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Kelsey's avatar

I currently homeschool my 4 sons and will eventually teach my young daughter too. I was previously using Charlotte Mason’s methods. But recently I have switched to a more classical approach. I read The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and have been loosely following her program. Is there a teaching method you think is superior for boys verses girls? Or any books you would recommend for a homeschooling mother?

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Will Knowland's avatar

How old are your boys?

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Kelsey's avatar

They are 4, 5, 9, and 10 years old.

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Will Knowland's avatar

I don't think the 4 and 5 year olds need much at all. The older ones should probably use an approach based on the trivium and read what they enjoy.

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Kelsey's avatar

Okay, thank you! My current program is based on the trivium so hopefully we’re on the right track!

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Tradcat's avatar

Did Dorothy sayers, a feminist, start the use of the trivium in classical schools? https://circeinstitute.org/blog/blog-dorothy-sayers-was-wrong-trivium-and-child-development/

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Will Knowland's avatar

I'm not sure what you think your point is. But the trivium wasn't her idea, and her personal beliefs are logically irrelevant to it anyway.

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Tradcat's avatar

Not making an argument. Just wondering if the trivium maps onto the stages of child development. I’ve heard a lot of Catholics say it does and cite Sayers

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Kelsey's avatar

May I know if you have, or are aware of, any resources for women that are complementary to what you teach men? Many of the Christian resources I’ve found for wives are low-key feminist or just have bad advice.

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Will Knowland's avatar

What specifically are you looking for advice on?

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Kelsey's avatar

I guess I’m looking for advice on two things. How do I unlearn feminism and how do learn what I should be doing? I was raised in a Christian family but I’m realizing I have still been indoctrinated with feminist ideals, even from Christian teachers (like mutual submission).

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Kelsey's avatar

This has been on my mind the past few days, and I think I’m asking for something impossible. I know there’s no book or article that can help me see every lie I’ve believed from feminism. And each woman’s submissions will be different based on her man. I’m just impatient to get everything right.

My husband has stepped up and really taken charge in our relationship these past few weeks so I think he’s willing to show me where my thinking is flawed. And it’s probably best to let him teach me as things come up. I’m sorry if I wasted any of your time.

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Will Knowland's avatar

The Catechism of Trent explains the duties of a wife in one short paragraph. Don't overthink it.

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Formed From Soil's avatar

Please get Theo Howard (The Two Cities Podcast) on CMASC to discuss chivalry and the virtues. He's incredible and you two together would drop some serious insights.

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Martin Baďo's avatar

What is your experience with talking about Patriarchy and getting banned from social media? I would like to make a post on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram in my native Slovak language and wonder if I will get banned immediately.

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Will Knowland's avatar

Even if you did, why would it matter?

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Martin Baďo's avatar

I would not be able to create content on these accounts any longer. I wanted to share God's word, hope.

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Will Knowland's avatar

So make a new account or use another platform.

Try it and see.

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Martin Baďo's avatar

Good point. Would you be willing to share your experience?

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Will Knowland's avatar

What about it? If you lose an account, make a new one. It doesn't matter.

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Nikola's avatar

Hi there, what does church say about using lubricant? Is it allowed/safe?

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Will Knowland's avatar

Have you tried Google or asking your priest?

It's allowed.

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T_'s avatar

Hi Will, thanks again for your content. Last Q&A I asked about doing a theology masters. Apologies for the lack of reply. I gave it a go for a month but was surprised to find that it was a lot of christian feminism, modernism and critical theory of the bible rather than classics and church fathers, etc. So I'll go back to reading fundamentals and classics on my own for a while to build a stronger intellectual foundation.

I have a dating question - there's a girl I'm talking to who is very open with me about her sexual experiences. I don't care that much since my pre-religious life was very promiscuous. But, it does feel a bit strange to hear about it. Is that something I should tolerate listening to or just cut it off? I don't want to be insecure about it but also don't want to feel like a voyeur, if you know what I mean.

Best regards.

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Will Knowland's avatar

Ask her why she feels the need to tell you.

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T_'s avatar

Good point, thank you.

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Ryan Riboldi's avatar

I've been taking my wife and family (5 kids ages 2,4,6,8,10) to local catholic church mass (20 yr lapsed myself). So far I have been pretty disappointed, one had a woman doing everything other than consecrating the eucharist + altar girls and the other mass we were essentially asked to pray for the environment, diversity and all religions. The priest then had an anecdote of a child asking whether god was a boy or a girl, and he quoted Beyonce?! The joke landed flat on the average 70 yr age congregation. Hymns are about freedom etc (liberation theology - communist).The priest had 1 job, we want to hear the rich catholic doctrine not tainted by this modernist garbage. I wish I could turn my filter off but I don't want my family tainted by false doctrine. Is TLM the go?

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Will Knowland's avatar

The Church teaches that the Novus Ordo mass is valid and licit. You can go to a TLM mass if you like, but you don't have to.

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Abraham's avatar

Hi Will, one of my childhood best friends has been dating his girlfriend for about 8 years. They’re both 25 and met in high school. My friend is somewhat culturally Catholic, attends church mainly to accompany his mom. His girlfriend is also Catholic, attends mass, and is more serious about the faith from what I can tell. My question is if I should to try to push him into marrying his girlfriend or just continue praying for him and not say anything. I’ve causally brought up marriage in the past and he usually laughs the idea off, in a way where it seems too difficult/lofty. For context his girlfriend has a great relationship with his mom, and his father before he pasted away in recent years. He recently got a well paying job, but can’t really afford to move out yet as rent is extremely high here in California. He currently lives with his mom, and has been paying rent ever since his father died. His mom does work, but not much due to medical issues. Listening to Tim Gordon I’ve heard about “leaving and cleaving” after getting married, but in his situation he can’t “leave” in the sense. If I were to guess his plan would be to save enough money to move out, and then get married. But also if he moves away he’d be paying double the rent for his mom and his own place, unless he takes her with him. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thank you.

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Will Knowland's avatar

It sounds like he's not interested in your advice.

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Abraham's avatar

Yeah maybe he’s not. I’m not in any better of a situation myself, I also live with my mom and am unmarried. So maybe what I say doesn’t hold much weight. I’m also asking for myself because I could be a similar situation. Obviously moving out would be ideal, but I’m assuming it’s not necessary for getting married.

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Will Knowland's avatar

It's not about whether your advice holds weight or not. It's about whether he wants advice. Don't assume that he does.

Are you engaged?

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Abraham's avatar

Right if he doesn’t want my advice there’s nothing I can do. I’m not engaged.

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Will Knowland's avatar

Never assume that people who haven't asked for your advice want it. And be aware that your advice could possibly do more harm than good if you give it anyway.

If you're not engaged, I wouldn't worry about any of this.

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Abraham's avatar

Ok that makes sense, thank you

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Jack's avatar

What is your opinion on training upper body vs. lower body on alternate days? There seems to be conflicting opinions out there about if one should train every day vs. once every day or two.

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Will Knowland's avatar

It depends on your situation. Try both and see.

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Cory's avatar

I am interested in Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Why did choose Catholicism over Orthodoxy?

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Will Knowland's avatar

Read some apologetics books. There is no single Orthodox church -- just many churches that contradict each other on various points. They also allow contraception and divorce.

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Matthew Bock's avatar

what are some good ways to recover from/adapt weight training when you dont have the option of getting proper sleep? I'm in university right now and find that in order to maintain excellent grades, I need to work up until 2:00am most nights. I'm training for powerlifting at the moment

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Will Knowland's avatar

I'd need to know a lot more about this situation to comment usefully, but it sounds very odd.

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Oscar's avatar

My wife blows comments made by my sister out of all proportion and says I am weak for not calling my sister out when she makes them. The comments can be so subtle I fail to even notice them. I am not sure if my wife is being delusional or my sister is a sinister bully? My wife thinks I am weak, which is probably true but it all seems so petty. What could I be missing here?

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Will Knowland's avatar

You're missing that it's not petty to your wife, and you're failing to put her above your sister. This will mean massive resentment over time.

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