Homeschooling For Catholic Parents

By Maeve and Mat JemisonReligion & Spirituality Christianity Education Self-Improvement Parenting Kids & Family

Homeschooling For Catholic Parents episodes

August 02130 - Why Families Need Adventure, Not Entertainment | The Secret to Raising Close Siblings
What if one of the greatest gifts you could give your children isn't another vacation... but another challenge?
In this episode, we share what I thought was one of my biggest homeschooling failures—a Daytona Beach field trip that involved hypodermic needle warnings, a homeless man wearing tarp pants, and a drug deal. Yet somehow, that disastrous day became one of the experiences our kids still talk.
That led us into a fascinating concept from Dopamine Nation called "club goods" and why psychologists have discovered that people value—and bond over—the things they work for together.
We discuss why:
Challenge creates identity.
Families need a mission, not just entertainment.
Shared stories unite siblings more than shared comforts.
Simple family adventures can strengthen your relationships for years to come.
If you've been longing for more unity in your home, this episode may completely change how you plan your family's time together.
Show Notes
In this episode:
Related Episodes
Episode 115: From Resurrection Joy to Closet Tears (Maeve's Daytona Beach surfboard rescue story)
Episode 125: The Faith Has To Be Theirs (Rotary Club, purpose, and putting more into a club than you get out)
Episode 127: How to Write a Family Mission Statement (A Catholic Homeschool Guide) Because, If You Don't Build Your Family's Culture, Someone Else Will (Building an intentional family culture)
Our Colorado trip and baby Nora's baptism
Why God may have answered Maeve's prayer with... laryngitis
The infamous "Skid Row" homeschool field trip
Lessons from Dopamine Nation and the concept of Club Goods
Why contribution creates stronger communities
"Comfort creates pleasant experiences. Challenge creates identity."
How to create a family culture that builds teamwork
Practical family challenge ideas—from hiking and service projects to family goals
Why your children need adventures more than entertainment
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
25 min
July 27129 - The Little Way of Motherhood | Tina Mayeux on Carmelite Wisdom for Catholic Moms
What can busy Catholic mothers learn from Carmelite nuns?
More than you might think. We continue our second in the Holy Spirit-led series on Carmelite Spirituality as Maeve sits down with Catholic writer Tina Mayeux to explore how the wisdom of St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and the Carmelite tradition can transform ordinary family life. Tina shares her remarkable vocation story—from discerning religious life with the Missionaries of Charity and the Discalced Carmelites to embracing her true calling as a wife and mother—and explains how contemplative prayer, simplicity, humility, and the "Little Way" can bring greater peace into even the busiest Catholic homes.
Whether you're juggling homeschooling, toddlers, teenagers, or simply longing for a deeper spiritual life, this conversation offers practical encouragement for living your vocation with greater joy and intentionality.
Show Notes, Published July 27, 2026
In this episode
Tina's journey through religious discernment to marriage and motherhood
What "Discalced" actually means
What contemplative prayer is (and isn't)
Why busy moms are called to prayer too
Lessons from St. Teresa of Ávila
The Little Way of St. Thérèse in everyday motherhood
Why motherhood is a "hidden life"
Living the liturgical year without making it overwhelming
Building a family rule of life
The importance of Catholic friendships
Finding silence in a noisy world
Encouragement for aspiring Catholic writers
Books Mentioned
Story of a Soul — St. Thérèse of Lisieux
The Interior Castle — St. Teresa of Ávila
The Way of Perfection — St. Teresa of Ávila
Learn More
Tina's Substack: The Way of the Wildflowers
CatholicMom.com
Tina's upcoming book The Little Way of Motherhood
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
33 min
July 19128 - The Interior Life Every Catholic Parent Needs First with Perry Smith
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
40 min
July 12127 - How to Write a Family Mission Statement (A Catholic Homeschool Guide) Because, If You Don't Build Your Family's Culture, Someone Else Will
Every family is building a culture—whether intentionally or not.
In this episode, Maeve and Mat share the surprising story of how an unexpected weekend in downtown St. Pete became a powerful reminder that every worldview is trying to shape what we love and value. That experience led them back to an important question: What culture are we intentionally creating in our own home?
They'll walk you through a simple five-step process for creating a family mission statement that helps guide your homeschool, strengthen your family culture, and keep your priorities rooted in Christ. You'll also hear practical questions to ask your children, examples of mission statements, and encouragement to build a home that points your family toward its ultimate goal: sainthood.
Whether you're just beginning your homeschool journey or have been homeschooling for years, this episode will help you define what matters most—and build your family around it.

Show Notes, Published July 12, 2026
In this episode, we discuss:
Why every family has a culture—even if it's never been written down
The surprising lesson we learned from an unexpected weekend getaway
Why intentional family culture matters more than ever
Stephen Covey's wisdom on family mission statements
The five simple steps to writing your own family mission statement
Questions to help identify your family's core values
Examples of Catholic family mission statements
How to use your mission statement to guide calendar decisions, activities, and priorities
Why your children will remember your family's culture long after they forget their worksheets
The connection between intentional family life and raising future saints
Links:
📝 Read the companion article:
How to Write a Catholic Family Mission Statement
https://maevejemison.com/127
📒 Catholic Homeschool Planner
https://catholichomeschoolplanner.com
🎤 See Maeve speak live at the TBHC Homeschool Convention (July 18, 2026)
Use code MAEVE26 for a discount.
📧 Join our newsletter:
https://maevejemison.com
🎙 Subscribe to Homeschooling for Catholics wherever you listen to podcasts.
Resources Mentioned
Stephen Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families
Stephen Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Dr. Kent Keith — The Anyway Poem
Mother Teresa's adapted "Anyway" quote
The four Cardinal Virtues:
Prudence
Justice
Fortitude
Temperance
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
24 min
July 05 126 - STOP Spending All Day Homeschooling! How to Raise Life-Long Learners in 2 Hours a Day. **Greatest Hits Replay**
🇺🇸 Happy 250th America! (And Happy Birthday Mat!) The Jemisons have been at the beach celebrating for the week so please enjoy this Greatest Hits replay that originally aired on February 23, 2025.
Do you want to raise self-starters who are eager for knowledge and actively seek out ideal sources to satisfy their curiosity? Let's think of home education as the petri dish for that! In contrast to the traditional education system which places your child on the conveyor belt to college, where students are inundated with irrelevant facts and become accustomed to being spoon-fed information, home education fosters a love for discovery and nurtures intrinsic motivation.
This episode offers tips on how to cultivate life-long learners in a fraction of the time that traditional schools have access to your children. So, let’s throw those disruptive school bells out the window and focus on providing children with a deeply enriching life at home.
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
23 min
June 28125 - The Faith Has to Become Theirs
What keeps children Catholic long after they leave home?
After interviewing youth minister Rick Grinstead, Maeve couldn't stop thinking about one powerful statement:
"They didn't leave the faith in college. They left a faith that was never theirs."
In this episode, Maeve and Mat explore what it really takes to help children move beyond simply attending Mass to developing a personal relationship with Christ.
Along the way they share:
a surprising Catholic trivia challenge,
what they learned as godparents in a baptism preparation class,
a visit to the Shroud of Turin exhibit and Carlo Acutis Eucharistic Miracles display,
highlights from Steubenville Youth Conference,
an unforgettable moment in Eucharistic Adoration,
and a remarkable phone call that reminded Maeve she was exactly where God wanted her to be.
If you've ever wondered how to help your children build a faith that lasts, this conversation is filled with practical encouragement and hope.
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
24 min
June 21124 - Alex Newman on Faith, Fathers, and the Future of Education
What is the ultimate goal of homeschooling?
In this Father's Day episode, Maeve sits down with journalist, author, and homeschool father Alex Newman to discuss faith, discipleship, education, and the responsibility parents have in shaping the next generation.
Alex shares his own journey from a nominal Catholic upbringing to becoming one of America's most outspoken advocates for Christian education. Together, Maeve and Alex explore the historical roots of government schooling, the importance of cultivating curiosity in children, and why fathers play a uniquely influential role in the spiritual formation of their families.
Most importantly, Alex offers encouragement to weary homeschool parents who may feel behind, reminding us that discipleship—not perfection—is the true mission.
Whether you're a veteran homeschooler or just beginning your journey, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to keep the main thing the main thing.
Show Notes
Published June 21, 2026
Links Mentioned:
You'll likely want links for:
Alex Newman
The Liberty Sentinel
Public School Exit
Indoctrinating Our Children to Death
Classical Conversations
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
41 min
June 14 123 - Helping Your Teen Encounter Jesus for Themselves, with Rick Grinstead
What if one of the biggest mistakes we make with teenagers is trying to teach before we've truly connected?
In this encouraging conversation, Maeve sits down with youth ministry veteran Rick Grinstead to discuss what today's teens are really looking for—and how parents can help them develop a faith that is genuinely their own.
Drawing from more than thirty years in ministry and his experience as a father of eight, Rick explains why invitation often works better than enforcement, why belonging frequently precedes belief, and why authenticity matters more to this generation than ever before.
Together, they explore how parents can create safe spaces for difficult conversations, why trusted adults are essential in a teen's life, how hospitality becomes a powerful form of evangelization, and what it means to raise young people who become missionaries rather than merely survivors of the culture.
Rick also shares insights into Alpha Youth and the upcoming Parenting Teens resources designed to equip families to accompany young people through today's unique challenges.
Whether you're currently parenting teenagers, preparing for those years ahead, or simply hoping to pass on a vibrant Catholic faith to your children, this conversation offers practical wisdom, hope, and encouragement.
Show Notes, Published June 14, 2026
Resources mentioned in this episode:
• Alpha Youth
• Parenting Children Course
• Parenting Teens Course
• Rick Grinstead on Instagram

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
47 min
June 07122 - Raising Thinkers, Not Subjects: A Conversation with Author and Homeschool Dad, Scott Clifton
Former public school teacher and veteran homeschool educator Scott Clifton joins us to discuss why he and his wife chose homeschooling long before it was popular, what he witnessed inside the public school system, and why Christian parents should feel confident homeschooling through high school.
In this conversation, Scott shares stories of students who flourished after leaving traditional schools, explains how homeschool parents can raise independent thinkers instead of passive learners, and offers practical advice for creating engaging learning environments at home and in co-ops.
We also discuss Christian literature, choosing books with discernment, the importance of teaching from a biblical worldview, and why one-on-one attention from a loving parent often outperforms even the most credentialed educational systems.
Whether you're considering homeschooling, currently teaching high school at home, or simply looking for encouragement on the journey, this episode is packed with wisdom from a teacher who has spent decades helping families succeed.
In This Episode
Why Scott and his wife chose homeschooling before they had children
What he witnessed as a public school teacher
How homeschool students often flourish after leaving traditional schools
Teaching children to think rather than simply repeat answers
Creating engaging and memorable learning experiences
Why homeschooling high school is more achievable than parents think
Choosing literature through a Christian worldview
Raising self-directed learners
The long-term fruit of homeschooling into adulthood and grandparenthood
Show Notes: Published on June 7, 2026
Scott's Website https://www.homeschoolpartners.net/
National Home Education Research Institute
NHERI.org
Commonsensemedia.org
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
39 min
May 31121 - What We Learned at the Biggest Homeschool Convention in America (And the Catholic Story We Didn't Expect)
Fresh back from the FPEA Homeschool Convention, Maeve and Mat share some of their favorite moments from a weekend full of encouragement, unexpected conversations, and memorable encounters.
From celebrating a homeschool graduation to connecting with Catholic families from across the country, this year's convention revealed a growing hunger for faith, community, and truth.
Along the way, a chance conversation led Maeve to discover a Marian apparition (or bi-location, if you really want to be "Catholic-nerd" specific) story that she can't stop thinking about—one that offers a powerful reminder for any parent who has ever wondered if their efforts are making a difference.
If you've ever felt discouraged in your homeschooling, this episode is for you.
Show Notes Published May 31, 2026
In this episode:
Highlights from the FPEA Homeschool Convention
Celebrating homeschool graduation
Debuting the Catholic Homeschool Planner
Why Catholic families were seeking each other out
The surprising rise in Catholic conversions
What recent converts told us about discovering the Church
The role of the Early Church Fathers in conversion stories
Catholic Schoolhouse and growing Catholic homeschool communities
The story of Carlo Acutis and an unexpected convention reunion
The fascinating history of Our Lady of Pilar
How Mary encouraged St. James during a season of discouragement
What homeschool parents can learn from that story
Encouragement for families wondering if their efforts are making a difference
Links Mentioned
Catholic Homeschool Planner
catholichomeschoolplanner.com
Raising Saints TV
Raising Saints TV (YouTube)
TBHC Homeschool Convention
Use code MAEVE26 for registration savings
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
24 min

About Homeschooling For Catholic Parents

From the publisher's feed

You’re wondering if homeschooling is for you. But your inner critic is telling you you’re not enough. How can I teach my kid when we can’t get through homework without tears and yelling? …