A Simpler Motherhood

Author: Vanessa

Vanessa

Moms Matter

A Simpler Motherhood

Pre-Covid, Covid, Post-Covid. An unchanging, universal truth is: Moms Matter. God made Moms important, vital to our very existence. Moms are the lifelines to our past and the hope builders for our future, they are our forever coaches always ready and waiting in the wings to encourage and motivate. Moms are the ones who can make everything better (even if they can’t), but just being in their presence makes everything better. Moms Matter and quite frankly, we all wouldn’t be here without them.

When I think of Moms everywhere and what they are doing these days, it overwhelms me and makes me proud to be included in the group of humans called Moms. Some moms are working from home, homeschooling kids, and getting food on the table three times a day. Other moms are at home with a newborn in their arms, caring for toddlers without help from friends or grandparents. Some moms are hitting their groove with kids at home all day everyday and finding their new normal. Moms of teenagers are having to explain (once again) why their kids can’t go hang out with friends. Still others are heading into work to keep things running in our grocery stores, clinics, restaurants, hospitals, salons, as well as so many other places.

Then there are the moms with grown kids outside the home. The moms on their knees praying for children they love who they can only see through glass or on a screen or six feet away in the driveway. And the moms with children and grandchildren who are missing the newborn snuggles, the first steps, the growing up part of their babies’ babies. The moms who aren’t able to hold the hands of any of their loved ones because the risk is too high. Yes, moms are doing great, big, wonderful, hard things in this Covid season and it’s illuminating humanity’s eyes to the grand purpose that lies in motherhood.

Moms Matter

Whether you are a mom with babies or grown children, whether you are potty training or wondering about your senior’s graduation party, whether you are going to work or at home all day everyday, please know: You matter. The way you care for and love your children matters both to the people in your home and to the future of humanity.

Children are our future, and their mothers are its guardians.

Kofi Annan

As a kid, my mom was always the person I wanted when I scraped my knee, got stung by a bumblebee, or got teased by kids at school. She was also the person I wanted when I got dumped as a pre-teen, got in trouble as a teenager, or didn’t make the starting line up as a collegiate basketball player. She was it. I think a lot of us can say that. There are even times now when something happens and I just want my mom. The longing for the person who knows me best, who birthed me, who makes everything better. There is no one like Mom.

God created Moms for such a time as this.

Things aren’t easy right now (The understatement of Spring 2020.) There are so many unknowns and so much uncertainty, but I believe God created us for such a time as this in motherhood. He created us strong, resilient, steadfast, disciplined, warm. God created us emotional, productive, creative, fearless, loving. He created us to love our babies fiercely and protect them wildly. He made us to be both strong and vulnerable when it comes to everything, including Covid.

Not to toot our own horns, but I see motherhood as a great analogy for our relationship with God. As moms, we are longed after. Our babies come to us when everything seems upside down. They seek us for comfort, for guidance, to make everything better. I believe the relationship between mother and child can be a small glimpse into the relationship between Eternal Father and child. It is small scale example of how much our Creator loves us and the deep longing we have within us for Him.

Yes, God gave us a pretty high calling when we entered into motherhood. We are the ones with the privilege to give our babes a glimpse of unconditional love, the kind they can find forever in Christ. Moms have and always will matter.

Happy Mother’s Day, friends!

Vanessa

Hospitality During Quarantine

A Simpler Motherhood

A few weeks ago during our Zoom Bible study, we were asked what hospitality looks like in the midst of being at home. What can it look like when we can’t sit down at the table for dinner with friends? What does it look like when we can’t meet up for coffee or a park playdate? What does hospitality look like when we literally aren’t able to be in the close physical presence of other human beings?

This question had me thinking. Part of my brain went rogue and tried to talk the other part of my brain into believing hospitality isn’t even a thing during quarantine. No sprinkler playdates, no bonfires together, no Mother’s Day brunches. The other part of my brain resisted and said, well of course hospitality is possible, it’s even more essential when we can’t physically meet in each other’s homes.

So of course I went to Merriam Webster.

hospitality: hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition

Similar: friendliness, welcome, helpfulness, warmth, kindness, geniality, sociability, conviviality, generosity, liberality

Merriam Webster

Hospitality is a reception as well as treatment and a disposition. We don’t have to be gathering at a dinner party to offer hospitality, it can be shown in the ways we love and care for others whether in their physical presence or not. We can be friendly, kind, helpful, and generous. We can be welcoming and social without breaking the six foot imaginary line. After reading this definition, I think it’s pretty clear hospitality is possible during quarantine.

hospitality during quarantine

I thought through some ways our family can show hospitality to others around us: show them we love them and care for them by being kind, helpful, generous, and friendly. And here they are…

Hospitality During Quarantine

Care Packages

Packages are like a surprise trip to Disney World these days. If a friend drops off a package or I get a gift in the mail, it literally makes me all kinds of happy.

Start small and think through someone you would like to bless with a care package. Compile a list of some of their favorite things or some things you think would be helpful during quarantine and put together a gift bag or box with those items. These berry baskets are super cute to house the goodies. Maybe even incorporate some Books and Baking.

While we are putting together these care packages, let’s think about local places we want to support. Make an ice cream sundae care package with pints from your local ice cream shop (We love Zaltes). Gather some self-care essentials from your favorite salon (Dark Horse all the way). Get some coffee beans or a drink and snack to drop off (Rally Coffee is a great Omaha spot). Obtain a box of delicious treats from a curbside pick up bakery and make someone’s Friday morning (Sweet Magnolia’s is IT). Pick up some baby plants for a green thumb friend (Old Tree Farm and Mulhall’s are our go-to’s). Think about the places you want to stick around and support them when at all possible!

Maybe you aren’t able to physically get to the person you want to give a care package to; get online and find a small shop or Amazon gift you can get in the mail to them. Some great small shop options: Wax Buffalo candles, Sela Designs jewelry, Natural Joy Boutique stationary and gifts.

Snail Mail

My kids live for snail mail. They are living their best life when something comes in the mail with their name on it. Letter writing is a great skill to practice with kids and one more thing to keep them occupied. I tell my kids: If you want to get a letter, you need to send a letter. I also remind them they might not get a letter in return, but more than likely they won’t get one if they don’t send one.

Sending cards and letters to friends, co-workers, family members, even nurses or doctors you know and nursing home residents can bring a lot of joy to someone in a simple way.

Side note: Did you know you can order stamps online?! A friend told me this recently, so I put in an order of super cool T-Rex stamps and they will be delivered right to my door. Yes, please.

Checking In

Checking in with friends and relatives is something we do, but maybe need to do even more now. A simple text or email with ‘I’m thinking of you!’ or a DM with a prayer.

It’s a great time to finally meet the neighbors and check in on them during this time. Set a reminder on your phone or write it in your planner to check on your neighbors once every week or two. If we don’t know our neighbors, now is the time!

Virtual Meet Ups

Zoom, Houseparty, Facetime. Virtual meet ups are the new coffee dates and dinner parties. I know it’s not the same thing, but it’s as close as we can get.

During this quarantine, I have gotten the chance to chat with friends I don’t normally see or talk to on a regular basis and it has been a gift. Text your high school or college girlfriends. Reach out to an old roommate or the co-workers from your last job. Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and reconnect with some friends.

Social Distance Walk

‘They’ are saying the sun helps with this virus. Meet up with a friend and do a social distance walk together. I did this recently and while it wasn’t completely normal, it’s as normal as it gets. Natural endorphins from the sun, the exercise, and talking with a friend. Walking hospitality. Yes, yes, yes.

Meeting Needs

The effects of covid-19 have different ramifications for every family and every person. It could be financial hardship, trouble getting groceries, struggling with mental health, debating whether to go to work or not, or the actual health risks of the virus. Seek out how you can help the people in your influence. Neighbors, friends, family members, families who go to your kids’ school. If you see a need and you’re able to meet it, step out and do it. The very seed of kindness you plant could multiply in ways you can’t imagine.

Drop off Flowers

Did you know you can order flowers from Wal-Mart pick up? You can! Order flowers for someone, drop at their door step and text them a note. Flowers are life and life is a gift. This is a simple, yet exciting way to make someone’s day!

Hospitality is possible during quarantine. I would argue it’s not only possible, but so incredibly needed. Start small and choose one way you can show hospitality to someone you care about or maybe even someone you don’t know. It matters. How will you show hospitality during quarantine?

Vanessa

10 Tasks for Quarantine

A Simpler Home, A Simpler Motherhood

We are over a month in to being at home. An introvert by nature, I’m even getting a bit antsy with the lack of freedom to go anywhere. However, I don’t want to waste this time. Jesus willing, there will never be another time in my lifetime when everything is put on hold because of a virus. If that’s true, I want to be sure I use this time at home for as much good as I possibly can and hold tight to what I hold dear: my people.

Not only is it a good time to invest in the relationships in our home, but it could also be a good time to complete some tasks that double as stress relievers or sanity savers. If you’re at home and find yourself with a bit extra headspace and time and are craving some inspiration, these 10 tasks for quarantine could encourage you, motivate you, cut some stress, and maybe even bring you some joy.

10 Tasks for Quarantine

Spend time just being together.

This is something I’m working on. There might never be a time again when all six of us are home for this long, all together. I want to embrace this time, not let it go to waste.

10 tasks for quarantine

The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies. -Laura Ingalls Wilder

More walks, more books, more laying on the floor playing with my littles. More lingering at dinner, more movie nights, more stopping to smell the flowers.

Personally, I am working on being still and present with the people I love the most.

Keep a journal.

I don’t mean write pages upon pages everyday while a candle is lit and a cup of coffee is in your hand, although that sounds nice. I mean jot a note down everyday about what the day was like, what is happening around you. I have been writing one line a day in my planner and I hope it will help me remember this time a year or ten years from now.

Plant something.

Now is a great time to plant something. Try herbs like basil, cilantro, or rosemary inside from seed and then move outside mid-May. Plant carrots in the ground now. Start microgreens inside and you will have something to put on your sandwich in a week. Enlist your kids to help and your work can be both science lesson and stress reliever. Living green things have been saving my sanity during this season at home.

Carve out quiet time.

If you have kids at home, there probably isn’t much quiet in your day. Although it’s hard to carve out, I whole heartedly believe quiet is nourishment for my soul. Find a time during the day when the kids are sleeping, when they are playing outside or in their bedrooms. Be still, breathe deep, pray, read an inspiriting quote or Bible verse or favorite book. There can be noise everywhere, but it doesn’t have to be noisy within us.

Clear a closet.

Or a drawer or a surface or a room. It’s the perfect time to clear some of the clutter while at home. Choose one place: a drawer, a closet, a surface, or a room to clear. Put it on your calendar or to-do list, set a timer for 30 minutes and make it happen. If there is still work to do after the 30 minute timer, keep going or come back to it tomorrow.

It always feels good to clear a space. Since we are home now more than ever, decluttering highly trafficked areas is even more important.

Research has shown physical clutter leads to stress and I think we can all agree we don’t need any more stress right now. Take 30 minutes to clear a space and get ready to feel lighter.

Read a book.

Did you know reading can lower stress? Reading has been shown to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress. Choose a novel you have been wanting to read for awhile and set aside some time each day to dive in.

If you have kids at home, designate 10-20 minutes each day when everyone reads, you included. Check out The most important thing. Even toddlers can wander through a stack of books. What’s on your To Be Read list during quarantine?

Take a nap.

I’m writing this at 3:30 on a gray afternoon, so a nap sounds pretty tempting right now. Find time in the day to put your feet up and close your eyes. Meditate, pray, or act like a two year old and take a snooze. Naps can improve alertness, reduce stress, boost creativity, among other things. I am not a great napper, but closing my eyes for a few minutes recharges me and gives me the boost I need for the evening hours.

Set up a toy closet.

If you’re feeling like you’re constantly picking up toys or your kids are constantly saying ‘I’m bored’, a toy closet could be a tool to keep your kids engaged in play at home. Simply choose a space for your toy closet and place 50% of the toys inside. You can sort these by category in bins or simply place in tubs to store them. Every week or so, exchange some toys that are available with some toys in the toy closet. Your kids will have ‘new’ toys to play with and your family will have less toys to pick up.

Move your body.

Exercise is another way to lower stress. Moving our bodies increases endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. If you feel like you’re in a funk, do some jumping jacks, squats, push ups, or get after it with some burpees. Or simply go on a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy some fresh air while moving your body.

My workout happens in the morning, before my babes are awake. If I miss it, I feel it all day long. Moving my body sets the tone for my day and makes me feel good about myself and the day in front of me.

Take an Internet Sabbath.

Technology is more important than ever. It’s the one way we are staying connected during this pandemic. But, if you’re like me, it’s been a bit noisy. The news, social media, trying to stay connected with friends and family. It sometimes has me overwhelmed.

If you’re feeling the same way, try an internet Sabbath. I’ve never done this, but am going to try it Sunday. My usual Sunday Sabbath is I stay off social media, but this week I am going to put my phone on airplane mode and go about the day. I will still use our laptop for Bible study and we will watch church as a family, but my phone will be unavailable, except for the occasional picture. Technology is such a gift during this time, but I think it can also be overwhelming and detrimental to our mental health. If you’re feeling the same way, an Internet Sabbath might be for you.

There is a good chance we will never again have this extended period of time at home. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to waste it. Are you completing any tasks during quarantine?

Vanessa

Our Homeschool Day: Quarantine Style

A Simpler Childhood, A Simpler Motherhood

Like many of you, we have been home for the past month. Although we did school at home pre-coronavirus, this last month has still been an adjustment. We aren’t doing our weekly homeschool classes. We aren’t going to church. We aren’t seeing friends and taking advantage of the zoo in the spring.

Despite all the things we aren’t doing, we are doing some pretty great things right where we are. We are eating dinner together every night. We are taking long walks. We The kids are outside for hours upon hours each day creating worlds and making up stories and exploring plants and birds and the ‘dinosaurs’ they are tracking. We are reading lots of books and learning how to be together all day every day.

homeschool day

Today I wanted to share what our Homeschool Day looks like during quarantine. It’s simple and pretty much stays the same day to day, except for Fancy Friday when we gather for tea time and a looser rhythm. Here is a peek inside our day to day…

7:15-7:30: Kids wake

Kevin wakes the kids each day around 7:30, while I finish up whatever I’m working on. He gathers breakfast for everyone: yogurt and Cheerios, frozen waffles, peanut butter puffs, eggs and bacon for him and I.

After breakfast is finished, the kids get dressed and do one chore from their chore chart. There have been plenty of days Lily has declared a pajama day, which I am completely fine with because #lesslaundry

8:00: Luke begins independent work

When Luke finishes his chore, he begins his independent work. I have the work he needs to do stacked on our dining room table. On the top of his books is a sticky note with a list of items for him to complete. He works through the list, checking things off as he goes.

While Luke is completing his independent work, I am usually feeding Jack breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen. Lily and Jude are playing and finishing up their chores.

8:30: Seat Work

Around 8:30, when Luke finishes up his independent work, I will sit with him and do some teaching. We work on language arts, math, and sometimes art appreciation.

After I finish working with Luke, I will work with Lily for 10-15 minutes on letters, numbers, handwriting, and some simple math skills (shapes, addition, etc.) It is light and quick and we move on as soon as she’s done.

9:30: Schoolroom Circle Time

Around 9:30 I put Jack down for a nap. While I’m doing that, the kids will gather their show-and-tell for our schoolroom circle time.

Luke, Lily, and Jude meet me in the schoolroom. We recite the verse we are memorizing, share things we are grateful for, read the Jesus Calling devotional, and pray. We then talk about the calendar, the weather, and read a few poems.

At the end of circle time, I read a few books aloud. Sometimes I use them to teach a language arts skill like retelling. Other times I will use them for a science lesson like what plants need or a social studies lesson about our country. I try to get the most bang for my buck during our read aloud time by incorporating science or social studies when I can.

When we are done reading, the kids share their show and tell for the day. This is probably their favorite part of circle time.

10:00: Independent Reading Time

At 10:00 each kid gathers 3-5 books and reads for 10-20 minutes. I usually forget to set a timer, so it ends up being around 20 minutes. They spread out around the living room and read quietly to themselves. Jude is still working on this. Somedays he will do great and read the whole time and somedays he will end up in his room playing cars. At this point, I’m fine with both. After reading independently, they mark it off on their reading chart.

homeschool day

10:15-10:30: Sometimes Art then Outside

On days when I’m super motivated, we will create something together with paints, construction paper, glue, toilet paper rolls, whatever we have lying around. If I’m super motivated AND on top of it, we will create something related to our read aloud. Sometimes I will turn on an Art for Kids Hub. In reality, art happens once or twice a week.

However, almost everyday, the kids head outside. They will bundle up if need be and head to the backyard to explore, swing, do sidewalk chalk, or just run around and play. This gives me about 30 minutes of quiet time while Jack is sleeping and the three big kids are outside.

11:00: Lunch

I start prepping lunch around 11:00. Since we don’t do snacks, they are usually hungry at this point. If it’s nice, the kids eat outside and I am off the hook for one meal clean up. If it is chilly, they come in and eat.

11:30: Jack up, Finish lunch, Playtime

Jack gets up from his morning nap around 11:30. The kids finish lunch, and then play for about an hour either inside or outside.

12:30: Reading Lessons

At 12:30, I sit down with Luke and Lily individually and do their reading lessons with them. Luke reads a chapter in a chapter book and Lily goes through a lesson from the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Jude and Jack are playing. Many times I’m holding Jack or feeding him puffs in his high chair while we work through lessons.

1:00: Screen Time

Around 1:00, the kids sit down for their screen time. If Luke and Lily earned their reward for their schoolwork in the morning, they get 10 minutes of time on their tablets. After 10 minutes, they are able to watch a show together. They take turns choosing what to watch; usually it’s Dino Dana or The Magic School Bus.

1:30: Books

Each child chooses a book to read at 1:30 and we read together on the couch. More on The most important thing.

1:45: Jude to bed and Novel

Jude goes down for nap at 1:45 and then I read a novel to Luke and Lily. Currently we are reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

2:00: Quiet Time

Our school day ends here.

Luke and Lily head to their rooms for Quiet Time and I put Jack down for his afternoon nap.

During Quiet Time, I write, tidy our main living area, do chores around the house, catch up with friends if I can.

Our homeschool day has changed greatly since quarantine, but has also given us space to be together, learn together, and do life slowly together. I know someday I will look back on this time with a longing for us all home and together.

We were together. I forget the rest. -Walt Whitman

What does your quarantine day look like?

Vanessa

Books and Baking

A Simpler Childhood

Books and Baking, two of my favorite things. Since life is a not normal right now, baking has been something making the everyday a teensy bit better. If you’re like me and love to read books to your kids and bake, this post is for you.

Each book listed has a recipe to go along with it to enhance the read aloud and learning experience. I am highly motivated by treats. I believe there is so much to be learnt in the kitchen: patience, fractions, chemistry, measurement, how to follow directions, more patience, and the ability to take a few ingredients and create something delicious.

books and baking

We have already made teacakes on a whim after reading Saturdays and Teacakes and are going to slowly work our way through this list of books and baking. Will you join me?

Saturdays and Teacakes

This book is about a ten year old boy who rides his bike to see his Grandma every Saturday. They work, eat, chat, and finally make teacakes together. My kids love this book and were anxious to make teacakes. The recipe requires few ingredients and it basically comes out like a sugar cookie.

Book: Saturdays and Teacakes

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Mammaw Thompson’s Teacakes

The Little Red Hen

This is a classic story about a hen who asks her friends to help her in doing all the things to make bread: grow the wheat, thresh the wheat, grind it into flour, and make the bread. If you’re in the mood to knead some bread, this is a great story to read followed by some homemade bread in the oven.

Book: The Little Red Hen

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Homemade Bread

Chicken Soup with Rice

This sweet book has a poem for each month of the year. It is a beloved one in our house and I’ve never thought to actually have the kids make soup. We have chicken in the freezer and rice in the pantry, so it’s a done deal.

Book: Chicken Soup with Rice

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Chicken Rice Soup

Gingerbread Baby

Jan Brett is one of our favorite authors and illustrators. Although this seems like a Christmas story, I think we all could use a little (Christmas) spirit right now. During quarantine there are no rules, except stay home. After reading this story, get busy in the kitchen making gingerbread men and, of course, decorating them after they cool.

Book: Gingerbread Baby

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies

The Seven Silly Eaters

Have a picky eater? This one is for you. After reading this book, everyone will be heading to the kitchen to bake up a perfectly pink cake.

Book: The Seven Silly Eaters

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: No recipe needed, just a box cake mix

Thunder Cake

Grandmothers are so wise. This story is about a grandma distracting her granddaughter from a storm in the form of cake baking. The cake must be in the oven before the storm is over. A great book to read on a rainy day.

Book: Thunder Cake

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Patricia Polacco’s Thunder Cake (with surprise ingredient)

Laura Numeroff Books

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give a Dog a Donut, If You Give a Moose a Muffin…

We are big fans of Laura Numeroff at our house. Almost any of her books can be used in the kitchen. Kids can make cookies after reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or get busy making muffins after laughing how Mom never seems to see moose in If You Give a Moose a Muffin. In my eyes these are classics and you can’t go wrong.

Book: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies

Book: If You Give a Moose a Muffin

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Chocolate Banana Muffins

Book: If You Give a Dog a Donut

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Grandma’s Old Fashioned Donuts OR Canned Biscuit Donuts

Book: If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

YouTube Read Aloud

Recipe: Lazy Girl’s Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

The kitchen is a great place to learn and connect with our kids. Although it isn’t always my favorite having my kids help (I can get everything done so much faster with no helpers), they love it so much. My hope is they will have fond memories helping in the kitchen and be semi-useful preparing food someday.

A practical tip when it comes to books and baking: Allow one kid to help at a time. This has saved my sanity more times than I can count. It used to be free rein on who could help me and now I limit it to one kid at a time. It’s the best decision I have made when it comes to baking with my kids.

Don’t feel like you need to tackle all of these books and recipes. If baking is your thing, choose one or two and see how it goes. Tell me, what baking will you choose to do with your kids?



Vanessa

The most important thing

A Simpler Childhood, A Simpler Homeschool, A Simpler Motherhood

If you’re like most of the country, you have become your child’s primary teacher overnight. Reading, math, science, art, handwriting and a number of other subjects have all been dropped in your lap for the foreseeable future. Before I say much else: You’ve got this.

Many are feeling the pressure that comes with the responsibility of teaching their child for the next several weeks or rest of the year. Some of you are even working from home and schooling your kids. My hat is off to you. It may or may not help that there is an overwhelming amount of resources and links and ideas circulating on the internet. If you’re searching out the most important thing when it comes to your child’s education (besides beliefs and values), look no further than your bookshelf.

the most important thing

The most important thing you can do for your child’s education (especially right now) is quite simply read aloud. Sarah MacKenzie, founder of Read Aloud Revival and author of The Read Aloud Family states:

Reading aloud with our kids is indeed the best use of our time and energy as parents. It’s more important than just about anything else we can do. -Sarah MacKenzie

Why Read Aloud?

Most of us parents would be thrilled to raise a life long learner: a child who yearns after his or her passion long after school is over and the lessons are completed for the day. It takes a life long reader to create a life long learner.

Read Aloud Benefit #1: Academic ‘Success’

Success can mean a million different things. The word makes me nervous, so hear me out. Reading aloud to our kids gives them the best shot of being avid readers and thus becoming life long learners in whatever they choose to do with their lives after they spread their wings and leave the nest.

Jim Trelease, author of The Read Aloud Handbook, sites a study noting students in wealthy family situations consistently score higher than students in poverty, based on seventy-five years of SAT statistics. The main cause of this discrepancy is wealthy families read to their children more often, have more words in conversation, and their homes contain more books, magazines, and newspapers. Children in wealthy homes heard 45 million words by age 4 while children in working class homes only heard 13 million.

This study tugs at my heartstrings, but much good has come from this research. Many programs have been implemented to get books into the hands of all children. And getting back to the topic at hand: those numbers showcase how important reading aloud can be for our children.

There are a million resources floating around right now on how to homeschool your kids, but if you do nothing else in your day, simply pick up a book and read.

Read Aloud Benefit #2: Relationship and Connection

One of my favorite things in this world is to be cuddled up on the couch with all my kiddos around me reading a book. Reading aloud to our kids gives us built in time for relationship, connection, and physical touch. We can wonder together if animals really can talk while reading Charlotte’s Web or laugh every time someone in our family calls a pen a ‘frindle’ after reading one of my favorite books: Frindle. Our shared reading experiences gives our family another way to bond and connect and that brings me (and I hope them) great joy.

Read Aloud Benefit #3: Presence

When reading aloud to my kids, I am fully in the moment. 100% of me is in the story, reading and enjoying it with them. I am present. I wish I could say that was the case for every single minute of my day, but that just wouldn’t be true. When I read aloud, I have the opportunity with each and every book to be fully present with my people.

What if my kids are reading?

In MacKenzie’s book, The Read Aloud Family, she states: Most of us stop reading to our kids as soon as they can read for themselves, and almost no one is reading to middle-school and high-school age kids – parents or teachers. This, according to Trelease, is the main reason most kids don’t read for pleasure.

If we want our kids to be life long learners and thus life long readers, we need them to want to read for pleasure. And if we want our kids to read for pleasure, we need to read aloud to them…even the big kids.

Implementing The Most Important Thing

If you get on board with reading aloud being the most important thing we can do as parents (again, besides beliefs and values), then it is time to begin.

When?

First, decide when you will read aloud. Many of you are homeschooling, so you can fit it into your homeschool day. (Also, I’ve mentioned this before, but you don’t need to be homeschooling all day long, if you don’t want to. Cross reference with this article.) If you don’t get anything else in during your school day, read aloud. There have been days we have sat on the couch with a stack of books and nothing else was completed except for the pile of paperbacks. And I still call it a win. Another way to get reading aloud in is tie it to a routine. We read before rest time and bedtime and that ensures it happens everyday.

Start small.

If reading aloud isn’t your thing, start with one chapter, one book, five minutes. Try to increase it each day if you can. If we read to our kids for 20 minutes a day for just 300 days out of the year, we will have read for 6,000 minutes or 100 hours in a year. It’s astonishing what a small daily habit can accomplish.

What does it look like?

When it comes to what the read aloud time looks like, it will look different for all of us. Most times at our house it looks like me holding a baby while reading and being interrupted 27 times by three kiddos about needing a drink, telling me about their ‘owie’, or the classic ‘she’s touching me’. It isn’t picture perfect, people.

The most important thing can be done on the couch, in your bed, at the dining room table, outside on a blanket. My biggest tip: keep your expectations low. Kids don’t have to be sitting still and absolutely silent while you read. Most kids can listen and many even listen better with something in their hands. Some kids may want a matchbox car to play with or a doll to hold and rock. Bigger kids may want to draw or sit on an exercise ball. Reading aloud doesn’t look like kids sitting perfectly still, eyes fixed on the book, and quiet for 20 minutes everyday. In fact, most times our read aloud time looks like the complete opposite.

The Most Important Thing

We all want the best for our kids and reading aloud is a one stop shop offering so many benefits. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed with the amount of resources out there, with the responsibility to educate your child, with the weight of school and work and what’s going on in the world, I challenge you to put away the paper and pencil for awhile, pick up a book and sit down with your kiddos and just read. I will leave you with this…

When she was hardly more than a girl, Miss Minnie had gone away to a teacher’s college and prepared herself to teach by learning many cunning methods that she never afterward used. For Miss Minnie loved children and she loved books, and she taught merely by introducing the one to the other. –Wendell Berry, Watch with Me

Vanessa

Spring Cleaning

A Simpler Home

Spring has sprung. It’s here, friends. The rain (and sometimes snow) is falling, it’s not getting dark at 5 p.m., and the birds are making all sorts of racket in the early morning hours. It’s what we have been waiting on these past few months and thank heavens it’s here when we are all at home.

Every year I try and choose a few Spring Cleaning tasks to tackle to spring us into the new season. (Not to be confused with Spring Tasks.) I’m sure you’re not, but if you have ever wondered why Spring Cleaning is a thing, think back to Little House on the Prairie days. All winter long they would sit in a boarded up house, fire blazing, getting soot and ash and gunk all over themselves. Come spring the women couldn’t take it anymore and cleaned every surface, every textile, every thing to get rid of the grime. We have held onto the Spring Cleaning tradition 150 years later and I would argue it’s a good one to keep.

Although we don’t have much soot or ash to deal with in the 21st century, there are still things that go undone all winter long. Maybe it’s because we don’t have the energy to do it thanks to the limited sunshine and seemingly unlimited darkness or maybe it’s because we have a holiday hangover. Whatever the reason, spring usually comes with a bit of extra energy for Spring Cleaning. And this year we all have a bit more time at home. I want to share with you a process I am trying this year to get some Spring Cleaning tasks completed. Here we go…

Do a Walk Through

This is the easiest and most straightforward step. Walk through your home and take inventory on what is driving you crazy room by room. Is it the dirty baseboards? The disheveled closet? The cobwebs in the corners? Go room by room and write down a list of things driving you bonkers.

Choose your Priorities

Look at the list you made and choose three things to complete. These are the top three things getting under your skin. When I did a walk through the three things I decided to tackle were:

  1. Change the felt no scratch sliders on the kitchen island chairs. (They have been collecting crumbs and debris and are driving me bananas.)
  2. Purge and organize the homeschool closet.
  3. Wipe down two walls that endure dirty hands on the daily.

Gather Supplies

Looking at the three things you have prioritized, gather the supplies needed. You may or may not need to order a few things. For me, I needed to purchase new chair protectors and Magic Erasers to wipe down walls.

Think about cleaning supplies, organizing supplies, and any extra things you might need. Your cleaning motivation can dissipate quickly if you don’t have the supplies on hand. Before you begin, make sure you are prepared.

Rally the Troops

If you have kids and a husband who can help, now is the time to rally the troops for Spring Cleaning. Share the list of priorities and specific tasks that need to be completed. Let your people choose a task or tasks they want to complete. If you want to up the ante, either offer a reward at the end or money for each task. My kids are extremely motivated by dollar bills, so I will use this to my advantage during Spring Cleaning. I will give specific tasks a dollar amount and maybe even have a cookie and ice cream party when all the tasks are completed.

Just Do It

Now is the time to get moving. If you don’t have time to complete in the course of a weekend, put it on your calendar to complete the tasks when you have the time. For me, spending a week doing the work leaves me feeling accomplished and gets. it. done and out of my mind. All of us are different, so do what works for your personality and sanity.

Grace and Celebrate

Maybe you got all you wanted done. Yay you! Maybe you didn’t. Still…yay you! Any amount of time spent knocking out Spring Cleaning tasks is worthwhile. If you didn’t get everything done #grace and celebrate what you did achieve. If you knocked it out of the park, make cookies and watch a movie to celebrate. I whole heartedly believe in celebration and scrubbing all the dirty fingerprints off my walls is cause for celebration.

What Spring Cleaning tasks will you get to this spring?

Vanessa

Now what?

A Simpler Childhood, A Simpler Motherhood

Schools are closed. You may or may not have toilet paper. (If you don’t, message me.) And it’s like Groundhog Day for the next, well, who knows how long. Life is weird right now, friends. Real weird.

If you’re a Mom trying to figure out how to get through the next several weeks, this post is for you.

Our day to day has changed a little in the past week because my husband is working from home and we can’t do our normal playdates, groups, and field trips. Otherwise, it’s semi-normal for us to be at home. I started homeschooling a few years back when my oldest was in preschool and we have been doing this school thing from home ever since.

From one homeschooling mom to another, you’ve got this. You may not have chosen this homeschool gig, but you know your child best and can turn these days at home into something sweet and something memorable (in a good way).

Now what?

First, breathe. This is your pep talk. You have known your child the longest. THE longest. You have read her bedtime stories, bathed, clothed, and fed her. You have been there since the beginning: loving and caring for her, putting her needs before your own. You have watched her eyes light up with wonder, endured tantrums and tears. You have felt her hand in your hand and her head on your shoulder. You are her Momma and you know her best. Believe that and use it these next few weeks.

Think rhythm instead of routine.

Seriously, you don’t need to write a schedule or routine with 15 minute increments on the chalkboard or notebook paper or anywhere, unless you want to. Routines have their place (like in a morning and evening routine), but I’ve found rhythms allow grace and flexibility when it comes to our homeschooling day. A rhythm can help you and your kiddos move through the day with some flow and expectations and a bit of structure. Children thrive within rhythms and many Moms do as well. Think through how you want your day to feel and flow and write it down. I want our day to feel unhurried, comforting, cozy, and full of beauty. Our rhythm doesn’t begin or end at a certain time, it’s just a list of tasks we work through.

Breakfast

Dressed and Chore

Seat work

School room together

Playtime

Lunch

History/Science

Novel and Reading Lessons

Rest Time

The mood of our home always trumps checking things off. If things get hairy, we take a step back. We may or may not get to everything, but it’s a baseline on how we go about our day. Our daily rhythm helps us move through the day with intentionality and our sanity intact.

Learning happens all the time.

Baking in the kitchen. Cleaning the bathroom sink. Reading together on the couch. Writing a letter to a friend. Organizing a bedroom. Hunting for treasures outside. Making a sandwich. Writing a grocery list. Learning happens all day long, even if it’s hard to see. Embrace this and realize you are doing enough, even if it doesn’t ‘look’ like traditional school. If you’re looking for some ‘Spring Break’ ideas, check here.

Recess matters.

From one Momma who is home all day with her kids to another…there is a MAJOR difference in our day when we get outside for ‘recess’. If the kids are outside for an hour before or after lunch, they actually rest during rest time. If we go on a walk in the sunshine, there is less whining and arguing. Sunshine is medicine and finding a way to get outside everyday might just save us all.

Take advantage of free resources.

Other Goose. Scholastic. ABCMouse. The Measured Mom. This Reading Mama. Teachers Pay Teachers. Audio books from the library. You don’t need to create curriculum for your kids, unless you want to. I will be posting some fun activities on Instagram and Facebook stories in the coming weeks. (I’m @asimplermotherhood) Work smart and use what other people have created for you.

Consider rest time.

Everyday my kids are in their rooms for a set amount of time. Some of them nap, some of them read or play. This is the core reason I am able to function and thrive homeschooling my kids. You might get some push back at first, but it will be worthwhile if you persevere. Rest time refuels me and makes me a better mom in the evenings. It also gives me something to look forward to if the morning isn’t going as planned. It doesn’t have to be for long, even 20-30 minutes can give your crew a break. Everyone going to their corners and regrouping before coming together again can help the days go smoother.

Embrace the slow pace.

I know it’s hard for us all to slow down. It’s hard to cancel all the things and look at the calendar knowing we will be doing the same thing day after day after day for the next few weeks. Let’s name that: It’s hard.

But, there is a lot to be grateful for, too. Slow mornings with pancakes. A leisurely walk outside. A novel and a hot cup of coffee. Laughter over a board game. Family dinners. Less laundry because pajamas all day. More laundry because mud puddles. Homemade cookies. A family dance party. Extra time in the Word. The noticing of the sunrise and the sunset. Noticing what we are grateful for is powerful.

This slowing down could really make us more alive.

now what

Support one another.

Let’s rally around each other. Get on a Marco Polo chat with moms in your neighborhood or small group. Start a text thread with some of the parents in your kids’ classes. DM your online friends with questions and to support one another. Do church online. Send an encouraging letter to a friend. There is a lot of uncertainty, but knowing we are in this together can make this time less lonely and more encouraging.

No one knows what these next few weeks will bring, but we can do a few things to make them more intentional and meaningful. Tell me: How are you answering the question, Now what?

Vanessa

Spring ‘Break’ Play

A Simpler Childhood, A Simpler Motherhood

For many, we find ourselves at home for an extended Spring Break. Here in the midwest we are experiencing some magical weather, 60 degrees and sunny has been a small piece of heaven these past few weeks (although it looks like snow tonight). We have been loving the opportunity to get outside and do all the things. With schools closed and kids at home, I thought I would share some Spring ‘Break’ Play ideas. Originally, I wrote this post with a week in mind, but in light of all that is going on, it seems it could be longer. I know there is a lot of unknown in the world, but I’m convinced the right perspective can make this time meaningful at home.

spring break

Here are a few ways to make Spring Break playful and maybe even a bit magical this year…

Spring Break Play

Family Book Club

Spring ‘Break’ is a great time to read a book as a family and really dig into it. We will be reading Charlotte’s Web and as we read we are going to do some fun things like: make a word wall with a spider web, create some spider snacks, and maybe even watch the movie together once we finish it.

If you’re looking for book ideas for your kids, check out Sarah McKenzie over at Read Aloud Revival. She has fantastic book lists for all ages and all genres.

Kids as Chefs

Have the kids plan dinner one night. We are going to try this one and I know my kids will lose their minds, in a good way. They are going to plan the menu, shop for the items either online or in the pantry, and then help make it. There is so much built in learning here, but my biggest hope is it will create some great bonding time for all of us.

Get Outside

I have a feeling much of our Spring Break Play will be spent in our own backyard, playing pirates, reenacting Lion King, and going on adventures around the farm. The kids have loved being outside and I’m thrilled to send them there. It’s also the time of year when there is so. much. mud. Praise Jesus for rubber boots and washing machines.

Do THE THING

Do the thing your kids ask to do all the time, but there isn’t the time nor energy. Build the fort, make the cookies, read the book, play the game, make the craft. Take advantage of this time to DO THE THING. I know we will be playing lots of Chutes and Ladders, cribbage, and building lots of forts around here.

Art Hub

Have you used Art Hub? If you have kids that love to draw or want to learn to draw this is a great resource. A family has put together loads of videos for young kids and older kids alike. My kids love these and it’s a great way to pass some time in a good way.

This time at home can be well spent with a little intentionality and a positive perspective. If you’re looking for more, check out my Spring Tasks post. Let’s help one another: How will you make this time meaningful with your family?

Vanessa

Spring Tasks

A Simpler Home, A Simpler Motherhood

With the changing seasons, come new beginnings.

Spring begins this month. We are so close, friends! A new season means a new beginning. The specific season of spring always puts me in the mood for a refresh or spring tasks. These tasks guide me through the season with intentionality and inspire me to embrace the season. My list of tasks will probably look different than your list, but my hope is in sharing my list, it will encourage you to create your own. Praise Jesus He made us all uniquely in his image. Here is my list of Spring Tasks.

1. Plan my garden.

Any gardeners out there? Me either. I am a beginner at best. Since we live in the country and have lots of built in space for a garden, we plant one. My kids enjoy it and at times, I do, too. I plan to make a list of seeds and vegetables to plant and then map out what bed they will go in. I order most of my seeds from Johnny’s Seeds and pick up my plants at a local gardening store. My mother-in-law is a pro and usually gifts me some plants she starts from seed in her basement. #blessher

2. Deep clean the mudroom

Our mudroom gets abused in the winter (and spring and fall and summer). This spring task is nonnegotiable. I will take most everything out, give it a good cleaning and put back only what is needed for this spring. Drawers will be vacuumed, spring jackets brought in, rain boots cleaned up, and everything that doesn’t belong put away. I’m secretly looking forward to this one.

3. Purchase Easter outfits

Easter is Sunday, April 12th this year. It is on my radar to see what I have for the kids to wear for Easter and then order anything that isn’t in their closets. Lily chose her dress a few weeks ago and it arrived last week. Now, I am going to spend the next month telling her she only has ____ many days until she can wear her Easter dress. #prayforme Anticipation is good for us, right? I still need to decide what the boys will wear and might even think about me, too.

4. Catch up on Shutterfly books

One of my Quarterly Goals was to catch up on my Shutterfly kid books. The end of the quarter is at the end of this month, so I want to be sure I do one last round of adding and editing so I am caught up for spring.

5. Continue 40 things in 40 days

For lent this year, we are giving away one thing everyday for 40 days. This has not only allowed us to focus on generosity, it has also cleaned out some stuff. It’s always nice to make some room in the spring.

6. Review the Cozy Minimalist Spring Course

I am a big fan of all the work The Nester (Myquillyn Smith) does. I purchased her book, The Cozy Minimalist Home, and received her seasonal courses as a bonus. They are SO good and everything is SO pretty. Myquillyn has invaluable advice and knowledge when it comes to creating a beautiful home with not a lot of stuff. I am excited to rewatch the spring course and implement Myquillyn’s tips into my home for spring.

7. Plan and purchase curriculum

Our school year will be ending in a few short months. Usually about March I get antsy to plan the upcoming year. In the fall, Luke will be in second grade and Lily in kindergarten. In the next month or two, I hope to make a plan and purchase our curriculum for next year.

8. Clean out our books

There is always room for one more book in our house. However, some books aren’t super high quality, are damaged beyond repair, or are no longer loved. We will make a sweep through all our books and donate ones no longer serving us.

9. Plan and purchase outdoor supplies

When spring arrives, we move outdoors more and since we live on some land, there are loads of tasks. I review and edit an ongoing spreadsheet of spring tasks. We need to purchase things for these tasks and that’s in my wheelhouse. Grass seed, fertilizer, gardening gloves, seeds, more grass seed. I will make a list and check it twice.

10. Read a book outside when it’s above 60 degrees

I have this one on here because #selfcare When spring comes it is go, go, go and I want to be sure I slow down and savor the beauty around me. The green (not brown!!!) grass, the buds on the trees, the birds singing, the warm sun. I can’t enjoy these things if I don’t stop and notice. Reading a book outside sounds lovely and a bit indulgent. I hope to get it in a few times this spring.

I hope my list inspires you to create your own list of spring tasks. Tell me: what is on your list this spring?