motherhood

She Shall Be Saved Through Motherhood: Taking Up the Work God Has Given You

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The Work That Belongs to a Mother Many young mothers find themselves unsure of what to do when their children become disruptive in public. They feel torn between wanting to remain where they are and knowing that others may be distracted. These moments are not easy, and they can leave a mother feeling uncertain or even discouraged. I remember being in that place myself, and I had to learn these lessons slowly over time, and not always perfectly. One truth, however, became very clear to me. The care, training, and government of my children belonged to me. This was not … Continue

Starting Late: Restoring Order in the Home When Habits Have Already Gone Wrong

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Many young mothers begin family life with good desires, but without firm principles. They love their husbands. They love their children. They want a peaceful Catholic home. They want reverence at Mass. They want ordered sleep, happy children, and time for prayer. Yet many find themselves, after a year or two, living in disorder. The baby does not sleep well. The mother is exhausted. The father comes home from work and is quickly handed a child. Church becomes stressful. The child whines, squirms, cries, and resists restraint. The mother feels embarrassed and helpless. The father feels pressured. The couple may … Continue

Holy Week in a Busy Home: Loving Christ in the Midst of Motherhood

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When Holy Week Feels Out of Reach Holy Week has come, and the Church grows quiet. The readings grow heavy, and we are invited to walk with Christ in His Passion—to watch, to pray, and to remain with Him. The Church slows down and asks us to look closely at suffering, love, and sacrifice. Yet in your home, nothing slows down. The baby is crying, and a toddler is pulling at your dress. Another child needs help, another is hungry, and another is upset. The house is full, the work is constant, and your body is tired. You may look … Continue

Persevering in Lent: Faithfulness in Uncertain Days

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When Life Feels Uncertain There are seasons in a mother’s life when everything feels uncertain. Plans shift, news comes that we did not expect, and the future feels unclear. Yet at the same time, the dishes remain, the lessons must be taught, meals must be made, and prayers must still be said. Lent often meets us right here—in the middle of ordinary duties, carried out with a quiet heart that may feel tired or even numb. And yet, this is precisely where God is at work. On this feast of the Annunciation, the Church invites us to consider a moment … Continue

Holy Ordinariness

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The Hidden Life of Our Lady When we think about greatness, we often think about visible achievement. But the holiest woman who ever lived spent most of her life unseen. The Gospel tells us very little about the years in Nazareth. After the finding of Jesus in the Temple, St. Luke simply says that Our Lord “went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them” (Luke 2:51). Then we hear that Mary “kept all these things in her heart.” That’s it. We don’t hear descriptions of accomplishments, public recognition or applause. And yet, in that small … Continue

How to Begin the School Year with Peace, Not Pressure

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Each fall, Catholic homeschooling mothers stand at the threshold of a new school year with sharpened pencils, fresh notebooks, and carefully revised schedules. Excitement is high, but so is the temptation to pressure ourselves and our children to achieve too much, too quickly. The danger is that the very order we desire can collapse into stress and discouragement if we forget one simple truth: God builds by degrees, not by force. The prophet Zechariah reminds us, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech 4:10). At the start of a new year, … Continue

When Morning Sickness Overwhelms Family Life

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Recently I received an email from a homeschooling mother who wrote: “I suffer with extreme morning sickness, throwing up multiple times an hour, all day. It’s debilitating and lasts from 6 weeks well into my second trimester. I recently found out I am pregnant with number four, and currently have an almost 4yo, 2.5yo, and 11mo. Now that I have a school age child, and have implemented many of the routines you have suggested (which have brought so much peace to our home), I feel a little panicked and scared that our family will be plunged back into utter chaos, … Continue

Teaching Toddlers to Pray

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A Quick Review of What We Have Learned Over the past few months, we have been reflecting on four guiding principles for raising toddlers in a homeschooling home. The first principle was to keep them safe. Mothers were reminded that safety is a foundation of love. Toddlers explore without caution, and protecting them from harm is both a spiritual and physical duty. The second principle was to teach school readiness skills. Here we spoke about building habits of order, attention, and curiosity. We encouraged mothers to prepare toddlers for future studies not through formal lessons, but by shaping their daily … Continue

How a Mother Should Manage CLAA Lessons at Home: “Bit by bit, little by little.”

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For more than seventeen years I have taught my children at home using the curriculum we have published in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. Six have graduated and moved on to college, while five have entered Army careers. What made this possible was not perfection or frantic busyness, but steady diligence: “Bit by bit, little by little—that’s how work gets done.” In this article, I want to show you how to manage CLAA lessons simply and peacefully, especially if you’re new and juggling children of different ages. Why CLAA uses “master texts” (and why that helps you) Many CLAA courses … Continue

Looking Ahead with the Church: The Assumption

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The Assumption Fra Angelico (c. 1430) This Friday, August 15, we will celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a feast full of hope for every Catholic mother. The Church teaches in the Catechism that “the Immaculate Virgin… was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was finished, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (CCC 966). This is not only a truth about Mary; it is a promise to us of what God intends for all who love Him. St. John Damascene, a Doctor of the Church, called the Assumption “the … Continue