Wait...you mean my kids bicker incessantly because my interior life is lacking?

Well...not exactly. 😅

But in this fascinating conversation, philosopher and educator Perry Smith explains why the virtues (and vices) we cultivate as parents quietly shape the atmosphere of our homes. Long before our children can define the "interior life," they're absorbing it.

Together we explore what Catholics mean by the interior life, why virtue is simply a good habit, practical ways to introduce meditation into family life, how to choose saints over celebrities as our children's heroes, and why the liturgical calendar provides the rhythms every Catholic family longs for.

If you've ever wondered how to raise children who become lifelong friends of God, Perry offers timeless wisdom that begins with an unexpected place: Mom and Dad.

Show Notes: 

Published July 19, 2026

In this episode we discuss:

• Why Perry wrote Spiritual Parenting—even though he isn't a parent

• What Catholics really mean by "the interior life"

• Why children imitate the virtues (and vices) of their parents

• The simple definition of virtue that every child can understand

• How to begin family meditation—even if you've never tried it before

• Practical ways to cultivate peace in your home

• Saints vs. celebrities: choosing better heroes for our children

• Technology, leisure, and creating healthy family habits

• Building daily, weekly, and yearly rhythms around the liturgical calendar

• Perry's favorite saints and the spiritual writers who shaped his life

Resources Mentioned

• Spiritual Parenting by Perry Smith
• Institute for Catholic Family Formation
• Divine Intimacy
• St. Teresa of Ávila
• St. Alphonsus Liguori
• St. Thomas Aquinas
• Laudate App
• iMissal App

Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here.

Isn't it hard to find Catholic friends?! I've got a solution. Hop on over to the Homeschooling for Catholic Parents Facebook community. Where we share about apologetics, homeschooling, and family life!

https://maevejemison.com/


Purchase Home Is Where The Truth Is:
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Where-Truth-Should-Homeschool/dp/B0CSWJ2QXC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1705863918&sr=8-1