You’ve heard the advice. (heck, I’ve told you to do it!) “Postpartum moms, REST MORE!!” And yet, maybe you wonder… what does that practically look like? Especially when we have other children, and when they’re all/only littles, the advice can seem impractical. “HOW exactly am I supposed to do that?,” you might wonder. Well, look no…
Tag: home management
Here’s What I Learned Watching My Friend Be “Busy At Home”
Almost 6 years ago, we decided to stay in America, after (almost) 6 years of living abroad. I flew to Istanbul, Turkey (our former home) to sort, sell, and pack our belongings there. While there, I stayed a week in our friends’ home, observing her normal household routines. Mother of four kids (then, ranging from 8 to 20…
The Challenge of Being a Mom of Many (When I Need Breathing Room)
This might be the hardest part (for me) of having a big family. It’s the part I didn’t really expect, because, prior to having kids, I always saw myself as an extrovert. A quite marked extrovert. Not only that, but I always liked being around kids. Loved it, in fact. Playing, wrestling, tickling, laughing, snuggling down to read…
12 Ways I Aim for Homeschooling Excellence with a Large Family
Q: I would love to know some things that have helped you how to simplify homeschooling in order to do things WELL. Everyday life with a large family (I have 5 kids under 10) in itself makes just the basics challenging some days!!! I would love to know some ways to maintain a certain level despite all…
Video: Motherhood is Noisy
Here’s a 3-minute video I made, smack-dab in the middle of my real life, to talk about the noise and chaos of real-life motherhood. IN THE COMMENTS, PLEASE SHARE: Has motherhood been more, or less, noisy and chaotic, than you expected?
Mama, What Habits and Norms Are You Giving Your Children?
We have a family habit of taking off and dropping our shoes by the back door when we come in. Then, twice a week, one of the little boys has a chore of tidying them all. Looking back, it would have been better for me to teach them all to practice diligence from the beginning, by having…
When You Can’t Do It All: Mom on Purpose, Day 3
(Though these “Mom on Purpose” posts are being published over time, they were written days in a row.) First, I asked myself the main question of essentialism. Two days ago, I got clear on the principles of what’s essential for me right now. And then yesterday I put essentialism into practice. Today was a tougher day than…
Mom of 7 Shares Baby Gear “Must-Haves” and “Don’t-Needs”
These are the things I return to every time cause they’re just that good. My BrestFriend– Luke’s 3 months old and I’m still using this just about every time I nurse. It left the house with me during the first couple months. It’s the best nursing pillow for a few reasons: it buckles around me & doesn’t…
Putting Essentialism Into Practice (Mom On Purpose, Day 2)
First I asked myself, What is the most essential thing for me to be doing right now? Then I reminded myself of the reasons why I want to DO those essential things. I’m not under the illusions that mere DOING is going to change my heart, my home, or my family. So I wanted to remind…
The Opposite of the Proverbs 31 Woman
Several years ago, I was able to take a basic biblical counseling class, and one of the sessions focused in on the “Anti-Psalm.” This exercise was a challenge for us to better understand what a text is saying by carefully thinking through the exact opposite meaning. It can be very insightful to look at the “opposite” of what we…