Providing children with a Catholic education was considered so important to Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants that parishes built the school BEFORE the church. A lot has changed but Mary Ellen and Ginny remind us that one thing that has NOT changed is the serious obligation of Catholic parents to give their children an authentic Catholic education. Today they discuss how homeschoolers can best fulfill that obligation.

Show Notes:

Years ago, providing children with a Catholic education was considered so crucial that parishes built the school BEFORE the church. What changed? Well, lots, but today, Mary Ellen and Ginny remind us that the one thing that has NOT changed is the serious obligation of Catholic parents to give their children an authentic Catholic education. They also discuss how homeschoolers can be best equipped to fulfill that obligation.

Parents are required to give their children a thoroughly Catholic education – period.

So, what does this mean for homeschoolers?

1. Catholic materials have to be the default choice.

· There are a few legitimate reasons to use non-Catholic materials – a special needs child, could be one of them.

· Money can be a factor if you truly cannot afford a Catholic option.

2. Content is a critical issue in reading, science, and history.

· Books should teach the Catholic Faith and give examples of the saints.

· Christian books can be downright anti-Catholic.

3. It is imperative to teach the extraordinary accomplishments of faithful Catholics.

Holy Mother Church is often portrayed as anti-science. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Some sources are quick to bring up Galileo but neglect to mention that:

· It was Catholic cleric Nicolas Copernicus who first identified the sun as the center of our solar system.

· Augustinian Monk Gregor Mendel founded the field of genetics.

· Louis Pasteur, founder of bacteriology, was a devout Catholic who prayed the rosary daily.

· Seismology is often called the Jesuit science because of the order’s contributions.

That’s why you need a Catholic program!

4. Your parish CCD program, even the best-intentioned of them, is Catholic-lite.

They cannot and do not replace daily religious instruction in your home. Thirty hours a year just does not cut it. And it includes a minimal Catholic history of accomplishment.

A Great Catholic program we love:

• Seton Home Study School

Homeschooling Resources

Seton Home Study School

Seton Testing Services

Society of Catholic Scientists

Notes from Social Media

Beth from Illinois wants to know:

How much time is typically spent on kindergarten? My second child is on the way, and I am overwhelmed by the idea of managing a school schedule with a new baby at home.

Best advice: Don’t sweat it. Maybe an hour to two during the day can be split up. Be flexible using baby’s naptime or downtime. Now, as they start to crawl and walk, things get challenging. You’ll find more about that in our episode, The Secret of Teaching with a Toddler in the House.