Raising Neurodivergent Kids with Faith and Joy

Raising Neurodivergent Kids with Faith and Joy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] Raising a neurodivergent child in the Catholic faith can feel isolating, but Ginny Kochis is here to remind parents they are not alone. Jim and Meghan sit down with Ginny, founder of Quirky Catholic Kids and author of over a dozen books, to explore what it truly means to embrace neurodivergence with faith and joy. Drawing from 20 years of lived experience as a neurodivergent mom raising neurodivergent children, Ginny offers honest, practical wisdom for families navigating this unique and beautiful path. What’s in this episode: * What neurodivergent means and the wide range of conditions it covers * The difference between a meltdown and a tantrum, and why it matters * Practical sensory tips for helping neurodivergent kids get through Mass * Why typical and holy are not the same thing, and never were * A look at Ginny's library of books for kids, teens, and moms * The Leonie Circle: a monthly membership community for Catholic moms * Assuming competence as the key to faith formation for all children * How Catholic schools and parishes are growing in inclusion * About 100 saints in Ginny's book who may have been neurodivergent * One resource every Catholic family should know: Quirky Catholic Kids: Navigating Neurodivergence With Faith and Joy [https://www.amazon.com/Quirky-Catholic-Kids-Navigating-Neurodivergence/dp/B0FWXYMVXM] by Ginny Kochis * Book she is currently reading: A Call to a Deeper Love [https://www.amazon.com/Call-Deeper-Love-Correspondence-1864-1885/dp/0818913215] – the letters of St. Louis and Zelie Martin * Advice to her younger self: Stop chasing normal * Final wisdom for listeners: Typical and holy don't mean the same thing – you don't have to fit inside that box to raise unique and unrepeatable saints Resources Mentioned: Quirky Catholic Kids [https://quirkycatholickids.com/] – Ginny's ministry hub with books, resources, visual schedules, and social stories for Catholic families ginnykochis.com [https://ginnykochis.com/] -– Ginny's author website for fiction and nonfiction Quirky Catholic Kids: Navigating Neurodivergence with Faith and Joy [https://www.amazon.com/Quirky-Catholic-Kids-Navigating-Neurodivergence/dp/B0FWXYMVXM] – Ginny's latest book, a primer for Catholic families raising neurodivergent children A Call to a Deeper Love [https://www.amazon.com/Call-Deeper-Love-Correspondence-1864-1885/dp/0818913215] – The letters of St. Louis and Zelie Martin, recommended especially for parents of neurodivergent kids Accepting the Gift [https://acceptingthegift.org/] by Kelly Mantoan – Ministry and adaptive curriculum for families of children with significant support needs Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

How to Not Just Survive But Thrive in Suffering

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] Suffering is not a detour from God's plan for your family. It is the path. Jim and Meghan sit down with Megan Hjelmstad, Army veteran, author, speaker, and women's mentor, to explore the theology and practice of redemptive suffering. Drawing from years of chronic illness, surgeries, and pregnancy loss, Megan shares how suffering united to Christ becomes a doorway to freedom, joy, and deep purpose. Her book, Offer It Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering, grew from her own story and the gaps she saw in resources for women navigating real, everyday pain. What’s in this episode: * The theology of suffering and why it is not God's fault or punishment * Megan's personal story of chronic illness, surgeries, and pregnancy loss * The turning point when she realized God was intimately present in her pain * A powerful quote from Jesus to Saint Faustina on the value of suffering * Why feelings of repugnance toward suffering actually increase its spiritual value * The morning offering as a daily practice for uniting suffering to Christ * Megan's redemptive routine of assigning intentions to each day of the week * The story of Saint Therese offering laundry for her bishop and its surprising fruit * Building muscle memory for offering so it becomes second nature * One resource every Catholic family should know: The Catechism of the Catholic Church [https://www.amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church/dp/1574551094] * Book she is currently reading: Soul of the Apostolate [https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Apostolate-Jean-Baptiste-Chautard-C-S/dp/0895550318] * Advice to her younger self: Communion over content * Final wisdom for listeners: Brutal honesty in prayer is the way to go Resources Mentioned: Offer It Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering [https://stpaulcenter.com/store/offer-it-up-discovering-the-power-and-purpose-of-redemptive-suffering] – Megan's book on hope and redemptive suffering; includes a free digital companion. Audiobook also coming this summer meganhjelmstad.com [https://meganhjelmstad.com/] – Books, speaking, and mentorship The Soul of the Apostolate [https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Apostolate-Jean-Baptiste-Chautard-C-S/dp/0895550318] – A compelling case for why interior prayer life is more powerful than all activity  Blessed Is She [https://blessedisshe.net/?srsltid=AfmBOoqKbDZ6SRVAtQrveOb4CzGZJG0g1RfCY7_8sE-oVypbi2o1Z4XT] – Catholic women's ministry Megan contributes devotions to  The Catechism of the Catholic Church [https://www.amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church/dp/1574551094] – The most underutilized resource for Catholic families, recommended for family holy hours Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Leaning on Faith, Family, and Friends Through Adversity

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] Grief has a way of revealing what we are truly made of, and for Maura McGee, it became the unlikely path to peace. Jim and Meghan sit down with Maura, a mother of six and author of It Is What It Is, to hear how her family navigated miscarriage, the murder of a beloved priest uncle, her husband Dave's rare cancer diagnosis, and the loss of her mother all within a few years of one another. With honesty and quiet strength, Maura shares how leaning on faith, family, and friends carried her through the darkest seasons and ultimately led her to write a book she never planned to write. What’s in this episode: * Maura's journey through miscarriage, loss, and her husband's rare cancer * The murder of her uncle, Father Thomas Wells, and its impact on her faith * Dave's final years and the soaring faith he modeled for their six children * A pilgrimage to Lourdes and the unexpected miracle Dave received there * The peace that comes when surrender replaces the need for control * Why going through the motions in faith still carries you during grief * The community and Catholic schools that helped her children stay rooted * How writing became both a calling and a deeply therapeutic act * Why Maura kept the book secret from her family until Palm Sunday * One resource every Catholic family should know: MassTimes.org [https://masstimes.org/] * Book she is currently reading: A Lasting Promise: A Christian Guide to Fighting for Your Marriage [https://www.amazon.com/Lasting-Promise-Christian-Fighting-Marriage/dp/0470580534] by Scott Stanley * Advice to her younger self: Life is short and you are not in charge, so trust and surrender * Final wisdom for listeners: Lean on faith, family, and friends; humbly accept help when it is your turn Resources Mentioned: MassTimes.org [https://masstimes.org/] – Find Catholic Mass times anywhere in the world It Is What It Is [https://www.amazon.com/What-Journey-Seeking-Through-Friends/dp/1966786174] by Maura McGee – A memoir of surviving adversity through faith, family, and friends @mauramcgeeauthor [https://www.instagram.com/mauramcgeeauthor/] on Instagram – Maura's Instagram for updates and outreach A Lasting Promise: A Christian Guide for Fighting for Your Marriage [https://www.amazon.com/Lasting-Promise-Christian-Fighting-Marriage/dp/0470580534] by Scott Stanley – A faith-based guide for strengthening and protecting your marriage Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Catholic Finishing School: Forming Young Ladies for Heaven and Earth

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] The teenage years are a critical window for forming young women in virtue, confidence, and a deep Catholic identity. Jim and Meghan sit down with Chantal Howard, Catholic entrepreneur, coach, and mother of seven, to explore how a faith-centered program called Catholic Finishing School is equipping daughters to navigate girlhood with grace and courage. Drawing from over a decade of coaching women and raising five daughters of her own, Chantal shares how this work was born straight from her own motherhood and the needs she saw in young women around her. With warmth and authenticity, she invites parents and daughters into a mission that forms young women not just for the world but for heaven. What’s in this episode: * Why the teenage years are the critical formation window for young women * How Catholic Finishing School helps girls build identity, virtue, and confidence * The practical skills Catholic girls need: friendships, communication, and presence * The program structure: self-study lessons, a workbook, and live group coaching calls * Common challenges facing young girls: social awkwardness and a fixed mindset * A 10-day mother-daughter pilgrimage to Brittany, France in the works * The saints who anchor the pilgrimage: Therese, Michael, and Joan of Arc * Stories of fruit: girls finding community, healing friendships, and feeling seen * One resource every Catholic family should know: Catholic Finishing School [https://catholicfinishingschool.com/] and Aroma Rosary [https://www.aromarosary.com/] * Book she is currently reading: Peace of Soul [https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Soul-Fulton-J-Sheen/dp/0892439157] by Archbishop Fulton Sheen * Advice to her younger self: Stop telling yourself you are close but not quite * Final wisdom for listeners: Embrace full formation on every level and be merciful to yourself and others Resources Mentioned: Catholic Finishing School [https://catholicfinishingschool.com/] – Faith-centered self-study course and formation program for Catholic girls ages 14-19 Chantal Howard’s Website [https://www.chantal-howard.com/] – Chantal's personal website with marriage retreats, resources, and updates Aroma Rosary [https://www.aromarosary.com/] – Handcrafted rosaries designed to diffuse essential oils and help families fall in love with the Rosary Peace of Soul [https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Soul-Fulton-J-Sheen/dp/0892439157] by Archbishop Fulton Sheen – A spiritual classic currently at Chantal's side as she works on a manuscript about suffering Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Ordering Love

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What would change in your family if every relationship were ordered toward God first? Jim and Meghan welcome Sarah McKenzie, a registered therapeutic counselor and mother of eight from British Columbia, Canada, to explore the Augustinian concept of "ordering love" and its surprising power for modern families. Drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas and her own clinical practice, Sarah offers a grace-filled look at how disordered relationships quietly undermine our homes and how faith-integrated healing can restore them. This conversation speaks directly to every Catholic family longing for clarity, connection, and Christ at the center. What’s in this episode: * The concept of ordering love and what it means for every family * Why faith-integrated counseling addresses what secular approaches often miss * The bullseye exercise Sarah uses to reveal disordered relationships * How barriers to receiving love show up in marriages and families * Clearly defined roles and responsibilities as essential to family life * Structure and freedom as two sides of the same gift in marriage * Older siblings serving younger ones as an invitation, not a burden * The damage disordered counseling can do to the family unit * What today's couples are missing and why it matters for the Church * Tech boundaries and how to navigate them imperfectly but intentionally * The practice of delight and its power in family life and faith * One resource every Catholic family should know: Word on Fire Institute [https://institute.wordonfire.org/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=wordonfire.org&utm_campaign=homepage&_gl=1*flda67*_gcl_au*MTYxNjA5NTQxNi4xNzc4NTk5MTEx*_ga*MjUyNTc0ODE1LjE3Nzg1OTkxMTE.*_ga_4081DYV3TL*czE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkajYwJGwwJGgzNzQ3OTI2MjY.] * Book she is currently reading: Imitation of Christ, With All Her Mind edited by Rachel Bowman (Word on Fire), How Emotions Are Made, Litanies of the Heart [https://www.amazon.com/Litanies-Heart-Gerry-Ken-Crete/dp/B0CGH3PC7Z] by Gerry Ken Crete, The Anxious Generation [https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036] by Jonathan Haidt * Advice to her younger self: Live in front of your eyes and less in your own head; spend more time outward-facing * Final wisdom for listeners: Practice delight. Learn to let the Lord delight in you and let that overflow into the people around you. Resources Mentioned: Mountain View Therapy [https://www.mountainviewtherapy.ca/] – Sarah's website with services, digital courses, and links Word on Fire Institute [https://institute.wordonfire.org/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=wordonfire.org&utm_campaign=homepage&_gl=1*flda67*_gcl_au*MTYxNjA5NTQxNi4xNzc4NTk5MTEx*_ga*MjUyNTc0ODE1LjE3Nzg1OTkxMTE.*_ga_4081DYV3TL*czE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkajYwJGwwJGgzNzQ3OTI2MjY.] – Catholic courses, quarterly journal, and faith formation resources Godsplaining [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/godsplaining/id1476326650] – Short, humorous podcast on faith and culture hosted by Father Gregory Pine Litanies of the Heart [https://www.amazon.com/Litanies-Heart-Gerry-Ken-Crete/dp/B0CGH3PC7Z] by Gerry Ken Crete – A Catholic guide to healing and trauma with guided spiritual exercises The Anxious Generation [https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036] by Jonathan Haidt – Insights on technology's impact on young people Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.