Homeschooling For Catholic Parents

What happens when we stop trying to fit our children into an educational mold and start teaching the unique child God placed in front of us? Former public school teacher, homeschool mom, and Eden Institute founder Camila Johnson joins Maeve for a refreshing conversation about what really helps children thrive--and give us some teaching tips along the way.  From the surprising power of reading alou...

Are we raising children who can recognize good and evil—or simply hoping they'll figure it out? Fresh from a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, Maeve shares a remarkable message from the Blessed Mother that speaks directly to the mission of Catholic parents today. From Blessed Fulton Sheen's chilling warning about false compassion to the surprising spiritual lesso...

How much of the outcome is actually up to us as parents? After a mother-daughter pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, Maeve came home thinking about that question—especially as children grow, pull away, and begin making choices of their own. In this episode, Maeve and Mat talk about the changing role of a parent, the temptation to confuse love with control, and some timely wi...

 Mat and Maeve discuss pew wars between brothers, the benefits of weekly church attendance, and homeschooling.  Also, who understands the Feast of the Assumption better, a 50-year-old (Mat) or our 15-year-old daughter?  We also highlight the value of homeschooling and dispel the number one misbelief of homeschooling...How will you socialize them? Grab the 2026-2027 Catholic Homeschool Planner here...

Does your homeschool ever look like a complete mess from where you’re standing? The kids seem aimless, the routine isn’t quite there, and you start wondering if you’re doing enough—or doing any of it well. Maeve found herself in exactly that place at the beginning of another school year. But a recent day of surfing reminded her that sometimes things look very different once you stop standing on th...

EPISODE SUMMARY  Dr. Ray Guarendi has 45 years  helping parents stop second-guessing themselves—and in this conversation, he brings his trademark humor, straight talk, Catholic faith, and experience as the father of ten homeschooled children. Maeve and Dr. Ray talk about his journey back to the Catholic Church, the heartbreak parents can feel when an adult child walks away from the faith, and why...

How do we raise kids who aren't afraid of hard things? Maeve sits down with Catholic homeschool mom, entrepreneur, accountant, and Youth CEO Academy creator Sue Campo to talk about the life skills our children develop when they're given room to create, fail, try again, and take ownership of their ideas. They talk growth mindset, grit, entitlement, entrepreneurship, following through, dis...

What counts as a successful homeschool day? Maeve and Mat are still hanging onto their “bonus summer,” even as everyone else seems to be heading back to school. Piper is settling into college, NCAA homeschool paperwork is testing Maeve’s sanity, and an innocent moonwalk has somehow turned into a family hip-hop class. But when Maeve tries to gently ease everyone back into school, nobody can seem to...

After 21 years of marriage, Mat and I have learned a few things. Some the easy way. Some… definitely not. 😂 This week, we’re going a little old-school—less polished, more banter, and a very real conversation about marriage, what makes a spouse feel truly appreciated, and a few lessons we wish we’d figured out a whole lot sooner. We also revisit one of our earliest podcast opinions (a retraction i...

What happens when a Catholic mom goes looking for wholesome, faith-filled screen time for her little ones—and can't find quite what she's looking for? She makes it herself. This week, Maeve sits down with Tara Bonna, better known as Mrs. Faith, creator of Raising Saints TV. And it's especially fitting that this episode airs on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Ma...

After years of homeschooling, how do you know if it actually worked? Our oldest daughter, Piper, is heading off to college—so we decided it was time for an exit interview. Piper joins Maeve in the studio for an honest (and sometimes hilarious) look back at her homeschool years: what she loved, what she definitely did NOT love, what made her feel most loved by her parents, the rules she appreciates...

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 stil...

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...

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...

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 yo...

🇺🇸 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...

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 pers...

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...

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 exper...

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...

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 chan...

Many new or discerning homeschool parents share the same fear: “What if we butt heads all day?” In this episode, Maeve and Matt unpack real listener concerns and offer practical, Catholic-rooted solutions for cooperation, motivation, and peaceful homeschooling. They revisit the timeless wisdom of Charlotte Mason, explore what “first-time obedience” looks like (and why counting to three doesn’t wor...

Homeschooling high school can feel intimidating — transcripts, SATs, AP classes, college admissions… suddenly the stakes feel higher and many homeschool moms begin to doubt themselves. In this deeply encouraging episode, Maeve sits down with Dumb Ox Learning founders Jenni Cassidy and Helen Harrold, two Catholic homeschool mothers who, between them, have homeschooled 14 children across the U.S. an...

In this episode of Homeschooling for Catholic Parents , Maeve and Mat share the exciting countdown to the launch of the new Catholic Homeschool Planner on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Feast Day — along with hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from the planner photo shoot, homeschooling life, and camping adventures in rural Florida. The conversation takes a deeper turn as they reflect on truth,...

Homeschooling can feel isolating—but it was never meant to be done alone. In today’s episode, Maeve sits down with Kim Hannon, one of the founders of TBHC Group and the Tampa Bay Homeschool Conference, to talk about what it really looks like to build meaningful community as a homeschool family. From her early days as a “recovering public school teacher” to leading a thriving homeschool network ser...