Copyright Seton Home Study School 2014...homeschooling, neither my husband nor I had ever heard of...

Copyright Seton Home Study School 2014

WEBSITE: WWW.SETONHOME.ORG

PHONE: (866) 280‑1930 9 AM‑5 PM Mon‑Sun

FAX: (540) 636‑2648

E‑MAIL: [email protected]

1350 PROGRESS DRIVE,

FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA 22630

Seton Home Study School provides a Christ-centered, academically strong program designed for the Catholic homeschooling family in today’s world.

Going Where God’s Will Takes You ...........................2Homeschooling mom of three on the Gowans Ranch in God’s country, Texas.

Let the Children Come to Me ................................6Four boys and a good Catholic husband inspired her conversion, and kept her homeschooling!

Upon this Rock ........................ 10Inspired by Mother Seton’s life, they struck out on the harder - and more rewarding - path!

13 Years of Seton Success ........ 13A Catholic curriculum for their four children convinced two professional musicians to enroll.

From England, With Love ...... 16Two girls in Europe explore Seton’s Catholic heritage first hand.

For Love of Them ....................20Homeschooling four boys while moving from the Philippines to the USA.

I am Not Going to Homeschool! ............................22Raising six children in Ohio, they made home-schooling a vocation and a lifestyle!

Lives of Service ........................26The values taught in the Seton curriculum reinforce the traditional military virtues of duty to God and country.

Running the Good Race ..........29How a mom overcame her own fears and succeeded with two children, one with special needs.

A Straight and Narrow Path ...........................32Raising six children in Ohio, home-schooling is a vocation and a lifestyle!

Joy in the Heart .......................36She was from public school, now homeschools eight children in Montana!

One Family’s Homeschooling Saga ..............40After taking the plunge, we now travel everywhere with our large family.

Stories

About Seton Home Study School .........44How you can Enroll, and all the Curriculum Benefits and Support options we offer.

2 | Catholic Homeschooling Families

Hello from the Gowans’ family! – Dad Bob, Mom Andrea, son Hugh (age 9), daughter Lauren and twin brother Leo (age

7), and beloved cats Mr. Kitty and Stella.

We live on a 300 acre ranch with a vineyard, fruit orchard, pecan trees, chickens, fishing pond, a John Deere tractor, four wheelers, and all the accoutrements that come with living out in the country. Our town’s public schools are rated among the best in the area.

Families from neighboring towns vie to have their children transferred into our public schools. There is a Catholic elementary school in the next city, and there are a number of excellent private schools. Our family chooses a different path. We choose to homeschool.

Are you going where God wants you to go, or where you are expected to go?Up until a month before we started homeschooling, neither my husband nor I had ever heard of this thing called “homeschooling.” Concerned for the spiritual welfare of our children, our pastor was the one who introduced us to the idea. At the same time, my husband and I already knew that we had to reconsider the option of public schooling for our children. Intrigued by this alternative of conducting “school at home,” my husband researched the academic aspects, while I read a number of books (including Dr. Clark’s homeschooling manual), and

Homeschooling mom of three on the Gowans Ranch

in God’s country, Texas.

Going Where God’s Will Takes You

by Andrea Gowans

Catholic Homeschooling Families | 3

we were introduced to a number of families in the parish who were actively homeschooling. One homeschool mom prophetically said, “Once you start [homeschooling], you will never go back!” She was right.

As we took the plunge into homeschooling, our pastor recommended Seton Home Study for its academic excellence and solid Catholic catechesis. We have been using Seton Home Study since day one, and have been extremely pleased. Following the Seton program, my husband and I are reassured that our children are covering all grade-appropriate material and that they are receiving a quality education – with no additional effort (or guesswork) required on our part!

Initially we started homeschooling for academic reasons. Now, 4 years later, we homeschool for a myriad of reasons, including family benefits, spiritual benefits, and simple obedience to God’s Will. I have felt very much like Abraham, being called out of the “comfortable” life of typical schooling and into the unknown of homeschooling, but I know God has a plan far beyond what I can comprehend.

Following God in the Day-to-DayStructure has been a key element in our homeschooling. School days begin at 8:30 a.m., when the children and I gather in the “classroom” (a spare room originally planned and designed to be my husband’s home office). Thanks to Seton’s clear and consistent workbook format, each of the children knows what assignment pages need to be completed that day, and can immediately get to work.

I juggle my time between Hugh, Lauren, and Leo, actively working with whoever needs my attention and assistance at the moment. If I’m busy with one child, the others work on an independent subject like Handwriting or Spelling until I can work with them.

We also follow a “two subjects, then break” rule. After completing two subjects, each child gets about ten minutes to go outside, play in his or her room, get a snack from the kitchen, etc. As the children finish their work, they know to pile it on my desk – an old laminated folding table – so I can review and correct.

Classroom and textbook work takes until lunchtime, when we all gather to eat and then take a nice hour-long break (by that point, my brain needs it as much as the kids need it). We do Science and/or Writing after lunch, as well as correcting.

Each of the children has a different learning style and pace. Although Lauren and Leo are twins, and each in 2nd Grade, they are as different as can be! Their learning styles and the speed at which they grasp concepts is wildly different. What works with Lauren is a total bust with Leo, and vice versa.

Our pastor recommended

Seton Home Study for its academic

excellence and solid Catholic catechesis.


In fact, Lauren often acts as surrogate teacher to Leo when I’m not available. Other people might find this strange – a peer teaching a peer – but I find it one of the many blessings that homeschooling allows — a demonstration of love, patience, and joy in helping a sibling. It is also a good reinforcement of the concepts Lauren has already learned! If you can teach it, then you know it.

In general, we are done with school work around 3:00 p.m., which allows for ample outdoor playtime before ballet, Cub Scouts, sports, or other activities. On weekends, our two sons assist at Mass as altar servers, and our daughter serves as “bulletin girl,” distributing bulletins after Mass at our parish, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Denison, Texas. We are careful, however, to limit the number of activities our children pursue. Busy-ness does not equal holiness. There is no joy in running and driving from activity to activity to the point of exhaustion and frustration.

One of the activities our family does cherish is inviting our current pastor over for dinner. He is a frequent guest, and we love him like a favorite uncle. I especially appreciate the opportunity our children have to spend so much relaxed time with Father. It is important for our children to soak up and grow in the Faith.

Some of their faith-building is accomplished academically, but a lot is accomplished in what I call “sitting at his feet”—simply sitting with Father at dinner, playing a game of checkers or chess with him, and getting to know him personally outside of church.

Taking up the CrossSchooling your children is a very intense devotion. It is often a daily challenge for me as the mom-teacher to maintain my patience and energy level (which is why daily prayer and reliance on the Lord are a must!). It is also a challenge to ignore feelings of insecurity and self-doubt, and concerns that maybe I am not doing “as good a job” as someone else would do at another school. Maybe my kids are not learning “enough” from me, and could learn more or do better somewhere else.

When I struggle with these thoughts, I lean on my husband, who lifts me up spiritually and reassures me that we are on the right path with homeschooling.

Another source of inspiration from which I draw is our local Christian homeschool co-op that meets regularly for enrichment classes. The kids enjoy being with other kids; I enjoy being with other homeschool moms, and our closest friends have come from the co-op. I couldn’t travel this homeschool journey alone. The apostles had each other for strength and support—I need

I enjoy being with other homeschool

moms, and our closest friends

have come from the co-op.


other homeschool moms! I am grateful for the blessing these families are in our life.

Yet another small pick-me-up is when the kids and I change our routine by doing our homeschool work at the local community college. Every two weeks or so, we pack up the school books and head to the college library, where we grab a study room for the morning, complete with a massive whiteboard, and rolling chairs!

It’s a great change of pace and scenery. The college students and staff get a kick out of seeing the pint-sized students, while my kids get a kick out of being around the college-age kids, and we get to top off the day by enjoying lunch in the college cafeteria. Ah! College-days are always fun and surprisingly productive days!

Are you going where God wants you to go, or where you are expected to go?God has a plan for our family, and for each of our children. I know with certainty in my heart that homeschooling is part of God’s plan for us, but time alone will tell where God’s plan ultimately will lead us. As a homeschooling family, we are certainly not going where society expects us to go! Instead, we choose to go where God wants us to go.

Homeschooling is part of God’s plan for us.


I am currently in my third year of homeschooling with Seton Home Study School. This year my preschooler attends a private

half-day program. While Brycen is at school, we complete the majority of the work for my 1st, 4th, and 6th graders. Breelyn, my beautiful new baby girl, joins us as we go through the boys’ lessons. Some days are cozy, heavenly days, when all the stars align and the angels sing over us. Some days are tough days—days when I find myself fantasizing about running back to the public school and dropping off the boys.

However, I receive strength knowing that this is God’s Will for our family. Even on a tough day, I find God’s grace. I find my older sons helping a younger son. I find them reading their Seton books together, asking questions and seeking answers. My baby daughter took her first steps from Tyler’s arms to Dylan’s arms during public school hours. What a special moment for all of us, and one we could not have had without Catholicism and homeschooling in our lives.

Turning AwayI’ve always known that I was going to be a mother. My fiancé, Todd, and I had it all figured out. We would have two, maybe three children. I would settle on a major and finish college before we started our family (I chose Elementary Education so I could have the same schedule as my future children). We’d have our last child before I was 30 years old. I would stay at home with the children while they were small

by Michelle Bosso

Four boys and a good Catholic husband inspired

her conversion, and kept her homeschooling!

Let the Children Come to Me


and return to work when our youngest started preschool.

Todd was a cradle Catholic and I was Lutheran, but we both wanted Todd’s uncle, Monsignor Bosso, to perform the marriage ceremony. I remember the sunny day when Todd and I pulled up to a beautifully landscaped Catholic Church to meet with his uncle. We were there to discuss our engagement and fill out paperwork. At the end of our meeting, Todd’s uncle handed us a form to read and sign. We had to promise in writing to raise our children Catholic! We signed the form and promised to give the Catholic Church a chance for the sake of our future children.

We did give it a chance, a very short chance. There were traditions I didn’t understand, and I felt like an outsider during Mass. Why couldn’t I accept Holy Communion? I wasn’t familiar with words like the Eucharist or homily. Why do they talk about saints and why is there so much focus on Mary? My husband struggled to answer my questions and ease my hurt feelings. We ended up seeking a different denomination, one in which we could both be comfortable.

A few years later, according to our plan, I graduated college with my B.S. in Elementary Education. I was elated as I walked down the aisle to accept my diploma. I put my hand on my stomach, excited to have our first son, Tyler, walk with me. I was four months pregnant. We had found a lovely Lutheran church for Tyler’s baptism. By Tyler’s first birthday, I was five months pregnant with our second son, Dylan. Fast forward two more years, and I was pregnant with our third and final child, according to our plan.

I lost that baby when I was approximately six weeks pregnant. I was devastated. I had already become so attached to that little being. How was that so? The child wasn’t even born yet. A dear friend of mine, a Catholic convert, brought me a sweet gift and a handwritten card that spoke of my “angel baby.” That was the first time I had ever heard of an unborn baby being referred to as if he or she actually existed. It brought me an immense amount of comfort and, I think, planted a seed as well.

A Still, Small Voice Nine months after the miscarriage, I was pregnant with a fourth child, our son, Cayden. His arrival prompted the decision to move an hour away and build a larger home. We visited many churches but didn’t feel called to become members; I did notice, though, that our town had a Catholic Church. In the past, my Catholic “knowledge” had been derived from opinions and perspectives of non-practicing Catholics. Over these next months, however, I began to learn about the Catholic Faith on my own, and honestly, I became intrigued.

At 30 years old and blessed with an amazing husband, 3 beautiful children,

We signed the form and promised to give the Catholic Church a chance

for the sake of our future children.


and spacious brand new home, I still felt something was missing. Our days were full, but I felt a void. Our family was complete (I thought), but I often found myself looking in the rearview mirror of my 8-passenger SUV and imagining another beautiful baby in the vacant seat. What was wrong with me?! I found myself purposely driving by the Catholic church. I continued reading about the Church and asking questions of devout Catholics who truly loved their faith. I would think back to that sunny day, and the promise we made to raise our children Catholic kept whispering in my mind. A seed was trying to bud in my heart.

Not My WillIn the meantime, life was busy. I was entering that phase of parenthood when you run, run, run all day—school to doctor, back to school to volunteer, errands, back to school to pick up the kids and then…HOMEWORK! I would think of friends who homeschooled and I figured they were all nuts. After all, I couldn’t even get through the homework part without getting frustrated. Then the kids needed

a snack before we rushed to their extracurricular activities and then hurried home for a late dinner. They had to finish any remaining homework and then bathe and go to bed later than we wanted. It was exhausting. Weekends came and went, and then I was sending the kids off to school on Monday morning, just to do it all over again and again and again. This was the norm; this is what everyone was doing, but something didn’t feel right.

Another year went by, and while many of my friends celebrated that they were almost out of the diaper phase, I didn’t feel the same. I still had a strong desire for more children. But this feeling went against our plan! Having 3 children was normal, but once you had 4, you started walking a fine line. Todd listened to my struggle, but it wasn’t long before I was ready to try for another child. Todd agreed. A few short weeks later, we were pregnant with our fifth child, another son, Brycen.

This fifth pregnancy carried me to the Church. Although my pregnancy had been greeted with love by many, it had also been greeted very negatively by a few. The negative opinions always weigh the heaviest! I desired to walk away from the negativity and walk towards Jesus. I also felt the need to be a part of a faith that valued every life conceived. With the impending arrival of our newest child, a thirst for the Eucharist also began to develop within me. Thus, on many days, I would find myself sitting in my car in the parking lot of our local Catholic church. That little seed from the marriage vows had finally sprouted.

Our family began attending our little town’s Catholic church. I began RCIA classes. What I thought would

All of them believe that the

Seton curriculum provided them

with the tools they need to succeed on

the world stage.


be a joyous time ended up being very stressful, as there were several traumatizing events that happened, shaking my soul to its depths. The harsh realities of how other people’s choices could directly affect our family placed us in some difficult positions. I found myself always feeling sick. In addition, I started suffering from anxiety. It was debilitating. The children were incredibly sick that year as well.

I cried out, asking God why this was happening now, when I had looked to His Church with so much hope and trust. I prayed a lot. The seed of faith grew bigger and made me realize that I had to let go of MY plan completely. God had always had a plan for me, and it included Him being in my plan, but I hadn’t been responding with openness. He deserved more than I was giving. I knew it was time to start putting God first.

Resting in the LordTodd and I were on the same page. We decided I would not go back to work anytime soon. We decided to list our home and downsize. We decided to start budgeting and live a more frugal lifestyle. We decided to become more involved in our church, and we decided to homeschool.

Seton came highly recommended by the same friend who had touched my heart with the card. It didn’t take long to learn that homeschooling is a lifestyle and doesn’t just begin when the books come out and end when they are put away. Homeschooling is an integration of life and education, where learning happens always. Together, my children and I learn about Catholic culture, and learn to incorporate our faith into each thread of our day. It is such a gift.

The kids are still very involved with their extracurricular activities. They attend a homeschool PE and homeschool art class. They have piano lessons, and a speech pathologist comes to the home once a week. Todd is very active with the children after work. He is a Cub Scout Den Leader and coaches their sport teams. The children have many activities affiliated with our church such as altar-serving, Squires, and Faith Formation. We also have three different co-ops in which we occasionally participate.

My children are growing academically, domestically, physically, socially, and spiritually. They talk to people of varying ages now. They are learning to work as a team so that we can get from point A to point B more quickly. They help me tend to the house now that I am helping them as their teacher. I have grown and continue to grow as a Catholic but also as a mother and as a wife. I am proud to be a witness to God’s graces. I can’t thank Him enough for letting the promise we made for our children bring us back to the fullness of His truth in the Catholic Faith. We took the plunge and stepped outside of the cultural norm of our society, and our family is stronger because of it. That feels right!

We took the plunge and stepped outside of the cultural norm of our society, and our family

is stronger because of it.


Pregnant and nauseous, I traveled with my husband, kids, and parents to Emmitsburg, Maryland, to sit on a rock. Yes, a

rock. It’s a long story that begins and ends with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.

As I sat on the rock from which Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton taught her first three students, with my first three “students” Gianna (6), Gabriel (4) and Lucianna (2) (with another pupil in the womb), I could not help but feel completely overwhelmed… and thankful. I was overwhelmed at God asking me to be the primary educator of my children, and thankful that He had brought Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton into my life to serve as a role model of being open to His Will.

Sitting on this rock, teaching her students, did Mother Seton feel inadequate like I did? Did she wonder how she would do what God was asking

of her? Mother Seton may have felt overwhelmed, and she may have felt inadequate, but her faith and trust led her to found the Sisters of Charity and the Parochial School System as we know it. Her quote resonated in my mind: “The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the Will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner He wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is His Will.” God’s Will led me to Seton Home Study School.

How It BeganMy journey began back at Seton Hall University. I entered Seton Hall University as an education major, and

Inspired by Mother Seton’s life, they struck out on the harder - and more

rewarding - path!

Upon this Rock

by Jennifer Nelson


it was there that I was first introduced to Mother Seton. I heard her life story, and admired this American-born saint who was a wife and mother. I thought it was pretty wonderful that she and I shared a birthday (August 28th) and a middle name. Little did I know how much her life would serve as an example to me on following the Will of God.

I met my husband, Derek, at Seton Hall University. He was a Protestant (like Mother Seton had been) and a great Christian man who loved the Lord very much. I didn’t know when we began dating that the Lord would use me as an instrument to bring Derek to the fullness of the Catholic Faith. In turn, God would use Derek to guide me to the belief that God created the perfect school, a school called the family.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton had a very challenging life! As homeschoolers, we all follow in her footsteps by accepting the crosses that come with doing what God wills for us. When Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was becoming Catholic, her entire community of friends, relatives, and those around her began to ostracize her and condemn her for her decision.

In deciding to homeschool, many of us face the same persecution that she faced. People judge us and think that we are harming our children. They ask questions about how they will be “socialized” or ask if you are a certified teacher. When we do anything that is counter-cultural, we are called names or spoken about in whispers. As homeschoolers, we have to live the Gospel, and forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, just as Mother Seton did. I always tell my children that if you want to live the way Jesus wants you to live, look at what the ‘world’ is doing, and do the exact opposite.

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton followed what God willed, not what the world willed. Though it led to heartache and loss of friendships, it also led to a life full of God’s grace and new friendships that were truly Christ-centered. This has been an important lesson for our family.

Many BlessingsLiving in a Christ-centered home has helped our homeschooling efforts. We have been blessed to live in a home with my parents, both of whom support us in homeschooling. The children learn so much from their grandfather, Robert, who was a history major, and their grandmother, Lucy, who is a Catholic school teacher. My in-laws, Lois and Jim are good Christian role models for my children and support our decision to homeschool. Many of the priests at our parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rockaway, NJ, have been wonderful. Our Pastor, Fr.Sigmund Peplowski is a firm believer in family faith formation and the parents’ role as primary educators. He gave us desks for our homeschool room and provides spiritual guidance. Fr.Marcin came to bless our classroom on our first day!

Fr. Marcin constantly asks the children how school is going, telling them to keep up the good work when they

Living in a Christ-centered home has helped our homeschooling

efforts.


make their report. Our children have gotten to know our priests well through attendance at daily Mass, and we have made wonderful friends among the people who attend daily Mass. They have become like a large extended family for us. Just as Mother Seton lost her worldly companions but found an extended family through her sisters and all the families she helped in her work as an educator and foundress, so we homeschoolers find our own new home when we leave the world behind.

A Stronger FaithIf we homeschoolers follow faithfully in Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s footsteps, we will gain a deep devotion to the Eucharist, to Sacred Scripture, and to the Blessed Mother. These three devotions were essential to her success in doing all the work she did after becoming Catholic. Mother Seton was able to do God’s Will because she had a deep prayer life, and great fidelity to

Him. We must follow in her footsteps and devote ourselves to God above all else. The laundry will get done and, somehow, dinner really will get on the table, but prayer is the most important task. If our children see us loving God above all else, that will be the best lesson they could learn, and if God has called us to teach our children, He will assuredly give us the grace we ask of Him to do it well.

On my thirty-second birthday and at the two-hundred and thirty-ninth birthday celebration of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, my husband gifted me with an icon of Mother Seton that would be hung in our homeschool room. It says, “Our least action, when done for God, is precious to Him.” God sees every little toy picked up, every piece of laundry folded, every dinner that is put on the table, each prayer spoken, each diaper changed, and each act of love. In our homeschool, we try not to get discouraged or do grand deeds every day. We do the best we can do, and we know even if it is a little thing, if it is done with a lot of love, it is precious in God’s eyes.

As Catholics, we are called to be saints and to raise saints. I am so thankful for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s shining example to all of us homeschoolers, and to Seton Home Study School for its Catholic curriculum that helps us to truly form our children in the faith. As my footsteps carried me away from the rock where Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton taught her first students, they brought me to the narrow path, one that leads to pure joy in knowing I am doing what the Father wills for me and for my family.

The laundry will get done and,

somehow, dinner really will get

on the table, but prayer is the most

important task.


The UPS truck just dropped off our school books!” My sisters, Emily and Mary, my brother John, and I race to the door

hoping to arrive first at the four brown boxes that hold our new curriculum.

Mine is the easiest to find since it is the biggest and heaviest of them all. There is an advantage of being the oldest: I get all the new books! Boxes are sorted, scissors are found, and packing peanuts start to fly as the boxes are opened. Soon, fresh books emerge which captivate our attention. Thus, our family’s thirteenth year of Seton Homeschooling begins and we all eagerly anticipate the new year’s adventures.

As the Catholic Faith is the center of our lives, we appreciate Seton’s enriching Catholic curriculum. One of the reasons we chose Seton was that all the Seton books and lesson plans are filled

with Catholicism. English exercises, math word problems, and history stories incorporate Catholic artwork and themes. This year, as I am taking Religion 12, I am reading through the Catechism. Personally, I have found this a beautiful way to discover more deeply the richness of my faith. Emily, a sophomore, is taking Latin 1 and enjoys learning the official language of the Church. Mary’s new 8th grade Church History book includes stories from a Catholic perspective. In John’s 4th grade spelling book, there are Old Testament stories which incorporate his spelling words. Every subject relates to the Catholic Faith, fromthe examples used to the instructions given.

A Catholic curriculum for their four children convinced two professional musicians to enroll.

13 Years of Seton Success

by Elizabeth Felsheim, ‘13


Seton’s academics challenge us to become better students. We have grown in discipline, have learned to accomplish goals, and possess self-motivation. Our writing skills are greatly enriched and I have come to love writing. I started two bi-monthly Catholic newsletters for girls, which I send to over 100 girls throughout the United States! The accountability from graders other than our mother has encouraged us to strive for A’s and feel confident in our work. Sometimes, people shake their heads at us and comment, “Seton! I hear that’s a difficult program,” but that has not stopped us. We have always finished and passed all our classes successfully and on time. Seton provides high academic standards, which shape our daily goals.

How We Do ItAfter individual prayers, breakfast, and a generous dose of “Goodbyes” to our dad before he leaves for his job as an Information Technology Coordinator, Mom starts our school day at 8:00 AM. Lunch is at 11:00 AM followed by noon Mass. Weekday Mass, which we have attended daily for 12 years, gives

us the necessary grace and strength to homeschool. Without these graces, we would struggle to make it through the week. After Mass and a few occasional errands, we resume our school from 1:30-5:00 PM. Then homework, choir practices, meetings, or Eucharistic Adoration fill the evening hours after dinner. It might seem like there is a lot of available “school time,” but some days don’t go according to our ideal plan!

Dad is the “principal” of our school and also serves as the substitute teacher. He has been a great help to me with anything from Geometry to Economics. Although my mom does most of the teaching, my dad has just as big a role. When he is not directly helping with assignments, he is brainstorming with us to get creative juices flowing, listening to an oral presentation of a book analysis, or just being our #1 fan and supporter. I have fond memories of sitting on our porch with him patiently explaining a difficult concept until that “light bulb moment” occurred. As we are hurriedly finishing our subjects he, being a man of many talents, assists with meal preparation after coming home from work. As the school load gets heavier and to help free my mom’s time, he fills in the gaps by helping to clean and complete household tasks.

We strive for a consistent schedule, but there are times when we benefit from the beautiful flexibility of homeschooling. I have been able to take on part-time jobs, such as babysitting, dog walking, and house cleaning. I’m able to work, earn money, and still get my homework done! Since we are available during the day, we are able to volunteer frequently at our Church. John loves serving at daily Mass, I am a substitute lector, and

Seton provides high academic

standards, which shape our daily

goals.


Emily and Mary wash and iron the altar linens. We also take days off on our birthdays, enjoy special breakfasts with our grandparents, and occasionally take fieldtrips. Not being tied down with a rigid schedule, we take advantage of all the golden opportunities.

Homeschooling has blessed us in so many ways. Studying at home allows us to avoid the stress and time of traveling to and from various schools, giving us the opportunity to spend more time together. We have a lot of family time, which has formed a strong bond between the six of us and we usually “move as a unit.”

Let There be Music!If someone asked us to describe our family in two words, we would have to say “musical creativity.” Our family connects through the harmonic tones of music. Our two professionally trained musical parents encourage us and we feel that we have been blessed with their musical genes. This is quite obvious after walking into our “music room” which is the home of a grand piano, multiple instruments hanging on the wall, three guitars, five violins, an electric bass, an electric keyboard, maracas, an autoharp, amps, microphones, picks, and piles of sheet music, as well as a large collection of musical CDs from all genres.

During the day, you might find one of us “jamming” on a readily available instrument between classes, perfecting an original composition. My sisters and I have also found that school is a lot more fun when we sing in three-part harmony. Imagine your Catechism questions sung to the tune of “O Susanna!” It doesn’t matter if it is in the shower or the Cathedral Choir, our family loves to sing anywhere. A

favorite family activity is family music night, with six instruments and voices blending together, illustrating our family’s joy and love for one another. The family friendly atmosphere of homeschooling allows us to explore and express our talents and join together in the activities that we love.

Looking back on where we started and where we are now, it is amazing to see how we have all grown in faith and love. I have many fond memories of doing school in my pajamas, in clubhouses, on car trips, at the dentist office, in bed, at the park, on my porch, in coffee shops, or at the library.

I thank Seton for providing me with an excellent education. I thank my mom for choosing it and both of my parents for supporting me. I thank my sisters and brother for putting up with me and loving me.

Most importantly, I thank God for the wonderful gift of life and faith!

Graduation, here I come!

I thank Seton for providing me

with an excellent education.


Look at those huge rain clouds!” I said to my sister Molly as we scrambled up the wide, sloping green hills of Uffington in

our search for the famous 374-foot White Horse carved into the chalky ground. By the time we reached the prehistoric figure, the skies had grown incredibly dark for a British summer afternoon, and deep rumbles of thunder echoed across the hills.

Unruffled, Molly and I traipsed excitedly about the White Horse, carefully inspecting the white chalk, picking our way over the curved strokes, and imagining King Alfred surveying his soldiers. Our mom, looking apprehensively at the ever-darkening sky, suggested we hurry while our dad, his t-shirt a blue speck against the enveloping green, snapped pictures with expert precision. As we were heading down, however, the dark sky opened to release a torrent of water in the heaviest British rainstorm I have ever seen. Despite our shrieks and giggles on the fifteen-minute walk

to the parking lot and sopping-wet clothes on the long car ride back home to London, we were enthusiastic about having experienced Chesterton’s lines so literally on our expedition to the White Horse.

Born State-SideMolly and I were born in Seattle, Washington, and our parents decided to homeschool as soon as I was old enough for Kindergarten. Both my parents wanted to ensure that, above all else, their daughters grew up in a thoroughly Catholic home with a deep

Two girls in Europe explore Seton’s Catholic

heritage first hand.

From England, with Love

by Monica Berghout


love for their faith. They chose Seton primarily because of the excellent textbooks, greatly appreciating both the academic challenge and the genuine Catholicism they provided. I grew up loving my schoolwork, feeling as though my Seton books opened an exciting adventure to me, with each subject a new world waiting to be explored. My parents would sometimes tease Molly and me, threatening to put us in school if we did not finish our assignments on time, to which we responded with frantic promises of assiduous diligence if we could continue being homeschooled!

In 2006, when I was fourteen and Molly was twelve, circumstances of my father’s job gave our family the opportunity to move to London, England. At first, we were unsure – leave all our family and friends and the only life we had ever known to move to Europe? But our dad, as head of the house, felt strongly that this would be a good experience for our family, and in the end, we could tell that the Holy Spirit was leading us to take this adventure. One detail that made the decision easier was that Molly and I would not have to change schools! We could continue being Seton students and not have to worry about adjusting to the British school system, which could not be more different from the American one.

Ex-Pat AdventuresLife as ex-pats proved to be quite an adventure indeed. Our dad learned to take the tube (London Underground) to work, our mom drove on the other side of the road, and Molly and I got used to people complimenting us on our “accent.” We became accustomed to living in a hundred-year-old house

which, understandably, always seemed to need some sort of repair, passing historically significant places labeled with a “Blue Plaque” every day, and replacing the letter z with s (except in our Seton assignments!).

For us, however, the most important part of our move to England has been the rich Catholic heritage that we have discovered here, which has strengthened and inspired our Catholic Faith. Our beloved parish church, the Brompton Oratory, has been another source of continual consolation and inspiration for my entire family. The Italian Baroque architecture, wealth of stunning statues and artwork, rich sacred music, beautiful reverence of both the Extraordinary Form and Novus Ordo Masses, and most importantly the authentic Catholicism taught and upheld by the nine Oratory Fathers have encouraged in each member of my family a firm love and dedication to our Catholic Faith.

My sister, Molly, has always dreamed of a career in music, expecting to pursue the piano. The majestic and lavish sounds of the organ at the Oratory,

I grew up loving my schoolwork,

feeling as though my Seton books

opened an exciting adventure to me,

with each subject a new world waiting

to be explored.


however, left her with a love of this king of instruments and the sacred music of the Church. She switched from the piano to the organ, taking lessons with the organists from the Oratory, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Royal College of Organists School; currently she is completing her last year of Seton high school and auditioning for admittance to a college program in the organ at the Royal College or Royal Academy of Music. She hopes one day to bring the wealth of sacred music she has discovered here in England back to the United States as an organist, organ teacher, and choir director, inspiring the next generation to preserve the traditional music of the Church.

As for myself, I am 21 now, have just graduated with a university degree from the Royal Academy of Dance, and have embarked on a year-long apprenticeship with a Christian dance company here in London. I sincerely believe that I owe my academic success at university (I graduated with First Class Honours) to the excellent education Seton gave me. I also

attribute my future “mission” - being a Catholic voice in the world of dance, and using dance as a means with which to evangelize - to growing up in a deeply-committed, Catholic homeschooling family and receiving such a rich and thorough Catholic education through the Seton curriculum.

Molly and I know full well the challenges we all face as homeschoolers and as Catholic young people. Any Seton student who has ever felt overwhelmed, lonely, isolated, or insufficient, I sympathize with you. I also champion you. My sister and I are here to tell you that, no matter what, it’s worth it. Hold onto your identity as a homeschooler, as a Seton student, and as a Catholic. If you let it, this identity will take you on an adventure of beauty, truth, and meaning greater than anything you can imagine. May we all go out in courage with hope and faith to carry on King Alfred’s fight for truth, goodness, and beauty in our own generation.

Traveling with SetonLiving in Europe, we have been able to travel easily to famous Catholic shrines. In France, we filled numerous plastic water bottles at the miraculous spring in Lourdes, were mesmerized by the stained glass windows of King St. Louis IX’s chapel Sainte Chapelle, increased our devotion to St. Michael at Mont St. Michel, and gained new appreciation for the Miraculous Medal at the altar of St. Catherine Labouré in Rue de Bac. In Italy, we waved excitedly to Pope Benedict in Rome, gazed in speechless awe and wonder at Michelangelo’s masterpieces in the Sistine Chapel, and contemplated the life of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni. We felt close friendship with the three little shepherds in Fatima, honoured the

I sincerely believe that I owe my

academic success at university to the excellent education

Seton gave me.


Divine Infant at His Shrine in Prague, and admired the courage of St. Patrick and Red Hugh O’Donnell in Ireland. These trips continually re-emphasized the deep Catholicism Molly and I were learning in our Seton studies, and we profoundly felt the union and universality of our Catholic Church as well as the richness of its heritage. Visiting Rome last year remains the supreme highlight of my life; I dubbed this city “the most beautiful place in the world” and realized more intensely than ever before the great treasure of the Catholic Faith.

England itself proved to go hand-in-hand with our Seton studies, and our parents have taken us on many “homeschool field trips” to places connected with our schoolwork. I enjoyed supplementing my study of The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth with Shakespeare performances at the Globe Theatre and trips to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s home. Visits to Jane Austen’s houses in Chawton and Bath and her grave in Winchester Cathedral made my experience of Pride

and Prejudice much more interesting. My entire family developed a deep love for St. Thomas More both from visiting the places where he lived, worked, was executed, and is buried, and from studying A Man for All Seasons. Day trips to Canterbury and G.K. Chesterton’s house, sites associated with Chaucer, DeFoe, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Oscar Wilde, T.S. Eliot, and Francis Thompson, and that memorable adventure to the White Horse greatly increased my appreciation for the outstanding education I was receiving through my Seton studies.

Perhaps the writers who have meant the most to me, though, are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Visiting their colleges and homes at Oxford, Tolkien’s birthplace and Oratory in Birmingham, and his inspiration for “the Shire” has made me feel a close kinship with my favourite authors; their work has meant much to me and often has provided the encouragement I need in times of challenge.

These trips continually re-emphasized the

deep Catholicism Molly and I were learning in our Seton studies...


Like most Catholic-Christian parents, we are dedicated to the care of our children. The Philippine culture is notable

for the utmost importance it places on the family. In fact, in the Filipino communities, it is normal to find a modestly-sized house occupied by several extended family members.

In the well-to-do communities, several houses may be erected on the same land, or a multi-level residential building may be built with the goal of keeping everyone in the family together, all the way up to the third generation. Having visited several countries, I can also say with certainty that, with some exceptions, Filipinos are remarkable in their piety and their devotion to Mother Mary and to the Holy Infant Jesus.

It is common for Filipinos to adorn their vehicles with a miniature statue of the Santo Nino set on their dashboard. In addition, most Filipinos are also accustomed to hanging a rosary on

the rearview mirrors of their cars. The Catholic Faith is the foundation of the country’s morals and values, including its emphasis on the family. Hence, it was not unthinkable for me to leave the corporate world--and my nice paycheck--behind, in order to focus on my own family.

Finding the BookOur homeschooling journey began six years ago in the Philippines, when I was pregnant with our third son and preparing my eldest son for Kindergarten. I had heard about homeschooling but did not know

Homeschooling four boys while moving from the Philippines to the USA.

For Love of Them

by Abby Bracie


anyone who had actually engaged in it. As we looked at the different options for education, we came across Dr. Mary Kay Clark’s book entitled Catholic Home Schooling. After reading it through, my husband and I were convinced that it was best to homeschool our son, at least for Kindergarten, especially since this coincided with our plans to move back to my husband’s homeland of North America.

Nearly three-quarters through our son’s Kindergarten school year, we began our migration. We bade good-bye to family, friends, and our dear housekeepers. Leaving home and belongings behind, we looked to the Lord for guidance. Admittedly, this whole experience was quite unsettling for me, as it was the first time I was boarding an aircraft without a return ticket. Five flight stops and more than twenty-four hours later, we got off our last airplane and introduced ourselves to our new environment and a series of unfamiliar faces. Everything seemed different from our past visits. As I entered the territory that I was to call my new home, I placed my faith in God.

I believe it was prayer that guided us through the bewildering process of our global migration. As a matter of habit, our family recited the Rosary every evening. Each day, my husband and I would also offer up our personal

prayers. By the grace of God, we were able to keep our minds focused and were able to finish our eldest son’s last quarter of homeschooling during that first year of relocation. Four more house-moves, one more baby, and a strongly bonded family later, I am happy to share that my children are now in 5th grade, 3rd grade, 1st grade, and nursery, respectively. We are pleased with our children’s progress in school.

A Priceless LegacyAs I think about my family, I am reminded that one of the greatest gifts in life is to love and to be loved by one’s children. It has been such a joy for us to experience the wealth of God’s gifts together as a family. In particular, we know it is such a privilege to be able to homeschool our children and to give them a quality education. We know that education is a priceless legacy we leave our children. The kind of education we provide our little ones today will certainly affect all of their tomorrows.

I am grateful, first, to the good Lord, and next, to our patron saints, for never having let us down. My family and I have always felt supported in our decision to homeschool, despite the occasional company of raised eyebrows and upturned noses. Of course, I am thankful for my dear husband, who supports me unconditionally. Lastly, I am thankful for my four precious boys, for teaching me many important lessons about life, and for bearing with my shortcomings as I undergo the journey of being the best me that I can be, one step at a time, for love of them, who are my everything.

As we looked at the different options for education, we came across Dr.

Mary Kay Clark’s book entitled

‘Catholic Home Schooling’.


I am not going to homeschool! I am not ‘that’ kind of mom!”

When my husband originally suggested that we homeschool, I declared that the Blessed Mother herself would have to sit down across the table and say, “Susan, you are going to homeschool,” before I would try it. We are now finishing up our seventh year of homeschooling with Seton, and even though I haven’t seen the Blessed Mother sitting at the dinner table, I do believe she is with us and watching over us. After seven years, not only am I convinced that I am “that” kind of mom, but I am convinced that our family is better because of it!

We read every Seton Magazine that comes to our house. I enjoy the new Feature Family section, and feel a deep connection with those families that want something different for

their children and their families. My children, on the other hand, were reading these monthly family stories and felt a strong need to tell our story. They kept saying, “Mom, you should tell them this,” and “Mom, you should tell them that.” I kept putting it off, but maybe the Blessed Mother is prompting me through my children!

It all began when my two girls were starting at the Catholic school. Ida was entering 2nd grade and Gabriella was starting Kindergarten. We had made payments towards the $5,000 tuition for that school year. I had quit my job to stay home with my children, so why was I paying strangers (teachers) to be with two of my children for most for the day? All summer, the dollar signs had

Raising six children in Ohio, they made

homeschooling a vocation and a lifestyle!

I am Not Going to Homeschool!

by Susan Alessandrini


been rolling around in my head. Why were Kindergarten and 2nd grade so expensive? As our plan then stood, all four children would be attending that school eventually, and what would that cost?

With this big decision weighing on my shoulders, I had been going to daily Mass and Adoration and had met the nicest families. There was something different about the way these families interacted with each other and something very attractive about these moms. Their children were the kind of children I wanted my children to be friends with. I wanted what they had, but couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

A Change of HeartNow it was the week before school started. Uniforms were pressed and hung in the closet, book bags were tagged with “Alessandrini,” girls had met their new teachers, and….. we decided to “bring them home”!

That night, still in shock over what we had just done, I went online and pulled up Seton’s website. This was the curriculum my homeschooling friends talked about all the time when we stood around in the parking lot after Adoration. I punched in 2nd grade and Kindergarten on the Seton website, and since then I have never looked back.

I did fool myself for a year or two thinking that everything about our family was still the same; we just homeschooled. Ha! This experience has really been more like having a baby, where life is never the same but everything changes for the better. At the beginning, I worried if homeschooling was the best decision for our family. Then we found ourselves needing to

prepare quickly for it. I wondered how it would affect us. I lay awake at night trying to figure out how this was actually going to work.

Eventually though, without even knowing it, I couldn’t remember life before homeschooling. Now, so many years later, how could I ever give it up? It has changed us in ways we didn’t foresee.

I love to tell people that when you homeschool, you can love and discipline your kids all day. They need both, and they can’t get either in a traditional school setting. I also tell people that successful homeschooling is not just about what the kids are learning; successful homeschooling is about what the mom is learning about herself, as well. Through the years of homeschooling, I have called the Seton counselors many times for many reasons. Sometimes I called for academics, but most often for how to make homeschooling work for us. Sharon Hassett has been a beacon of light for me.

I love to tell people that when you

homeschool, you can love and

discipline your kids all day.


Her encouragement and simple advice has grown through the years to give me a sense of independence and confidence. No matter what I was struggling with - book reports or night shifts- she always reminded me to keep going to daily Mass and weekly Adoration. She helped me find ways to make school more manageable and still have time for Mass. Very smart! The years of experience with academics that Seton has is so important to me, but perhaps more importantly, I have found a wealth of strong, committed Catholics at Seton who I can count on for support and prayers. As a result, I have become a stronger, more committed Catholic. Now there’s a benefit I didn’t expect!

As a homeschooling family, we are in a variety of extra-curricular activities. Some of them are: gymnastics, piano, art, choir, hockey, volleyball, soccer, and more! We do not participate in all of these because I’m trying to teach my children how to “socialize.” These activities grew naturally out of our family’s character. Even before we started homeschooling, we were a very sporty family, involved in our church, and had many friends. I believe homeschooling has only helped us to become the active family God wanted us to be.

Above and BeyondWe live on the Southside of Chicago and my husband of 16 years is a police officer in a neighboring suburb. Even with working midnight shifts, being called out to work at all hours of the day, and handling the stress of his job, he continues to be my biggest fan. When people ask if his wife works, he says, “Yes, harder than me.” They say, “Wow! What does she do?” The response is always a surprise to them!

I think part of his motivation to homeschool, besides thinking I would do a great job, has been security. He loves his children like no other dad I’ve ever met, and his job and what he sees on a daily basis has an effect on how he wants to raise his kids. When he is at work and super busy, he has the peace of mind of knowing that his children are in the safest possible place and getting an education beyond what our local schools can provide.

I now have an 8th grader, 6th grader, 4th grader, and a 2nd grader. We started homeschooling for financial reasons, but seven years later, it has nothing to do with money. The reasons for homeschooling have changed from

I have home-schooled for social reasons, religious reasons, academic reasons, and more recently medical

reasons.


year to year. I have homeschooled for social reasons, religious reasons, academic reasons, and more recently medical reasons.

An Extra BenefitMy 6th grader, Gabriella, has a rare auto-immune disease of her eyes that was diagnosed 3 years ago. Her vision has to be closely monitored, but she is responding well to the infusions she receives once every 4 weeks and daily drops. Gabriella’s disease was another confirmation of the “rightness” of our decision to homeschool. Rather than take Gabriella away from school and make her struggle with life (as would have been the case if she had been in a regular school), this “cross” was something we knew we could carry as a family, and in fact, it has actually brought the whole family closer. Gabriella is not missing all the days of school that she would have in a traditional school.

Addressing her needs is a “normal” part of our school program and it makes us

who we are. Gabriella has a rotating schedule for taking each sibling for doctor visits and we sometimes include a field trip when we go into the city. This has helped develop deeper friendships among my children.

Not only have we had the privilege of meeting some of the best doctors in Chicago that are nationally recognized, but they have met a one-of-a-kind family. Even my 2nd grader, Matteo, is asking the doctor how Gabriella’s pressure is in her eyes this last visit! Her siblings care and they are involved!

More than anything else, I really just love being with my kids. Whether at church, the grocery store, or soccer practice, other people have remarked on how well-behaved, animated, spiritual, attentive, or affectionate my children are. We laugh, we pray, we sing, and we have our family inside jokes. And I thank God and the Blessed Mother every chance I get, that I have the opportunity to homeschool these four beautiful souls He entrusted to me and my husband.

More than anything else, I really just love being with my

kids.


Seton is proud to have had the honor to interview one of our families who serves in the Armed Forces. The Adams Family

of New Market, Maryland, has a son and a daughter serving in the Navy, another son in the Army, and their youngest daughter is on the way to Fordham. Captain Adams has served honorably in the Navy for 26 years.

Captain Adams, why did you choose a Navy career?

My father served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War, and all three of my uncles served in the Navy. In grammar school, I was fascinated by ships and a devotee to the television show “Victory at Sea.” After earning a Ph.D. and completing a post-doctoral fellowship, I initially taught at a pharmacy school but always yearned to fulfill my boyhood dream of being a Navy Officer. At the age of 34, I joined the Navy as a biomedical scientist.

Captain Adams, what advice would you offer to other parents about having their children choose a lifestyle of military service?

Military service is a vocation just like the religious life or the health professions. Just as priests minister to our spiritual health and health professionals minister to our physical health, the military ministers to our corporate physical health, protecting the nation from foreign enemies. And like the religious and medical vocations, the military life requires selfless service

The values taught in the Seton curriculum

reinforce the traditional military virtues of duty to

God and country.

Lives of Service

The Adams Family


and a keen sense of honor, courage, and commitment. Members of the U.S. Military offer the nation their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

Mrs. Adams, what would you offer to parents?

Military service is an honorable profession and I am so proud of the desire of my children to serve their country…something bigger than their own personal ambitions. One of my husband’s mentors always said, “The Navy is important because the country is important; the country is important because it’s where my family lives.”

Mrs. Adams, how do you handle the pressures and concerns of having your children in harm’s way?

Pray. I know that there is risk in everything we do, but I pray that God will protect them and keep them safe, especially when they are deployed.

Mrs. Adams, would you reflect on the concerns of a mother having a daughter choose the military life?

I have concerns for all my children, period, whether daughter or son. All have been deployed: William as a submariner, Maura as a nurse in Kuwait, and John as an Infantry officer in Afghanistan. I also have a new daughter-in-law who was deployed in Kandahar for a year before she married my son John. It certainly is a difficult life for all service members, a life filled with hardship, separation, and sacrifice.

I now have Margaret who will be attending Fordham in the fall. She feels it’s her turn to join them in the service of our country and she has joined the

NROTC unit there. I am proud of all of them for serving and for being willing to deploy.

Captain Adams, what advice would you offer families about Seton’s potential role in helping them achieve a military career?

Seton has helped all of my children obtain an elite Catholic education, far better in quality than that available in public schools or Catholic schools. All four have gained admission to top quality colleges: the US Merchant Marine Academy, Villanova University, the US Military Academy, and Fordham University. The values taught in the Seton curriculum, when brought to the military by Seton graduates, reinforce the traditional military virtues of duty to God and country, and enlarge the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Seton has helped all of my children obtain an elite Catholic

education...

John Adams


Q. Maura Adams: How did Seton help prepare you for Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps?

I can remember the trepidation I felt as I stood outside on Mendel Field in formation the first day of school at Villanova University. I was not sure if I had been fortified by Seton with the appropriate tools to survive college and the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.

I was soon surprised that the discipline instilled in me through Seton’s intensive curriculum had given me an edge compared to the other students. I was able to rely on the excellent writing skills and study habits formed at home, and the strict foundation of the Seton program allowed me to draw on skill sets that my colleagues lacked.

Q. John Adams: How did Seton help prepare you for a military academy?

The most important skill Seton taught me was the ability to write clearly and concisely. That skill has paid dividends both at West Point, and in the Army. West Point put a lot of emphasis on writing ability, including five courses in the core curriculum focused on critical and analytical writing. I always received praise for my writing style and content, all of which I learned during high school with Seton.

Q. William Adams: After your active duty experience, would you want your own children to follow in your footsteps?

I would be proud of my children if they pursued a career in the military, as it is one of hardship and sacrifice

that many of the people who enjoy the freedoms we protect do not understand or appreciate.

Regarding my children attending a military academy, I think it is an outstanding way to be exposed to the concept of service to others while juggling the demands of a heavier workload than most civilian colleges.

Q. Margaret Adams: What can you offer to other families about how Seton has helped prepare you academically, and for important life decisions, like which college to choose?

Coming from an accredited home study school made a massive impact on college applications. Since everything is online now, in an application you had to pick your high school from a list of all the accredited high schools in the country.

Seton was always on the list and I never had to go through an entire process of proving I went to school. Though Seton is challenging, it is completely worth it, and it all pays off.

Maura Adams

William Adams

Margaret Adams

Seton taught me the ability to write clearly and

concisely.


Well, we did it! After 12 years of homeschooling, we reached our goal—the golden ticket if you will. Our son and daughter

graduated from Seton Home Study School this past May. If you would have asked me several years ago if this achievement were possible, I would have stared at you in disbelief.

Introduced to SetonI was not a teacher, but I was a mom who wanted what was best for my kids. Our son, Johnny, has cerebral palsy. When he was seven years old and in the first grade, he asked me if he could play the piano. My husband and I looked at each other and thought, “When does he have time to play the piano?” Between occupational therapy, physical therapy and school, there was just not enough time in the day. He was already falling asleep at the dinner table as it was!

Then a dear friend of mine introduced me to Seton. As a timid homeschooling

Mom, I felt comfort in the fact that there was a whole curriculum for us to follow which was accredited. I loved the fact that I knew what to do on each day of our school year. All I had to do was open up the syllabus and there it was, spelled out for me. It also comforted me to know that there were Seton staff members ready to help me on the other end of the phone line if, or whenever, I needed it. Most importantly, we loved the fact that the curriculum was Catholic. Our faith is a very important part of our lives and it made sense to us that our children’s school should help to form their Catholic faith. We were sold!

Annie Johnny and Jeff finishing the Ludington Triathlon

by Becki Agar

Running the Good RaceHow a mom overcame her own fears and succeeded with two children, one with special needs.


My husband, Jeff, and I decided to homeschool our two children: Johnny and his two-year younger sister, Annie. When that first, brown, square box full of the kids’ books was delivered at our doorstep, they ripped it open with excitement. Meanwhile, I was in the background with my heart racing, probably more with nerves than anything. Homeschooling is a big step for a family, and I was nervous. All sorts of questions went racing through my head. What if I did not know the material to teach them? What if they hated it and in turn hated me? What if they missed their friends from school? However, having a son with cerebral palsy had taught us a valuable lesson: anything worth having required some risks.

Keeping the BatonIt is a risk that a family takes when they decide to homeschool their children. It is so much easier to pass that baton off to someone else. When we were trying to decide on taking that big step toward homeschooling, a friend of mine had just begun to homeschool her children. I saw a wonderful transformation in their family dynamics and had that in the back of my mind as she talked to me

about their experience. Then she said something I will never forget, something that eased all of my insecurities and doubts about homeschooling. She said, “You will never regret spending more time with your children.”

She knew me. She knew that I was scared to venture out into the unknown. She also knew I might regret never giving homeschooling a chance. She was spot on. All of those questions and doubts that had been racing through my mind were put to ease at that moment. The benefit of more time with my kids far outweighed the insecurities I was dealing with. After all, you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time. All of those questions I had lingering would be dealt with as they came. It was a risk, yes, but anything worth having involves risk. The Seton counselors made the signing up process so easy and reassured me that we were doing the right thing. Their caring attitude on the phone was a God-send.

Because our son and daughter were just two years apart, and because Annie loved doing things with her brother, we decided to combine a lot of the subjects from the start. Although we did not know it at the time, this was one of the best decisions we made for many different reasons, the first being that it was much easier on me to teach one subject to two students. It also freed up our time in the day. Combining subjects allowed us to enjoy more field trips and leisure time. The kids loved it because they could “compete” (Did I mention we are a competitive family?!) against each other as they learned. Spelling is a lot more fun when you can recreate the Scripps Spelling Bee in your living room practicing the same words!

As a timid homeschooling

Mom, I felt comfort in the fact that

there was a whole curriculum for us to follow which was accredited.


Scheduling It InEarly in our homeschooling venture, it became clear that one of the biggest challenges had to do with me. I became stressed because the house started “crumbling” before my eyes. The laundry stockpiled, the dishes got stacked, and, let’s just say the house was not the cleanest it had ever been! Then it occurred to me that I needed to schedule time in our homeschooling day to get those things done—a simple idea that worked like a charm for us. When preparing our daily schedule, we would reserve a time for me to have a half an hour here or there to get the laundry done, for example.

The kids liked that idea and so in our day we blocked off their free time as well. I cannot tell you what a lifesaver this was for us.

Spending forty minutes in math was less daunting for all of us when we knew there was a scheduled break for free time. I was less stressed because I knew that I had time to get done those things that were falling by the wayside, and the kids were happier because there was a light at the end of their tunnel for a play break. Later, as they became older, chores such as the laundry and preparing dinner became their chores as well.

Seton Home Study School not only helped our children with their ABC’s and their multiplication tables, it guided them in their journey toward living a more God-centered life. Yes, they had a religion class with pages steeped in beautiful artwork depicting the life of Christ, but every subject they learned through Seton centered on their Catholic faith.

Their vocabulary and spelling words were rich in Catholic teaching. Every book they had reminded them to pray to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for guidance with the familiar J.M.J on the top of the pages. In the syllabus, I was reminded that Jesus was walking this homeschooling path with me and that I was never alone in the process.

As Johnny and Annie became older, they learned so much about their Catholic faith. Seton’s rich Catholic teachings not only helped them to live a Christian life, but it “armed” them with the knowledge they needed to better understand their Catholicism and go out into the world as part of Christ’s army. Because of Seton, they understood the “why’s” and “how’s,” which strengthened their commitment to their faith. Seton’s teachings through the study of the Bible and through the lives of the saints helped them to appreciate all the more the gift of their Catholic faith.

12 Years in a FlashIt seems like just yesterday that we were facing all the questions and uncertainties of being new members of the Seton Homeschooling family. It is hard to believe that it was twelve years ago! They say time flies when you’re having fun. And I can honestly say that it did. Here we sit proudly now with two graduates of the Seton Home Study School (graduating with honors, I might add). One will be heading off to Aquinas College in the fall and one will be going to Grand Valley State University; both will be studying Sports Management. Were there frustrations along the way? You bet!

Were there times when I wanted to slam the books closed and send them off to our local school? Absolutely! Would I do it all over again? I wouldn’t hesitate. Homeschooling Johnny and Annie through Seton was one of the best decisions of our life. They are ready to meet the challenges that college will bring them. They are armed with the intellectual knowledge that Seton provided to them in their syllabus every year, but more importantly, they are armed with the spiritual fortitude Seton gave them. They are ready to venture off into their life with the knowledge that God is with them every step of the way. Thank you, Seton.


Homeschooling, put simply, could be defined as, “Teaching your kids at home instead of sending them to school.”

However, for our family, homeschooling is so much more than just learning subject matter while confined within the walls of our home. For our family, homeschooling is BOTH a personal conviction AND a family lifestyle choice. It is what we do. It is how we live. It is the narrow path we have chosen to walk in order to learn our Catholic faith, live our Catholic faith, grow in holiness, and help each other get to Heaven.

As parents deciding to accept the full-time responsibility of primary educators for our children, we first need a motive. Is it to steer our children away from the influences of the world? Is it to better meet the unique and individual needs of a particular child the Lord has given us? Is it merely a family-lifestyle choice, or preferred way of living? Is it to give a particular child more one-on-one attention than he or she could get in a classroom? Is it to foster closeness and

togetherness amongst our children? Is it to maintain close relationships with our children? Is it a combination of several aforementioned reasons?

For our family, the decision to homeschool our soon-to-be seven children includes ALL of the aforementioned reasoning. We believe homeschooling is truly the straight-and-narrow path to the arms of Our Heavenly Father. For our family, homeschooling is, “The way, the

Raising six children in Ohio, homeschooling is a vocation and a lifestyle!

A Straight and Narrow Path

by Kelly Madrid


TRUTH, and the life” (John 14:6). We are best able to “come unto the Father” (John 14:6), to strive for holiness, and to help each other get to Heaven through homeschooling. Therefore, it is both a personal conviction on the part of us, as parents, and also a family-lifestyle choice, or preference.

The Journey BeginsAs a homeschooling mom, the beginning of my journey to this vocation dates all the way back to my childhood. I grew up as a cradle-Catholic and one of five children. I received the Sacraments. I went to Mass with my family. I went to CCD on Wednesday nights. I was given a public elementary education and a top-notch high school education at a college preparatory boarding school. However, I didn’t really come to understand what it meant to be Catholic until I was accepted to a Protestant university for college.

It was during my first semester at the Protestant college that I came face-to-face with Bible-belt Baptists and Evangelical students who knew God’s Word like the back of their hands. I was faced with much opposition and with questions and statements such as: “Why do you pray the Rosary to Mary? She’s just the same as the rest of us”; “Why do you Catholics worship idols?”; “Why do you worship the Pope?”; “Communion is just a representation of Christ’s sacrifice.”; “Only Christ can truly forgive us from our transgressions. You don’t need an intercessor to do that.” I very quickly realized that I was in the wrong place, but it was there that I really began to understand the Faith and experience a conversion of heart... in light of preparing myself to be an authentically Catholic wife and mother someday.

I remained at that Protestant university for two years to finish both my general classes and my soul-searching. During that time, the Lord placed in my path a humble servant of His who directed me to Franciscan University of Steubenville, where I finished my undergraduate degree two years later. Not only did I gain an understanding of what it meant to be “authentically Catholic” during that time, but I was able to live out my Catholic Faith in a way I had never been able to before, guided by the grace of the Holy Spirit so present and alive on campus.

Unexpectedly, before graduation, I met my husband, Jonathon, on a cruise in the Great Jubilee Year, and we were married two weeks after graduation in the spring of 2002. Here begins the second part of my journey to becoming the homeschooling mom that I am today. Ironically my husband DOES come from “that large, Catholic homeschooling family.” He is the oldest of eleven children—all of whom were homeschooled. When I first met my husband and his family on that providential cruise, I knew that homeschooling my children was what God wanted me to do with my

I knew that homeschooling

my children was what God wanted

me to do .


life. I knew that there was something so intrinsically right and sacred about homeschooling. I had always loved children and had been around them for as long as I could remember... babysitting, volunteering, mentoring, and working in child development centers. I went to college for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. But... keeping your children at home with you ALL THE TIME and devoting your ENTIRE LIFE to raising and forming each and every one of them? This was an entirely new and radical concept for me. Yet, somehow, on that cruise, through the witness of my husband’s family, it just all made sense. I knew that homeschooling was what God wanted me to devote my life to doing.

After not receiving a middle name at birth, I chose my middle name to be Elizabeth at the time of my Confirmation, after St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. I legally added Elizabeth to my name after we were married. Nine months after our wedding, our oldest daughter was born, and we have been blessed with a baby every eighteen to twenty-four months after that for the

last eleven years... all the way down to baby number seven... due to arrive on Thanksgiving Day, 2013! When the time came to choose a homeschooling program for our children nearly seven years ago, there was no question in my mind or heart what we were going to use. Elizabeth Ann Seton was my patroness and the patroness of ALL schools and teachers. So, we enrolled in Seton Home Study School back in 2007 when our oldest daughter was ready for pre-kindergarten.

Faith Permeates LifeWe teach our children the truth when we choose to be their primary educators in life, not only in reading, writing, and arithmetic, but, more importantly, in their Catholic faith-formation. The Church teaches that, “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well-suited for education in the virtues” (CCC 2223). In Catholic homeschooling, “learning” about our Catholicism is woven into our way of living, and the two become inseparable; faith permeates life.

With soon-to-be seven children ages ten and under, educating my children is no easy feat! Every day, I begin my day—before my feet hit the ground—by first asking Our Heavenly Father for His grace and then by thanking Him for the ability He gives me to do what I do every day as a homeschooling mom. Even though homeschooling, for our family, is BOTH a personal conviction AND a family lifestyle choice, even though homeschooling is our vocation, we cannot do it without God’s grace. Our family operates on a routine and

Homeschooling, for our family, is BOTH a personal conviction AND a family lifestyle

choice...


mostly-structured homeschooling “schedule,” or “rule of life.” We all wake at the same time. Certain children have certain chores they maintain in order to help the household run smoothly... directing little ones, letting the family dog out, emptying the dishwasher, carrying the laundry downstairs, etc. We then eat breakfast together. We pray morning prayers together. We next do our studies in “schoolhouse” fashion, where we all sit together and everyone works on his own lessons for the same subject at the same time, with the little ones in-tow and with mom as instructor, guide, facilitator, counselor, and biggest support. We break mid-morning for a short time of snack, play, and chores. We have completed the subjects of religion, math, English, and reading by this time.

We then regroup mid-morning for our “more independent subjects” of handwriting, spelling, phonics, and vocabulary while I continue to keep things running smoothly around the house. Shortly before noon, we prepare for lunch, let out the dog, tickle and kiss the little ones, and answer any phone calls/emails that need immediate attention. After an hour or so of breaking for lunch, the older ones get the kitchen back to a state of cleanliness reasonable enough to open up textbooks and workbooks. The little ones nap.

After that, we gather around the kitchen table for midday prayers and our final subjects, finishing out our day with one last hour of history, science, and whatever the “art” of the day is (rotating between music, physical education, and/or art). Once the little ones awaken, we put away our backpacks, quickly tidy-up, and then usually head-out for an afternoon full

of hustle and bustle, activities, lessons, and/or sports. We return home again later in the evening for family supper, to clean up from another busy and blessed day, to say our evening prayers, to turn in for the night, and to thank the Lord for giving us another day to live, love, and serve Him.

A Straight and Narrow PathWe are the Madrid family from Columbus, Ohio. Homeschooling is what we do. Seton is what we use. Holiness is what we seek. Salvation is what we can only pray we merit when we stand face-to-face with Our Heavenly Father one day. For our family, homeschooling is a personal conviction and a lifestyle choice, the straight-and-narrow path. For us, it is our way of life, our rule. There is truly no greater calling in life than properly raising the children God has entrusted to our care.

“Now to Him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

There is truly no greater calling in life than properly

raising the children God has entrusted

to our care.


A large homeschooling family seems natural to us now, but in the beginning, homeschooling was not on our radar. We were

married relatively young, in our very early 20s, and assumed our children would go to the classroom for education.

My husband Paul was educated in public elementary school and graduated from Catholic high school. I graduated from public school. Thus, homeschooling was neither a quick nor an easy choice for us. However, just as we cannot imagine our family of eight children being any smaller, we also cannot imagine a life without homeschooling.

Give it a TryThe decision to homeschool was complex. Paul worried about whether the children would be educated well, have friends, play athletics, etc. On the other hand, I had several

homeschooling friends and saw how it operated firsthand. Since he and I were on different sides of the fence, so to speak, we agreed to start out on a trial basis, taking one year at a time. Neither Paul nor I felt boxed into a decision. If it worked out the first year, we would continue. If it did not, we would enroll them in school and proceed as so many families do.

One of Paul’s teachers from his high school years, a priest, really encouraged us both to homeschool. He observed large numbers of homeschooling families and was very impressed with their gracious children and how these homeschoolers interacted with all ages.

She was from public school, and now homeschools eight

children in Montana!

Joy in the Heart

by Heather Kerbis


He told us how older children spoke with adults easily and yet knew how to include little ones in their outdoor games after church dinners. There were no fights or nervous parents worried about their children’s safety. He also spoke of how well-educated the older ones proved to be. His stories and encouragement helped provide the confidence we needed to make the attempt.

Although we are the “typical” large homeschooling Catholic family, we are not the typical homeschooling family. For one thing, Paul is a hard-rock miner in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. He is the first in his family to be a miner since his Irish great-great-grandfather was a miner handling dynamite in the 1800s. For the last several generations, Paul’s family farmed in Iowa and Missouri--the heartland of America. Fortunes changed for his farming family at the turn of this century, as it did for thousands of farmers all over, so he searched for a job which would be more secure and offer a comfortable income.

His work entails mining palladium, the mineral used in catalytic converters to improve air quality from automobile exhaust. As a miner, his work schedule is not typical of most working fathers either. He moves back and forth between day and night shifts with four days on and four days off. An enormous homeschooling benefit for us is that our children spend more quality time with their dad than they would if they attended a school. Paul also has a teaching gift as the math and science teacher. He has a marvelous way of explaining difficult concepts, which is not as strong in my teaching gift.

How We WorkOur goal is balance in all things. To fulfill this balance, we use the Seton curriculum for our academic study. This curriculum offers us significant study in a consecutive manner. One year’s study easily flows into the following year’s grade. The lessons are at a very strong scholastic level, which is what my husband and I strongly desire. Seton makes it much easier for us to keep on track and increases my confidence that, when they graduate, our children will be fully educated. A good educational foundation on which they can build is such a blessing.

As Catholics, we attend Mass and practice daily prayers as a family: before meals, evening Rosary, prayers of petition, prayers to saints. We also have special devotions to St. Therese the Little Flower, and the Infant of Prague, especially through His Nine Hour Novena. Seton’s use of Catholic teaching effortlessly woven throughout the textbooks supports us in our faith. The tension brought on by too many diverse influences in children’s lives is eliminated through homeschooling and Seton’s Catholic emphasis from beginning to end. Stunning, classic,

Seton makes it much easier for us

to keep on track and increases my confidence

that, when they graduate, our

children will be fully educated.


Catholic art from ages past is also offered to help them learn the basic Catholic tenets. Even young non-readers learn through pictures, and topics throughout grade school and high school are reinforced with pictures.

We have learned that organization and consistency is the key to a happy homeschool day. School starts around 9:00 AM, following prayers, breakfast, and completed chores. The independent learners begin where they left off with occasional instruction, while the younger ones sit at the table with an individual instructional approach. It is heartwarming to watch the ones not yet ready for preschool climb up on a chair at the table and include themselves with things like coloring, even though they hardly know how to hold a crayon. By the time they are in kindergarten, they already have a wide knowledge base. I am amazed by the way our own children reveal humanity’s ingrained desire to learn. Really, all we have to do is open the doors for them.

Studies are finished according to the individual child’s learning strengths and weaknesses, but most are finished by early afternoon. Each day seems to have a different focus: music lessons one day, soccer practice another. Through the local homeschool co-op, the children have PE once a week—canoeing, flag football, parachute games, and the list goes on. We are a rather active family with backyard swimming in the summer, jogging and bicycling all year, and hiking in the mountains most of the year. Several children participate in 2k and 3k runs held during local celebrations.

We have also become organic gardeners with much of the backyard now a garden. Different children plant little personal garden plots, and learn so much about botany. There is gardening/science excitement every day in the summer; they also love garden snacking. Of course, we can and do freeze the bounty, learning about germs, cleanliness, and consequences of not paying attention to detail. The

Seton’s use of Catholic teaching effortlessly woven

throughout the textbooks supports

us in our faith.


children take lessons in piano, flute, violin, fiddle, and cello. Two of the children are involved in a children’s orchestra that puts on two concerts a year; four are involved in a summer fiddle club with a street concert on July 4th and at the local farmer’s market; all participate in the usual recitals that go along with all those instruments. Our family enjoys a variety of activities in an effort to become well-rounded citizens of our Church and our community.

A Good BubbleHomeschooling allows us to observe our children’s many talents—perhaps my greatest joy is seeing how some of my children are natural-born teachers. While I am teaching one student, others automatically help those who need something explained to them. It inspires me to see how love for one another drives them to help. Their teaching activity fulfills that old adage: “to learn something well, teach it.” Hearing their conversations, I know they truly understand and retain concepts and subjects that were previously taught. As parents, this is a wonderful reward and encouragement for our time and effort!

We truly like the “bubble” which homeschooling creates for our children. As almost everyone knows, much of our society seems to rudely intrude into the family—tugging a child one way, pushing another child a different way, spinning the family in circles—all of which increases tension within the family. The homeschool ‘bubble’ insulates children from much of that tension so that, as they grow they have the opportunity to know and be true to themselves. Putting children on an educational “conveyor belt” for 12 years of their lives is not the ideal, and it truly hinders them from growing

into the whole persons God intended them to be.

Of course, the end result of the experiment we began so many years ago is that we discovered homeschooling works out wonderfully! Both Paul and I have been enthusiastically on the same side of the fence for several years now, and together, we’ve never looked back. In this time of homeschooling, we have become an extremely close family, and know for a fact that the homeschooling itself has been instrumental in generating this close bond. Creating confidence and trust between siblings through quality time together is a by-product of homeschooling, and it means everything in the world to me!

We truly like the “bubble” which homeschooling creates for our

children.


W hy equate homeschooling to a saga? One definition of saga (from dictionary.com) is “a … Norse prose of achievements

and events in the history of a personage, family, etc.” Given our family’s Norwegian background and a time period of over 50 years, it seems to fit! Of course, you are only seeing the “Readers’ Digest Condensed” version. This saga is being told from the perspective of the father of this family, so it is only fitting to begin with his story:

All 19 years of my classroom education took place in public institutions. My father (a son of a Lutheran missionary

and minister) was a public school teacher. I even had him as my Algebra, Trigonometry and Geometry teacher in High School (not quite homeschooling, but I really enjoyed him as a teacher). In my Junior and Senior years, he was the principal (needless to say, I had perfect attendance). My mother also did some work in the public school, helping with special needs children.

I met the Love of my Life (Rose) when I was in college. She had a much different background. Rose was a

by Charles Asper

One Family’s Homeschooling SagaAfter taking the plunge,

we now travel everywhere with our large family.


cradle Catholic in a very religious family and attended Catholic schools during most of her school days. She would eventually graduate as a nurse from The Catholic University of America. As we approached our engagement, there were lengthy discussions about how our children would be raised. It became clear to me that Rose could never leave her beloved Catholic faith. I also came to greatly admire the Catholic Church’s stance on issues such as abortion and birth control. Thus, one week before we were married, I was confirmed in the Catholic Church.

Education SituationA few years later, we had two children and the oldest was approaching first grade. Given Rose’s upbringing, we decided to enroll our eldest in the local Catholic school. What we found surprised us- things had changed over twenty years, and not for the better. Bad language and loss-of-innocence concepts came home courtesy of the other students. But even more surprising was the morals of the teachers-they openly lived with their “partners”, were militant about birth control (“two are enough”) and knew less about their faith than I (as a convert) did. They were not the nuns of old; in fact, there were no nuns. A five month job took us to another city and allowed us to change schools. In that case, there were a number of teaching nuns who faithfully followed the teachings of the Catholic Church. But, incidents like neighborhood kids shooting BB’s at the students led us to ask the question: “Is this the best way to educate our children?”

Shortly after that, I suggested that we homeschool our children. That kind of suggestion from a man was rare. Rose

thought that I was “losing it” (AKA crazy) and told me such in no uncertain words (my parents agreed with her)! Some studies suggest that there were only about 15,000 homeschooled students in the United States in 1984. A few years later, the numbers were greater, but they still weren’t very large. However, I had done some research. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association had started in 1983. For a small membership fee, they would help to keep you out of harm’s way and would provide legal help if situations escalated to that level (and they are still doing a great job). I’d also heard about Seton Home Study School. A business trip to the Washington DC area allowed us to take a few hours to travel out to Front Royal, cut down an alley, go up a flight of stairs and see the two rooms that Seton occupied.

We met with Dr. Mary Kay Clark and reviewed the course materials. Seeing what Dr. Clark was accomplishing (and homeschooling her boys at the same time) helped to give us some confidence that we could do the same. We signed up shortly thereafter (our Seton Family number is less than 50).

We have always believed that

education does not just come from

books.


First, and foremost, I must give credit to my wife Rose. In regards to homeschooling, she has been both the Angel and the Taskmaster. As I was writing this article, I went back through our boxes of photographs and digital photographs. I was struck by all of the “good times” (e.g., climbing trees, playing games, doing projects) where the children were obviously having a great time. From the beginning, Rose followed the Lesson Plans very religiously. The day almost always started with daily Mass (a side benefit was that the boys were often able to be altar servers). Schoolwork and daily chores usually had to be completed before the children got “free time”. On the other hand, the flexibility of homeschooling allowed Rose to adjust for field trips, weather forecasts, my work schedule and other family priorities.

An important family tradition that developed was reading / discussing at least one chapter from the Bible at the end of our supper meal. We alternate regularly between the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles. Much of that reading is sequential, so we complete the entire Bible every three or four years. Almost nothing teaches the kids phonics better than having them read a chapter of Old Testament places

and names! Sundays are “Religion Day” and that is where we focus on the Seton religion assignments.

SocializationIn the beginning, the most asked question we received was “What about socialization?” We already knew the negatives of peer socialization, but we didn’t really have the full answer. Looking back over 25 years of homeschooling (and counting), we now realize that the vertical integration of the homeschool environment was one of its most important benefits. We were eventually blessed with seven children. They were all interfacing with adults and children in other age groups much more than children in a traditional school environment. That resulted in better socialization skills than we had ever imagined. Confirmation of that has come from the many adults who were surprised at how easily and fluently our children could talk and work with them.

Well-Rounded EducationWe have always believed that education does not just come from books. The flexibility of homeschooling allowed us to explore a large variety of extracurricular activities. Music lessons (voice, violin, piano, trumpet) could be scheduled with ease during the day. The children participated in church choirs, plays, block rosaries and recitals. Vacations could be scheduled during off-peak periods when there were no crowds and the costs were lower. We would do “unit studies” on places that we were planning to visit. Over one year and a half period we studied and visited most of the Civil War battle fields in the eastern United States. Many of the trips that we made

Schoolwork and daily chores

usually had to be completed before the children got

“free time”.


had a religious focus /connection (e.g., Rome, Lourdes, Fatima, Turin, Assisi, Emmitsburg for the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton).

Overall, our children have been in all 50 states and in over 25 countries. Finding Mass while traveling was both a requirement and an experience. Even though the children may not have always understood the words, one benefit of their Seton education was that they knew what was being said. Physical Education was composed of activities such as dancing (Irish Step, Square, Swing, Contra), family bike rides, skiing, hiking, swimming, horseback riding and “working in the garden”. Team sports were more difficult in the beginning, but the advent of organizations such as the Homeschooling Sports Network and other local homeschooling organizations eventually allowed participation in team sports such as basketball and soccer. Our family businesses also provided our children a chance to learn computer, accounting, scheduling, farm, construction and other life skills.

Today, as I look back, it is hard to imagine what life would have been like without homeschooling. After the 8th grade, our children were largely capable of doing independent study (guided by the Seton curriculum), so Rose would pass them off to me. I have had the job of motivating them to complete their high school studies, helping when needed and reviewing their assignments and tests. I have to admit that I am not nearly as good at it as my wife Rose! On the other hand, what post-Seton metrics / achievements do we have? All five of our Seton Home Study School graduates have jobs. Several of them were National Merit

Scholars with multiple offers of full scholarships. There have been perfect / high scores on SAT sections (credit being given by our kids to Seton Latin, English and Math studies). One of our children graduated with straight A’s from Thomas Aquinas College. All of them believe that the Seton curriculum provided them with the tools they need to succeed on the world stage.

EpilogueWe have a few more years before our youngest will graduate from Seton Home Study School. We have several young grandchildren, with more on the way. Their parents also plan to continue with the homeschooling (may I say it?) tradition. After our long, cold winter, my grandson Patrick looked out into our garden and asked “Grandpa, how come nothing is growing?” I took him by the hand and led him out to see the newly sprouted peas and potatoes that were just pushing up through the dirt. Like the plants in spring, we have a new generation and our family’s homeschooling saga is not completely written.

All of them believe that the

Seton curriculum provided them

with the tools they need to succeed on

the world stage.


CounselingEnrolled families receive open access to our professional academic counselors for every subject and grade level, for parents and students. We also offer advice on topics like organization and balance as you begin your homeschooling journey.

Seton OnlineOur families have access to MySeton, a personalized web page for you and your student with lesson plans, tests and assignments available online and easy access to grades and records. You also have access to our growing collection of multi-media aids, including our popular video tutorials.

CurriculumWe offer a full service accredited program from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Our curriculum is authentically Catholic and academically excellent. All course textbooks and workbooks are provided for our families. Many of the books are written and produced by Seton.

Discover the Seton Experience

Parents are the first and the most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area; they are educators because they are parents.

St. John Paul II


For more than 30 years, Seton Home Study School has developed a reputation for devotion to the Catholic Faith and

high levels of academic excellence.

We are a full-service program for grades Pre-K through 12, built around the needs of individual students and families.

We have every confidence that you will be successful in your homeschooling endeavors, because you are a parent, and because you are a parent, you are naturally a teacher.

Our entire staff here at Seton will assist you in customizing our curriculum to be the perfect fit for your child. The students and families enrolled with Seton have the unique opportunity to partake of the fullness of Catholic truth as they experience the beauty, freedom, and peace that comes from Catholic moral and academic formation in a family setting.

Community

To help you connect with other parents and families, we offer online forums for parents and students through our MySeton webpage, which is exclusively for enrolled students and families. Of course, you can call or email the Seton staff at anytime.

Resources

We provide you with relevant resources that will give you tools, hints, and ideas to assist you as you embark on the wonderful journey of homeschooling. These include videos, newsletters, a study skills course, support group information, and of course, our academic counselors.

Grading

Our expert teaching staff is available to grade your student’s work. We maintain transcripts, send report cards, issue certificates upon completion of kindergarten and eighth grade, and award accredited high school diplomas when graduation requirements have been met.

Adjust the program to fit the child, not the child to fit the

program.

Dr. Mary Kay Clark

I knew that homeschooling my children was what God wanted me to do.

This booklet contains articles penned by twelve different families—of all sizes and from all walks of life—who have discovered the joys and rewards of Catholic Homeschooling.

Learn what motivated them to begin homeschooling, how they overcame challenges that stood in their path, and what their daily homeschooling schedule looks like. Find confidence knowing that families like you are homeschooling with success and enthusiasm!

Homeschooling....in their own words

Discover even more stories

*G-ABEF-11*G-ABEF-11

Copyright 2014 Seton Home Study School. All Rights Reserved.

Seton’s use of Catholic teaching effortlessly woven throughout the textbooks supports us in our faith.

I enjoy being with other home-school moms, and our closest friends have come from the co-op.

I sincerely believe that I owe my academic success at university to the excellent education Seton gave me.

We have always believed that education does not just come from books.

More than anything else, I really just love being with my kids.

www.SetonMagazine.com/why

Copyright Seton Home Study School 2014...homeschooling, neither my husband nor I had ever heard of...

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