As Catholic parents, we have one fundamental mission: to raise children who know and love God, and who are so in love with Christ that they can't help but share his message. We are called not only to be disciples ourselves but to be discipleship parents, evangelizing our children so they become disciples, too.

That sounds great, but we know this is not always easy. The culture often stands in the way of our raising whole and holy children. Sometimes our own failures, wounds, and weaknesses make it difficult to pour ourselves fully into the mission. Even if we are working to plant the seeds of faith, how can we ensure that the soil is cultivated so the seeds can grow and flourish?

In Discipleship Parenting, Kim Cameron-Smith provides tools and insights to help parents foster seven ideal growing conditions in the home:

• Love
• Balance
• Play
• Merciful Discipline
• Empathy
• Radiant Faith
• A Strong Marriage

Raising children to know and love Christ, and to share that love with others, is the most important work we will ever do. Let's join together in Discipleship Parenting and respond to God's call and mission for all our families.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Cameron-Smith is a former criminal defense attorney who now enjoys a family-centered lifestyle balanced with service to her parish and homeschool community. She is the founder and editor of the Intentional Catholic Parenting online ministry and the host of the Gentle Catholic Parenting podcast, where she explores the intersection between Catholicism and the science of parenting.

She earned a BA from Wellesley College, an MPhil from Oxford University, a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University, and a JD from UC Berkeley. Kim lives in Northern California with her husband and four children. You can find her at kimcameronsmith.com and facebook.com/GentleCatholicParenting.