a difficult time speaking. Nobody in the neighborhood seemed to know his name. Every time he came, my Lolo, or grandfather, greeted him with a hearty "Hello My Friend!" From then on, all of us children called him "My Friend".
Read More »God is Moving Among the Pots and Pans!
by Lorraine E. Espenhain Several weeks ago, I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of time available to me to study God’s Word, read good Catholic books, and ...
Read More »Thank You Cards: Keeping it Grateful
When a person complains, his creative abilities break free. But it’s also proof to me that we fallen humans don’t commend people well; we don’t thank them enough; and we pat each other on the back far too little.
Read More »NC Lt. Governor Kills Attempt to Search Homeschoolers’ Homes
Dan Forest, the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, issued a press release on Monday, October 14th, urging homeschoolers to resist efforts by the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education to conduct random home inspections targeting homeschoolers.
Read More »The Tortoise and the Hare in the Classroom
Most everyone is familiar with the fable of the tortoise and the hare, but have you ever thought about what lessons this fable holds for education? There are always a few students who are at the head of a class—the hares. For them, the pace of the class comes easily—too easily in fact.
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