Guide Your Family Through Future Generations With Family Ritual
Download the PDF(opens in new tab) What do you think of when you hear the word “ritual”? Does your mind turn to liturgy and prayer or formal ceremonies? You might be wondering what ritual could have to do with parenting and family life. The answer is that family rituals can be potent tools for building…
Read MoreTrue Joy Comes from Self-Control and Striving
Download the PDF(opens in new tab) Where do your children find joy? I teach at a Catholic school whose motto is “Joyfully Catholic.” Students will sometimes claim that we are not living up to our motto because we hold high standards for them. We give our students homework and expect them to complete it. We…
Read MoreResolve to Waste Time with your Children
Download the PDF(opens in new tab) A few years ago, Pope Francis sent out a challenge to parents across the globe. His simple and direct tweet said: Parents, can you “waste time” with your children? It is one of the most important things you can do each day. This mike drop tweet from our Holy…
Read MoreReady for the New School Year?
Download the PDF(opens in new tab) My parents had a wonderful practice of asking questions during dinner. They enjoyed getting us to think about topics and issues through conversation. I remember one question in particular; one that was asked the night before the start of another school year. What do you think you are going…
Read MoreWho Has the Greatest Influence On Your Children?
A your children grow toward adulthood, they come under the influence of a multitude of voices. Do they listen to their parents anymore? How can you continue to have the influence God calls you to? Learn what it means to be the primary educators of your children as they become more independent.
Read MoreIs Your Family Important to You?
Raising a family in the way of love requires conscious effort on behalf of parents. Parents show how important their family is to them by the amount of energy and attention they put into their family’s development. This month’s reflection question asks parents to reflect on how their actions reflect the importance of their family to them.
Read MoreAffability In An Angry World
Is it just me or do people today seem more angry, desperate, and defiant? The news must think so because they often describe the U.S. as a divided nation. They write stories about family members who yell at each other, of hostile neighborhoods and workplaces where sides have been taken. The picture they paint is…
Read MoreDo you really listen to your family members?
God calls families to buld a true community of persons. One important way to do that is to learn to reallly listen to each other. How well do you listen? How can you listen more intently? This month’s article will explore these questions.
Read MoreThe Debt of Gratitude
Click Here to Download the PDF(opens in new tab) My daughter wanted to go to a friend’s house, but she first needed to complete a set of chores that she had been putting off for a few days. So, she rushed through her chores and declared that she was ready to go. However, when I…
Read MoreWhat Makes Being a Parent Difficult?
I have a few friends who just had babies. They are veteran mothers, welcoming their fourth or fifth babies. But the wonder and awe and joy is still evident in them as if the little bundle they carry is their very first. It’s great to share their joy and excitement. When you are preparing for…
Read MoreThe 5th Commandment; Do No Harm
Do you assume that keeping the 5th Commandment is easy because you’d never commit cold-blooded murder? Well, Jesus challenges us to live this Commandment on a deeper level, valuing each person’s life and dignity. This month’s article shows you how to keep the 5th Commandment even when you start feeling resentful or angry toward your children, and how you can model the virtue of meekness so your children can learn how to value others as well!
Read MoreNo One Likes Name Calling
Click Here to Download the Printable Version in PDF Format It is fair to say that public discourse – the way we talk to each other – has dropped to an all-time low. A quick check of most Twitter feeds, Facebook posts or trending YouTube videos will reveal multiple examples of foul language, cursing and…
Read MoreChurch & Chicken: Keeping the Lord’s Day
One of the most important traditions in my family growing up was Sunday dinner. Our family would go to Mass, then sit around the kitchen and talk while the air filled with smells of baking chicken and winter squash. We’d then sit around the table for a formal family meal. My parents expected good manners…
Read MorePreparing Your Child for School
Raise Them Well Personal Maturity Train the young in the way they should go;even when old, they will not swerve from it (proverbs 22:6). Sending a child back to school a decade or two ago was much easier than it is today. Back then, parents worried about buying the right supplies and getting the kids into…
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