Parenting
I’ve been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving and what it means. It helps that I have kids old enough to ask questions about it. Pilgrims, Native American Indians, turkeys, friends and family we are grateful for . . . Minnesota finally embracing the winter after a unseasonably warm fall. And then I think about my husband and what I’m thankful for with him. Not what he doesn’t do quite right. Not what I wish he would think of. Not what I wish he would remember. Not that I want him to follow my instructions regarding the kids’ getting dressed to a T. Not that these days we’re just hanging on to dear life with serious 18 month sleep regression (well, he only ever slept well for about 2 months after we stopped cosleeping, so let’s be honest–survival has been a bit of a way of life). Not just that all I want in life is dessert and have to battle my sugar deep deep wants. My conscious three steps for showing my gratitude: 1) Instead of asking him to do something for me, asking if I can do something for him. I get lazy quickly. It’s a habit from three pregnancies riddled with throwing up the whole time. I ask the people around me to “just grab me quick” something or “run downstairs and get me” something else. I have to fight that habit. So instead of asking him to get me something to drink at night, I hoist out…
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When SuperBoy was 3, and we had 3 kids under four, I remember saying to my husband, “Oh, why would I ever send him away to school? I will homeschool him forever.” I also wanted to buy every book about Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Classical education, and Waldorf. Just to cover all my bases. Fast-forward to having read a ton, and experienced the real live experience of having a kindergarten aged boy who loves to learn and loves to sass and loves to explore. I’ve adjusted my expectations to survive and read and math and a little of this & that and we’re good. He also gets to play at a local nature center a few afternoons a week–so the outdoorsy thing (not my cuppa tea) is covered. We spend about one hour a day doing a reading lesson, a chapter or two of math, and some handwriting. The other subjects flow during the week and when the little kids are sleeping. Our “curriculum” or what we’ve been doing the last year. 1) For reading we’ve done How to Read in 100 Lessons (which is fine but doesn’t teach phonics so we’ll do this one as we’re almost done with it). 2) For math Life of Fred & Bedtime Math (and lots of math games!). 3) For science, every natural science book I can muster up and lots of outdoor exploring and zoo trips. Love this Fun with Nature book series and this The Animal Book. 4) For art, trips to the Minneapolis Institute of Art…
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I have never completed anything I’ve started for Advent. Books I’ve bought. Journals I’ve bought. Projects I’ve meant to do with the kids. Why? What’s the common thread? I certainly have enough time. I know I do. Everyone has time for things they are determined to do. (I know I could be scrubbing my bathroom floors instead of sewing, but I’m not. #guiltyguilty) It boils down to seeing the benefit. Maybe I’ve been late to mature spiritually, more of a “pragmatist” than a “spiritualist.” Meaning, I’d rather do something I can see tangible results from that doesn’t involve me sitting and pondering. I have a lot of growing to do spiritually. I know the benefits and I want the graces that come with spending time in prayer!! We’ve all seen the studies about the mental health benefits of prayer or meditation. It’s neurologically proven to a-right the brain and improve your systemic health and balance. Because maybe some of you are like me, and need to be encouraged and dragged and prodded. Laura & Nancy & I wrote this Waiting in the Word Advent Scripture study for mamas of little kids. We wrote essays on themes, we picked Bible verses that are short & sweet to contemplate each day, and we even designed (we meaning Nancy!!) a bookmark for your Bible so you could easily grapple with that big ole book. There’s a journal you can print off if you’re a journaler, and if you’re a community leader, there’s a…
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Oh you know, typical mom confession time over here. It’s been a wonderful fall and I’m sure winter is peeking around the corner, waiting to dump a ton of snow on us so I’ve been taking stock of what’s worked and what hasn’t and how I can improve and all that stuff. When I was out of town last weekend, I picked up a copy of Gretchen Rubin’s Happier at Home. I’ve already read the Happiness Project, which I loved, so I figured this one would be a jumpstart for my soon to be given up New Year’s Resolutions. But no! it really had such great ideas about improving areas of your home life. And it got me to thinking. What have I given up on as a mom since having three kids? And am I ashamed? Many things. And nope. Christy’s post about bloggers being just bloggers and missing that got me to thinking, I’d better share this #momfession because three or four people might identify. 1) Tidy house When I just let it go and tidy after the kids are down for the night, or have them help me after we eat and before AA comes home, it’s so much easier. Otherwise I’m in a constant mental panic about each room we’ve trashed that day and how if I don’t get to it then someone else in the house is going to tidy it and be annoyed with me (intergenerational living first world problems). And I think my kids…
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I am not an expert. I am NOT an expert. I am not a medical professional, nor highly skilled in the female reproductive cycle, nor a trained natural family planning educator. I’m simply a woman who wanted to know how her body worked, and never really knew, honestly, until we did our marriage prep and had to take a natural family planning course. I have always had a very regular cycle. We’ve been blessed to easily conceive and I haven’t yet suffered any miscarriages or losses. A number of you have asked me about how I have figured out postpartum fertility and what NFP’s all about in general. Remember, this is not medical advice, and at this point in my life I fall into the textbook fertility column, so for my many friends who have irregular or extra lengthy cycles, experience multiple miscarriages, or are blessed with quick fertility (meaning babies come more quickly than expected, or being aware and charting and following their bodies’ signs has not worked as they thought it would to avoid a pregnancy), my take on it isn’t going to apply. We view babies as a gift! If I had been blessed with baby after baby, that would have been awesome. We’ve had our reasons to abstain and use a scientific method to have a little more space between them, but not for lack of appreciating the gift that is a new life growing within! Here are a few answers to your questions: 1) What…
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