Recently, the kids and I undertook a huge project: we painted the kitchen cabinets. That is, we scrubbed the cabinets, dismantled them, sanded them, primed them, painted them, and painted them again and again. We also boiled, scrubbed, and spray painted the old hinges so we could reuse them.
Truth be told, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we started.
Continue reading “Painting Kitchen Cabinets, Conscience, and Confession in the Rain” →
One of my favorite saints is Don Bosco. Whenever my boys are particularly unruly, I think of him who dedicated his life to the care and education of the street boys of Turin. Beloved by his pupils, he transformed the lives of countless youth, giving them a Christian education and helping them to grow in holiness. For me, St. Don Bosco is a powerful intercessor. After all, if he was able to work wonders for the derelict raggamuffins of 18th c. Turin, surely he can do something for my well-meaning, but rambunctious boys.
Furthermore, St. Don Bosco is a shining example to parents and teachers. Researching his writings, I came upon this wonderful anecdote, which he himself wrote. I just had to share with you — St. Don Bosco’s Secret to Discipline:
Hello Catholic Homeschool Conference Attendees! Welcome to Mercyformarthas.com. I am SO GLAD you’re here! If you scroll down, you’ll get to your goodie bag freebie: A Confession Prayer Book for Children.
Continue reading “A Free Confession Prayer Book” →
Let everything take second place to our care of our children, our bringing them up to the discipline and instruction of the Lord. If from the beginning we teach them to love true wisdom, they will have greater wealth and glory than riches can provide – St. John Chrysostom
Sometimes in the busy-ness of a homeschool day, I am tempted to procrastinate teaching religion or to hurry it along. Afterall, from a wordly point of view, it does not matter how much or how little religion you cover. There are no state standards for religion, and memorizing the Baltimore Catechism will not matter on a college application. So when we are in a crunch, it is easy for me to shove religion to the side and make math or writing more important.
Continue reading “The 7 Strands of a Great Religion Curriculum” →
After ten years of homeschooling, I have slowly but finally found the solution to all of my homeschooling problems, and probably yours, too. This solution is so powerful that it can transform your homeschool into something far greater than you ever dreamed, and yet it is exquisitely simple.
Continue reading “The No. 1 Solution to Your Homeschooling Problems” →
Mercy for Marthas