We are so thrilled to share an interview with Lindsay Schlegel, the author of Don’t Forget to Say Thank You!

Do you ever get tired of saying the same thing over and over to your kids? What if we took the statements we repeat to our children and apply them to ourselves?

In her book, Lindsay Schlegel reimagines the common phrases we repeat as parents and applies them to our relationship with God. In doing so, she demonstrates how reflecting on our vocation as mothers can inform and illuminate our role as a daughter of God, drawing us closer to him.

In Don’t Forget to Say Thank You, she shares fifteen relatable phrases she frequently uses as a parent and how her faith and life changed when she envisioned God telling her these same things.

This is a great read before Mother’s Day! Now, on to the interview:

What led you to write this book?

When my oldest children were about four and two, I overheard them arguing about a toy. My older son spoke in a sarcastic tone I was sure he had learned from me. It was hard to hear him speak uncharitably, and harder still to know I was the cause. I realized I needed to be a better example for my kids, so there would be fewer bad habits for them to unlearn as they grew up.

In prayer, I came to understand I needed to listen to the words coming out of my own mouth: I needed to be more patient, to eat my veggies, to get a good night’s sleep, to go to my mama (Mary!) when things got tough, and so on. God reminded me that even as I am a mother, He is still my Father who loves me dearly and wants to extend His mercy and peace to me on a daily basis.

Each chapter of the book takes one of those phrases we parents say a thousand times a day and revisions it as being spoken by God to us, as His sons and daughters.

In a sentence, what is the message of this book?

Being a parent does not negate your being a child of God.

Wow, what do you mean by that?

Yes! As parents, our vocation is to raise our children in the Faith, but it’s also to draw near to the Father ourselves. Our being parents is our path to holiness—our path to relationship and union with God. We ought to raise our children to be saints, but even more so, we ought to become saints ourselves.

If you could pick a favorite chapter in your book, which would it be?

Can I have three favorites? I love the chapter on our Blessed Mother, because I share memories of my mother and grandmother and their witness to the power of the Rosary. I also love the chapter on the power of prayer, in which I share how the intercession of our family’s patron saint helped us find my husband’s wedding ring . . . after he lost it in the Atlantic Ocean! And the one I still need to work on the most is the chapter on being patient. 

In the stories you tell, your children are very young. Does this book only speak to Moms of littles (preschoolers and toddlers)?

No! This book is for moms and dads of young and not-so-young children, and that’s because the book is more about my relationship with God as my Father than it is about how my children are being raised. The word “parenting” in the title can be confusing; this isn’t a book of tips or tricks about parenting. Rather, it’s an invitation to parents rediscover our primary identity as children of God.

I have a Catholic Moms Book Club. Would this book be a good fit?

Absolutely! If you do want to utilize my book for a book club, there is a free discussion guide available at my website, lindsayschlegel.com. I’m also available to join in your club virtually–I always love to chat!

Thank you so much to Lindsay for sharing her experience in writing her book! We are so excited to make it available on our website–> get it here as a belated Mother’s Day gift for someone you love! And it is on sale now!