Catholic Parenting
You Cannot Fake a Real Education
Recently a few of my children went to church to take tests that are part of their sacramental preparation programs. They have to memorize quite a bit of material–prayers, teachings of the Church, etc. When they came from from their testing, the topic of discussion was the surprise to see many of the kids cheating on their tests. Yes, cheating on their faith formation tests. Cheating is rampant throughout modern schools–and homeschools. To pretend this is a public school problem and not a Catholic homeschool program as well is to simply refuse to face reality. Many students are left unsupervised … Continue
What’s the Plan for Catholic Children in America?
In the late 1800s, K-12 education became compulsory in the United States. Take a minute and let that sink in. Before the 1800s, K-12 education was not compulsory. Most children did not go to school, but remained with their parents and relatives, working in or around their homes. Some children were sent to trusted friends or relatives for apprenticeships or private education. They weren’t required to go to school–at all. In the late 1800s, this changed–and American culture changed. New, tax-funded “Public schools” were created to provide this compulsory education, and they were known to be anti-Catholic, largely influenced by … Continue
Are Schools Better than Homeschools for Socializing Children?
This afternoon a parent wrote a very common question, which I took some time to answer. I believe my response will be helpful to others. How would you recommend parents give children opportunities to relate to other children while being homeschooled; or alternatively, in your view, is this not a relevant concern? To be honest, I don’t understand why this question is asked of homeschooling families. A student sent to school is at school for 7 hours, 180 days of the year. So, out of 8,760 hours each year, the child is at school a maximum of 1,260 of them–that’s … Continue
The Duties of Catholic Parents
The duties of parents, as revealed by God and taught by the Catholic Church, should be the concern of all Catholic parents. When undertaking the work of homeschooling, many Catholic parents take up goals that are not appropriate for parents. Many parents speak of “raising saints” or “preparing children for heaven”, but these tasks require the willing collaboration of the children and, consequently, are not in the parents’ power. What parents should be concerned with are the actual duties of parents to their children. These duties are described for us in paragraphs 2221-2231 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. … Continue