As the saying goes “children don’t come with an owner’s manual.” When we bring our new bundles of joy home, we are taking on the daunting task of raising them to be kind, compassionate, responsible adults who we hope will make the world a better place. Parents work with the tools they have and draw upon what they learned from their parents, for better or worse, with the goal of providing the best they can for their children. As any parent can attest to, however, parenting is wrought with challenges from when children are small all the way through adulthood.

Though there is not be an all-encompassing owner’s manual on how to raise children, there are several resources within the Family Life Office, available to parents and families struggling with a variety of challenges. Please seek our assistance especially

The Family Life Office offers Love and Logic Parenting classes that provide easy-to-learn, proven parenting strategies for children of all ages and personality types.

For those parents who learn that a son or daughter has homosexual attraction or thinks they are gay, they may grieve the loss of expectations they had. They may also fear what family members and friends will think and worry that their child may be discriminated against. The Family Life Office offers support for these parents through the Always Our Children ministry. Same sex attraction or orientation is not a sin in and of itself. But the Church calls all unmarried Catholics, heterosexuals and homosexuals alike, to live chastely.  For practical information on how to continue having a loving relationship with your son or daughter as a Catholic, visit the USCCB's website. The Family Life Office also offers retreats for parents as well through the Always Our Children ministry.

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For healing after an abortion, visit the Post-Abortive Healing page.

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Children are a gift from God, entrusted to our care. Draw upon the ministries available to you through the Family Life Office for support during the difficult times many of us face as parents.