Our first baby was such a huge change for us. We got grumpy with each other a lot and had never done that before. We weren’t team players at all! Now after having 4 we have learned to communicate our needs and want to try for another. I came here wanting to see how other moms do it and homeschool. You have shown it’s possible!!
I've been enjoying watching your journey as you approached the birth of Baby Benjamin -- we have a new baby expected in early April, so I've been tracking along a few months behind you! This will be our 6th, and as you said in the early part of this video -- ALL of them are DEpendant on me for school. My oldest is in 3rd grade, and has been very slow to learn to read (like I was!), and the 1st grader & Kindergartner won't be "left behind" and want to learn to read too. So MOST of my energy is in teaching reading, and then in explaining allllll of their schoolwork to them. Right now the kids ages are 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1 (will turn 2 a month after baby arrives), and.... We're taking a break from school! Not a long break though... I'm a second generation homeschooler, and have adopted my mom's schedule of 9 weeks schooling, and 4 weeks off year round. It just so happens that April is one of our "off" months, so I'm grateful not to be pressured to keep up on school while baby is very new. I just wanted to say, I appreciate your hard work putting these encouraging words videos together, and giving other moms like myself insights into "What can it be like, and how can it work, with even MORE children in the mix?" I also see glimpses through your videos of what it can be like in the future years as the children grow and have more capacity and ability to be helpful -- truly helpful!! in more areas of life. I think you mentioned in one that the older kids and your husband were out, and it was reminding you of what life WAS like with only littles... how different it can be. And I take great encouragement from that, knowing that really soon my bigger ones are going to be more like companions and friends where we'll share the days -- rather than these difficult days of juggling ALLLL the things. (I got a glimpse of it when my kids scrambled eggs and made toast for each other a few days ago, and I ONLY had to make myself breakfast that morning. Wow!) Your baby is beautiful, and seeing him also encourages me to look *forward* to meeting my little girl/guy (?) in a few weeks. Sometimes the approaching birth brings more feelings of dread than anticipation, since I've been through birthing quite a few times now and know what's coming. Yet, seeing the sweet small precious baby in someone else's arms reminds me -- that birthing day part only lasts a day or so... and the weeks afterward are *really* what I should dwell on anticipating. 🙂 Thank you!
You are welcome! I enjoy hearing feedback from other moms! Oh my, I completely relate to moms in the early years with all littles. Those are long, exhausting days, trying to meet everyone's needs! Plus, you can't always see the reward and fruit of your work in those early years. You are in the investment stage. It really does change as your kids get older. Of course we have more kids now which makes for a lot more work, BUT we also have several older kids who are all capable to do, as you said, tasks that are "truly helpful". The older kids do their own laundry, often make their own lunches, can thoroughly clean up the kitchen on their chore day. Even the younger kids are entertained by watching and imitating the older kids. It's almost like having other adults around. I hope things go well for your family as you prepare to meet your new little one! How exciting for you all! Good for you... taking a nice break to enjoy your new baby. The Lord will sustain you through birth just as he has for your others. God bless! Sheri
I agree with so much of this! We have 5 children ages 8 months-9 years old. One thing we did when our youngest was born was do "light" school. We just focused on math and reading. It helped to keep our routine but simplify it.
Oh my, I love this! "Light" schooling! We hold our school schedule very loosely when we start school again and this is often what it comes down to on most days. We aim to get through the checklist, (sometimes we do, other times we don't), but in general we usually at least get math and reading done. Great perspective!
This is super practical advice! Thank you! Just welcomed #3 with 2 toddlers, one Kindergarten and the other pre-k. I feel like we can barely scrape together an hour a week sometimes of work! Between meal prep, house work, newborn nursing and naps, as well as packing for an upcoming move, it feels like an impossibility to do lessons! Really appreciate this advice.
I'm so glad this helped you and I completely relate because I remember walking that road many times. Take it easy and do what you can. A little bit every day goes a long way!
So helpful thank you!! I’ll be homeschooling for the first time bc of my newborn. Usually I work full time but with my family moving away I’ll be staying home so we can’t afford our private school without my income. So homeschooling here we come 😊
You're welcome, glad to hear that! Yay! I hope you have a wonderful first year. It's not easy when you start out and so important to surround yourself with other encouraging homeschool moms. I hope it goes well for you!
I am truly laughing out loud at that story about your first night with your first baby. 🤣🤣🤣 Absolutely hilarious and so relatable. My husband and I have also learned so much since our first, and we're only pregnant with #5. We're still learning every single day. I remember the absolute terror that I felt every day and night during that first week postpartum with my first. Now, I absolutely love the first few weeks postpartum. It is the absolute sweetest, most special time, in my opinion. I really appreciate this advice from a seasoned homeschooling mom (all of mine are under 7, so I'm far from seasoned in regard to homeschooling). I'll be sharing this with my husband, so that he is more at ease about the kids having a break from school when this baby comes.
Haha! Yes, that was quite a moment! Congrats on your little blessing! What a gift! I hope you have a healthy delivery and can enjoy that precious little one without school stealing the spotlight. Ease back into it when it's time... your kids will be fine!
Thank you so much. I have been slogging and struggling through my 4th pregnancy; feeling like I am so behind this school year. This pregnancy was a complete surprise to me and it's taken me until the 3rd trimester to come to terms with our new future-family structure and fall into God's will and his plan for our family. I was physically sick, but mostly I was suffering from a bad attitude! I'm a historically poor communicator so I know that your tips on communicating with the husband are crucial to the family running smoothly! Thank God for family and for the sweet, fragile little ones he has given to us to nurture. I'm looking forward to browsing through your other videos.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience with us, it is so encouraging and inspiring! God continue to bless and protect you and your family.
Wonderful encouragement! I love these videos and I'm right there with you (my baby is now 8 weeks old). So fun to read these comments, too. God keep you all, ladies!
This is so helpful, thank you for sharing! I’m curious if you have baby videos on navigating morning sickness and the first trimester while homeschooling and taking care of your family?
You are welcome! I did a video a few years ago. on homeschooling while pregnant. Here it is. czcams.com/video/3rwd2veUwas/video.html Also, here's the blog post if you want to look at that. ourlifehomeschooling.com/2021/12/18/mom-of-nine-shares-how-to-homeschool-while-pregnant/
Thank you for reminding me that having an infant is a, "privilege and a gift!" Very sweet!
These were excellent tips not just limited to homeschooling but applicable to general parenting.
Thank you! I'm glad they were helpful!
Our first baby was such a huge change for us. We got grumpy with each other a lot and had never done that before. We weren’t team players at all! Now after having 4 we have learned to communicate our needs and want to try for another. I came here wanting to see how other moms do it and homeschool. You have shown it’s possible!!
Thank you! I appreciate those kind words! I completely relate. Our first was such a big change for us too.
I've been enjoying watching your journey as you approached the birth of Baby Benjamin -- we have a new baby expected in early April, so I've been tracking along a few months behind you! This will be our 6th, and as you said in the early part of this video -- ALL of them are DEpendant on me for school. My oldest is in 3rd grade, and has been very slow to learn to read (like I was!), and the 1st grader & Kindergartner won't be "left behind" and want to learn to read too. So MOST of my energy is in teaching reading, and then in explaining allllll of their schoolwork to them. Right now the kids ages are 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1 (will turn 2 a month after baby arrives), and.... We're taking a break from school! Not a long break though... I'm a second generation homeschooler, and have adopted my mom's schedule of 9 weeks schooling, and 4 weeks off year round. It just so happens that April is one of our "off" months, so I'm grateful not to be pressured to keep up on school while baby is very new.
I just wanted to say, I appreciate your hard work putting these encouraging words videos together, and giving other moms like myself insights into "What can it be like, and how can it work, with even MORE children in the mix?" I also see glimpses through your videos of what it can be like in the future years as the children grow and have more capacity and ability to be helpful -- truly helpful!! in more areas of life. I think you mentioned in one that the older kids and your husband were out, and it was reminding you of what life WAS like with only littles... how different it can be. And I take great encouragement from that, knowing that really soon my bigger ones are going to be more like companions and friends where we'll share the days -- rather than these difficult days of juggling ALLLL the things. (I got a glimpse of it when my kids scrambled eggs and made toast for each other a few days ago, and I ONLY had to make myself breakfast that morning. Wow!)
Your baby is beautiful, and seeing him also encourages me to look *forward* to meeting my little girl/guy (?) in a few weeks. Sometimes the approaching birth brings more feelings of dread than anticipation, since I've been through birthing quite a few times now and know what's coming. Yet, seeing the sweet small precious baby in someone else's arms reminds me -- that birthing day part only lasts a day or so... and the weeks afterward are *really* what I should dwell on anticipating. 🙂
Thank you!
You are welcome! I enjoy hearing feedback from other moms!
Oh my, I completely relate to moms in the early years with all littles. Those are long, exhausting days, trying to meet everyone's needs! Plus, you can't always see the reward and fruit of your work in those early years. You are in the investment stage.
It really does change as your kids get older. Of course we have more kids now which makes for a lot more work, BUT we also have several older kids who are all capable to do, as you said, tasks that are "truly helpful". The older kids do their own laundry, often make their own lunches, can thoroughly clean up the kitchen on their chore day. Even the younger kids are entertained by watching and imitating the older kids. It's almost like having other adults around.
I hope things go well for your family as you prepare to meet your new little one! How exciting for you all! Good for you... taking a nice break to enjoy your new baby. The Lord will sustain you through birth just as he has for your others. God bless!
Sheri
I agree with so much of this! We have 5 children ages 8 months-9 years old. One thing we did when our youngest was born was do "light" school. We just focused on math and reading. It helped to keep our routine but simplify it.
Oh my, I love this! "Light" schooling! We hold our school schedule very loosely when we start school again and this is often what it comes down to on most days. We aim to get through the checklist, (sometimes we do, other times we don't), but in general we usually at least get math and reading done. Great perspective!
This is super practical advice! Thank you! Just welcomed #3 with 2 toddlers, one Kindergarten and the other pre-k. I feel like we can barely scrape together an hour a week sometimes of work! Between meal prep, house work, newborn nursing and naps, as well as packing for an upcoming move, it feels like an impossibility to do lessons! Really appreciate this advice.
I'm so glad this helped you and I completely relate because I remember walking that road many times. Take it easy and do what you can. A little bit every day goes a long way!
So helpful thank you!! I’ll be homeschooling for the first time bc of my newborn. Usually I work full time but with my family moving away I’ll be staying home so we can’t afford our private school without my income. So homeschooling here we come 😊
You're welcome, glad to hear that!
Yay! I hope you have a wonderful first year. It's not easy when you start out and so important to surround yourself with other encouraging homeschool moms. I hope it goes well for you!
I am truly laughing out loud at that story about your first night with your first baby. 🤣🤣🤣 Absolutely hilarious and so relatable. My husband and I have also learned so much since our first, and we're only pregnant with #5. We're still learning every single day. I remember the absolute terror that I felt every day and night during that first week postpartum with my first. Now, I absolutely love the first few weeks postpartum. It is the absolute sweetest, most special time, in my opinion. I really appreciate this advice from a seasoned homeschooling mom (all of mine are under 7, so I'm far from seasoned in regard to homeschooling). I'll be sharing this with my husband, so that he is more at ease about the kids having a break from school when this baby comes.
Haha! Yes, that was quite a moment!
Congrats on your little blessing! What a gift! I hope you have a healthy delivery and can enjoy that precious little one without school stealing the spotlight. Ease back into it when it's time... your kids will be fine!
Thank you so much. I have been slogging and struggling through my 4th pregnancy; feeling like I am so behind this school year. This pregnancy was a complete surprise to me and it's taken me until the 3rd trimester to come to terms with our new future-family structure and fall into God's will and his plan for our family. I was physically sick, but mostly I was suffering from a bad attitude! I'm a historically poor communicator so I know that your tips on communicating with the husband are crucial to the family running smoothly! Thank God for family and for the sweet, fragile little ones he has given to us to nurture. I'm looking forward to browsing through your other videos.
You are very welcome. Thanks for sharing your story and congrats on your precious little one. What a gift!
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience with us, it is so encouraging and inspiring! God continue to bless and protect you and your family.
You are so welcome! I'm glad this encouraged you!
Wonderful encouragement! I love these videos and I'm right there with you (my baby is now 8 weeks old). So fun to read these comments, too. God keep you all, ladies!
Thank you! Congrats on your little one! What a gift!
That's what I need to hear, I'm homeschooling with a newborn ,it feels overwelming. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.
I completely relate! So glad this encouraged you!
I just discovered your channel and I love your content so much! What a blessing you are. My 6th baby is due next week and we homeschool.
Thank you! I'm so glad!
Oh wow, congratulations! What a gift! I hope you have a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Blessings to you and your family!
Thanks so much for your wisdom, expecting my fourth any day now and I have a soon to be 3rd and kindergartener this year.
You are welcome! You can do it! Lower your expectations and enjoy that little blessing!
This is so helpful, thank you for sharing! I’m curious if you have baby videos on navigating morning sickness and the first trimester while homeschooling and taking care of your family?
You are welcome! I did a video a few years ago. on homeschooling while pregnant. Here it is.
czcams.com/video/3rwd2veUwas/video.html
Also, here's the blog post if you want to look at that. ourlifehomeschooling.com/2021/12/18/mom-of-nine-shares-how-to-homeschool-while-pregnant/
Thank you for the husband chat😊
Sure!