because joy is the goal, not perfection
It happened every time I took my family out in public; stares, open mouths, finger pointing, awkward conversations and personal questions. And then my fourth, and soon fifth, children added their wheelchairs to the large family traveling circus and things got even worse. I’m hardly an expert in how to properly act around handicap people, …
Continue reading “What To Do When Your Child Won’t Stop Staring At A Person In A Wheelchair”
This month we mark eight years in our current house, and never in that time have we owned a TV. It wasn’t a sudden decision, we’d been weaning ourselves and the kids back in our previous living quarters and moving seemed like the perfect time to make a fresh start. I know there’s all sorts …
Continue reading “What Our TV Free House Looks Like Right Now”
Actually, if something is burning, go get an antibiotic, or a fire extinguisher. Thanks to everyone who read, shared and commented on this week’s posts. Since I’m now a self-proclaimed parenting expert (Dr. Kelly at your service!), I took to Facebook to see what other problems I could solve for my friends and readers. 1. …
Continue reading “All Your BURNING Parenting Questions Answered”
Find Part One, which explains our Domestic Rule HERE. Once the rules were in place, I consistently enforced them (and still do, though with much less effort now). If I catch a child breaking a rule, I remind them of the rule or make them repeat it to me and then boom, punishment. I don’t …
Every so often I find myself involved in a parenting discussion where my humble opinion is actually requested. When these rare occasions arise, and unfortunately more often when they do not, I typically don’t mind sharing our family rules and consequences and how we generally deter our children from acting like savages. Now that my …
This post was originally going to be titled “Seven Things To Do When a Friend Decides to Stop Homeschooling” and was based on my recent experience watching several long time homeschooling friends decide to enroll some or all of their children in school. But that seemed a bit narrow and also, in discussing the topic …
Continue reading “Seven Things To Do When A Friend Follows a New Path”
Lent is upon us, and we’re reminded of our need to fast, pray and give alms. Meanwhile, the secular world is all a flutter over Valentine’s Day, which arrives this Sunday. While the commercials are pushing diamonds, chocolate and flowers, why not invest in a gift that will benefit your marriage, and family, more than …
Continue reading “Focus On Your Head and Heart This Valentine’s Day and Beyond”
It’s been a rough week. I really needed another week off after the craziness of my previous week off, however, I do want to be able to wrap the school year up before next September so, back to work it was. My kids would be quick to tell you I’ve been yelling a lot. …
Continue reading “{SQT} Seven Ways To Stop Anger From Stealing Your Day”
After such a successful family outing last week, I thought, why not drive all the kids two an half hours to my hometown to visit with family? Oh, and why not tack on a field trip to a science museum packed to the gills with public school kids just for added pizazz? Seriously though, here’s …
Continue reading “Hometown Homeschool Field Trip; Because Visiting Family Wasn’t Educational Enough”
This past Christmas, Santa got the three older kids Kindle Fires. I shot a great video of them opening their presents and screaming in disbelief.(Can you say- ear splitting?!?!) Up until very close to Advent, we’d always shut down their requests for personal electronic items. My husband and I only recently changed our minds. A …
Continue reading “A Screen Time Contract: For When You Really Mean Business”
I originally offered to write on heroic patience as a joke. While I couldn’t think of anyone who was bragging about their ample supply of patience, it seemed there should be some other woman, made of stronger stuff, who could withstand the slings and arrows of daily life better than I, and who should be …
Today I’m happy to be joining up with Amy from Go Forth and Mother for her year-long ‘Happy Wife Project’. This week I’m writing about my expectations of motherhood vs the reality of motherhood. When you’re done here, be sure to check out the other bloggers on the tour! I’ve listed them all at the …
Continue reading “Expectations vs Reality: You mean, all kids are different?!”
Happy Easter! What a great looking family! It’s weird for me to remember that there was a time, many years ago, when I thought I didn’t want kids. I mean, maybe one or two, but only after I’d been married several years and felt ready. When I started dating my husband eighteen years ago, I …
Continue reading “I’m The Last Woman Who Ever Thought She’d Have Five Kids”