Parenting

Q. My husband and I are in a debate about how to celebrate Christmas with our children. We’ve always focused on Advent and the coming of the Baby Jesus, but we also have allowed them to believe in Santa Claus. My husband now worries that…

We were heading home from church when our twelve-year-old daughter complained, “Why do we have to listen to all that boring music at church? I hate that stuff!” My wife jumped in to correct her. “You can’t say that! You apologize for…

From the Rosary to Advent blessings, three Catholic families tell what they've learned about helping their children pray

Q. We’re only a month into the new school year, and already we’re off to a rocky start with my son’s second grade teacher. Each day when I pick my son up from school, I find myself on the defense as “Miss Brown” complains about my son’s…

What is the one virtue that can radically transform your family life? Charity! Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. (Catechism of the…

From the Rosary to Advent blessings, three Catholic families tell what they've learned about helping their children pray

Recently, I traveled from Ohio to Vermont for a quick Fourth of July getaway and the week after that I headed to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for another 700-plus mile road trip. These two long road trips were not only an opportunity for…

by Danielle Bean When my son Eamon was about 2 years old, we sat near the window together, watching a lightning storm. When one especially loud clap of thunder boomed in the sky, he turned to me with large eyes. “Papa!” he gasped. In our…

by Matt Archbold  Every story answers a question. The good ones do, anyway. In fact, the greatest story there is begins with one young wom­an’s response to the question of love and ultimate sacrifice. Mary, the Blessed Mother, said “yes.”…

by Jake Frost In our family, we have so many nicknames that our nicknames now have nicknames of their own — we call them “nick-nicknames.” Such as “umpkins” — it’s a word we use to refer to all the kids collectively, as in: “Hey! You…