Newfound Friends
As we enter January and February, I can’t help but feel a bit melancholy after the excitement of Christmas. Now I have two more months of bleak weather where I’m likely to be trapped indoors with fighting kids who will start to push me to my limits. This is the perfect time to tackle some projects, like studying the saints together.
Find a good picture of the saint
Focus on saints your kids will have an affinity for, keeping in mind saints they are already familiar with (like their patron saints). It would be nice to have a holy card on hand, too. But if not, you can usually find pictures online.
A few ideas:
* Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
* Bernadette Soubirous
* Elizabeth Ann Seton
* Philip Neri
* Isidore the Farmer
* Juan Diego
Write a story about the saint
Researching and writing a brief life story is a good assignment for older children. For younger kids, read stories together about the saint(s) you pick. Publishers like Liguori and Pauline Books & Media have great kids’ resources on saints. You can also easily adapt information found online into a story.
Write a prayer asking the saint for help
Saints are our heavenly friends, so once we get to know them, it makes sense to talk to them and ask them for help.
Make a poster about the saint
My kids will find great fun in this. And as they have a good time, I hope they remember a few things about their new saint friend.
