Parenting

The joy of having special-needs children

Q.Recently, a boy at my daughter’s Catholic high school revealed to his lunch table buddies that he is gay. The group was caught off guard, but not surprised. After a few days, the novelty of this news wore off and the general feeling on…

From the Rosary to Advent blessings, three Catholic families tell what they've learned about helping their children pray

Teachable Moments from our June/July-August edition

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…

My mom can cook. I mean flat-out cook. To me, the real test of gourmand greatness isn’t concocting exotic dishes from strange recipes that call for ingredients you’ve never heard of before, utilizing specialty gadgets that can perform only…

So you’ve finally done it. You’ve made family mealtimes a high priority in your household. But now you have a problem they didn’t tell you about. Cornell University found that family dinners five times a week prevent disordered…

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…

The question for families comes up every year around this time as winter turns into spring: What are the kids going to do this summer? For some parents, the answer might be to send their child away for a week or longer to a summer…

After a schoolmate of mine recently lost both of his children in a car accident, I began to wonder what kinds of ministries were available to grieving parents who have lost a child of any age. I discovered that there is a dearth of…