Children and Faith

Q. For years, my husband and I looked forward to having grandchildren, and when our grandkids were little, it was a truly wonderful time. We used to have them at our house and would spend time together baking cookies, reading to them,…

by John J. Boucher Once, while setting up for a workshop about “adult children,” three parents approached me. Maria lamented, “I brought my kids to Mass every week, but only one out of three is now willing to go to church.” Frank added, “My…

Teachable Moments from our June/July-August edition

I didn’t notice him come in. The college snack bar was noisy that day and full of students like me wanting ice cream on a very warm October afternoon. My chemistry class was in an hour and I sipped my milkshake while perusing my notes from…

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…

Q. Our two teens have their own money from babysitting, part-time jobs, and birthday gifts. We’re very proud of how hard they work and how responsible they have become. Both our son and daughter have accumulated healthy savings accounts and…

Q. Our son has been accepted to several good colleges, including two excellent Catholic universities that are known for their adherence to Catholic teaching. He also got accepted into three other schools—one big state school and two small…

“Just face it; you’re going to be a blubbering wreck.” It was a summer-long mantra chanted by friends, day after day after day. And it stood to reason, really. We were headed to drop off our eldest child, Allie, at college for the first…

Q. This question might be filed under, “What are these people thinking?” My high school freshman got a ride home from a recent sporting event from a teammate’s parent. The conversation in the car turned to a high school party that took…

Nine practical ways to help children grow into considerate, grateful, generous, empathetic, and successful adults.