SVDP Reads! - Parent Resources

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11, NIV).

Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy is a deeply personal book. It provides a rare and intimate look at the author’s own struggles with busy and urgent. By revealing his own vulnerabilities, Kelly provides us with the practical insights and timeless wisdom necessary to banish busy and urgent from our own lives.

The faster you go the more likely you are to crash, but we just keep going faster. We think if we get all the urgent stuff done, we will have time for what’s important. But we never do.

Busy is not your friend. Only a toxic friend leaves you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, discouraged, exhausted, stressed, inadequate and resentful. It’s time to take our lives back from this tyrant.

Do you track your kids' locations? Read their journals or texts? Follow their assignments and attendance online? The option to quantify parenting starts with breast feeding -- how many minutes on each side? -- and measuring weight, length and head circumference at the pediatrician's office. Then, once you get to elementary school, you can track grades on every project, quiz and test. And then there's the biggie: you phone offers you a chance to surveil them 24/7. But should you? And if you should, when should you stop? Here's a conversation to help you think it all through with Alexa Arnold, a mom of a toddler, Kate Cockrill, a mom of teens, and me, a mom of grown ups. https://lnkd.in/eZbZprgV

Happiness is not constant pleasure but a disciplined, purposeful way of living.

Bishop Barron’s book explains the meaning of the Nicene Creed, the ancient statement of Christian faith recited at Mass. It helps families understand what Catholics believe about God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and how these beliefs shape our lives.

CHAPTER SUMMARIES

1. “I Believe” - Faith is both personal and shared. Saying “I believe” means trusting in God and belonging to the Church community.

2. “The Father” - God the Father is Creator of all things — powerful, loving, and present in our lives.

3. “The Son” - Jesus Christ is both God and human. He came to reveal God’s love, died for us, and rose again so we might share eternal life.

4. “The Holy Spirit” - The Holy Spirit is God’s presence with us — guiding, strengthening, and helping us live faithfully.

5. “The Church” - The Church is one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic — God’s family on earth, united across time and place.

6. “The World to Come” - Christians believe in life after death and the hope of resurrection — God’s promise that love and goodness will triumph forever.

This book invites parents and children to deepen their understanding of the Creed, connect faith to daily life, and strengthen their relationship with God and the Church.

Raising children can be a joy and very challenging in today's world. Here are a few resources to assist parents in making choices and growing children into the best version of themselves.