Tag: family time

Earnest Echoes: How We Plan Our Summer as a Homeschool Family

Earnest Echoes: How We Plan Our Summer as a Homeschool Family

by earnestmomblog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Originally posted 07/02/2022

Anyone else hit summer and look for ways to have some structure but not over-structure? Me. I am anyone else. Homeschool ends, and then I feel overwhelmed – “What do I do for summer?!” I want my children to feel like they are more relaxed, and to be able to differentiate from homeschool. We will not do any formal full lessons and I will give them time to be bored because boredom is not a bad thing. I do not want the summer to pass and also feel like we have done nothing.

I have three children, 12, 7 and 4. I included them in the planning and set specific goals for each day. Now these goals will not rule our whole schedule as vacations, summer camps and other events will definitely happen but we will have a loose plan for each day. I am not sure about you but by breakfast each day my kids are asking “what are we doing today?” and they are typically not satisfied with “nothing.”

Here is what our summer schedule looks like for the months of July and August. Mondays are zoo mornings (we get a membership to the local one each year), Tuesdays are pool afternoons (we have a small pop up one otherwise it would be dedicated water play outside). Wednesdays are mornings the the museum (again we have a membership to the local children’s museum but we will also explore our other museums as well). Thursdays we will visit the library and a park nearby hosts picnics in the park with family entertainment for free. Fridays are our adventure day, we will be checking a new local park or two (we will also blog and rate our experience for those local to Erie County Pennsylvania).

Using the Notability app on my iPhone I created these fun color coded calendars (I also use similar ones for our homeschool year), I then took advantage of the $0.99 magnet deal on the Shutterfly app to create magnets as a reminder for the fridge.

This helps us have an intentional and focused summer not being limited by what we plan, but if we feel like we have nothing to do it helps to have a plan already! Let me know your tricks to keep summer fun and easy for your kiddos.

x. earnest mom

Family Meetings: Creating Safe & Earnest Spaces in Your Home

Family Meetings: Creating Safe & Earnest Spaces in Your Home

by earnestmomblog ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Free Family Meeting Plan Below.

Family meetings have earnestly changed us – for the better. Over a year ago we began a practice of ‘Family Meeting’ in our home. The first Friday evening of every month is reserved for this special time together. They have become one of the most cherished and sacred rhythms of our family life.

Why family meetings matter? Children crave connection with their parents and siblings. Family meetings allow every child to have a voice. They foster unity, trust and mutual respect. Creating a safe space where your child can share their heart with you is priceless.

We have three simple goals we aim for at each family meeting. These are informal. I have not told the kids this is the goal. However, they are the main reasons why we started in the first place. First, we need to hear one another – no interrupting and each voice matters. Next, we help one another – we problem solve and support each other. Lastly, we hold safe space – use I statements (no blame), and share your heart. Tears and laughter are welcome. What we make sure we agree is that respect and kindness have to be maintained by everyone. There is nothing that we cannot get through together.

We always end the meeting with something fun. We have surprised the kids with a marshmallow shooter, sour straw roulette, and freeze dried candies. Currently, we have been trying snacks from around the world from Universal Yums – so FUN!! You get a different country every month. It comes with history, trivia, and snacks from that country. We learn and have a blast. Want to try Universal Yum? Get $5 off your first box here – not sponsored. Keeping joy and playfulness helps us grow closer, it is light and enjoyable. We find this helpful, especially if we have had a particularly heavier meeting that day. Here are some pictures of our last box, Greece.

Looking to start family meetings in your home – wonderful! Talk with your husband and children, share your heart on why family meetings are important and set the date. For your first family meeting, I highly recommend setting “ground rules” for your meetings. What is allowed, what is not and what the goal is for meeting together. Be sure to establish that it is a safe space for all, arguing and fighting not welcome. Stay honest, respectful and supportive of what each other are feeling. I like to have a notebook and take notes. At the start of the next meeting, we review the notes and make sure we are all still working together to help one another. The first few meeting may be a bit messy, and that is okay! Maybe kids are a bit resistant, that is okay too. Staying positive and consistent, keep it light and inviting. Do not hit all the heavy things in one go. We try to limit to a positive and a negative that each of us are dealing with, feeling or experiencing. That helps us stay within an hour of meeting time.

Need help getting started? Try this FREE Family Meeting Guide!

Family meetings can be more than a tool mama – they are a space for love, learning and growing bonds that will reach beyond your living room into the future relationships within your family. Try it out, use the free guide above and feel free to share what works for you guys! Already on the family meeting train? Help us with your tips and tricks in the comment below.

Remember mama, we are all in this together, one Earnest MOMent at a time.

Love, Earnest Mom.

Earnest Echoes (articles revisited): I Am THAT Mom.

Earnest Echoes (articles revisited): I Am THAT Mom.

by earnestmomblog ♥ 1 Comment

*Originally published 07/30/2021. I am also human, and working on myself one step at a time.

As I prepare to write this, I earnestly feel gutted. Today, I was THAT mom. The mom that I have seen a million times; trying to keep it together as she can feel the entire façade of “everything is perfect” start to crumble and slip away. At first it was hard, but as I realized that I am human I was forced to give myself some grace.

Let’s set the stage for you. Thunderstorms kept us indoors. So movie and popcorn it is, until the popcorn maker got knocked over spilling popcorn every where and cracking the side panel. It was an accident, stay chill mama – accidents happen and its just a popcorn machine. Then children kept climbing the counter, literally I was taking children down from the countertops. Things started to calm until the hall closet upstairs was completely dissected from its contents while I was cleaning the popcorn machine. By then, the window to prepare dinner was closed, my oldest needed to go to karate and this mama was waving her white flag. It was enough.

My vehicle was parked across the street at my mother in laws and since my youngest two usually refuse pants and shoes, I needed to move the car to my driveway to save them from crossing the street shoeless (I have learned to pick my battles, shoes make it to the car in case they’re needed but I do not fight them on – in these cases I prefer peace to the fight). I called all three to the kitchen and said “get your shoes ready and stay RIGHT HERE, I am bring the car over.” They get busy putting their shoes on and I hot footed it across the street. All of the sudden, as I open the driver door there is my middle little. She startled me, then I realized she had ran across the street unassisted and that her 3 year old brother is likely right behind her. In my fear, my frustration I yelled at her. Ouch, it hurts my heart to even write that as I have been really working on my volume and tone with my children, but I was scared. Scared she could have been hurt, scared my youngest would soon be doing the same or is elsewhere outside completely unsupervised. I yelled, right at her “you scared me, and what about brother?! IS he safe?! I told you to stay in the house as I ran across the street!! Why didn’t you stay???” Ugh. We ran back to the house, and my oldest and youngest were standing right where I had asked them to stay only three minutes before.

Now I tell you, I have seen this mom around, so many times. Tired, worried, stressed, overwhelmed, scared, angry, frustrated, and yelling at her kid. Until this moment, I had always viewed the “yelling” mom as such a villain – and to all the moms I have judged before, I earnestly apologize. This is so HARD. Not that I condone yelling at children, however when I was scared, overwhelmed and worried for the safety of my children, that panic kicked in and naturally my voice elevated.

As soon as I saw all three of my children safe (my oldest is 11, so legally he can stay 3 minutes with his siblings as I drive up to get them, in case you are worried lol); I knelt down, cried and apologized instantly for yelling. I asked for my middle little’s forgiveness, I explained how scared I was but that yelling was not appropriate and I am working hard not to yell anymore. Then something surprising happened, she apologized for not listening and saw how scary that was for me. I was taken aback. I did not expect her to mirror my actions, to recognize and acknowledge her mistake and my feelings. It was messy, it was hard, but even in my mama-meltdown epic failure moments, these brilliant amazing little humans are still learning forgiveness, empathy and owning their own mistakes.

Yes, I am THAT mom. I am the mom that struggles with keeping my temper, sometimes doesn’t get food to the table on time (by the way we ordered in tonight), allows too much screen time, gives in to some demands to avoid the fight, and yells when I do not mean to. I am also THAT mom who forgives quickly, loves fully, asks for forgiveness and apologizes to show them I make mistakes too, and would protect my children at all costs. I cry in the bathroom, laugh at the dinner table and hug with everything I have got. I am 100% that mom and proud.

Remember mama, we are in this together – one Earnest MOM-ent at a time!

Love, Earnest Mom