Looking for a way to explore the beauty of the Mass with your children? The Holy Mass on Earth As It Is In Heaven is an excellent resource for Catholic families seeking to learn more about the Mass.  I received an advanced PDF copy of The Holy Mass for review. All opinions are my own.  See this boy right here? That’s my son. He’s an adorable, lovable, mess. He used to love Mass when he was a toddler, pointing at the altar and staring wide-eyed at the stained glass and statues. Lately, now that he’s older? Yeah. Unfortunately, not so much. He’s super smart. Taught himself to read whe ..read more

I had a tantrum yesterday. It wasn’t pretty. And the worst part was, as I was raging and yelling and being generally very disagreeable, I knew in my head that I needed to stop.  That just made it worse.  Because on top of all the things that triggered it (and I’ll get to that in a minute), I kept thinking things like: You are an awful mom You are damaging your kids No wonder the youngest has a hard time regulating his emotions Your sensitive middle child is about to burst into tears and it’s your fault It all snowballed and I couldn’t catch my breath. I was so angry with myself and ..read more

Are you a Catholic family raising kids with sensory needs? We are, too, and here are our best tips for getting the most out of Mass for everyone.  When you’re raising a child with sensory needs, it’s not unusual to feel like everything is a challenge. Nothing is spared it seems, not the clothes your child will wear, the events your family can attend, or the activities you might want to take part in. And while you pray that just this once, the socks won’t be an issue or the crowd won’t overwhelm, the logical part of you knows that it’s not that simple. Prayer gives you opportunities for g ..read more

Preparing for First Communion with an exceptional child? Check out Preparing for Your First Communion with Billy the Puppet, a new video course from award-winning storyteller Christine Henderson, founder of Faith and Puppets.  Who can look at a puppet and not smile? Whether you are 99 or 3 or 7 or 10 years old, puppets can be beneficial.  My storytelling business, Never Too Old For Stories, got started with using puppets while working with dementia patients.  I focused mainly on working with memory care residents in senior homes. But following the COVID 19 pandemic, I’ve been in ..read more

Are you raising differently-wired kids? Does your marriage need a boost? Refresh your marriage in a weekend with these bite-sized marriage builders for parents of differently-wired kids (Snag the workbook here).  There’s a lot they don’t tell you when you’re raising differently-wired kids. They don’t tell you about feeling like an outsider, like your family is too different to fit in. They don’t tell you about the heartstopping process of evaluation; the relief that comes with having an answer, and the sinking feeling that somehow you may have caused all this. They don’t tell you about th ..read more

Are you parenting differently-wired kids through a crisis? Here’s how to help them – and you – thrive. Of all the areas in which life excels, throwing curveballs is the front runner. You know what I mean – you’re floating along, settled into a routine, making plans and taking care of business (every day!) and then – BAM Line drive to the head from a 2×4 disguised as a regulation ball. Like someone gets sick, really sick, and will be for a long time. Or the main breadwinner of the house is laid off. Or after months of evaluation and testing, your kiddo receives a life-altering diagnosis. Or a p ..read more

Homeschool schedules aren’t necessary, because really, you aren’t recreating school at home. A routine will serve you much better in the long run. Here’s how to create one that works.  On my first day of homeschooling, I tried to recreate school at home. I mean, of course, I did – I’d spent my pre-mom years as a high school English teacher and adjunct professor. Schedules and procedures were worth their weight in scantron forms. Except scantron forms lack currency status in the dining room, especially when it’s laden with papers and markers and books. Or when you’ve changed your student’s ..read more

Teaching writing can be scary for homeschooling parents, especially if your kids are differently wired. But with a program like Night Zookeeper – an engaging, interactive web-based writing program for children ages six to 12 – you’ll not only have the support you need to teach grammar and composition well; you’ll also have a kiddo who develops a lifelong love of writing.  Already heard of Night Zookeeper and want to get started? Click any Night Zookeeper link in the post for your free 7-day trial and get 50% off your annual subscription. This post was sponsored by Night Zookeeper. Wh ..read more

Haven’t slept in what feels like decades? Yeah. Me, too. Here’s how to cope when you’re absolutely exhausted, especially when you’re parenting differently-wired kids.  Contrary to what the parenting books tell you, there are older children who have a hard time learning the secret to peaceful sleep. It doesn’t matter what techniques you try, what routines you put in place, or what sort of professional assistance you seek out:  Differently-wired kids are differently-wired. This includes the brain’s approach to sleep.  Given the amount of thinking, talking, moving, and doing your ..read more

It’s not easy raising that kid, the child who is your greatest joy and your greatest challenge. If you’re a Catholic mom raising exceptional, differently-wired children, here are seven reasons to rejoice. I first faced the possibility I might be mom to “that kid” in an Asheville, North Carolina diner one afternoon in early August. The child in question was three years old, overwhelmingly tired, and, looking back in the rearview over a decade later, trying very hard to make sense of a confusing, contradictory world. We had promised her a brownie after she ate her dinner. She poked at her grille ..read more