Dear Children, Over the last few weeks, I’ve spent hours ordering uniforms and supplies and schoolbooks. I’ve nagged you at least five hundred fifty-six times to finish your summer reading. I’ve carefully selected new book bags with colorful prints that reminded me of you and I’ve labeled your notebooks and binders and tab dividers. I’ve scoured the house for belts […]
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Parents, You are not Alone!
Ask a Carmelite Sister Dear Friends, Sister Laus Gloriae here with a question this time. “Do parents know that they are not alone in raising their children?” Our beloved Sister Maureen, principal of Coleman Carroll High School in Miami, Florida, and former supervisor of education for the Carmelite Sisters, asked me this question recently. She asked if I thought parents […]
Preparing Your Family for a Faith-Filled School Year
As we watch the days grow shorter and even a bit cooler, we parents find ourselves preparing ourselves and our children for another school year. There’s something exciting about the potential for another year of learning, of friendship and of spiritual growth that transcends age and inspires even us “grown ups” with loved ones heading back to school. The start […]
Forgiveness with a Hitch
It was one of those frustrating times when you are trying to leave on a trip, but cannot seem to get on the road. In this case, I was moving my third son Tyler to college, two-and-a-half hours away from Bismarck to Fargo, North Dakota. We were all sad to see him go. He was transferring to North Dakota State […]
Many Catholics Choose Homeschooling – Should You?
Homeschooling, defined as “parent-led, home-based education” is the fastest growing form of education, now bordering on the mainstream in the United States. [i] According to National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) , in 2010 more than 2. 04 million students were homeschooled in the United States, and homeschooling has grown by seven percent in the last three years[ii]. 2010 statistics […]
Education in the Heart of the Church
The celebration of Catholic Schools Week in the United States is an annual opportunity to reflect on the privilege and purpose of Catholic education. Education is at the heart of the Church’s mission, a task set in motion by her Founder when he instructed his disciples to go into the whole world and teach the Gospel to every creature, educating […]
The Catholic Difference
My husband, Mark, and I were sitting next to each other across from an English teacher at the public high school’s parent/teacher conferences. She and another teacher had just been laughing about something. Turning to give us her attention, she briefly explained her exchange. “I guess some parents got upset when they heard there was a live, nude model in […]
Memoirs of a Misfit
All my life, things have been weird. When I was just a kid, I suffered through a series of frizzy permanents, overseen by my older cousin who I suspect was a dropout from beauty school. Yes, that’s me, the misfit with the electrified curls, staring glumly at the camera in the family photos. To make matters worse, I was overweight. […]
Back to School, Back to Work
Around the country, the sound of number two pencils being sharpened signifies the start of another school year. Families are busy acquiring supplies and clothing, planning schedules, and discussing expectations for the year ahead. We grown ups may not be jumping on board the bus or working on remembering our multiplication tables, but “Back to School” season is a great […]