https://simplecast.com Paidaxiology Hosted by Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, author of the acclaimed 2024 book Hannah’s Children, a page-turning account of American women choosing to have large families against the global trend to sub-replacement fertility. Paidaxiology—from the Greek *paidos* (of the child) and *axiology* (study of value)—economist and mother of eight Catherine Ruth Pakaluk continues the groundbreaking exploration begun in Hannah’s Children. Each episode features candid, thoughtful conversations with mothers whose families defy the norm in number and kind. Occasionally, special guests—demographers, philosophers, theologians, and cultural voices—join to deepen the dialogue. This isn’t a parenting podcast. It’s a podcast about meaning, purpose, and the future of humanity. Subscribe to *Paidaxiology* and join the conversation about the value of the child. 2025 en Tue, 3 Mar 2026 18:24:16 +0000 Tue, 3 Mar 2026 18:24:27 +0000 https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com Paidaxiology https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/112ad19d-eac0-4fd6-85bd-96695fc16313/8eaebd74-8bb9-45e8-bb45-e67f5eebdd1f/3000x3000/1023-20iconat2x.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com episodic Hosted by Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, author of the acclaimed 2024 book Hannah’s Children, a page-turning account of American women choosing to have large families against the global trend to sub-replacement fertility. Paidaxiology—from the Greek *paidos* (of the child) and *axiology* (study of value)—economist and mother of eight Catherine Ruth Pakaluk continues the groundbreaking exploration begun in Hannah’s Children. Each episode features candid, thoughtful conversations with mothers whose families defy the norm in number and kind. Occasionally, special guests—demographers, philosophers, theologians, and cultural voices—join to deepen the dialogue. This isn’t a parenting podcast. It’s a podcast about meaning, purpose, and the future of humanity. Subscribe to *Paidaxiology* and join the conversation about the value of the child. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk false https://feeds.simplecast.com/m3KEVtJk career, demographics, family, family planning, fertility, kids, legacy, meaning, purpose, women Catherine Ruth Pakaluk pakalukc@cua.edu 874a8afe-45a9-47ce-adb7-edec36d8d2df Ep. 5 "Baby on the Front Porch" with Abigail Ahrens Tue, 3 Mar 2026 18:24:16 +0000 pakalukc@cua.edu (Catherine Ruth Pakaluk) https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-5-baby-on-the-front-porch-with-abigail-ahrens-OaIr9MOf Ep. 5 "Baby on the Front Porch" with Abigail Ahrens Catherine Ruth Pakaluk 01:20:08 In this next episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are excited to introduce Abigail Ahrens from Wisconsin. Abigail has been happily married to Jerry for 25 years this June, and together they have 14 children (4 of them are saints in heaven). Abigail loves gardening, crocheting, embroidery, knitting, hiking, playing board games, and relaxing with her family. She is proud grandma to 2 sweet grandbabies so far and homeschools the 6 school aged children. In this next episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are excited to introduce Abigail Ahrens from Wisconsin. Abigail has been happily married to Jerry for 25 years this June, and together they have 14 children (4 of them are saints in heaven). Abigail loves gardening, crocheting, embroidery, knitting, hiking, playing board games, and relaxing with her family. She is proud grandma to 2 sweet grandbabies so far and homeschools the 6 school aged children. parenting podcast, motherhood podcast, defy the norm, parenting large families, women philosophers, motherhood false full 5 32276265-9082-439c-96a8-c87eb13661d1 Ep. 4 "A Noble Ambition" with Marcella Burke Mon, 16 Feb 2026 14:21:39 +0000 pakalukc@cua.edu (Catherine Ruth Pakaluk) https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-4-a-noble-ambition-with-marcella-burke-cAkxGw8G Ep. 4 "A Noble Ambition" with Marcella Burke Catherine Ruth Pakaluk 01:19:53 In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are joined by Marcella Burke, an attorney, former senior government official, law firm owner, and mother of four with a fifth on the way. She and her husband started an oil company with now over 80 wells, and she sits on a number of boards including the University of St Thomas in Houston. Yet above all, her best piece of mom advice is to be at least as ambitious for your family as you are for your career--and to be at least as ambitious to become a great saint as you are for your family.  In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are joined by Marcella Burke, an attorney, former senior government official, law firm owner, and mother of four with a fifth on the way. She and her husband started an oil company with now over 80 wells, and she sits on a number of boards including the University of St Thomas in Houston. Yet above all, her best piece of mom advice is to be at least as ambitious for your family as you are for your career--and to be at least as ambitious to become a great saint as you are for your family.  false full 4 d7907b27-c76a-4709-9a28-be225ad424cb Ep. 3 "We Don't Have Children with Money" with Amber Dahl The Happiest Wives: The J-Curve in Women’s Marital Quality: https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-happiest-wives-the-j-curve-in-womens-marital-quality

]]> Mon, 2 Feb 2026 02:05:42 +0000 pakalukc@cua.edu (Catherine Ruth Pakaluk) https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-3-we-dont-have-children-with-money-with-amber-dahl-7ggP5GK_ The Happiest Wives: The J-Curve in Women’s Marital Quality: https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-happiest-wives-the-j-curve-in-womens-marital-quality

]]> Ep. 3 "We Don't Have Children with Money" with Amber Dahl Catherine Ruth Pakaluk 01:07:27 In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are joined by Amber Dahl, a mother of seven from Oregon who shares how marriage and children forged in her a new sense of identity—one more fulfilling, more loving, and more joyful than the one it replaced. In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, we are joined by Amber Dahl, a mother of seven from Oregon who shares how marriage and children forged in her a new sense of identity—one more fulfilling, more loving, and more joyful than the one it replaced. false full 3 88425008-94a8-41ac-a487-0e5ac2940266 Ep. 2 "Your Heart Doesn't Divide, it Just Grows" with Bethany Mandel Deseret Magazine, “Perspective: Modern motherhood has a major PR problem” https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22528243/culture-winning-the-smear-campaign-against-pro-family-parenting-social-media-motherhood/

Deseret Magazine, “The joy of the big, messy family” https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2021/3/1/22303240/the-joy-of-the-big-messy-family-jim-gaffigan-catholic-mormon-kids/

To see more from Bethany Mandel:

Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation: https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Youth-Progressives-Replacing-Radicalism/dp/1956007083

Mom Wars: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mom-wars/id1796727112

]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 03:43:49 +0000 pakalukc@cua.edu (Catherine Ruth Pakaluk) https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-2-your-heart-doesnt-divide-it-just-grows-with-bethany-mandel-5xykt02G Deseret Magazine, “Perspective: Modern motherhood has a major PR problem” https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22528243/culture-winning-the-smear-campaign-against-pro-family-parenting-social-media-motherhood/

Deseret Magazine, “The joy of the big, messy family” https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2021/3/1/22303240/the-joy-of-the-big-messy-family-jim-gaffigan-catholic-mormon-kids/

To see more from Bethany Mandel:

Stolen Youth: How Radicals Are Erasing Innocence and Indoctrinating a Generation: https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Youth-Progressives-Replacing-Radicalism/dp/1956007083

Mom Wars: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mom-wars/id1796727112

]]> Ep. 2 "Your Heart Doesn't Divide, it Just Grows" with Bethany Mandel Catherine Ruth Pakaluk 01:11:45 In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, Dr. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk interviews Bethany Mandel, a Jewish mother of 6 children and political commentator from Silver Spring, Maryland.  From one mom to another, Bethany shares how her teenage years shaped the spirited and driven mom she would become and the adventure of motherhood that would unfold. In this episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, Dr. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk interviews Bethany Mandel, a Jewish mother of 6 children and political commentator from Silver Spring, Maryland.  From one mom to another, Bethany shares how her teenage years shaped the spirited and driven mom she would become and the adventure of motherhood that would unfold. false full 2 6b38614d-c29a-4dc0-bf35-8c8fe553634b Ep.1 "The Trust Worked" with Shaunda Penny Mary Harrington, Feminism Against Progress: https://www.regnery.com/9781684515264/feminism-against-progress/

Christopher West, The Theology of the Body for Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Christopher-West/dp/1932645349

John Paul II, Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body: https://ascensionpress.com/products/man-and-woman-he-created-them-a-theology-of-the-body

Natural Procreative Technology: https://www.fertilitycare.org/naprotechnology/

]]> Sat, 10 Jan 2026 03:41:50 +0000 pakalukc@cua.edu (Catherine Ruth Pakaluk) https://paidaxiology.simplecast.com/episodes/ep1-the-trust-worked-with-shaunda-penny-xjbvgLxR Mary Harrington, Feminism Against Progress: https://www.regnery.com/9781684515264/feminism-against-progress/

Christopher West, The Theology of the Body for Beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Body-Beginners-Christopher-West/dp/1932645349

John Paul II, Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body: https://ascensionpress.com/products/man-and-woman-he-created-them-a-theology-of-the-body

Natural Procreative Technology: https://www.fertilitycare.org/naprotechnology/

]]> Ep.1 "The Trust Worked" with Shaunda Penny Catherine Ruth Pakaluk 01:24:27 In the inaugural episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, Dr. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk interviews Shaunda Penny, a Catholic mother of 13 children from Saratoga Springs, New York. From one mom to another, Shaunda shares the transformation of her ‘career identity’ to something deeper, revealing the keys to a happy marriage and a boisterous yet beautiful family life. In the inaugural episode of the Paidaxiology Podcast, Dr. Catherine Ruth Pakaluk interviews Shaunda Penny, a Catholic mother of 13 children from Saratoga Springs, New York. From one mom to another, Shaunda shares the transformation of her ‘career identity’ to something deeper, revealing the keys to a happy marriage and a boisterous yet beautiful family life. false full 1