How do we teach our children to pray without turning prayer into just another item on the to-do list?
In this heartfelt and deeply moving episode, Kaitlin Zara sits down with Shannon Wendt—founder of Chews Life, author, speaker, and homeschooling mom of eight—to talk about cultivating a prayer life that feels natural, authentic, and sustaining for the whole family.
Shannon shares powerful insights from her own journey through grief, miscarriage, and spiritual desolation, revealing how the Rosary became a lifeline not only for her healing, but for the spiritual culture of her home. Together, Kaitlin and Shannon explore how prayer can become a constant conversation with God throughout the homeschool day, how to persevere when prayer feels dry or messy, and why simply showing up matters more than doing it “perfectly.”
This episode offers encouragement for moms who feel overwhelmed, stuck in a prayer rut, or worried they’re not “doing enough.” If you long to help your children experience prayer as peace rather than pressure, this conversation will meet you right where you are.
📌 Show Notes
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
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Why prayer works best when it’s woven into daily life, not scheduled perfectly
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How simple, spoken prayer throughout the day forms children spiritually
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Letting go of Pinterest-perfect expectations for family prayer
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Teaching kids to turn instinctively to prayer during struggles and conflicts
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Praying the Rosary in small, realistic ways—especially with busy families
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What to do when prayer feels dry, awkward, or emotionally difficult
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Shannon’s powerful testimony of healing through the Rosary after miscarriage
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How Our Lady gently leads hearts back to Christ during seasons of suffering
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Why the “only ineffective prayer is the one you never start.”
Sponsor:
💙 Fiat Life Coaching
Emily Brown from Fiat Life Coaching offers premium support for Catholic homeschooling moms to learn essential skills to manage their time, other people’s behavior, and their own mental and emotional well-being.
👉 Learn more about the Happy, Holy Mama Membership at fiatlifecoaching.com
Links & Resources Mentioned:
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Chews Life: https://chewslife.com/
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Rosary Bracelets: https://chewslife.com/collections/rosaries-rosary-bracelets
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The Way of the Rosary (Book & Journals): https://chewslife.com/collections/the-way-of-the-rosary
- Follow Shannon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chewslifeshannon/
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Homeschool Connections Prayer Classes:
https://caravel.homeschoolconnections.com/catalog/table?tableSearch=pray
To discover more support for your Catholic homeschool adventure, here are some valuable resources for you:
- Catholic Homeschool Blog, https://homeschoolconnections.com/blog/
- Catholic Homeschool Podcast, https://homeschoolconnections.com/podcast/
- The Catholic Homeschool Conference, https://catholichomeschoolconference.com
- Homeschool Connections Community, https://community.homeschoolconnections.com/
Grab your coffee, and let’s homeschool together!