The Dirty Moms Talk Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brittany and Tiffany
It's not what you think. . .Momming is HARD. We are moms who commiserate, encourage, and empower mamas to live the motherhood they want!
If you’ve ever bought a beautiful curriculum bundle, color-coded a schedule, and then felt like a failure three days in—this episode is for you. Today we’re diving into the guilt, the pressure, and the freedom of not doing all the subjects all the time.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
This is a re-release of the fire episode we did with Sterling Jaquith, and it is excellent!
She’s a wife, a homeschooling momma to 6 beautiful souls, an author, a podcaster, a speaker, an entrepreneur, and a Catholic business coach who teaches women to discern God’s will for their lives and businesses!
Can we talk about wearing different hats mommas?!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
You might think that "Motherhood" and "fail-proof" don't belong in the same sentence…
Maybe your reality is so far from "fail proof" that you can't even imagine what that would look like…
But, sweet mommas, What if there were clear, defined steps you could take?
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're feeling...unsure...about your ability to create the perfect homeschool experience for your children, take a seat and listen in sweet momma.
We thought this episode we recorded with Sarah Mackenzie was so good, we just had to re-release it.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Are you a box-checker, an unschooler, the crafty one with tiny collected sticks everywhere—or are you saying, "I have no idea what my style is yet?
If you're in camp "I have no idea" and you're wondering what kind of homeschooler you are—and if you're doing it right—this episode is for you.
And fair warning...this episode is like being fed from a fire hose...this is one you might have to listen to, take some notes, think and pray, and come back and listen to again.
Ready?!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by credits, transcripts, and college prep? Take a deep breath. You can homeschool high school—and you can do it with clarity, confidence, and calm.
This week on the podcast we're walking through what most high schoolers actually need to graduate, how to map it out simply, and why homeschooling high school might just be the most rewarding chapter yet.
Resources shared in this episode:
HSLDA Advocates for Homeschooling
HSLDA Transcripts Made Easy
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
There are a few books we recommend to brand new homeschoolers, and Julie Bogart wrote one of them!
She's a mother of 5 (now grown) kids, homeschool OG, and brilliant mind who's helped thousands of moms shape their homeschools (especially ours!).
She's just added another book called (Help! My Kid Hates Writing!) to her list of publications, curriculums, and accomplishments, and before you think this is just another podcast on writing curriculum or tips...it is SO MUCH MORE.
We are VERY excited to share her wisdom, insight, and humor with you!
More from Julie Bogart and Brave Writer:
Brave Writer Summer Camp!
Julie’s Instagram
Author Website
Substack
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
When was the last time learning in our home felt truly joyful? What would it look like to welcome wonder again—even just once a week?
What if something as simple as tea and poetry could bring joy, connection, and confidence to your homeschool—AND be something you actually look forward to, despite it being another thing on your calendar.
We are proof it can and we're spilling the tea on poetry teas.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We're here to address the big debate...
Clipboards VS. Skylight... Which one is better?!
What everyone REALLY wants to know though...
What tool is really going to keep me sane and on track?
We're unpacking the pros and cons of both and sharing all we know about the Skylight so far.
Resources shared in this episode...
Editable Clipboard Templates & Guide
The Skylight Calendar Max
The Skylight Calendar 15 Inch (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Do you have any thoughts on either of these two systems?! We'd love to know!
Message us here!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
When summer rolls around and you're already exhausted, how do you know if it’s time to press on—or pause?
We're unpacking what it could look like to either keep going with intention or rest with purpose.
Resources from this episode:
Homeschool Plan Like a Mother
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Instagram lied...there is no "right" childhood and chasing it IS what's stealing valuable peace from our momma hearts.
There's no single perfect childhood you're supposed to recreate for your kids.
Not the one you made up from the 10 moms you follow on IG.
And not even the one you've always dreamed of giving your children.
The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all version and there's no possible way you could have foreseen every eventuality, the type of children you had, their specific needs, life changes, world changes...we could go on and on.
Each one of these factors changes the game a little.
And even in all this...God is writing your children's childhood through your family.
Today we're pulling back the curtain on the pressure we face chasing a fictitious vision of "good" and embracing the truth that the childhood your kids are living in your home right now is the one they're MEANT to have. Mess and all.
We're going to share a few ways you can lean into that peace, purpose and trust the season you're in.
And while you're listening, we want you to hold this question with open hands:
Lord, what kind of childhood are You inviting me to co-create with You?
- God Knew What He Was Doing (01:35)
- Childhood Looks Different for Each Child in a Family (03:45)
- We're Here to Build a Family, Not a Childhood (05:30)
- What Now (11:15)
Links shared in this episode...
Fr. Mike's Video on Why Bad Things Happen
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Get ready for the most lovely chat and peek into the Homeschool story of a mom and bed and breakfast owner. You're in for a treat!
Their Beautiful Bed & Breakfast in Virginia: The Orchard House
Follow Sarah and her family on IG
Resources Shared:
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Call of the Wild & Free Book
"Planned" Unschooling with Nicole Shiffler
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
In this episode, we've got Ginny Kochis…a Catholic wife and mom to three twice-exceptional children.
With a master's degree she's a highly educated former high school English teacher with two decades of experience educating children of all ability levels.
Through her Quirky Catholic Kids website and community, Ginny offers practical support and prayerful encouragement to Catholic families raising neurodivergent kids.
And she believes (just like we do) that God gives curious, creative, intense children the exact mother they need to thrive.
- Ginny Kochis (00:58)
More about Ginny...
Join the Quirky Kids Community
Grab her wonderful resources!
Follow her on Instagram
Find her on Facebook
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We have to come clean...a recent study by Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute says that research participants scored an average of 94% on memory accuracy. This high level of accuracy was observed regardless of the participants or the time that had elapsed since the event occurred.
However, we have 6% to work with and add to memory stacking!
Memory stacking is all about filling our children's memories with good and beauty from their upbringing and their family, and not memories of "we-nevers or I-nevers" or fighting with siblings...or being forced to gasp do chores ALLLLL the time.
All jokes aside, the human brain has a major slant toward the negative. It's a protective mechanism, and it has an important job...but it shows up even it when it isn't needed.
It's easier than it should be to get to the end of the year and question whether or not you've even done anything this year.
It's easy for kids to just complain about what they didn’t get to do, or what they don't have...and it to REALLY FEEL like that's true...even when we know it isn't.
So …. in comes memory stacking...
- Recognize & Create Memory-Stacking Moments (02:20)
- Document Your Memory-Stacking Moments (05:50)
- Strew the Memories Everywhere (08:40)
Use our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother to brainstorm memory-stacking ideas and give them a home. Then put them on your calendar (or get Britt's Beautiful Calendar to make space for those memories and keep them top of mind for everyone!)
Remember....
You are doing beautiful work!
Remember sweet momma,
You are doing beautiful work.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Mostly, homeschoolers must do one of three things to close their year with the state...
A Portfolio
A Evals
Testing
Depending on where you live and what flavor of homeschool you follow the requirements will be different...check HSLDA to see what your state requires.
But let's look at some out-of-the-box ways to say goodbye to this year's homeschool adventures:
- Your Own Yearbook or Movie (01:30)
- An Interview or Narrative (04:00)
- Celebrate Accomplishments (06:55)
- Purge Books, Materials, & Unwanted Manipulatives (08:05)
- Start Planning for Next Year (10:25)
- Use our Homeschool Plan Like a Mother, or you can do this with a piece of copy paper
- Recap (12:45)
We like these because they fit no matter your capacity or your season...they have a wide range of doable...so don't choose A giant waterpark day where you're going to video interview each of your kids before they go down a slide in a magical transition emerging as a brand new "6th grader" only to come home and purge your home and start your planning for the next year....ALL ON THE SAME DAY.
We gotta work with what we have, mommas.
And never forget,
YOU are doing beautiful work!
P.S. Don’t forget about the FREE LifeskillsNow Summer Camp! (This would be a great week to get your kids busy working on life skills while you purge and plan!)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Gardening doesn't have to be complicated. It can be manageable and small and still make a big difference for your family.
Nicky Schauder and her husband, Dave, are on a mission to help families grow their food.
Their garden journey began when their kids were diagnosed with “failure to thrive” due to multiple food allergies. Because of these health issues, they felt called to grow organic at home... and since they have supplied 25% of their fruits and veggies from their tiny townhouse backyard.
From their permaculture gardens to speaking at Green Festivals to their most recent project: a permaculture garden designer app (which successfully launched on Kickstarter last year!) to growing their family of 8, they are doing some pretty amazing and beautiful work in the world.
- A Challenging Diagnosis (02:25)
- A Life-Changing Idea (06:10)
- The Difference Between Organic Gardening and Permaculture (09:05)
- Time to Grow (19:00)
- Permaculture Zones of Use (21:45)
- Gardening Can Bring Peace to a Mom's Heart (22:45)
- The Many Benefits of Gardening (28:35)
- A's to Our Q's (32:20)
Nicky had the kids in mind when she made the Start with Sprouting course!
You’ll also see Nicky and her kids in two separate courses in the LifeskillsNow Summer Camp (affiliate link)! It’s FREE and it’s June 9th-13th!
Finally, if you need a kick-start to get growing, check out the 5-day Plant Your Pantry Challenge!
And, check out the Permaculture Gardens website to see more about Nicky and her beautiful family!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
This is the #1 question we get regarding the clipboard system.
I think our brains just want to tell us we don't know what to put to protect us from trying something new because it's meant to keep us safe, and if we aren't trying anything new, it feels safe.
But you know. Mommas, we know…and if you really don’t, grab our Homeschool Plan Like a Mother from the shop and figure it out!
There is no wrong answer.
- Clipboard Guidelines (01:25)
- Ideas (09:15)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Raising 'whole' children isn't actually about raising children at all…it's about raising adults!
Our job as parents is to teach our children how to hone life skills (from everyday living basics to critical thinking) AND to instill and grow holy characteristics in their little hearts.
...And our guest today has taken the idea of teaching life skills to kids to a whole new level…
For years, she's been helping to change kids’ relationships to food through her work in the kitchen and her support of parents of picky eaters.
She’s a former teacher, two-time TEDx speaker, writer, and mom of 4.
She created the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, which The Wall Street Journal recommended as the best online cooking class for kids.
And, if that wasn't enough, her blog, Kitchen Stewardship, helps families stay healthy without going crazy.
She’s on a mission to connect families around healthy food, teach every child to cook, and instill those all-important life skills!
- Katie Kimball (01:30)
- Asking Difficult Questions (07:00)
- Prepare for Anything (12:00)
- The Result of Adaptability (17:10)
- The Fruits of Critical Thinking (23:15)
- Life Skills (27:00)
- A's to Our Q's (39:00)
Learn about Katie's FREE Life Skills Now Summer Camp
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
I was listening to a podcast by Jon Acuff the other day and he talked about how goals go through seasons...it got me thinking, because instantly it made me think of how children and parenting go through seasons, and so do our homeschools.
All the time we envision and expect to find that perfect groove or perfect routine, the one where everything flows...once we JUST crack the code...
Where we find this perfect groove, that's perfectly within our control, and nothing stressful or hard will happen.
Life with kids is just too darn interesting to be like that though.
And our homeschooling goes through seasons.
Sometimes, it really needs to go through a "DONE" season.
We typically hit the ground running in the summer or fall
...we drink the kool-aid
...we get that curriculum addiction high
...we get ...
Then our season changes as weather shifts and holidays arrive...
The new year arrives usually with a new commitment and vigor for learning and routine, which carries us into spring.
As spring weather and activities are in full swing, I feel myself slipping more and more into needing a 'done' day to look forward to.
Deadlines are beneficial because they provide structure, direction, and motivation to complete tasks efficiently.
What did I say was important at the beginning of the year, that has entirely fallen off the bandwagon?
A break doesn't have to be the entire summer long.
Our friend Katie runs an epic virtual Life Skills Summer Camp from June 9-13, where all the learning happens without any need for curriculum planning or oversight from parents.
Your children watch really short, kid-directed videos, and always have a hands-on mission they carry out after. Life skills like cooking, sweeping, making deposits, creating business plans, and taking charge of their own homeschool days (I bet you'd never guess who made that one).
In short..
You might just need a 'done' day in your life and homeschool this year
The break doesn't have to be long.
You can recharge, plan, dream, or just drink coffee.
The break can still hold learning...or not.
And you will ALL benefit from it.
So go choose a date for your done day. Then email us or tag us on Instagram and let us know when it is!
Links in this episode...
Life Skills Summer Camp
Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
How ideal does it sound to have a teen that meal plans for your family...all the way though from looking at sales....to choosing good meals...to then making said meals...and even cleaning up after them...
Here's the thing...Moms suck at delegating...our brains are hard wired to see all the things that need to be done, to do the things the way we want or need them done, and do it as quickly & efficiently as possible.
So it comes down more to building the skill of delegation in motherhood...and the art of making those delegations meaningful and fulfilling work....much more so than it does just getting our kids to do stuff that we see needs to be done....or ridiculously, expecting our kids to just do things that need to be done.
Story: Overwhelmed with to do list...Bper helping and tackling things once he was given autonomy and I released control of the outcome.
That's what leads to these pay days that serve our entire family, and especially our individual children...because we're raising adults.
- Choose what to Delegate (04:35)
- Make it Meaningful (07:35)
- Clarity is Kindness (11:05)
- How This Changes Things (14:30)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We're getting closer to the end, and most of us are feeling pressure to double down on finishing curriculum and worksheets...checking all the boxes that tell the world (and sometimes our husbands or nosey do-gooders) that we're doing a good job teaching our kids.
But we're here to remind you that you’re already doing enough.
Even if you've skipped days or haven't finished that math book (who has?! No one in school does!), or you "FEEL" like your kid is behind...you're doing a good job.
Your child is right where they are meant to be.
Homeschooling is a long game and they HAVE learned a lot already.
So instead of filling your bucket stressing over the final things that need to be finished this year...we want to encourage you to let go and give one of these activities a try instead.
We're willing to bet what you really want is to end the year with good memories.
These are our 5 best totally low-energy ideas for making memories without overwhelming you at the end of the year.
- Poetry Tea (02:45)
- Afternoon Movie (05:55)
- Kid Taught Lessons (08:05)
- Popsicles & Audiobooks (11:15)
- The Park, Friends, & A Picnic (15:05)
Before you go, leave us a review and subscribe! We promise to keep working incredibly hard to bring you podcasts that make you feel seen, heard, and encouraged if you do.
And hey, send this to a fellow homeschool mom and plan one of these totally low-key memory-making ideas together
And sweet momma, never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Links mentioned in this episode...
Matt Fradd & Sarah Mackenzie Podcast (jump to 45:00 for the bit about reading aloud)
Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year (Affiliate Link)
Disclosure of Material Connection: This page includes “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
It's no secret we love the tickets...BUT as with everything...it can get out of hand...
Okay...even a LOT out of hand.
Here are the boundaries I've set to keep our ticket system working for us, not the other way around.
- Ticket Boundaries (00:30)
- Recap (12:42)
Get the tickets guide, which includes pages of Q&As and over 100 incentive ideas, ranging from free to big, hairy, and audacious prizes!
Plus, you get editable templates to create incentive lists like the ones in my stories.
And beautiful mommas, never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Caveat: Listen...if you're deep in a survival season...if you're putting your underwear on inside out because you're getting dressed in the dark and only half alive...if your idea of a well-rounded meal looks like a cup of coffee...that's been cold for hours...
This podcast is for future you...and we promise she's coming...
If you're coming out of the fog...
If you have a little more energy and capacity
If you feel like you're ready to lay some great foundations for your kids (and frankly...for you!)
Then this podcast is for today you or any mom friends you know who might be in this stage as well (the annoying one you love to hate, but also kind of look up to, and want to be).
The 4 levels of mastery is the hack I've used to introduce life skills to my children year after year.
And they apply to literally everything...
Cooking
Cleaning
Chores (scouring bathrooms, mopping floors, cleaning areas)
Social skills
Shopping
Errands (post office, returns)
Phone calls
Choose any topic and use these 4 steps...
- Observer (02:35)
- Helper (04:15)
- Leader (05:45)
- Doer (09:15)
It IS time.
But the payoff is incredible.
The majority of parenting is front-loaded, and when you teach a 7-year-old how to make an egg using these 4 steps...they can now serve their family making breakfast for years to come. And each time you do this, you add to the 'wholeness of your child and your family.
Jon Acuff says that if you want a kind 16-year-old, teach a 6-year-old kindness and give them 10 years to practice.
We couldn't agree more.
If you want an easy guide to print with the steps on it and an adorable certificate to light up your child's pride or to add to their homeschool portfolio, we added one in there, too. Grab the link here!
And beautiful mommas, never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
So tickets...let's talk about using them with the clipboards...or even without
I don't think I've met anyone yet who doesn't like earning things and getting prizes.
In this, in particular, comes in handy when you need to spice up your homeschool groove.
Let's talk about how to set it up first, and then we'll share some great free and low-cost prize options to start with.
- Choosing Tasks (00:40)
- Choosing Prizes (01:37)
- System Set-up (04:25)
- Just Start (07:10)
- Prize Ideas (07:45)
If we've tickled your fancy and you want to give this a try take it and run with it this week!
Remember that you don't need anything expensive or special to start...and if you want even more help, get our Homeschool Ticket System Guide with over 100 out-of-the-box ideas for free, low-cost, and big-hairy-audacious prizes in our guide, along with pre-made editable templates for prize lists, FAQs, and more.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Hey, sweet mommas, I'm here to talk about my illustrious NO. Day.
Let's discuss what has become one of my favorite mom decisions of 2024—and possibly the last five years.
There was a big movement after the Yes Day movie came out to incorporate being a YES mom into our lives. I don't know about you, but I'm already a yes mom. I say yes to 1,000 requests a day. Neither my kids nor I needed me to find more ways to say yes each day or to create a day where I give in to every whim my kids have, but it did make an adorable, albeit impractical, movie.
What I really needed for my sanity- and I would say, for my family! —was a day when I could say no, guilt-free, to the extras we're always squeezing in and instead say yes to the things on my to-do list that weren't red-tag items.
It might be a little brutal if you don't know the theory behind red-tag items, but you'll get the reference to motherhood after I explain it...
- A Triage Tag (01:50)
- Setting the Stage (03:17)
And beautiful mommas, never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We bought the thing.
We probably even started…
But then we got stuck…
This podcast is your unstuck podcast.
Here are 3 things you need to get you started with your clipboards today.
- Permission to Begin Messy (00:28)
- Permission to Begin Small (02:28)
- A Cup of Something Delicious and Checked Expectations (04:05)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We'd be lying if we didn't admit we've giggled over our guest’s business name.
It's actually downright brilliant. Equal parts funny and straight to the point.
Jenn Lormand is bringing some fire today mixed with humor, hope, and healing.
She's a published researcher, exercise physiologist, and author. AND she's been living and thriving with Stage 2 prolapse for the last ten years.
After being told an invasive surgery was her only hope following her third birth, Jenn was determined to create her own solution. Together with her Tighten Your Tinkler cofounder (PT + manual integrative therapist Christina Walsh), Jenn developed a new movement-based protocol that allowed her to reverse her pelvic floor symptoms.
Before going online in 2019, Jenn and her business partner Christina helped hundreds of New Orleans women reduce and eliminate pelvic floor issues.
The Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy featured their research, confirming the effectiveness of their protocol at ending pee leaks, back pain, and painful sex – WITHOUT kegels or trendy internal vaginal devices.
The Tinkler mission is to inspire hope and healing – helping women to heal holistically so they can show up fully present for their lives through at-home programs that are non-invasive and kegel-free.
- What is Prolapse and How to Recognize It (01:40)
- The First Step When You Recognize Prolapse or Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (05:45)
- Every Woman's Body Has a Unique Story (06:30)
- The Healing Journey (10:40)
- Jenn's Story (17:45)
- The Most Severe Cases (27:05)
- More From Tighten Your Tinkler (31:31)
- A's to Our Q's (32:00)
For more from Tighten Your Tinkler... (This list contains affiliate links that will save you money but also result in compensation for The Deliberate Day).
Root Cause Quiz
Decompression Position
Tighten Your Tinkler Website
Signature Program (Use code DELIBERATE for $50 off! Affiliate Code)
YouTube
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We had a good, long conversation about this one...
We decided that not losing your ever-loving mind over laundry requires 3 things...
- Make it Better for YOU (Listen to hear how) (01:20)
- Simplify, Simplify, Simplify (Ok, sure, but how?!) (08:40)
- Get Your People to Help (I'm in! Where do I begin?!) (18:00)
Sanity Saving Capsules for Kids is in our shop—summer and winter wardrobe templates and quick, concise help that won't leave you overwhelmed and crying over too much or too little laundry.
And beautiful mommas, never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Everybody knows the excitement of a brand new curriculum...a brand new year...all that hope...
But in reality, the honeymoon phase ends for everything. Even the very best of relationships...because we grow, we learn, we mature...and so does our homeschool.
But growing pains are a real thing and so is homeschool fatigue.
So how do we combat that...come February when we've picked ourselves up after the holidays and we've gotten into a groove finally, but we're all still dragging.
- Spring Cleaning (00:40)
- The NO Day (03:05)
- Bring the Whimsy (07:15)
Last but not least, we now have the Homeschool Clipboard & Ticket Bundle!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We all want life-changing habits...don't we?
I KNOW you got excited when you saw that title. Don't worry, we're gonna deliver on this one...
We'll tell you what they are...how to start them...and how they'll change your life and your family.
- Family Dinner (01:10)
- Family Clean-up (02:30)
- Family Prayer (08:10)
Get the Family Examen for Exhausted Moms and start TODAY!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
One of the most significant issues we've encountered in our homeschools and hear about often from other moms is the overwhelming feeling of getting to everything each day and fighting the kids to do it.
Now, we're not just referring to arguing and out-and-out fighting...but the silent fight of mentally competing with all the to-dos in our heads and kids who have gone to the bathroom 10 times already or sat for 37 minutes just making doodles on their page, or left to "get something" only for you to realize they've been missing for 2 years...
All these silent little fights will wear down a homeschool mom to her very core.
We know. Believe us.
The best way to combat this is to simplify.
- Simplify (01:40)
- A Super Simple System (03:20)
- Why the Clipboard System Works (03:40)
- Clipboards vs. Spiral Notebooks (14:20)
- Invitation (18:50)
Sweet momma, you are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
It's January, give yourself a high five...we've made it this far mommas!
It's funny when you become an entrepreneur as a mom because it's amazing how much overlap there is between being the CEO of a business AND being the CEO of your home, family, and in our case our homeschools as well.
We are always looking at how we can learn from these overlaps and how good practices in one can serve in the others.
In this case, we were looking at how annual reports and statements could actually be really powerful in our homeschools as well.
It's the halfway mark...and there are probably a few of us (or maybe all of us) are wondering, "What on earth have we accomplished in our homeschools this year?" Or worse...feeling guilt over everything we HAVEN'T accomplished.
We know we've spent HOURS on math, language arts, and allllll the activities, field trips, and projects, but it's still completely normal to feel like we haven't done enough...
Enter the profit and loss statement...
Traditionally, a profit and loss statement includes a business's total revenue, expenses, gains, and losses, arriving at net income for a specific accounting period.
But put your teacher glasses on and it really makes sense to do the same for our homeschools.
- Gains (02:45)
- Expenses (05:00)
- Losses (08:10)
- Net (11:35)
The Homeschool Plan Like a Mother Guide is FULL of questions like these that will help you. Start with the narratives (you don’t have to fill in the whole thing, JUST do the narratives).
Finally, share this with a friend (and fill out the narratives together!) Let us know how it goes! (You can tell us in DMs, email, comments!)
Never forget sweet momma…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Raise your hand if you've ever yelled at your kids...
So... that's all of us...
And if it's not you...you might be on the wrong podcast.
We're talking to the momma hearts who want so desperately to be calm, and who have tried again and again, only to "fail" and end up exploding on your kids yet AGAIN...
You know what we're talking about... you're trying to get out the door and your kid can only find one shoe, and another has to go potty...NOW of all times, and of course your baby needs a diaper change...
...and you just lose your ever loving mind! You yell, you throw things, you make threats you don't want to follow through with...
and your brain spins between wanting to scream or cry...
It's hard being a mom...and no one goes into this whole motherhood thing with all the answers or being taught all the lessons...
That's why we've invited Catherine Johnson, wife and momma, to 3. She's a Catholic parenting coach who gives practical faith-based parenting tips to help you become a calm, collected, confident mom.
- The Path to Coaching (02:22)
- Helping Moms Parent from a Better Place (04:30)
- Parenting WITH God (08:05)
- Coaching (15:50)
- Where to find Catherine (52:30)
- Coaching isn't Scary! (54:52)
More on Catherine Johnson...
Catherine can be found at her website, cjjcoaching.com
She’s also on IG @catherine.j.johnson
Her coaching packages start with quick win calls (as short as 30 minutes) and go up from there!
Don’t forget to grab her free How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids Guide!
Catherine coaches BOTH Catholic and Protestant moms alike!
Finally, listen to HER podcast here on Youtube.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Chances are....
You overspent your December budget...
You had kids who weren't grateful for what they got...
You overcompensated by eating some of your feelings...
You worked hard to cultivate moments and memories just to watch kids argue or cry...
Maybe you just want to not anymore...it's okay, you don't have to hold back with us...you can even cry a little.
We're not JUST here to lament with you though... let's talk about finding a groove again after experiencing The holiday trauma...can we call it that?
I feel like we can...
Chances are everyone is hungry right now...for routine
But also wanting to stay on break...
This looks a lot like....everyone is off...attitudes have big fluctuations...people are unreasonable...kids are bickering over ridiculous things...it feels stressful when anyone asks you a question or tells you about something new.
- How to Come Back (02:30)
- Meals & Bedtimes as Anchors (06:10)
We bet you have a friend dealing with this too! Share this podcast with her, and work on your anchors together!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
We see you.
Hair a mess...
Laundry piled up...
Lists unfinished...
Showers untaken...
We hear them...
The kids…
Fighting and crying...
Wanting the best of you...
Wanting ALLLLL of you...
Getting excited...and getting let down
...and struggling with the multitude of tiny transitions that come with this time of year.
We see your heart...
The guilt of all the 'no's you had to give this season...
The pressure to make everyone's memories sweet and meaningful...
The weight of shopping for gifts that are "even-ish" so that siblings don't compare...
The burden of being the one-woman holiday elf A-team of your family...
The overwhelm of gifts, and meals, and plans, and family, and friends, and events, and homeschooling, and cleaning...and how you'll have to balance being a "part" of everything with being the backbone of everything moving forward and going smoothly.
And we just want to tell you...you are doing beautiful work.
We see you.
Our Father in heaven sees you.
It feels messy, it feels overwhelming, it seems like all the important things won't come together...but they will.
The ones that matter will happen and the ones that don't...won't. And that's okay.
Our prayer over you…
....Never forget...you are doing beautiful work.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Do Less.
All those hopes...all those dreams...all those GREAT ideas...say no to them.
Your brain is gonna argue with you and tell you how good all those things are...
It's gonna tell you how impactful, meaningful, and memory stacking they're going to be for your kids...for you...for your family.
But the truth is, kids are gonna whine, someone's going to lose their shoes, siblings are going to find a reason to argue...and you're gonna come home tapped out...
That's okay for some things...that are actually worth it...but for all the rest...it won't be.
It's going to leave you feeling resentful, tired, and asking why you even do these nice things if your kids are just going to complain about it and fight the whole time.
- The Calendar (01:05)
- Prayerful Discernment (05:11)
- The Best Yes (07:40)
- Less Chaos Through Planning Like a Mother (11:35)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
First, let's just speak a little truth...the holidays are hard.
We don't have to know your situation, your family, your loss, your finances, or anything else to be able to say, the holidays are hard.
Motherhood ramps up in a multitude of ways during special holidays, especially ones where our hearts are so big for our people.
We see you...
We see how masterfully you're arranging schedules...
We see you planning all the meals...
We see you balancing gifts for all your kids...
We see how much joy you want for your people...
We see the memories you're working to cultivate...
We see all the hours and effort you're putting in...
You momma, are doing beautiful work.
BUT....I'm willing to bet you could use a little help when it comes to anticipating and managing disappointment this year...so, we invited one of our favorite guests back to talk to about dealing with disappointment during the holidays.
If you listened to episode 127, chances are you're already a pretty big fan of Sterling Jaquith (and if not, go listen when you finish this one!).
Sterling is a wife and homeschooling momma to 6 beautiful souls, but her accolades don't stop there...she's an author, podcaster, speaker, successful entrepreneur, and both a Catholic Business & Motherhood coach who teaches women to discern God’s will for their lives, decrease chaos and live with more peace!
And that's where we come in. We officially met her last year and after spending just 15 minutes together we became huge fans!
She has a way of speaking right to the very core of our momma hearts and lifting us, encouraging us, and calling us out in all the right amounts.
- Anticipation of the Holidays (04:35)
- Normal + Holidays (10:30)
- Christmas Day Disappointment (14:40)
- The Disappointment of an Older Child (16:35)
- Bringing the Stakes of Christmas Down (21:00)
- The Expectations of Others (23:30)
- Looking at the Season as a Whole (28:13)
- Asking for Help (30:00)
- A's to Our Q's (34:45)
- More from Sterling Jaquith (38:30)
You can head to Catholic Mom Calm to learn more about Sterling and what she has going on!
If you haven’t read Catholic Mom Calm (affiliate link which may provide us with a small commission at no cost to you), you should definitely add it to your list!
Sterling also has a big New Years program called Year of Calm, and goal setting is NOT part of it!
Finally, don’t forget to follow her on
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Today we have Kathleen Borsh!
She's the creator and artisan behind Knots of Grace®, where she designs beautiful and functional knotted rosaries for modern Catholics.
Inspired by her diverse experiences and faith journey, Kathleen’s rosaries are decorative and serve as daily prayer reminders, helping people connect with God and find peace.
- Kathleen's Family (03:20)
- Inspiration (05:00)
- A Mentor & A Patron (07:00)
- A Typical Day in the Shop (10:20)
- Setting Up for Success (12:55)
- Joy in Business (14:05)
- The Hard Parts of Business (16:05)
- Favorite Products (17:00)
- The Product that Requires the Most Work (21:20)
- Upcoming Projects (24:10)
- The BEST Investment (26:05)
- A's to Our Q's (30:05)
More about Knots of Grace...
You can head to knotsofgrace.com and find ALL the products!
Every Monday, Kathleen shares a devotion called a “hug”. If you go to freejournalpage.com (or knotsofgrace.com).
There’s also a special discount code for our listeners! DAY10 is the code!
Kathleen also has flat rate shipping in the US (which is amazing!)
Finally, you can find Knots of Grace on Instagram!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
In this episode, we have Mariah! She's the designer and woodworker behind The Cozy Catholic Life shop. She’s a Catholic convert, wife, and mother to 1 on earth & 2 in heaven.
She lives in Indianapolis with her husband and daughter and loves coffee, campfires, and Eucharistic adoration. After crafting many home decor items and prayer aids to deepen her own faith, she answered God’s call to share her creations with those who also seek to draw closer to Him.
The Cozy Catholic Life is an apparel & home decor shop that helps Catholic families pray more, evangelize, and live liturgically.
- Mariah's Family (03:15)
- Inspiration & A Calling (04:05)
- A Patron (10:00)
- A Typical Day in the Shop (13:00)
- Setting Up for Success (17:06)
- Joy in Business (19:00)
- Conversion Stories (21:10)
- The Best Part of Business (25:35)
- The Task that Requires the Most (28:05)
- Products (31:10)
- On the Horizon (35:20)
- The Best Investment (36:20)
- A's to Our Q's (39:05)
More from Mariah...
You can find Mariah and The Cozy Catholic LIfe on Instagram and Etsy
And, here's a link to the spiritual bouquet download she made for our listeners!
Finally, Mariah has offered a generous discount to our listeners, just use the code DELIBERATE35
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
In this episode, we have Rosemary Terrell… a hybrid schooling, sourdough baking, homesteading wanna-be, and owner of Mama’s Little Loves.
Rosemary lives with her husband in central Texas where they stumble their way towards heaven while managing the chaos that comes with raising their three kids.
She opened her shop in 2020 with the intention of strengthening her domestic church and sharing her family’s faith journey with others. Along with making meaningful items, Rosemary is passionate about sharing her family’s liturgical living practices, learning more about the faith and supporting other small Catholic businesses.
- The Mama's Little Loves Family (01:45)
- Inspiration & Patrons (02:35)
- A Business is Born (06:20)
- A Typical Day in the Shop (07:15)
- Setting up for Success (09:55)
- Joy in Business (10:50)
- The Less Enjoyable Side of Business (12:30)
- Mama's Little Loves Products (14:00)
- The Product that Requires the MOST (17:20)
- Collaborations (19:00)
- On the Horizon (23:25)
- What Will You NOT be Making (24:25)
- The Best Investment (25:55)
- A's to Our Q's (27:50)
More from Mama's Little Loves
You can find all the products currently on Etsy at Mama’s Little Loves Shop, and on Instagram she’s @mamaslittlelovestx.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Today we are SO happy to introduce you to Raquel…a Catholic wife, momma to four beautiful children, and the creator of the Little Rose Shop!
She's always loved creating, and lives by the motto "Created to Create" inspired by St JPII's Letter to Artists (don't worry! we'll include a link in the show notes)
Creativity combined with faith has led her to a special mission of creating items that help everyone they touch encounter God in a fun and practical way.
The mission of the Little Rose Shop is to bring faith into everyday life and Raquel's hope is that each item she creates fosters prayer and spiritual encouragement…drawing your soul nearer to God.
- The Little Rose Shop Family (03:10)
- An Accidental Entrepreneur (03:48)
- Patrons & Mentors (07:55)
- A True Family Business (10:55)
- The History of The Little Rose Shop (12:30)
- A Typical Day in The Little Rose Shop (13:55)
- Setting Up for Success (16:25)
- The Most Enjoyable Part of Business (20:40)
- The Least Enjoyable Part of Business (23:20)
- Products (24:20)
- Raquel's Favorites (26:11)
- The Product that Requires the MOST (29:20)
- Projects that are in the Works (31:45)
- A product that Didn't Make It (34:50)
- The Biggest Investment (37:50)
- A's to Our Q's (39:40)
More about The Little Rose Shop and Raquel
You can find all the products on the Little Rose Shop, you should definitely follow Raquel on Instagram, and join her email list!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
So, as we all gear up for the fast-approaching holiday season, we wanted to highlight a few shops (and the people behind them!) so YOU can get some great ideas for gifts, and so WE can share some amazing fellow small businesses that we love.
This brings us to Chris Lewis…he's a Catholic illustrator and the owner of BARITUS, a Catholic illustration studio devoted to creating works of art that “promote the Good, True and Beautiful of the Catholic Faith.”
Working in a digital medium, Chris is dedicated to bringing the Catholic Faith to life through illustration in a way that is reverent and true to the rich artistic legacy of the Catholic Church, with a unique modern style that resonates with the faithful today. Which we can attest to, because we've loved every purchase we've bought from him!
- BARITUS Caholic (01:00)
- The Lewis Family (01:50)
- The Inspiration for BARITUS (02:30)
- A Diagnosis Turned Blessing (04:40)
- BARITUS (06:00)
- Business Operations (09:45)
- Setting up for Success (11:45)
- Favorite Part of the Business (13:45)
- Least Favorite Part of the Business (15:55)
- Product Offerings (17:25)
- Favorite Product (23:50)
- Best Sellers (25:20)
- Future Projects (27:05)
- Products that Didn't Make the Cut (28:20)
- A's to Our Q's (30:15)
More from BARITUS
You can find all the products on the BARITUS website, and you can keep up with Chris and BARITUS on Instagram!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
The holidays are fast approaching, and we LOVE supporting small(ish) businesses, so we've collected some of our favorites in one place!
- January Jane Shop (01:11)
- Archer & Olive (02:47)
- Holy City Bow Co. (05:30)
- Wool N Flax Shop (07:02)
- Oak & Ever (09:05)
- Be a Heart Design (12:05)
- Victoria Yahara Studio (14:43)
- Heart of Grace Co. (17:20)
- Treasures from Jennifer (18:19)
- Ivy City Co. (20:45)
- JoyFolie (21:57)
- Shining Light Dolls (23:50)
- Pink Salt Riot (25:15)
- Peony & June (28:30)
- Let’s Make Art (30:05)
- Maileg USA (32:42)
- Stella & Tide (37:00)
- House of Joppa (38:27)
- Little Santi Designs (41:30)
- Lilalune Patterns (44:35)
- Pippi Post (46:36)
- The Little Catholic (47:45)
- Catholic Family Crate (51:40)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Learn More About Life Skills Now Season 4
- You need the 4 Steps to Mastery, get it here!
- Get the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template here!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
In this episode we have Amy! An amazing momma who made the difficult decision to “retire” from her career as a full spectrum small town family physician to homeschool.
Amy's family is really interesting because they do what she calls, "hybrid school". They live in a small town, her oldest two (8, 5) go to public school in the afternoons, and her youngest two go to daycare three days a week.
She's a self-described homeschooling rebel 😂 (but we think she's a wonderful example of someone who's thoroughly explored the possibilities and found what works well in her family and small community).
- The Schantzen Family (01:30)
- Jumping in with Both Feet (06:09)
- Supporting a Homeschool (07:55)
- Small-Town Life (08:50)
- Homeschool Space (11:05)
- Homeschooling Happens... (11:45)
- Curriculum (19:30)
- Incorporating Faith (25:20)
- Fear & Flex (29:15)
- Advice for a New Homeschool Mom (36:25)
- A's to Our Q's (39:25)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We love talking homeschool, and we love sharing our favorite things with you guys!! We *may have gotten a little sneaky here…because some of these categories have more than one…
- Podcasts (00:50)
- Audible (04:25)
- Read Aloud Revival Booklists (09:35)
- Your Local Library (13:00)
- Art (17:15)
- Clipboards (24:20)
Share this episode with a homeschooling friend!
And just know...
Sweet Momma, YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Being in 'transition' is hard. Homeschooling in transition? REALLY hard (for most mommas). But Kezia? She's in transition, homeschooling in an RV, and is a lover of the outdoors! Listen in to hear how she's navigating life while building the dream (quite literally)!
- The McNab Story (01:30)
- The McNab Homeschool (03:00)
- Family Finance (05:35)
- Homeschooling in an RV (06:25)
- Daily Routines (11:00)
- Curriculum (13:40)
- Incorporating Faith (17:30)
- Fear & Flex (19:55)
- Out With the Old, In With the New (25:10)
- Planning (27:55)
- Advice for a New Homeschool Mom (29:20)
- A's to Our Q's (30:20)
If you’d like to see how Kezia’s family is doing, check out her Instagram @Keziamonet
Sweet mommas, we always want you to remember…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Two words...
Snack. Shop.
More detailed notes to come...but make sure to head to the shop to check out The Homeschool Ticket Guide, it's the perfect companion to your snack shop!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We want to talk homeschooling…more specifically….what an ACTUAL day in a homeschool can look like.
But, the reality is, every homeschool is different...because every child is different, every mom is different, and every family is different.
So, rather than just share what Tiffany and I do in OUR homeschools, we thought it would be amazing to reach out to other moms in our community and showcase all the real possibilities for homeschooling our families!
In this episode we have Insiya, a Muslim woman, Wife, Homeschool Mom of three children under 6, Mental Health Educator and Entrepreneur…
She's had 10+ glorious years as a counselor and trainer in the field of mental health between the Middle East and India and if that wasn't impressive enough, she's also been a research assistant at Stanford University.
- Insiya (01:40)
- Family Life & Homeschool (06:30)
- Homeschool Hang-ups (12:35)
- The Idea of Sustenance (17:50)
- Entrepreneurship & Homeschooling (21:35)
- A Morning Routine (25:00)
- Home & Homeschool (33:25)
- Incorporating Faith (40:30)
- Advice for Homeschooling (48:55)
You can find Insiya...
Head to her profile on Instagram
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We’re back, and we’re talking homeschool supplies today! Just like when you set up a beautiful nursery for your brand new baby, you can over-supply your homeschool!
The truth is, our homeschools don’t require all that much. So, we sat down and thought about what homeschool supplies we would go out and buy first if our own stashes were wiped out…
- Plain White Paper
- The Right Planner for the Job
- Headphones & Ear Plugs
- Watercolor
- Laptops & Printers
- A Paper Cutter
- Writing Utensils
- Whiteboards & Chalk
- Scissors
- Notebooks
I want the list with links! (This list contains affiliate links that support our families and allow us to continue serving more mommas just like you).
Remember sweet mommas...
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We want to talk homeschooling…more specifically….what an ACTUAL day in a homeschool looks like.
But here's the thing, every homeschool is different...because every child is different, every mom is different, and every family is different.
So, rather than share what Tiffany and I do in OUR homeschools, we thought it would be amazing to share all the real possibilities for what homeschools can look like and be!
In this episode, we have Erin, a Navy wife, mom of four beautiful girls, and a high school art teacher turned homeschooler.
- Why Choose Homeschooling? (00:55)
- Living and Homeschool Situation (03:55)
- Homeschool Routine (06:35)
- The Routine (10:00)
- Curriculum (14:20)
- Faith (16:00)
- Extracurriculars (18:40)
- Fear & Flex (20:25)
- Changing Things Up (22:08)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We LOVE feedback! Message us!
We sat down and thought deeply about what NEW homeschool moms REALLY need…this is what we came up with!
- A Why (01:15)
- The Laws of Your State (02:40)
- Teaching from Rest (03:30)
- A Planner (05:20)
- Something Fun YOU Want to Study (11:15)
- A Ready-to-Go Curriculum (14:05)
- Community (15:40)
- A Back-up Park Spot (17:45)
- A Just Because We Can LIst (20:45)
- A Permission Slip to Have a Messy First Year (22:40)
And remember sweet momma...
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We want to talk homeschooling…more specifically….what an ACTUAL day in a homeschool looks like.
But, the reality is, every homeschool is different...because every child is different, every mom is different, and every family is different.
So, rather than just share what Tiffany and I do in OUR homeschools, we thought it would be amazing to reach out to other moms in our community and showcase all the real possibilities for homeschooling!
In this episode, we have Maddy, wife to James, and Mama to 6 kiddies (as she calls them). She lives in New Zealand in her House Bus and 'road-schools' her kids as they travel and explore their beautiful country.
She's a lover of holistic health & natural remedies, tiny living, dark chocolate, reading, being adventurous, all things pregnancy, birth & motherhood, especially in the context of God's amazing design…
- But First (01:05)
- The Radiant Buslife Family (02:30)
- A Calling (04:30)
- Bus Life (05:55)
- Homeschool Space & Rhythm (08:35)
- Meals as an Anchor in the Day (11:10)
- Curriculum, Curriculum, Curriculum (12:45)
- Incorporating Faith (18:40)
- Shabbat (21:10)
- Extracurriculars (28:00)
- Deciding When to Go (31:10)
- Homeschooling Fear & Flex (33:40)
- A's to Our Q's (38:00)
- Where to Find Maddy Worthington (46:15)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
In this episode, we’re talking about how we’ll be starting this new school year. Brittany has some fantastic ideas to share, and I have a few ideas as well.
- Creating a Moment (00:45)
- Brittany's First Week Plans (04:40)
- My First Week Plans (21:36)
- A Quick Note on Clipboards & Spiral Notebooks (28:55)
- Resources Mentioned in this Episode (33:18)
We always want you to remember...
You are doing beautiful work sweet momma!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Have you ever considered what homeschooling might look like in another country?
Here in the U.S., laws can vary dramatically from state to state, and so can opportunities for learning and enrichment. Can you imagine how that might look on an international scale?
Well, our guest, Jenni Cassidy can! She's a wife, mother to 7 (including 5 graduates), and she lives and homeschools her youngest two children in the UK! She's also the co-director of Dumb Ox Learning AND she's a consultant for Mother of Divine Grace!
- Let's Give it a Go (01:00)
- Homeschooling in Austria (04:30)
- Homeschooling in the U.K. (06:35)
- Traveling (09:25)
- Mother of Divine Grace (12:50)
- Our Q's (16:30)
- More from Dumb Ox Learning (30:45)
- More about Jenni Cassidy
There is another homeschool mom just like Jenni, a fellow mother of 7 and Mother of Divine Grace consultant, who Jenni met in Austria. They discovered that to continue with further education in the U.K., children need to do the exams that kids do in school (which homeschoolers really don’t want to do).
So, Helen (the co-owner of Dumb Ox Learning), discovered that if you have an American high school diploma and a combination of AP courses and/or SAT scores, you CAN be accepted into a university in the U.K. Many people are unaware of this!
Helen began teaching AP classes, and it just took off from there! Jenni takes care of the artistic side of the business, and Helen does some of the teaching (and they’ve recruited other teachers).
Starting in September (of what will be their second full year), Dumb Ox Learning will be offering 10 AP courses, they offer some GCSE’s, SAT prep courses, and enrichment courses (for supplements). All the teachers are Catholic (although the AP courses are secular).
Dumb Ox Learning includes a mix of both international teachers and students. Book clubs begin as young as 5 years old, and other classes go up from there. To learn more and see which classes will be offered this fall head to Dumb Ox Learning. Check out Dumb Ox Learning on Instagram.
Remember sweet momma...
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
On the last podcast, we talked about choosing curriculum and how it needs to line up with your ‘why’. Sometimes, finding your ‘why’ can feel a bit like hunting a mythical unicorn, so Brittany & I thought we’d share her process for discovering her ‘why’ each new year. (Because it changes each year, and it’s different for every family).
Need a little help discovering your 'why'? Grab our questions here!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Today we have invited one of our homeschool heroes, Sarah Mackenzie here to speak with you and bring the hope, because that's what she's done for us for YEARS.
Sarah's the author of Teaching from Rest, The Read-Aloud Family and several picture books, including Because Barbara, which officially released March 5th of this year!
She's the host of the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast, which has been downloaded
over 14 million times in more than 160 countries, and is the publisher at the boutique publishing house, Waxwing Books.
Her best work, though, is at home in the Northwest, where she and her husband homeschool their six children.
- Defining Enough (02:15)
- Seasoned Mom Chill (09:21)
- More than 18 Years (13:35)
- Memory Stacking (20:20)
- A Challenge from Sarah (26:02)
- All the Subjects, All the Time? (27:20)
- Filling in the Holes (28:28)
- Things We MUST Know (34:57)
More from Sarah Mackenzie
In addition to Read-Aloud Revival, Sarah has started a Publishing Company (Waxwing Books). She wrote a few books, got an agent, and each time as they would get far in the acquisition process, the publisher would say the books were too “Classic.” So her husband suggested she start her own!
Waxwing has three picture books out now (that can be enjoyed by large families with kids of all ages), and the newest one, Because Barbara, is about Barbara Cooney. As Sarah began digging into her life, she discovered how she was a creative force who had a zest for life that she passed on to her kids.
The best place to find Sarah is Read Aloud Revival and the Read Aloud Revival Podcast. On her website, there’s a great Tool to help you choose a read-aloud for your family! You can also check out Waxwing Books to see what they’ve published AND what’s coming next!
Remember sweet momma,
you are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
The first question most homeschoolers are asked is…which curriculum do you use? And while this is a great question (and many of us have some excellent ideas about which options are the best), this can also be a source of pain for the overwhelmed homeschool parent (or the NEW homeschool momma).
Listen in as we chat about what we’ve used over the years, what worked…what didn’t, and how to choose from the endless options that are currently available.
More detailed notes coming soon...but for now...
Have you thought about your 'why" for educating your children at home? Our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide has a series of thoughtful questions and prompts that can help you!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Momma…you don't have to do it ALL on your own.
In fact…inviting your kids into the kitchen (if this fits within your capacity) has MORE benefits than you might have imagined (the eventual cooking that will be done by NOT you is only one of a very long list!)
We want to talk about not only those benefits...but HOW to actually get there and with us today to do that is...
Licensed occupational therapist, with over 20 years of experience working with kids ages 3-8 AND more than 17 years in the trenches parenting her OWN children.
She has a LONG track record of success supporting parents and their children because she meets parents where they ARE and gives them real help to gain clarity over their challenges and foster better connections with their kids.
- Getting Kids in the Kitchen (01:33)
- The Eject Button (06:45)
- A Helpful Safe Start (08:25)
- Peaceful Meal Times (14:35)
- Final Questions (26:50)
- More from Kelly (33:17)
Learn more about Kelly and her programs on her website!
You can also listen to HER podcast!
Remember sweet mommas,
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
What if your home could (largely) run without you?
What if your children (both younger and older) knew how to pick up after themselves (and were part of the team that picked up after the family as a whole)?
What if the necessary tasks of running a household were completed quicker and there was more time for FUN for everyone in the family?
Regardless of how you feel about chores, there is an abundance of research out there proving they CAN be a positive thing (think LESS Cinderella and MORE Cheaper by the Dozen)…
There are a MILLION ways to implement a chore system, but it IS a system, which means Brittany has one and she's been improving it every month for a LONG time.
We're so happy to have our fellow momma of many and delightfully inquisitive friend Renee Amato with us to answer some common questions about setting up and running a chore system.
- Chores Defined (02:15)
- Family Chores (06:30)
- Chore Assignments (12:00)
- Standards (13:13)
- Incentives for Chores (16:15)
- Ages & Stages (22:52)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Our guest today is all about elevating daily life with liturgical living practices in small manageable bites...and for our mommas of many...small and manageable is music to our ears!
She's a beautiful Catholic wife, educator, theologian, event planner, and trained ballet dancer. She specializes in the study and application of liturgical living, culture, tradition, & festivity.
After growing up in a family full of seasonal experiences, she married into a big Catholic family that was overflowing with liturgical tradition and fell in love with sharing it with others.
If the liturgy is for everyone, then a liturgical life is too.
So this begs the question...what ARE liturgical living practices? What does it look like to live a liturgical life?!
- Liturgical Living (01:45)
- Liturgical Living & Food (04:15)
- What Liturgical Living Looks Like (08:08)
- There's a Place for Everyone (14:33)
- Unrealistic Expectations for Mothers (17:00)
- Final Questions (20:22)
- More About Steffani (28:50)
More from Steffani...
Steffani Aquila is the founder of His Girl Sunday, a ministry and small business that welcomes individuals, families, and parishes into liturgical living that fosters interpersonal and story-centered Catholic heritage, identity, and tradition throughout the Church year.
She is the Director of Communications for the University of St. Thomas, Houston and she has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. Steffani has 17 years experience working in Catholic institutions, is a national speaker, Catholic author, and runs an award winning Instagram account.
She is also a liturgical living contributor to the Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays. Steffani enjoys hosting feast day parties with her husband, reading theological books, and ballet dancing.
She has a beautiful Instagram.
You can find her on Facebook.
Steffani’s book will be out in October from Ave Maria Press, and it is all about how to build liturgical living, Catholic culture, and festivity in the home and in the parish.
Head to Steffani’s website and join her email list!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Now, this is going to be a treat for ALL our homeschool mommas!
We have the absolute blessing of chatting with a Catholic Homeschooling and Certified life coach (who ALSO has an excellent podcast named Happy, Holy Mama).
She's got 7 stellar kids (all homeschooled), she's a wife of 17 years, AND she's devoted her life to helping Catholic families fall in love with God through their relationships and homeschooling lifestyle.
- Emily Brown (00:45)
- I Just Don’t Want Them to be Weird (04:30)
- The Litany of Not Enough (07:07)
- Calm Down & Connect (11:30)
- The Fountain (14:20)
- Mom’s Office Hours (17:30)
- You Can Never be Behind in God’s Will (29:00)
- Sacred S.P.A.C.E.S. (35:00)
- Final Questions (38:30)
- More About Emily (49:45)
More from Emily Brown...
Emily will be a Keynote Speaker at The Catholic Homeschool Conference
To learn more about her, head to her website
If you're interested in learning more about her membership, you can find it here.
Her brand new Homeschool Course is available now!
While you're checking out her offerings, don't forget about Emily's podcast!
Finally, never forget...
Sweet momma, you are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Are you intentional about how you run your home? Or…do things just happen and ONLY when YOU do them?!
Would you like things to run a bit smoother?
Do you need help? A village? A little community?
Our next guest is back by popular demand, and she's got some ideas about ALL those things (and we think you'll like them!)
This isn't just some expert who's here to tell you what to do (we have a pretty strict policy against that around here)…
She's a homeschooling mom of 6 and her family owns a dairy farm in southern Alberta.
She's deeply connected with the unique struggles of life in regards to motherhood and has built a business by helping women create harmony, order, and cooperation within their home and family so they have energy and the mental fortitude to do all the things that God has asked of them (and the wisdom to discern what God is actually asking of them!)
- Habits & Systems (02:16)
- There's a System for That (03:38)
- Systems for Homeschooling (09:57)
- Choosing Where to Begin (13:37)
- The Big Five of Homemaking (18:15)
- The Next Steps (20:40)
- The Six Features of a Successful System (25:05)
- Do Your Systems Change? (31:53)
- The System That's Working the BEST for Tessa Right Now (35:25)
- Final Questions (40:45)
- More About Tessa (46:48)
Check out her web site buildacountryhome.com
She has a course called Stressed to Blessed: Mastering the Art of Christian Homemaking and in the course she walks you through your whole home system, set up standards for your home (what you want to do, when you want to do it), and there’s a whole lesson on communicating these standards to your children and spouse to help them get on board.
Tessa believes that the home is the whole foundation for society, and as mothers it’s our responsibility to set a tone of order, peace, creativity, fun, harmony (siblings should get along) and she believes that children should be taught the skills to run a household.
You can find Tessa on Instagram @buildacountryhome
Remember sweet mommas,
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
The fact that Mayhem begins with May just seems too apropos...
The end of school is mayhem...our schedules are mayhem...our minds are mayhem...our homes are mayhem...
Today we're talking with a certified productivity and organization expert, the owner of ClutterLESS, wife, and mom of 4.
The end of May feels like the end of the marathon…your legs are wobbly, medical attention may be needed…
How can we set up our homes to serve us in this transition from the end of school into the summer…and what are some of the ways Kelly sets up HER home so it runs in the background and she’s not tripping over her home in addition to the other chaos happening?
- How Alliteration Can Assist YOU (03:20)
- Maintenance Monday (04:32)
- Straighten-up Saturday (06:43)
- Meal Prep & Planning (11:30)
- Final Questions (17:00)
- More About Kelly (24:35)
You can find Kelly on Instagram @clutterlesskelly and on Facebook at ClutterLess Kelly.
She JUST re-vamped her website clutter-LESS.com, and you can head there to learn about her membership, her online course, and working with her online or in-person (depending on where you’re located).
Finally, get her Weekly System Guide!
Remember sweet mommas,
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
You might think that "Motherhood" and "tranquility" don't belong in the same sentence…
Maybe your reality is so far from "tranquil" that you can't even imagine what that would look like…
But, sweet mommas, What if there were clear, defined steps you could take?
What if you had a guide to move you towards tranquility?
What if that guide was a mother of many herself!?
We're excited to share our guest today, Laura Vanderkam!
She lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and five children, she’s the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the podcast Best of Both Worlds, AND she’s the author of Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters (among other amazing books).
- 168 Hours (01:45)
- Rule 1: Give Yourself a Bedtime (06:20)
- Rule 4: Three Times a Week Is a Habit (12:35)
- Rule 5: Create a Back-up Slot (17:17)
- Blocking Time (26:00)
- Introducing Children to Time Management (28:04)
- Final Questions (33:54)
Check out Laura’s new book, Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
She co-hosts Best of Both Worlds podcast with her friend Sarah Hart-Unger (a mom of three), where they discuss issues of work and family from the perspective of people who TRULY enjoy both. They talk about parenting, adventures, making time for yourself, reading…check it out!
You can find Laura on Instagram @lvanderkam
Or on her website LauraVanderkam.com
If you subscribe to her monthly newsletter here you’ll receive a free time makeover guide!
Finally, remember sweet momma…
YOU are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
A few months ago, Brittany was invited to be a guest on the Everyday Parents podcast, and we're SO excited to share it with you! It's not often that a podcaster is interviewed on her OWN podcast, and getting a sneak peek into the large family life is always fun (even if you have your own large family...maybe ESPECIALLY if you have your own large family)!
- Brittany White (00:32)
- Pregnancies & Births (02:26)
- Supporting a Family of 9 (03:19)
- Home Sweet Home (04:05)
- Community (06:03)
- What Brittany Would Like to Share (08:20)
- Daily Routine (09:41)
- Final 3 Questions (29:48)
To hear other interviews similar to this one, listen to the Everyday Parents Podcast
Follow The Everyday Parents on Instagram
Sign up for their Newsletter
Before you go, check out our new Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Planner in the shop! It will probably organize your life (as far as clothes and laundry go).
Sweet mommas never forget,
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
A few months ago, Brittany was invited to be a guest on the Everyday Parents podcast, and after that appearance, we were super excited to have them on ours! They share a peek into the life of everyday parents on their episodes…their routines, the things that are special to them, and what’s most important to them…and it really gives insight to what’s working for many other family types.
More detailed notes WILL be coming soon, but in the meantime…
Follow The Everyday Parents on Instagram
Sign up for their Newsletter
Listen to THEIR Podcast (you might hear a familiar voice in episode 41)
And finally, sweet momma, please remember…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
How on earth does a mom dress so many kids?! Is there a system to make this process simpler and more affordable?! With Brittany…of course there is! If just the idea of finding and organizing clothing for all YOUR kids gives you heart palpitations, keep listening momma, because we’ve got you!
- The Wardrobe System (02:51)
- The Twice a Year Clothing Swap (04:10)
- The Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Swap...Part 1 (11:08)
- Shopping for Clothes (18:10)
- The Clothing Checklist (20:22)
- The Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Swap...Continued (22:46)
- Growing Kids (36:21)
- The Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Planning Tool (45:00)
The Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Planner has a checklist for boys and a checklist for girls, and a how-to for the steps Britt uses for her wardrobe swapping. The MOST important thing is to do what works for YOUR family. Take the information in this podcast and make it your own! Test it out, add your own little spin, and do what works best for YOU!
How do YOU do wardrobes? We’d like to know! If you want The Seasonally Simple Wardrobe Planner tool, it’s available for you now!
And finally, sweet momma, please remember…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
On this episode, we’re back with our favorite Board Certified Behavioral Analyst—Renee Amato— to talk ALL things tickets!
If you’re new to us…or haven’t followed along on IG…the tickets are a system Brittany developed (along with input from her children and husband) to bring a little fun into their homeschool!
- Tickets 101 (00:54)
- Turning in the Tickets (06:15)
- Adulting Skills (15:22)
- Keeping Track of the Tickets (15:22)
- The Perspective of a Behavioral Analyst (20:54)
- Invitation (23:16)
Before we go, there are a few items in the shop that are pretty new!
The Homeschool Plan Like a Mother Guide is great for when you’re planning your homeschool year. Excellent questions and prompts will get you to think about the ‘Why” behind what you’re doing. Whatever your reasons for homeschooling, this will help you stay organized and aligned. Keep track of spending, curriculum purchases, student and parent narratives…the list goes on! These prompts and reflections can help you get out of the weeds and SEE the progress you’re making in your homeschool!
We ALSO have the editable clipboard template you can use daily in your homeschool. This can give even the youngest kids some independence and autonomy in their day!
And remember sweet momma…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Community is important in every aspect of life…even in homeschooling.
This doesn't mean you have to be involved in a co-op or homeschool group in your local area (although that CAN enrich your experience), but it DOES mean that finding your 'people' (either in-person or online) IS important.
Social media can get a bad rap (many times deserved) but it is a GREAT way to find new ideas, hear differing perspectives, and (if you're following uplifting accounts) see solutions you never would've considered (or even heard about) before!
With ALL these things in mind, and in an attempt to REALLY serve the mommas in our community, we've asked our good friend, fellow homeschool momma, and former co-op co-teacher Renee Amato to join us in asking (and answering) questions about two systems Brittany uses daily in her homeschool!
- Clipboards 101 (00:47)
- Tasks Included on the Clipboards (04:45)
- Using the Clipboards (07:15)
- The "Right" Number of Tasks (11:40)
- Examples of Tasks (14:05)
- When Kids Stop Doing the Work (16:20)
- Kids Taking the Lead (27:33)
- The Beauty of the Spiral Notebook (30:30)
- Getting Started and...Tickets (32:45)
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Sweet mommas, We ARE our sisters keepers.
WE (yes…you and I in all our mess and imperfect-ness) are the first line of defense for our friends when it comes to a culture of care for women.
On this VERY podcast, we have shared stories of several women who had reached their lowest lows, and it wasn't a mental health professional who suddenly appeared and popped up to tell them they had a problem (although they WERE a big part of the solution)…it was a close friend.
Today we have a beautiful wife and mom to four amazing children who ALSO happens to be the licensed professional counselor behind Sacred Heart Mental Wellness.
Catherine DiNuzzo utilizes traditional cognitive-behavioral counseling practices all through a Catholic lens, and she is here today to talk with us today about anxiety and how our mental health can show up differently in our cycles.
- Catherine DiNuzzo (00:00)
- What is Anxiety? (02:40)
- Talking TO Your Body (06:04)
- Anxiety & Your Cycle (09:00)
- Don't be a Bully...to Yourself (12:20)
- A Proactive Approach to Anxiety (16:40)
- Helping Fellow Mothers (26:52)
- Rapid-Fire Questions (31:53)
- More About Catherine DiNuzzo (34:30)
Catherine DiNuzzo, MA is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, and specializes in helping clients to overcome anxiety and depression, as well as other concerns. She is the heart and soul of Sacred Heart Mental Wellness, providing mental health information, resources, assessments, and videos for the Catholic who wants to live a mentally fit lifestyle. She and her husband, live in Kansas with their four amazing children.
Right now, Catherine has a simple book written FOR her clients and people who love her client, called The Catholic Guide Through Anxiety (this is a quick read). She has also has a series of videos explaining mental wellness. Finally, she’s working to get out to speaking events this year…in her experience—this is the best way to serve the greatest amount of people—and she would love to speak at YOUR event (simply reach out for more info).
And as always, sweet momma, never forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Christina Valenzuela…a wife, mom of four, and the owner and creative director of Pearl & Thistle.
She offers a unique blend of theology and science to bring better body literacy to Catholics. She's been a certified instructor in the Boston Cross Check™ method of Natural Family Planning since 2013 and her signature course, Cycle Prep, was a 2021 OSV Innovation Challenge finalist.
She holds an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Notre Dame as well as a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She is a life-professed member of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic and today she is here to teach all of us how to introduce our teens (and really, the entire family) to their cycles in a beautiful way…
- Christina Valenzuela (00:00)
- Proximate Formation (03:00)
- Building a Culture of Care (05:16)
- Tracking Your Cycle (16:59)
- Cycle Prep not Period Prep (23:09)
- Too Late (27:45)
- Preparing & Affirming (32:30)
- Rapid Fire Questions (36:30)
- More About Christina Valenzuela (40:42)
If you'd like to learn more about Christina and Pearl & Thistle, you can head over to Pearl & Thistle's Shop to see everything she has to offer!
If you have a daughter who will soon be ready, we highly recommend the Cycle Prep: First Period Course for girls by Pearl & Thistle!
Remember sweet momma,
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Today we have a seasoned wife and mother of more than 37 years. She's homeschooled and lived the public school life with her five children and is now the feminine genius behind Wisdom Wellness Coaching and the podcast Cycles and Sanctity.
She has a heart for teaching women more about their fertility and how our cycles can help us grow in holiness AND she's just recently started a program for women in menopause and perimenopause!
- Mama Jane (00:00)
- Cycles 101 (02:15)
- Being an Advocate for Yourself (15:45)
- Tracking Your Cycle (21:00)
- Creating Cycle Friendly Rhythms (25:30)
- Menopause (30:45)
- The Beauty of Homeschool for Teen Girls (34:30)
- The Cycle is a Gift (36:15)
- Rapid Fire Questions (37:05)
More from Mama Jane...
Every Thursday, you can listen to Mama Jane’s newest episode of her podcast, Cycles and Sanctity. On social media, you can find her on Instagram and Facebook. If you’re interested in one-on-one coaching, check out her website, Wisdom Wellness Coaching. And finally, you can always book a Call to learn More About Uniquely Beautiful You, Mama Jane's Private Coaching Program for perimenopausal/postmenopausal women.
Have you left us a review? Make sure to do this in your podcast platform of choice (five stars and uplifting words are our favorite!). We read every single review AND they help our podcast reach more women!
We do have two NEW products in the shop…the Homeschool Plan Like a Mother and the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template are now available for purchase!
And, sweet momma, don’t forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Have you ever had the experience of God literally putting someone in your life?! Like, just setting them right there, in front of you, and being like…this is one of your people.
That’s exactly what happened to us with Renee!
She's a mom of 4, a military wife, and the definition of flexible when it comes to going with the flow...she's moved all around the world and she's just all around hilarious.
She works with women who want to lose weight…but have no idea how…She helps REAL moms use REAL food to lose TONS of weight (I should know…with her help, I’ve lost 80 lbs!)
As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she’s a board certified behavior analyst who has advanced training in nutrition, and she’s truly a beautiful soul and a wonderful friend AND travel partner…
- Renee Amato (00:15)
- Renee's Journey with Health & Food (01:42)
- Learning About Nutrition (03:55)
- Working with Renee (05:55)
- Fuel...Don't Deprive (11:20)
- Changes that Make an Impact (13:15)
- Delay Not Deny (18:12)
- It's Not Never...It's Just Not Right Now (21:15)
- A Balanced Approach (22:50)
- Starting Small (30:02)
- Italy (36:47)
- Rapid-Fire Questions (42:03)
- More from Renee (46:04)
To hear more from Renee...
Are you on Instagram?! You NEED to check out and follow @Reneeamato!
If you’re interested in the FREE (and gorgeous) Ultimate Healthy Travel Guide, click here!
If you're not on our email list yet, you need to be! Join here!
Have you left us a review? Make sure to do this in your podcast platform of choice (five stars and uplifting words are our favorite!)
And, sweet momma, don’t forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Grab your favorite cup of something warm and join us as we chat with Kelsey!
- Kelsey Pasquarell (00:12)
- What Led you Into...and Out of...Burnout (01:20)
- The Physical Side of Chronic Stress (04:20)
- Better Patterns (05:50)
- Recognizing Burnout (07:55)
- Where to Begin (10:00)
- Time Management and Burnout for Moms (14:45)
- Recovering from Burnout (22:00)
- The Martha & Mary Secret (24:35)
- Rapid-Fire Questions (38:30)
More from Kelsey
Here for her podcast…
Here for her Lenten Challenge…
Here for the Unstuck workbook…
If you’ll drop a comment in our DMs, or leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform, we’re always delighted to hear from you!
And, sweet momma, don’t forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
If you can believe it...each podcast is supposed to be 20 minutes long. Of course, it never works out this way (especially when we get talking!).
This is part 2 of the episode where we discuss our goals for the year!
- Goals Continued (00:30)
- Why Not All the Goals at Once? (24:27)
- The Barns (28:10)
Moms…you SHOULD set goals. Get moving in the right direction. If goals are feeling a bit too big now, pick systems. Goals come in many colors, shapes, and sizes…and you are the best person suited to change things in your home!
Message us! Send us a DM on Instagram with ONE thing you’re going to start, or email us at brittany@thedeliberateday.org!
Finally…leave us a review so we can reach more moms just like YOU!
And sweet momma, don’t ever forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
At this point in our series on goals, mom goals, systems instead of goals, and really ALL things 'mom achievement'...we thought we'd share our approach to goals in 2024 (secretly in the hopes that you would share yours with us)!
- Goals & Temperaments (00:45)
- A Different Approach to Goal Setting (05:05)
- Themes (14:55)
- Goals (18:00)
This is where we’re going to take a pause, and we’ll be back next week!
Before you go…send us a DM with a takeaway from this podcast!
Also…leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform! These help us get our message out to more moms!
And never forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work momma!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
She’s a wife, a homeschooling momma to 6 beautiful souls, an author, a podcaster, a speaker, an entrepreneur, and a Catholic business coach who teaches women to discern God’s will for their lives and businesses! Can we talk about wearing different hats mommas?!
AND…she’s coming with the fire today! Sweet mommas, may we introduce Sterling Jaquith.
- Large Family Life (02:00)
- Creating Systems (07:05)
- Becoming a Scientist (08:43)
- Creating Systems (Revisited) (15:45)
- Where Did You Feel Stress (16:50)
- Asking for Input from Kids (18:18)
- When to Evaluate (22:08)
- Being a Student of Your Children (32:25)
- Choosing What to Tackle (34:28)
- Questions for Sterling (46:45)
You can find Sterling at her website and whatever stage of business you’re at, she’s got something for you!
She also has a podcast, Made for Business, which is a calling within a calling. Having a business can be different in each stage of motherhood. We all feel like we’re making it up, but if God is truly calling you to business, HE will guide you through.
Don’t have a business? Sterling has you covered too! You can check out her Catholic Mom Calm website, then get her new book Catholic Mom Calm. Not a reader? Check out her Catholic Mom Calm podcast. Prefer social media? Head to Instagram and see her @catholicmomcalm
Are you ready to look at goals differently as systems? You can easily grab a spiral notebook, jot a few things down, and choose one place to start! If you’d like a pretty place to do this, grab The Deliberate Day 12-Week Planner in our shop (it’s on sale!) and use the code PODCASTMOM for another 20% off!
Finally, we would love you to leave a review! You can do this on any platform (wherever you’re listening to this) and it means the world to us!
And never forget…
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Date nights are VITAL in every stage of motherhood! Between Kathlees (currently due with blessing #4), Brittany (wrangling ages 4-16), and Tiffany (graduating into older kid and college territory), we’re speaking about how YOU can love your spouse well in every stage of motherhood!
The Catholic Date Night is a membership community of engaged & married couples, and once a month Jesse and Kathleen host a one-hour episode and all you have to do is click ‘play’. They offer a game and they interview a couple or Priest about marriage, and their experience of marriage, and they give you questions to answer about the interview. They can be found on Instagram @thecatholicdatenight.
Kathleen and Jesse are also musicians! They are called Found Together…on Instagram @wearefoundtogether, and they’re releasing an EP of worship and liturgical songs, and they’re looking for some crowdfunding!
Remember momma...
You are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Goal setting in motherhood is just…different. Join us today as we break down a goal (delegating one dinner per week) (from BIG audacious goal right down to little action steps!)
- Foundations (01:11)
- The Big Goal (02:15)
- Mini Goals (03:15)
- Action Steps (03:53)
- Pivoting & Adapting (10:07)
- Anticipating Challenges (13:45)
- Invitation (27:50)
The whole point here is that you can take ANY goal, and the act of breaking it down is the secret sauce to being successful! The same framework WE used to break down THIS goal can be found in our Deliberate Start Planner!
And don’t ever forget…
You are doing beautiful work momma!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
It’s not every day we hear about moms (especially moms of many) kicking tail and taking names on big goals like GOING TO ITALY for 10 days! This week, we want to inspire you with some pretty awesome stories and what we used to get us there.
- 139,000 Steps (02:10)
- A Friendly-ish Bus Driver (04:55)
- Benefits of Taking a Trip to Italy (06:49)
- Celebrating Wins (18:45)
- Invitation (44:00)
We can HELP you with the big goals you want to achieve! This was MORE than just a trip to Italy. It was a feat in itself!
As moms, it can feel like goals are impossible, because you rarely see BIG growth. That’s where The Deliberate Start comes in.
First, get your Deliberate Start Planner, second, don’t ever forget…
You are doing beautiful work momma!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
2023 was a YEAR. There’s no denying that it was pretty crazy (I think, for many!)
But…we ROCKED November, starting with a BANG on November 1st!
Today, we’d like to talk about how we went from a wild idea, and made it an actual TRIP!
How do two moms turn a crazy dream of going to Italy into an actual reality? Listen in to find out!
- How to Get from Crazy Idea to Big Goal (02:12)
- The Five Steps for Getting to Italy (06:15)
- Recap (32:22)
- Invitation (33:34)
Do you have a crazy idea you'd like to make a reality? Get your Deliberate Start Planner!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
It's no secret that for us moms, the holidays come with a lot of extra responsibilities... and that means overwhelm.
That's why, in this podcast, we're going to walk you through some actual tips and tactics to get ahead of the holiday, and to protect YOU momma, to protect 'January You' so that you aren't burned out and you ACTUALLY look back and have GOOD memories and ENJOY the holiday season!
- What is your holiday schedule? (01:47)
- What is your holiday budget? (10:17)
- What does your family like to eat during the holidays? (20:12)
- Have you considered food allergies? (33:32)
- Recap (37:50)
- Invitation (38:27)
Do us a favor and hit the ‘follow’ or ‘subscribe’ button wherever you happen to be listening to this!
And momma, don’t forget, you’re doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
The season of Advent is almost here…a time of waiting and expectation for Christ's birth. This *should be a time of peace and togetherness in our homes, but in reality…
Sometimes it's just not.
Sometimes we overload our calendars, rush from thing to thing, and by the time Christmas arrives, we're exhausted, our kids have lost their minds, and our homes are a disaster.
Not this year, sweet mommas. Not. This. Year.
Today we have Tessa from Build a Country Home. She's a homeschooling mom of 6 and her family owns a dairy farm in southern Alberta. She is deeply connected with the unique struggles of life in regards to motherhood and has built a business by helping women create harmony, order, and cooperation within their home and family so that they have energy and the mental fortitude to do all the things that God has asked of them...especially during the holiday seasons!
- Is it Possible to Have Peace AND Kids in the Home? (02:50)
- Raising Spouses (08:55)
- Three Strategies for Thriving During the Holidays (12:55)
- Gratitude (27:11)
- The First Step (33:55)
- How do you Approach the Day After Perfect? (47:06)
- Rapid Fire Questions (49:51)
- The Harried to Hopeful Holiday Summit (53:20)
- More from Tessa (54:05)
The Harried to Hopeful Holiday Summit (53:20)
Tessa is so excited to be teaching mothers how to teach their children how to do tasks properly (according to your definition). She has a very practical four-step process for teaching your kids to run your home! Use the code BUILDACOUNTRYHOME for 75% off the summit!
More from Tessa (54:05)
Tessa *just updated her signature course “From Stressed to Blessed: Designing a Home Management System that you Love.” Also, when you finish the course, you can join the membership community where you’ll have community and ongoing coaching from Tessa!
You can also find Tessa and Build A Country Home...
On Instagram
On her Website
Don’t forget sweet momma…you are doing beautiful work.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
The holidays are upon us...and you know that means …behind all the memories, all the special moments, all the sweet treats, all the parties, and meals, and decorations, and thoughtful giving...are some pretty phenomenal, but more than likely, exhausted mommas.
My fellow high-achieving mommas...you know who you are.
Our guest today is actually a high-achieving momma herself and business owner as a resilience & embodiment coach for high-achieving women. She holds a Masters in Occupational Therapy and works with overthinking, ambitious women who need to get outta their head and take it to the next level.
She helps her clients find more ease, clarity, and confidence in their life and career using somatic techniques. Tiff and I met her at a Mastermoms Talk where she was the guest speaker and after getting a taste of her beautiful personality and her calming nature, we knew she was the perfect momma to ask about techniques for battling holiday overwhelm and stress.
- Maria’s Story (02:48)
- Somatic Techniques (05:00)
- The Holiday Season (07:00)
- Unmanaged Stress (09:10)
- Techniques (12:10)
- Being Proactive (20:05)
- Entering the Holidays (26:00)
- Gratitude (29:15)
- Rapid Fire Questions (30:15)
Maria is MOST active on Instagram
Connect with Maria through her website HERE
Get Maria's Beyond the Mind Workbook
Check out the Unleash Your Potential with Maria Podcast
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Holiday Finances. Start Here.
Start with the end in mind (holiday finances edition)
Get Creative with your holiday spending
A better way to $pend the holidays
The holidays are upon us and they are filled with good and right celebration! But it can be really difficult to honor our finances during a time of so much GOOD or if we are honoring our finances...not to do so without creating a scarcity mindset.
To set us on the right path is Amanda Texiera! She is the co-founder and co-owner of Wallet Win with her husband. Their mission is to help Catholics find financial freedom by eliminating debt, building savings, and changing the world through generosity. They are also the creators and hosts of their very own Podcast, the Catholic Money Show!
- The Texiera Story (01:10)
- A Call Within A Call (05:10)
- Avoiding the Holiday Hangover (06:46)
- Inviting Children into the Holiday Budget (16:45)
- Adulting During the Holidays (19:22)
- Practical Ideas for Doing MORE with Less (26:20)
- The Catholic Money Approach (39:00)
- Rapid Fire Questions (42:35)
- More About Amanda (49:50)
More about Amanda (49:50)
In January 2012, FOCUS missionary Amanda Teixeira, and her husband, Jonathan, had $25,000 in debt and a deep desire to break free. A short — and zealous — seven and half months later they wrote their last check to Sallie Mae and closed the doors on debt forever. Since kicking debt to the curb, they’ve focused on saving, investing and giving in a way that set them up for total financial peace for a lifetime.
Upon hearing their story, a few people asked them money questions — and they answered. That snowballed into hundreds of answers, speaking at events, providing financial coaching and founding WalletWin.
Jonathan and Amanda live in Omaha, Nebraska with their three daughters, and they’re in the process of adopting baby number four.
Please check out their website WalletWin.com
Their Podcast is The Catholic Money Show
Learn more about their Adult Personal Finance Membership the Catholic Money Academy
Wallet Win Kids is available for High School, Middle School, and Elementry aged children.
They have a book! How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Money
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We’re coming back after a long series on miscarriage, and originally we wanted to release this interview in a different month, but after the interview with Catherine Johnson, we KNEW that it actually belonged right here, between our discussion on loss and our discussion coming up on welcoming the holiday season.
As beautiful as the holidays are, they can also bring a slew of many other emotions that are LESS enjoyable…overwhelm, resentment, anger, bitterness…because when we get overwhelmed we can feel like EVERYTHING depends on us!
These emotions can come out in all kinds of different ways, and they can waterfall into our families. Especially during times of high stress…like the holidays.
If you’ve gone through something like a miscarriage or a loss, it cal put you in a state of fragility already. So, Catherine comes on and speaks about how we sometimes argue with our reality and if we can get to a point where we understand that, we can move FROM that point with better healing, better understanding, and better control over our emotions.
How Has Anger Shown Up in Your Life (03:26)
- When Reality Does NOT Meet the Expectations (05:40)
- The Yelley Mom (25:18)
- Expectations vs. Reality (30:00)
- Self-Awareness (33:00)
- Catholic Mindset Coaching (36:00)
- Anger (44:20)
- Where to go from Angry (49:00)
- Practices & Tactics (59:57)
- Rapid Fire Questions (01:09:30)
- More from Catherine (01:15:05)
About Catherine...
Catherine Johnson is a wife of nine years, a mom of three young children, and a Certified Catholic mindset coach through Metanoia Catholic. After giving birth to her third baby in 4.5 years, she found herself stuck in a place of anger and despair. She had battled with anger in various ways for years, but the first few years of motherhood really made her aware of just how much she had been losing that battle. By the grace of God, she found incredible transformation in Jesus through Catholic mindset coaching, a transformation that not only improved her parenting but also spilled over into every other facet of her life. Her experience inspired her to become a coach so that she could come alongside other moms struggling with anger as they put in the work and experience transformation in their own lives.
Catherine’s Website is http://www.cjjcoaching.com/
She’s on Instagram @catherine.j.johnson
She’s taking one-on-one clients, book a FREE 30-minute consult
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Losing our little ones can shake our foundations to the very core. This month we've been talking about miscarriage and today we wanted to invite a momma who would take us one step further and speak to the hearts of any of our listeners that may have experienced infant loss.
We've invited Kelly Sakmar to share her own story of infant loss and to share with us how to find healing after this devastation, as well as tools for dealing with PTSD, and ways we can reach out to fellow mommas we know who may experience this.
Kelly is the mother of 4 and owner of clutterLESS, she lives in Pensylvannia with her husband. She is a beautiful example of life after loss and we are so delighted to share her with you today!
Please welcome Kelly Sakmar!
Here are the links to a few great grief resources mentioned in this episode...
Growing Around Grief
Dr. Sherry Price
We know you'd love to hear more from Kelly, you can find her here...
Find @clutterlesskelly on Instagram.
For Facebook, click here.
Kelly’s website is https://www.clutter-less.com/.
You can email Kelly at kelly@clutter-less.com
Finally, Kelly’s signature course can be found at clutter-less.com/yourclutterlesshome
Your clutterLESS, Christ-Centered Home walks you through organizing your home, while incorporating grace every step of the way!
This e-course helps Christians practically tackle organizing from a Faith-based perspective. She's given us a promo code for 50% off for OUR mommas only: DELIBERATE
Did you know…we read all your reviews? We do and we LOVE them! If you haven’t reviewed the podcast yet, head to your favorite platform and let us know what you think!
Don’t forget sweet momma…you are doing beautiful work.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
It’s no secret that miscarriages shake our foundations to the very core. This month has been all about miscarriages…our personal stories and journeys and how they whisper deep seeded sorrows of loss, confusion, and even anger into the corners of our hearts. Often leaving us feeling lost, misunderstood, and alone. But that isn’t the end of the story, and just as Emily spoke a little hope and healing into our hearts last week…we have a beautiful guest with us today to speak even more hope into those heavy hearts.
Kylie is a Catholic Mindset Coach with a mission to bring souls back to Christ through prayer…and boy do we need to be brought back…even kicking and screaming and crying…after a miscarriage. She works to connect women with prayer and trust again. She resides in Nebraska with her two children and husband, Russell and loves the blessings their small town offers them.
- Kylie’s Story (02:52)
- Suffering in Community (05:06)
- Resentment, Anger, and Bitterness (09:16)
- Tools for Building Intimacy with God After Miscarriage (16:47)
- The Temperaments (19:46)
- For Our Sons and Daughters (25:00)
- The Rules of Saint Ignatius (29:35)
- Reducing Stress Based on Your Temperament (32:15)
- What Would You Tell Your Child (42:00)
- Rapid Fire Questions (45:30)
- More From Kylie Hein (50:55)
For more information head to www.kyliemhein.com
Find Kylie on Instagram @kyliemhein
Find out YOUR Temperament Here
For The Daily Examen for Every Temperament click Here
Kylie has offered a 20% discount for listeners on a 1:1 coaching session. Click Here and enter the code "Podcast20"
Remember sweet momma, you are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Our guest today is has a special heart for mommas experiencing a baby loss that surely stems from her own experience with 6 precious little souls now in heaven, but also from ever so much grace that has been poured out to give her the strength to overcome her own losses and use them as fuel to comfort and guide those who might be holding that same weight on their hearts.
Please welcome Emily Adams!
You can find more of Emily here:
On Instagram @thelittlesouls
Get her 6 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me After Baby Loss
Join Emily’s How to Feel Better, the Catholic Way
For the complete show notes, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Some wounds are so deep and so personal that we don’t talk about them... even with our closest friends. Miscarriage can fall into that category, but sweet mommas, it shouldn’t. So it’s in that spirit, we’ve decided to begin the conversation of pregnancy and infant loss month with our own experiences of pregnancy loss...and we go deep. Come go deep with us.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Welcome back to the Just A Mom series...Of course no mom is JUST a mom and we're proving that by sharing the seemingly ordinary stories of mommas in our community and shedding light on the beauty and lessons they have to offer.
Because seriously...there is so much beauty in our contributions as mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters ...and we all know it rarely gets attention or credit, because as we've been quoting Laurel Thatcher Ulrich these past few episodes... well-behaved women seldom make history. So let's change that!
Imagine waking up after 7 hours of glorious sleep (ok…maybe it was interrupted a few times by children-let's be realistic), clear on what your purpose is, AND you have plenty of energy to tackle every task the day throws your way… if this sounds like a fantasy...keep listening!
Today's guest is a momma, a Catholic personal development and certified health coach and she's made it her personal mission to remind us that we're made "on purpose and for a purpose". She works directly with Catholic Mommas in all walks of life and teaches them how to maximize their energy, productivity, and focus so they can thrive in their vocations.
Today we have Jessica Castillo! You can find more of Jessica…
www.athrivingcatholic.com
Instagram…@athrivingcatholic
Facebook…A Thriving Catholic
Hack Your Cycle (A Free Guide)
Takeaways (49:13)
- We need to be compassionate with ourselves.
- It’s easy to believe that our circumstances are the root of ALL of our problems.
- Turning to things that sabotage us, and in the end make things harder for us, is not the answer.
- Naming our enemy, like depression or anxiety, can be a very powerful step in our journey.
- Putting a stop to our addiction (whatever it may be) and replacing it with a true good is step #1!
- The devil delights in us buffering and feeling stuck, but we were created on purpose and for a purpose.
- When we leave the depths of despair, it’s then that we can look at these big picture things, like what purpose we were created for.
- Community is SO important! Reach out to your fellow mommas and check in with them! It will go so much farther than you will realize, and if you’re nervous about doing that, call on the Holy Spirit to guide you because He will come through!
Finally mommas, you are doing beautiful work!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Our lives change in a huge way when we have a baby...and not just the first one. But every single new baby brings about a new transition into a new and unknown motherhood.
New is defined by Google as: not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time OR already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.
Unless you've had this exact pregnancy, delivery, and baby before we are new moms each and every time we bring a new baby into the world. Not to mention bringing home baby #2...5...or 8 to a home filled with 1....4....or 7 kids already makes this a brand new transition to a brand new motherhood.
One of the most beautiful things we get to share with you on this podcast is the gift of support and community with fellow mommas. Today, we're not just sharing our own experience, but we're also sharing advice from some wonderful ladies who graciously answered our call to do the same. In this episode...
- Wisdom for ‘New’ Mommas (02:36)
- Takeaways (15:40)
- Invitation (16:12)
Invitation...
If you know a post-partum momma, or you ARE a post-partum momma, we have something for you. It's our best selling resource, The Deliberate Day Planner. It's a 12-week printable planner that will ground and structure your day within the chaos of transition. It's going to remind you to choose yourself so you don't get lost in to-dos or other's needs.
In the planner, you'll find space to …
Prioritize yourself in the midst of the needs and demands of others
Set your prayer intentions for the day
Write The Word or other daily inspiration
Plan your morning, afternoon, & evening
Set realistic daily goals or to-do's and focus on your priorities
Meal plan
Celebrate a win (which you will then share with us…of course)
List your gratitudes
You can find a link to the planner right in the show notes, on our website under "shop", or in our link tree on Instagram.
You're doing beautiful work momma!
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Looking for items shared in our podcasts?!
- Here's the Editable Homeschool Clipboard Template
- Here's our Homeschool Plan Like A Mother Guide!
- For the 12 Week Planner, click here! (Use code PODCASTMOM for 20% off!)
- Get your Deliberate Start here!
- Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
- For the Favorites List, go here.
- If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
We're back with our "Just a Mom series" and this month we're tackling all things postpartum!
Have you ever laughed and peed yourself even just a little or had a c-section only for them to send you home with basically just a high five and a "listen to your body", or you noticed your insides up in the nether regions aren't quite where they should be anymore, or sex just isn't what it once was … if so, you're going to love our guest today as much as we did, when we met her!
Today we've got Dr. Angela Turnow, orthopedic and pelvic floor physical therapist and momma of 3…in addition to all her titles and experience working with fellow mommas, she's also overcome her own struggles with pelvic floor issues and the mindset struggles that come from adjusting to our new bodies post-pregnancy.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Well, Tiff and I have thought a lot about this actually and we started making life notes to our future selves. Our Grandma selves (whom we affectionally call Mor Mor and Honey) so we will remember the kind of help that might be helpful and how it feels to be on this side of the equation. The overwhelmed, exhausted, just trying to figure it all out side.
This episode isn't just about how to support a post-partum momma coming home with her first brand new baby...but our seasoned momma friends too...who need support too, even if they look like they have it all figured out! Maybe especially if they look like they have it all figured out...because none of us do. And ALLL of us could benefit from being cared for in special ways.
More than anything I think we all need support, especially in big transitions.
And while this title is the Proper Care and Feeding of a new mom...this episode ins't just to inspire you to support others, but it's for our expectant mommas too This is not only for you to hear and support other mommas, but to hear and try on ways that YOU might need support because when people ask, "what do you need/how can I help you/let me know if you need anything" it's really hard to say...I want a live-in nanny that speaks two languages, loves to cook, and isn't overbearing. She needs to be free, love Starbucks and thrive on cleaning and scouring bathrooms.
So since that isn't likely on the table of options...here are some ideas…
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Let’s face it, we LOVE Homeschooling, but it can be a lonely journey! Depending on your location and your tribe, you may wake up one day to realize that you've spent the last 3 years in your house and not one of your children owns a "real" pair of pants (except their church pair of course). If this is you…no shame!
We would like to tell you about an option you may not have thought of…a homeschool group! There may even be several to choose from in your area, and if not…maybe you need to consider putting YOUR gifts to use and start one!
In fact, today's guest is a momma who did just that!
…she’s successfully built a FREE social group that offers an incredible array of social activities for every age and style of homeschooler or school at home children, and the group is thriving!
We are thrilled to have Erin, the founder & leader of the NWF SHARE.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Perhaps you imagine homeschooling to look something like this…
Kids wake up promptly at 6:30 am, make their beds, get dressed, brush their teeth and head to the impeccably and incredibly well-stocked homeschool room and sit happily in their desk and eagerly complete worksheet after worksheet before playing with hands-on manipulatives until, finally, at noon, it's time to break for lunch...
Ok sweet mommas, our fellow homeschoolers out there are laughing, because they know this is an unrealistic expectation and standard for our homeschools.
We've talked about our 'why's' and the benefits we've seen in our own families, so we thought it would only be appropriate to speak to the harder parts of homeschooling. So, if you're considering it, you don't feel blindsided, and if you're already doing it, you don't feel alone.
Because, like parenting, homeschooling isn't for the weak of heart, but just like parenting it will strengthen your heart along the way.
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
If you've ever wanted to pick the brain of a homeschool mom who's been there and DONE that...boy do we have a podcast for you!
We gathered up some homeschool mommas with years and years of experience! And not JUST in homeschooling...but two were also previous teachers. All three of these beautiful mommas have six kids or more so the stories and advice you're going to hear will be seasoned, honest, and encouraging. They have graciously agreed to answer our questions and give their thoughts about traditional school, homeschool, and everything in between.
I am so excited to welcome Brenda, Barbara, & Cathy!
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
Welcome back to the Deliberate Day Podcast...we're your hosts, Brittany & Tiffany and today is OUR why for homeschooling.
There are as many different reasons to homeschool as there are options for curriculum and your reasons will even change over time...because homeschooling is a journey WITH your kids and you are ALL growing through it.
We also want to add a caveat that we don't believe everyone should be homeschooled. We do feel strongly about it for our families (as you will be hearing), but we also recognize that homeschooling is a very personal decision based on your unique family and situation and we fully understand that it IS a privilege to homeschool.
Let's start with why we started homeschooling...
- Why We Started Homeschooling (00:50)
- What's Kept Us Homeschooling (12:15)
- Takeaways (36:10)
- Invitation (36:45)
Whether you're in camp homeschool or not, school is coming and you're going to need a plan for feeding your people. Head HERE to get your free meal planning kit. Getting this anchor in your day off your to-dos will make jumping into new routines and busy SO MUCH easier!
And finally remember,
You are doing beautiful work momma!
To find The Deliberate Day on Instagram, click here.
Find the complete podcast notes on our website.
Get your FREE Meal Planning Kit here.
For the Favorites List, go here.
If you're planning an adventure, you'll find the Ultimate Family Road Trip Guide here.
I would like to make a very bold statement...there are many reasons that you can't homeschool but you being unqualified...is NOT one of them. It is a lie and it's NOT. TRUE.
This is one of the most common things we hear that makes our hearts just ache. Momma, you've heard us say it before, but YOU are the best momma for your children, and that include their education.
We're shaking things up a bit today and we've asked a sweet momma on the podcast that is brand new to her own personal homeschooling journey.
We invited her to bring all her questions and inhibitions in hopes that it might speak to other mommas who are on the fence and are just looking for some more information or support.
Welcome Kendra Davis!
Children's books hold a special place in our hearts! Both of us read to our kids daily, and over the years we've collected more than a few favorite titles!
Would you like the list? Get it here!
Finally...remember sweet momma...you are doing beautiful work!
Just like podcasts, we are serious about reading! Today's episode is a list of our favorite momma books...the ones we read for ourselves! If you'd like the list of links, click here!
Remember sweet momma...you're doing beautiful work!
It shouldn't surprise you that we are both HUGE fans of podcasts...and today we wanted to share some of our favorites with you!
Would you like the full list (with links?!)...click here (link)!
Have you shared any of our episodes with a friend? Why not share another today!?
Finally, sweet momma, you are doing beautiful work!
Recipes are a BIG deal around here...especially since Brittany shares them each Wednesday! Listen in to hear our absolute favorites, and if you'd like the list, click here (link).
We'd love it if you'd rate the podcast, and please never forget...
You are doing beautiful work momma!
This week we're celebrating our 100th podcast episode...especially since most podcasts don't make it past episode 7!
We've recorded everywhere...hot cars, closet forts (with veiled threats and popsicles), in a fancy studio, AND at Brittany's desk with her dog clacking her feet...
This is HUGE for us!
So...all week we're sharing our favorites! Today, it's our favorite products!
Sometimes the smallest and oddest things find their way into our lives and become staples of every day life...
We're not sponsored...no affiliate links...we're just sharing our favorites!
Head here (link) to get the list for every episode this week!
Finally, you are doing beautiful work momma!
Summer is the time of year that everything goes off plan...even when you've taken time to plan well...you're still off routine and flying by the seat of your pants.
Asking yourself and your kids to go from that to perfectly planned days is madness...we need a transition period. Because it's a TRANSITION! And all life transitions need a bit more love in our opinion.
Whether you homeschool, public-school, private-school, or even no-school (I'm talking about our toddler moms). Summer shakes things up for everybody! It gets dark at different times, family and friends are visiting, the weather is changing, the activities ramp up...it really doesn't matter what stage of life you're in...life gets crazy in summer
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said, "Well-behaved women seldom make history", but this quotation doesn't mean what you think it means...
Thatcher, a historian, author, educator, and mother of 5 was dedicated to telling the quiet stories of ordinary people...and she won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Because, as she states, “it is in the very dailiness, the exhaustive, repetitious dailiness, that the real power lies… living has to be measured in doing.” and mommas...our lives are a very measure of doing, and doing, and doing.
We don't have to be aggressive, loud, and bold to change the world...there is power in our quiet contributions as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters...and they rarely get attention or credit, because well-behaved women seldom make history....but that doesn't mean our contributions aren't valuable, necessary, beautiful, and worthy.
In our new series, "Just" a Mom, we are celebrating YOUR stories, the seemingly ordinary. Because no mom is 'just' a mom and we all have triumphs, struggles, challenges, and beauty to share. And frankly, other moms need to hear them.
Welcome to the "Just" a Mom series – Today we have Simone Florez!
This is the second part of our Summer of Adventure Series...because when we start talking about things we're passionate about it always ends up as a series...EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Our Summer of Adventure is a concept that we came up with to invite our kids into imagination, growth, and experiences while making memories and keeping summer rolling smoothly without burning all our money or sanity. Today we're digging into thoughts and logistics for when you're on the go during your adventures.
If you're planning a summer of adventure save this podcast and send it to a friend so together you can plan your OWN summer of adventure!
rate the podcast…pretty please
You are doing beautiful work momma!
…It was when I first met the idea that my car could REALLY serve me……
We're coming back today talking about Our Summer of Adventure. It's a concept that we came up with to invite our kids into imagination, growth, and experiences while making memories and keeping summer rolling smoothly without burning all our money or sanity.
- Planning (01:05)
- Ideas (04:43)
- Ground Rules (09:45)
- Prep Your Vehicle (25:45)
- Takeaways (35:47)
f you're planning a summer of adventure save this podcast and send it to a friend so you can plan your OWN summer of adventure!
rate the podcast…pretty please
Remember momma…
You are doing beautiful work!
Welcome back to the Just a Mom series! Of course no mom is JUST a mom and in this series we're shinning a little light on mommas AND their stories. If we've learned anything in the past 14 years connecting mommas, it's that our seemingly ordinary and quiet stories connect and encourage fellow mommas more than we know. And after learning the real meaning behind the quote "Well-behaved women seldom make history" we knew we needed to get more mommas sharing their stories.
Dr. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, the owner of that quotation, as well as a historian, author, educator, and mother of 5 was dedicated to telling the quiet stories of ordinary people...and she won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Because, as she states, “it is in the very dailiness, the exhaustive, repetitious dailiness, that the real power lies… living has to be measured in doing.” and mommas...we are ALWAYS doing!
It's the really difficult dailiness that holds so much of the beauty of our contributions as mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters...and it rarely gets attention or credit, because as Ulrich stated, well-behaved women seldom make history. So let's change that.
5 kids...12 days...one van....over 5,000 miles...all in the middle of the Pandemic....and no I'm not talking about our big family road trip from back in 2021...our guest today road-tripped as a family from the far reaches of Alaska all the way down to Florida when they got PCS orders from the Army back in 2021. She is a devoted homemaker, homeschools, has a bearded dragon, and is a talented artist. She is due with her 6th precious baby ANY DAY NOW and has become a dear friend of ours. Ashley Davis...welcome!
Tallulah MADE every trip after doable.
“Kids don’t remember their best day of television.” – Unknown
Here we are on Day 5 of our Road Tripping with Family series...we have had WAY too much fun recalling all our adventures and the lessons we've learned, we hope you have too!
Today we're talking about AFTER the trip is over.
Listen in our humble, but totally right and informed opinions…trips are worth it 100% of the time.
The stories…the shenanigans…the near death experiences…the worst of the worst…the best of the best…the funny…ALLL the things…they make memories lasting memories you can't fabricate any other way. They bond, they connect, they encourage, they build. THEY ARE WORTH IT.
And these lessons we've learned along the way make each and every "next" trip a little easier.
We're coming today because almost no one considers what happens AFTER the trip…and boy do we have some thoughts and ideas to share here.
Okay If we haven't convinced you yet that travel deserves a spot in your memories…you might not be our people…but if you are…we didn't get all this hard won knowledge for nothing! We put it all together in a guide for planning the Ultimate Family Road Trip. There are check-lists, our best tips for thrifty & peaceful travel, and our favorite on the go meals to prep ahead. Just pop over to the podcast notes of this episode or DM us the words road trip on instagram to get it! And share this series with any momma friends you know that are traveling this summer!
You are doing beautiful work momma!
Welcome back...this is day 467 of our Road Tripping with Family series...
No, in reality, it's day 4, but we have to tell you...this started out as one quick easy podcast and turned into a whole series that keeps growing even as we record them! Heck, Tiff didn't even know she felt so strongly about road trips until we did this!
If you get nothing else out of this series...let it be that trips will impact your family in the most memorable ways...if you let them.
Trips really are worth the challenges...it's a lot like motherhood you see some things, you learn some things, and you are never the same after. But in the best way.
And it often starts with how we allow our trips to settle on our minds and hearts, both in the process of them, but also in reliving them after.
If you're ready to make memories, but need a little help we got you...go hit us up on IG with the words Road Trip or jump into the podcast notes for the link to get our free guide for planning the Ultimate Family Road Trip, you'll get check-lists, our best tips for thrifty & peaceful travel, and our favorite on the go meals to prep ahead.
And share this series with any momma friends you know that are traveling this summer!
You are doing beautiful work momma!
Your family is still going to be your family no matter where you are.
“A road trip is a way for the whole family to spend time together and annoy each other in interesting new places.” – Tom Lichtenheld
This is Day 3 of our Road Tripping with Family series...we are no strangers to little or big adventures with kiddos and we started sharing some of the lessons we've learned and tucked away from roughly 18+ years of traveling with kids. Today is all about what we do and consider ON the actual trip.
Listen trips are worth it. That's it. They just are. There are things that happen on trips with your people that you just can't create any other way. We are huge supporters of taking family trips (note we did NOT call them vacations) and we have GOT the tips and tricks to encourage and prepare you to make really good memories with your people (and not lose your mind along the way.
Takeaways
The Day of:
Decide when you want to leave. Take advantage of our "day of" checklist to make sure you can leave the house with peace of mind, and then get excited with your people for your first stop!
Travel Systems that Serve
- Safety first…create travel boundaries for the family, ensure the car is maintained and ready for the trip, and keep an eye on the route…be ready for weather, construction, and seasonal challenges.
- When it comes to on-the-road entertainment, less is more. Look for things that engage and encourage connection.
- Look for passes to stay thrifty on your trip and make entrances quicker and easier by purchasing them ahead.
- Food is a big deal. Maybe even especially on a trip. Put your co-pilot and your kids to work, create a standard order for your favorite spots and have it on hand, don't be afraid to pack ready meals, sandwich fixings, and especially great snacks! Nothing sticky y'all.
- Breaks are a NECESSITY! Give them the time they deserve, let your people have space and time to explore and move their body, and make sure there are bathrooms available.
- Packing can be the best way to be kind to tomorrow's you on a trip. Learn what systems serve you best and pivot as often as needed until you find what works best for you.
Invitation
Go on a trip! The memories are SO worth it!...and before you go, we made you something to make your trip even easier. Go message us the words road trip on IG or jump into the podcast notes for the link to get our free guide for Planning the Ultimate Family Road Trip, you'll get check-lists, our best tips for thrifty & peaceful travel, and our favorite on the go meals to prep ahead.
And share this series with any momma friends you know that are traveling this summer!
You are doing beautiful work momma!
As we're getting into the heart of summer we wanted to share some of the lessons we've learned and tucked away from roughly 18+ years of traveling with kids. This is not a to do list, but just some thoughts on our list of considerations when we're planning adventures.
We REALLY believe in the importance and value of taking trips with your people (and even without them) so let this be something that helps you feel better prepared...and not overwhelmed, because once we started writing this stuff down it went from one episode to 3...because we have learned SO much and because gosh darn it, we just love to talk...and short and sweet clearly isn't our jam.
Takeaways:
When it comes to packing for a family trip
- Know what type of packer you are and lean in to that!
- Pack to be kind to tomorrow's you
- Consider your family, your vehicle and your trip when you are packing...what tactics or tips can you take away from this podcast to use to serve you and your family the best?
Invitation
Hey! If we didn't lose you yet and you're still considering going on a road trip...before you go, we want to give you something to make it easier! Britt made a free guide for Planning the Ultimate Family Road Trip, you'll get a planning check-list, our best tips for thrifty & peaceful travel, and our favorite on the go meals to prep ahead. Just head here or DM us the words road trip on instagram to get it
We drove over 5k miles…over 21 days…in one van…with 9 people.
And I can tell you…Traveling…in any capacity…is going to change you. You will have SEEN some things…especially when you travel with kids… because “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” – John Steinback
As we're getting into the heart of summer we wanted to share some of the lessons we've learned and tucked away from roughly 18+ years of traveling with kids. This is not a to do list, but just some thoughts on our list of considerations when we're planning adventures.
We REALLY believe in the importance and value of taking trips with your people (and even without them) so let this be something that helps you feel better prepared...and not overwhelmed, because once we started writing this stuff down it went from one episode to 3...because we have learned SO much and because gosh darn it, we just love to talk...and short and sweet clearly isn't our jam.
Takeaways:
When you start planning it's really good to consider:
- Decide what kind of traveler you & your people are...lean-in and plan for that!
- Know your budget & the budget of the people you may be visiting or staying with and plan within those boundaries.
- Consider your animal's needs and find a good neighbor, homeschool kid, or place to board them well in advance (and maybe even have a backup option). Don't forget all their accessories.
- Spend a little time deciding not only your destination, but how you want to get there and who or what you want to see along the way.
- Every road trip has a flow...decide what kind of road trip flow you want or your family will need and plan around that.
- Don't forget that flexibility and rest are both important components of an enjoyable "trip" and deserve some space and time in the plan.
When it comes to packing for a family trip
- Know what type of packer you are and lean in to that!
- Pack to be kind to tomorrow's you
- Consider your family, your vehicle and your trip when you are packing...what tactics or tips can you take away from this podcast to use to serve you and your family the best?
Invitation
Hey! If we didn't lose you yet and you're still considering going on a road trip...before you go, we want to give you something to make it easier! Britt made a free guide for Planning the Ultimate Family Road Trip, you'll get planning check-lists, our best tips for thrifty & peaceful travel, and our favorite on the go meals to prep ahead. Just head over to the podcast notes of this episode or DM us the words road trip on instagram to get it.
And share this series with any momma friends you know that are traveling this summer!
You are doing beautiful work momma!
Welcome to our rather tongue and cheek series, Just a mom...we all know NO mom is JUST a mom. We want to celebrate mommas AND their stories...the seemingly ordinary. Because beautiful things come of sharing our journeys, our struggles, AND our triumphs with each other!
Today we have a special guest who is near and dear to my heart, she is a devout Catholic, devoted wife, soon-to-be momma of 10, author, creator of an entire library of courses for mommas like us, and coach and mentor to Catholic businesswomen (specifically mommas like me!) all over the world!
Mommas, today we have Lisa Canning!
- Book Recommendations for Seasons of Survival (15:48)
- Where You Can Find Lisa Canning (48:00)
- Takeaways (49:00)
You can find Lisa at lisacanning.ca—where she has two coaching communities; the first—Wealth Without Guilt—is for business owners, and the second—Motherhood Without Guilt—is for General Life Coaching for Catholic Moms. Lisa can also be found on Instagram @lisacanning (this is the most real-time/real-life place you can find her).
Takeaways (49:00)
- Even when we’re at our lowest, the Lord sustains us.
- We have an opportunity for intimacy with the Lord in our darkest challenges.
- We have to fill our brain with evidence of how the Lord has shown up and how he continues to do so, because mommas, He is!
- “Perfection consists in doing the will of God, not in understanding his designs.” -Jean Pierre de Caussade.
- Grace builds upon nature.
- Even in the most challenging situations there are things we can control.
- It’s not easy to choose to be kind to future you instead of present you, but you will always, always be glad you did.
- We get to now dictate what “safety,” what “peace,” what “comfort” looks like, and it doesn’t have to be what we inherited.
- A holistic approach combining the mental, spiritual, and physical is SO necessary…and it’s not as “woo” as you might think!
Thank you for joining us for today’s episode, and remember momma…
You are doing beautiful work!
Recently, Britt and I took our first (of hopefully many) road trip! We learned SO much, and we figured we would share it with you! Listen in as we talk through our trip and the lessons we were able to walk away with!
Your takeaways (55:30)
- Nail down specifics before you start planning
- Prepping your family AND yourself will result in much easier transitions
- Ensure you're on the same page with the trip budget, where you're staying, and length of the trip
- Pay attention to the Garmin...he digs adventures and the adrenaline from surviving sketchy neighbors
- Have good boundaries around your capacity (with a healthy dose of flexibility)
- Laugh A LOT
Invitation (56:11)
We would love for you to go rate our podcast! We know it’s a lot of work, but it would help us so much! Or, if you would share any of our episodes with a friend, this would help us as well!
And remember momma…
You are doing beautiful work!
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said, "Well-behaved women seldom make history", but this quotation doesn't mean what you think it means...
Thatcher, a historian, author, educator, and mother of 5 was dedicated to telling the quiet stories of ordinary people...and she won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Because, as she states, “it is in the very dailiness, the exhaustive, repetitious dailiness, that the real power lies… living has to be measured in doing.” and mommas...our lives are a very measure of doing, and doing, and doing.
We don't have to be aggressive, loud, and bold to change the world...there is power in our quiet contributions as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters...and they rarely get attention or credit, because well-behaved women seldom make history....but that doesn't mean our contributions aren't valuable, necessary, beautiful, and worthy.
In our new series, "Just" a Mom, we are celebrating YOUR stories, the seemingly ordinary. Because no mom is 'just' a mom and we all have triumphs, struggles, challenges, and beauty to share. And frankly, other moms need to hear them.
Welcome to the "Just" a Mom series – Today we have the lovely Kelly Mayor. She is a mother of 4 and a licensed clinical social worker. She specializes in anxiety, OCD, phobias, and postpartum depression. She and her husband are both therapists and recently opened a private practice together. In addition to momming, serving so many others with her practice, she loves dancing, camping, and taking care of their chickens.
We're going to ask again...How are you? Really? Momma?
Your answer here...is actually much more important for you to hear...than us.
We did some digging into what Survival mode really means in motherhood...and we came up with some surprising insights...
First of all...in our humble opinion, survival mode isn't just a mode, it's a season
This is good news, I promise, because if you're in a season of survival, like all seasons in motherhood...it won't last forever.
- Seasons of Survival (00:52)
- Mindset (02:10)
- Ask for Help (06:50)
- Recap (17:36)
- Invitation (18:07)
We're starting a new Podcast Series and we are SO excited about it. It's called "Just" A Mom...and that's because no mom is "just" a mom...We really believe that mother's hold INCREDIBLE wisdom and knowledge and we want to tap into it and share it! Because we ALL have amazing stories, triumphs, challenges, and beauty to share with the world! We want to share these lessons, stories, struggles, and wins from moms of all types.
So many of the mommas we've been blessed to meet feel like their ordinary lives aren't anything interesting to share, but....we're here to tell you, that couldn't be farther from the truth. Your story could be exactly what another mother needs right now. So, if you know a mother, or you have a story to share, please reach out to us on Instagram @thedeliberateday.
Remember…
Momma, you are doing beautiful work!
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said, "Well-behaved women seldom make history", but this quotation doesn't mean what you think it means...
Thatcher, a historian, author, educator, and mother of 5 was dedicated to telling the quiet stories of ordinary people...and she won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Because, as she states, “it is in the very dailiness, the exhaustive, repetitious dailiness, that the real power lies… living has to be measured in doing.” and mommas...our lives are a very measure of doing, and doing, and doing.
We don't have to be aggressive, loud, and bold to change the world...there is power in our quiet contributions as mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters...and they rarely get attention or credit, because well-behaved women seldom make history....but that doesn't mean our contributions aren't valuable, necessary, beautiful, and worthy of being celebrated!
In our new series, "Just" a Mom, we are celebrating YOUR stories, the seemingly ordinary. Because no mom is 'just' a mom and we all have triumphs, struggles, challenges, and beauty to share. And frankly, other moms need to hear them.
Today we have Breanna Walsh, she's a homeschooling mom of 6, a wife of 20 years, and the owner of Tin Soldier Safety Latches. She's not only a child of God, but Britt's beautiful and wonderful sister!
- The Transition from Being a Person to Being a Mom (03:30)
- Becoming an Entrepreneur (13:03)
- The Transition to Homeschooling (14:22)
- Moving Constantly (17:57)
- The Invisible Load of Motherhood (23:00)
- Kids Growing Up and Leaving Home (29:35)
- Tips and Tricks for Moving (31:40)
- Learning the Skill of Resiliency (37:10)
- Final Questions (38:06)
- Where to Find Breanna Walsh (46:57)
- Takeaways (47:10)
You can find Breanna on Instagram here on Facebook here.
Thank you so much for listening to the podcast today, it means SO much, and we are SO incredibly grateful!
You've probably heard the quote, "Well-behaved women seldom make history", but you might be surprised by what Laurel Thatcher Ulrich really meant by this statement, and once you hear it you'll never be able to hear this quote the same way.
Thatcher, a historian, author, educator, and mother of 5 dedicated her work to telling the quiet stories of ordinary people...and she won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Because, as she states, “it is in the very dailiness, the exhaustive, repetitious dailiness, that the real power lies… living has to be measured in doing.” and mommas...our lives are a very measure in doing, and doing, and doing.
Often this quote is misunderstood to mean that in order to change the world and make a difference we must be aggressive, loud, and bold...but it was merely to share that the quiet and compliant contributions of women rarely get attention or credit for their accomplishments. That's us mommas. We're living that truth every single day, because what we do. It matters. Oh man does it matter.
In our new series, "Just" a Mom, we are celebrating the beautiful stories of ordinary, well-behaved women...who we know are far more than what we see at first glance. The lives we are living have incredible beauty and power in them, and we want to share them with the world.
Welcome to the ‘Just a Mom’ Series…
- Just a Mom (01:50)
- Mildred Clima Granger (02:20)
- Wilma Noble (06:20)
- Invitation (08:53)
But we KNOW that EVERY momma has a story and wisdom to share! During this series, we’ll be highlighting different women (like you and I) who have done amazing things…and we’d love to feature YOU! Reach out to us @thedeliberateday on Instagram and we’ll share ALL the details!
We're starting out today with a question...How are you? Really? Momma?
If you answered with I'm so tired...or overwhelmed...or I'm surviving...but barely...
We've got you.
We did some digging this week to talk about what has been commonly coined as "Survival mode" in motherhood...and we came up with some surprising insight...
First of all in our humble opinion...survival mode isn't just a mode, it's a season
Which is good news! Because if you're in a season of survival, it means it won't last forever.
The downside here is that because our motherhood is seasonal....new challenges can throw us back into a season of survival…
But what IF a season of survival isn't a BAD thing...but just a different season...and one that we can lean-in to?
Hear us out! I know that sounds trite...But it's very possible this new outlook might be exactly what you need to SURVIVE a season of survival.
- A Season of Survival
- How Seasons of Survival Have Showed Up in Our Lives
- Leaning-In During Seasons of Survival
- Recap
- Invitation
We're starting a new Podcast Series and we are SO excited about it! It's called "Just" A Mom...and that's because no mom is "just" a mom...We really believe that mothers hold INCREDIBLE wisdom and knowledge and we want to tap into it and share it! Because we ALL have amazing stories, triumphs, challenges, and beauty to share with the world! We want to share these lessons, stories, struggles, and wins from moms of all types.
So many of the mommas we've been blessed to meet feel like their ordinary lives aren't anything interesting to share, but....we're here to tell you, that couldn't be further from the truth. Your story could be exactly what another mother needs right now. So, if you know a mother, or you have a story to share, please reach out to us on Instagram @thedeliberateday.
The truth with our money is that we're often just budgeting to avoid loss rather than work toward or enjoy a gain. This small, but simple shift can make ALL the difference in how our budgets play out and how we behave with them.
Budgets aren't just a tool to cut back, but a tool for intentional spending based on what is most important to you...aka your priorities and your goals.
We need to start with the right mindset...that your budget is here to work FOR you...not take-away FROM you. One of the best ways to do this is to get clarity on what your budget is allowing you to do and to make plans for what you want it to do.
If we're honest, our money is doing A LOT for us and with the right direction it can do even more.
- Mindset (01:05)
- The "B" Word (01:27)
- Starting with Abundance (02:07)
- Owning Your Money Choices (03:13)
- Making Room for Goals (05:04)
- Check-In Regularly (06:51)
- Pivot Often (07:55)
- Recap (08:12)
If you're the skeptic and you're still with us, OR if you've been IN from the start…but you still aren't sure exactly where to begin doing this work, we have something that will help you. We know that hearing this information is just the first step, and we have something that can help you take the next step, and it's a resource we created called the Deliberate Start.
There are many different sections that will serve you, but specifically for starting from where you are and getting you to where you want to be with your finances, there are two sections we want to highlight…which are the financial reflection and the financial beginnings.
These two sections will help you build a relationship with your finances and get clarity and focus on how to move forward.
Because we need to take ownership of our money and how it's being spent and we all need a place to start.
Look for the link to the Deliberate Start in our show notes, on our IG bio, or on the website.
And remember...
YOU are doing beautiful work momma.
We say it all the time, life happens and I think anyone would agree that there's been A LOT OF LIFE happening the past few years. Between the entire world shutting down for a bit...prices running wild....unexpected layoffs....and just the normal life transitions that we're all expected to navigate...it's been a bit hard even for seasoned budgeters to keep everything in the green.
So knowing that mucking up your budget is really a part of life…how do you get back on track when you do?
This list is not to bring shame, or guilt you about falling off the bandwagon … it's really about being real about where you are, deciding to do something different, and moving forward with small deliberate ACTION.
Shame and guilt don't deserve a ticket on this train.
- STOP spending. (01:34)
- Practice "no" and "not this time." (02:23)
- Cut back on the "easy" stuff. (03:18)
- Be a team WITH your husband. (05:02)
- Check on those large-ticket bills for possible reductions. (06:44)
- Organize your pantry…then eat from it. (07:38)
- Sell stuff! (08:19)
- Check your emotions around money! (09:00)
- Learn what events trigger your spending. (09:46)
- Keep your "why" at the forefront! (11:55)
- Check in with your grocery budget. (12:50)
- Recap (13:45)
One wonderful way to support our momma friends is to let them know we're thinking about them when we're not together…we can do that by sending a text, sharing our favorite pin that made us think of them, OR by sharing a podcast we think they'd like! Today we'd like you to share our podcast with your two closest friends…is there an episode you've loved? SHARE IT!
And don't forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work momma!
You have been talking...and we have been listening...so here it is...17 reasons your budget isn't working for you...because who wants a list of 5 or 10 when you can have 17?!
- You’re An Optimist (00:50)
- You’re Not Reconciling Regularly (01:44)
- You Don't Have Family Buy-in (03:30)
- You Don't Actually Know the Cost of Things (05:26)
- You Aren't Aware of What You Really Make (07:03)
- You Don't Actually Know What You're Spending Right Now (08:30)
- You Forget About Infrequent Expenses (10:02)
- You Don't Get (or give) Your Spouse an Allowance (11:45)
- You’re Staying in Budget, But Only by Borrowing to Cover Overages (14:38)
- You (or your spouse) Isn't Practicing Self-control (15:50)
- You Don't Have Any Savings or a Buffer (17:00)
- You Have an Overcomplicated System (19:17)
- You Got Overwhelmed, Shut Down, and Said, "Screw It" (20:25)
- You Don't Have a Good Reason TO Stay in Budget (a WHY) (22:00)
- Your Budget Isn't a Living Thing (22:50)
- You Hate the Word 'Budget' (Mindset!) (24:00)
- You're Human (26:05)
- Recap (27:05)
Have you rated our podcast yet? We would LOVE your feedback (you'd be surprised how hard it is to get feedback for a podcast) What do you love? What would you like to hear more of? Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Right now, before you leave your podcast app-give us a review and a rating! (5 stars is our favorite).
This helps us fulfill our mission of encouraging, empowering and entertaining as many mommas as possible!
And don't forget…
YOU are doing beautiful work momma!
Some of our greatest adulting lessons come from managing money for our families and homes.
It isn't everything, but it does serve us in many ways and CAN if we are responsible and intentional with it. Our finances should be a reflection of the life and family we are cultivating in our home.
And the hard truth is...for too many of us that's not the case.
If your current financial state makes you feel shame, fills you with regret, or leaves you feeling down-right depressed after you look at it...
You need to take responsibility and own where you are. Acknowledging that the decisions you made up until now, led you here. HOWEVER, shame, regret, and depression will not get you where you need to go.
So you need to LET. THOSE. THINGS. GO.
Why don't we explore a few questions that can you figure out what brought you here so you CAN move forward. Because Brenden Brouchard says Life is our greatest teacher, and to follow that up, Jim Kwik says, Knowledge isn't power unless you use it...
- What is a Money Mindset? (02:30)
- The Last 12 Months (07:20)
- Looking for the Lessons (11:10)
- Working With Your Money Mindset (15:38)
- Recap (16:35)
- Invitation (17:35)
If we're speaking directly to your pocketbook right now and you want to dig a little deeper, we have two sections of the Deliberate Start that are for you…the Financial Reflection and the Financial Beginning. The financial reflection helps you gain a birds eye view to move forward from and the financial beginnings pages lay the foundation for the financial state you want to cultivate going forward. Because we need to take ownership of our money and how it's being spent and we all need a place to start.
Look for the link to the Deliberate Start here, on our IG bio, or on the website.
We've all been there…sitting at the dinner table with a toddler who is REFUSING to eat the food that you so lovingly purchased, cooked, and plated.
We've received so many questions about dealing with picky eaters.
Today, we've invited an occupational therapist on the podcast and we're talking about picky eating vs. sensory issues...how to know which camp your child falls in, and real tactics to put into place so meal times aren't such a battle.
- Kelly Shoup-Occupational Therapist (01:12)
- Kelly's Journey (02:05)
- Picky Eaters vs. Children with Sensory Issues (05:20)
- How Should we Handle Picky Eaters (17:05)
- If you Don't Want Food Wasted (24:50)
- When Meal Time is a Battle in Big Families (26:24)
- What is One Piece of Wisdom for New(er) Moms (32:14)
Kelly has a quiz on her IG linktree (@kellykshoup) and available on her website here! Kelly has a monthly membership where she helps moms (click here for info), and it is a wonderful way to reach out, learn from Kelly, AND from other moms! Kelly also does a 911 SOS call for families (get info on that here), and finally…she works individually with families as well (check that out here)!
Handling picky eaters doesn’t have to be as difficult as some of us have made it out to be!
If you're not on our list yet, DM us on Instagram @thedeliberateday with the word picky and we'll send you a link for ALL the goodies.
There's a huge, big wide world out there and it holds so many of God's gifts, and it would be such a boring life not experience these things…
We've met grown adults who ONLY eat chicken nuggets, who won't eat eggs because they didn't like them when they were 4…
As moms, we have the opportunity to build that muscle in our kids, to teach them to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and FOOD is a GREAT place to start.
Having a rich food life will trickle into so many other parts of life, and food connects EVERYONE! Food connects ALL of us, and is such a gift of love and service! If we never tried anything, it would be a travesty!
If this isn’t the time or season for you to pick up this practice right now, we get it…but it can be easier than you think!
- Why this is a Battle Worth Choosing (03:04)
- How to Address Picky Eating (05:50)
- From the "Experts" (20:12)
- Recap (25:37)
Have you rated the podcast yet? We would LOVE if you would rate us! 5 stars is our FAVORITE, but feedback is so hard on podcasts! We’d love to know if you have any ideas or topics you’d like us to cover…what do you think of the topics we’ve covered so far…is it resonating with you? Are you enjoying it? Is this podcast speaking to your heart?
Finally, remember…
You are doing beautiful work!
We've talked about our goals, we've talked about your spouse's goals...now it's time we talk about our kids' goals.
If you're already a goal-getter or your husband is, it's likely your kids have already been bit by the bug and their enthusiasm for goals is already high... if so, these ideas should inspire you to encourage them even further!
But especially if you aren't, if you're still a skeptic of jumping in and supporting your kid's lemonade stand, or their desire to sell rocks at the end of the driveway....this episode is for you.
So the question here is: why should we support our kids' goals?!
You might not be dying to help your kid make 50 cupcakes for a school bazaar, but let me tell you....God gives us COUNTLESS opportunities to grow our children in the safety of our greenhouse and strengthen them so they are well prepared for the world when it comes. Using their goals as a foundation for growth is just such an opportunity.
- The Benefits of Goals for Kids (01:36)
- Where to Begin (02:00)
- Once they Choose their Goal (03:13)
- Get the frame Brittany mentioned HERE
- Kid Wins (24:20)
- Q & A (28:17)
- Recap (37:32)
Have you enjoyed the podcast?!
If so, let us know! Head over to your favorite platform and give us a rating! 5 stars are our favorite, but we love ALL your feedback!
You are doing beautiful work momma! Thanks for spending this time with us today.
Whether you're coming from a place of not receiving the support you need from your husband, or being really honest about the fact that you aren't providing your husband support...this podcast is for you.
You heard us mention in a previous episode, that enthusiasm begets enthusiasm…well, we're here to tell you that support begets support.
And one of the best ways to GET support is TO support. Not to mention that supporting is literally a part of our vocations.
- Showing Support to Your Husband (02:35)
- Show Interest
- Create Space
- Be Resourceful
- Hold Boundaries
- Encourage Them
- Don't love them out of their goals
- Celebrate with them!
- Husband Wins (33:00)
- Recap (34:41)
Before we go, we have to share some exciting news! We are hosting a beta group for our Deliberate Start program and we're marking it down from $69 to just $9. It will include a 30-minute 1-on-1 call to get you started, 1 Month of weekly group calls to encourage, inspire, and empower you, the latest version of the Deliberate Start (and all future digital revisions), as well as the chance to impact other moms...because as part of this beta group we're asking for your valuable feedback and engagement.
You can find the link HERE, our Instagram bio, and on our website. And the code to join the beta and get that low price is BETA23.
You are doing beautiful work momma!
There's a lot of talk and support out there for going after our own goals, but today we wanted to turn the tables...so we've invited someone really special here to talk about how we can support our spouses in THEIR goals…
- Karyn Macfarlane-Supporting Stars (01:42)
- Why Supporting Stars (02:15)
- Tactics for Supporting Our Spouses (06:18)
- Where to Find Karyn (33:50)
Karyn is running a beta experience of her MVP (most valuable partner) program here. She also has a freebie called, “5 Ways to Stay Sane While Your Man is on the Road,” and you can get that here. Finally, Karyn is @Karynmacfarlane on Instagram.
Going after our own goals has a huge impact on our husbands and children, not only because more often than not our goals affect our families…but because we teach so much louder with our actions than our words.
In this episode we want to talk about inviting our people into our goals. The why and the how…
- Today's Sponsor (01:00)
- Goals (01:45)
- Why bring our people in? (03:23)
- Bringing our People in (14:50)
- Q & A (23:34)
- Mom Wins (40:19)
- Recap (44:55)
- Invitation (45:28)
Hey, we want to get the Deliberate Start into your hands....we know that when moms are supported, encouraged, and inspired, they're not living in survival mode. This is why we would love for you to join our beta group and test this amazing resource made specifically for moms.
We're offering a coupon code to drop the price from $69 to just $9 for the full Deliberate Start Guide, as well as thoughtful feedback and a month of weekly meet-ups to support you.
That coupon code is BETA23 that's B-e-t-a-2-3
You are doing beautiful work momma.
Today, we’re going to give you a peak behind the curtain and talk about what we’re doing and where we’re going at The Deliberate Day!
See Britt’s beautiful reel (that we mentioned in the episode here).
We talk about how it all started, how it’s been going, and OUR big dreams (after asking you to work out all of yours for an entire month)!
Invitation (32:00)
What did you think? Send us a DM and let us know! Also, do you have a big dream? Share it with us if you’d like…we’ll pray for yours if you pray for ours!
If you haven't tried the Deliberate Start yet, send us an email or message us on IG and we’ll send you the link for Free sneak peak pages.
Cultivating a mindset that will help us cope with the challenges and endure in the messy middle starts with building up our personal trust again...our inner trust.
It begins by speaking truth and changing our self-talk and by keeping little promises to ourselves again.
Surely we have your interest piqued and you're asking...okay, I'm in, so now what...how do I actually do those things?
- Speaking Truth (08:05)
- Self-Talk (10:20)
- Making and Keeping Promises (11:47)
- Recap (14:35)
Choose one of these steps to try this week...start with the one that seems the absolute easiest to tackle. Make a commitment to give it a chance, and then let us know if you need encouragement on the way.
If you haven't tried the Deliberate Start yet, send us an email or message us on IG and I'll send you the link for Free sneak peak pages.
Momma, the goals you go after, the little battles you fight every day...they are changing lives
(truly they are)
And IF you take the time to assess what you've been living, you're going to learn the lessons that have been available to you the WHOLE time...
Which is why, today we'll be walking you through the 30-day motherhood assessment that's included in the Deliberate Start Guide
- 30-Day Motherhood Assessment (01:40)
- You are here (01:51)
- Where you met resistance (03:15)
- What went well (05:42)
- How did I pause or cope (08:37)
- What I said yes/no to that was good/bad (10:10)
- My wins (16:00)
- Resources I loved or enjoyed (22:40)
- What I learned (24:20)
- The ONE thing I want to prioritize in the next 30-days (27:40)
- Recap (29:50)
- Mom Wins (30:50)
- Invitation (33:50)
Come back and do this assessment each month...DO IT momma...it really will change your motherhood. It's here FOR you and it's free because it's our mission to serve mommas.
We believe that an empowered, encouraged and equipped mother will change her family.
And if you would rather have it in an easy to use and pretty to look at format you can print again and again, go get our Deliberate Start Guide.
It's a life and goal planning guide that capitalizes on the power of reflection (that we've been talking about all week), the excitement of new beginnings, and the power of strategic goal planning that was created specifically with the challenges of motherhood in mind.
Today we're going to embrace the suck.
Because motherhood is HARD.
There's no ifs, ands, or buts, about it.
We are too often battling spirits of overwhelm, despair, anxiety, and exhaustion along-side these beautiful joys that also accompany our days.
Discouragement can be seen and felt...everywhere right now.
And while we're not celebrating all of us feeling discouragement...it does mean we aren't alone.
Because when we're seeing all the highlights it's so easy to feel alone.
Like the problem is with YOU...
That your goals and dreams keep failing, because you are a failure....
Or because there's just not enough of you to do it all.
BUT
You aren't alone.
And We're all feeling it.
However...It's important that we aren't giving in to our own desolations, that we're battling them and winning...even just a little bit each day.
You heard from some mommas in our last podcast doing JUST THAT. And you'll get to hear some more at the end of this podcast.
btw...Keep the wins coming because your wins are worth celebrating! Just email or message them and we'll take care of the rest.
The real truth is that Motherhood IS hard...
The real beauty is that in the struggle...we are becoming.
And it means that…
We're in the game! We're doing the things!
These challenges we're coming up against are shaping us into the best version of ourselves...
We aren't staying steeped in our perceived failures or difficult struggles.
They still come to visit, but we're acknowledging them and sending them on their way.
Momma, the work you do every day, the goals you go after, they are changing lives (we're not even exaggerating here).
...but the reality is that in this everyday work, in these goals...we meet resistance.
It comes in all forms too...
Surprise visitors
Everyone getting a stomach bug
A child leaving your garage freezer open and all your stock defrosting and going bad
School started (or stopped)
Kids routines being thrown off
A hurricane or other natural disasters
The babysitter canceling last minute
And when these issues come up, we all need tools in place to overcome them.
In podcast 65 we talked about taking your goals and breaking them down into mini goals and action steps.
This week we're speaking directly to how these goals, mini goals, and actions steps meet resistance in the days, weeks, and months of our motherhoods and giving you tools to greet them where they are.
Today we're taking those same steps we talked about in episode #68 and we're looking at them from mountain top view, with a weekly perspective.
- Before the Mess (03:47)
- In the Mess (15:05)
- After the Mess (21:05)
- Recap (23:08)
- Wins (24:33)
If you haven't heard about it yet, we created The Deliberate Start Guide and it's a resource made specifically for moms. It's a life and goal planning guide that capitalizes on the power of reflection, the excitement of new beginnings, and strategic and well planned goals that will help you achieve them even within the chaos of motherhood (and more importantly within YOUR capacity in this season).
We want to give you a sneak peak and help you get a jump start on this guide, FOR FREE. Just send us the words sneak peek in our IG message or via email at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org
This week we want to honor the struggle.
Because motherhood is HARD.
There are spirits of defeat, discouragement, fear, inadequacy, and sadness that we’re fighting Every. Single. Day.
And frankly...Discouragement is everywhere you look.You can feel it and see it...like at the beginning of the pandemic.
But ESPECIALLY after 2022.
And while that's not something to celebrate, the truth is, when everything looks good (social media highlights) it's easy to feel lonely.
Or like the problem is with YOU.
That your goals and dreams don't work because you don't work hard enough.
Or because you aren't enough to do it all.
BUT
You aren't alone.
We're all feeling it, but there are mommas fighting against these same demons and winning. You heard some mommas' wins in our last podcast and you're going to hear some more!
PSST...Keep the wins coming! We'll let you know how you can send them in at the end...Motherhood IS hard BUT you can struggle on the daily and still accomplish big things.
The beauty here in the struggle is...we are becoming.
These challenges are what shape us into the best version of ourselves...
Going after these goals means we're in the game! We're doing the things!
We're in the arena (maybe even with real lions).
We aren't living in our defeat, discouragement, fear, inadequacy, or sadness.
They might still come to visit, but we're hugging them and sending them on their merry stinking way.
Your goals will change the world (we're not even kidding here)...but the reality is life is going to happen.
Your kid is going to have an accident when you're walking out the door.
A cold is going to run through the house the last 5 weeks of the year.
Your cat is going to eat 4' of yarn (financial freedom year).
Someone is going to break something
Your travel plans are going to have a hitch...like a flat tire, or a snowed in cabin.
You'll throw your hip out while you're putting on your pants and have to rest instead of exercise.
You'll have nights where no one sleeps and you're so sleep deprived only survival is possible the next day.
And when it does...you're going to need tools to deal with it.
So how do we recommit to moving forward, to getting back on track, when it does?
In podcast 65 we talked about taking your goals and breaking them down into mini goals and actions steps.
This week we're speaking directly to how these goals, mini goals, and actions steps meet resistance in the days, weeks, and months of our motherhoods and giving you tools to greet them where they are.
Today is all about daily resistance.
- Before the Mess (04:56)
- In the Mess (19:55)
- After the Mess (33:42)
- Recap (37:48)
- Wins (38:35)
We want to keep this beautiful thing going!
If you’d like to send your mom wins in, we would LOVE to share them!
You can record a quick voice memo on your phone and send it to us on IG or via email to Brittany@thedeliberateday.org
All last week we told you, YOU GET TO HAVE GOALS!
Today we’re going to introduce you to some mommas who had goals and crushed them!
First, we’ll talk about why goals succeed! Jon Acuff always says, “Success leaves clues.” So, today we’ll talk about the two areas where you’ll succeed with goals, first in the setting of the goals, and then in the execution of the goals.
- Success in Setting Goals (01:15)
- Success in Executing Goals (14:05)
- Recap (36:50)
- Wins (37:40)
- Invitation (54:44)
Momma you get to have goals, if you don't have the Deliberate Start goal planning guide yet, we want to give you a small taste of what's in there by sharing the personal reflection and personal beginning pages for free.
You can get it:
On Instagram (Thedeliberateday) -- DM us with the words: Sneak Peek
Or by emailing us at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org
Happy goal planning momma!
Momma, all last week we told you, YOU get to have goals!
If you were with us for last week’s podcast, you walked with us through our beloved goal planning guide The Deliberate Start. That was borne from so many years of goal planning with the experts, testing out all their methods, all while making tweaks and changes, because motherhood is really unique. It’s a unique vocation, a unique job, a unique calling…there are challenges unique to motherhood that you just don’t see in the rest of the world.
We were really looking to make The Deliberate Start very accommodating to moms and the specific challenges we’re faced with every single day.
- Why Goals Fail (01:20)
- Failure in Goal Setting (02:00)
- Failure in Goal Execution (12:35)
- Recap (45:40)
- Invitation (47:05)
Momma you get to have goals, if you don't have the Deliberate Start goal planning guide yet, we want to give you a small taste of what's in there by sharing the personal reflection and personal beginning pages for free.
You can get it:
On Instagram (Thedeliberateday) -- DM us with the words: Sneak Peek
Or by emailing us at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org
Happy goal planning momma!
Moms get to have goals too…whether you’re a stay at home mom who’s busy raising little ones, a mom who feels like she’s barely surviving, or a mom who is balancing homeschooling, a side hustle, or ALL OF THE ABOVE. We’re here to tell you, you get to have goals.
We’re continuing to take you step by step through goal planning for moms,
We're talking honest to goodness moms who are living life balancing all the things and all the people. We started with self-reflection in podcast #61, unpacked a vision for your future in #62, and learned how to set priorities and align our goals in podcast #63, yesterday in podcast #64 we did Chose our big goals. Today we're breaking down ONE of those big goals with you into manageable and achievable steps.
The Deliberate Start came about from years of trial and error testing programs and suggestions from all kinds experts & resources. The only problem was none of them were made specifically taking the daily challenges and important mindset work unique to mommas.
This is a beautiful and heartfelt resource created exactly with mommas in mind. It includes 3 sections, the Deliberate Reflection, Deliberate Beginnings, and Deliberate Goal Planning. The prompts are designed to guide you with good questions, and checklists that solve the 'blank page problem' and will carry you through when your mom brain feels too exhausted to answer the deep questions. Whether you’re brand new to goal planning or a seasoned planner, we promise you, you’re going to hear something on this podcast, or you’re going to find something in the Deliberate Start that you’ve never considered before. I don't think there's any possible way you could do this guide and come away unchanged.
- Goal Breakdowns (02:30)
- Examples (04:20)
- 30-Day Goals Assessment (15:10)
- Assessment Questions (16:50)
- Invitation (20:20)
So, if you just jumped in on this podcast or you've been with us all along, we created a beautiful guide that walks you through getting a Deliberate Start on your life. It takes you step by step from reflection to a goals assessment made specifically with the unique beauties and challenges of motherhood in mind. It's all our podcasts in this series wrapped up in a comprehensive and lovely workbook, if that gets you fired up...NOW is the time for action. Go to here and get a copy of The Deliberate Start Guide!
Moms get to have goals too…whether you’re a stay at home mom who’s busy raising little ones, a mom who feels like she’s barely surviving, or a mom who is balancing homeschooling, a side hustle, or ALL OF THE ABOVE. We’re here to tell you, you get to have goals.
We’re continuing to take you step by step through goal planning for moms,
We're talking real mom-life moms, the ones balancing all the things and all the people. We started with self-reflection in podcast #61, unpacked a vision for your future in #62, then we learned how to set priorities and align our goals with them in podcast #63, and today is all about THE GOALS!
We've tried ALLLL the goal planning things and it's because of this that we created The Deliberate Start. It's designed by moms FOR moms. The experts have incredible suggestions, steps, and programs, but they always need tweaking to be able to apply them to the unique challenges and struggles of motherhood.
The Deliberate Start was created from its conception WITH the unique call to motherhood in mind. It has 3 sections, the Deliberate Reflection, Deliberate Beginnings, and Deliberate Goal Planning. The prompts are designed to guide you through with good questions and checklists that save you from overthinking or getting hung up staring at a blank page. Whether you’re brand new to goal planning or a seasoned planner, we promise you, you’re going to hear something on this podcast, or you’re going to find something in The Deliberate Start that you’ve never considered before. And dare we say, you cannot come away from this guide unchanged.
- Goals (02:15)
- Dreaming on Paper (03:25)
- Connecting Your Dreams with Your Big Picture (07:40)
- Narrowing Your Focus (11:00)
- Invitation (14:10)
If you're all in on this goal planning journey, OF COURSE YOU ARE! We've created a beautiful workbook that walks you through step by step with easy templates and checklists and even goes more in-depth than we're able to here on the podcast, if that gets you excited...head here, and get a copy of The Deliberate Start Guide!
Moms get to have goals too…whether you’re a stay at home mom who’s immersed in raising little ones, a mom who feels like she’s barely surviving, or a mom who is balancing homeschooling, a side hustle or ALL OF THE ABOVE. We’re here to tell you, you get to have goals.
We’re continuing to take you step by step through goal planning for REAL moms. We started with self-reflection, unpacked a vision for your future yesterday, today we're aligning those dreams with your priorities.
We have been goal planning for YEARRRRRS. It's because of all that trial and error (and learning how to grow dreams and goals WITH our husbands and children) that we created The Deliberate Start.
It’s a both lovely and meaningful guide designed specifically to speak to mothers in their daily challenges and areas of growth. It includes 3 sections, the Deliberate Reflection, Deliberate Beginnings, and Deliberate Goal Planning. The prompts are designed to guide you through with good questions, not to mention we solved the 'blank page problem' by creating checklists to carry you through when your mom brain is giving you mad writing block vibes. Whether you’re brand new to goal planning or a seasoned planner, you’re going to hear something on this podcast, or you’re going to find something in The Deliberate Start that you’ve never considered before. And dare we be so bold to say....this is going to be life-changing.
- Priorities (02:05)
- Invitation (08:45)
Just remember we're sharing from the Deliberate Goal Planning chapter and we walked you through ordering your priorities, but if you loved what you heard and you'd like to have everything laid out in front of you in a beautiful workbook with resources you can use again and again, you can head here, and get your own copy of The Deliberate Start Guide to print out today!
Moms get to have goals too…whether you’re a stay at home mom who’s immersed in raising little ones, a mom who feels like she’s barely surviving, or a mom who is balancing homeschooling, a side hustle or ALL OF THE ABOVE. We’re here to tell you, you get to have goals.
We’re continuing to take you step by step through goal planning for REAL moms. We started with self-reflection, and today we're going to unpack a vision for your future.
After years of goal planning, we’ve tested framework after framework from various experts and they have all played a part in shaping what we’re using today.
We’re working from a resource we created called The Deliberate Start. It’s an incredible guide designed specifically for mothers. It includes 3 sections, the Deliberate Reflection, Deliberate Beginnings, and Deliberate Goal Planning.
The prompts are designed to guide you and ask you good questions, there are even checklists to spur your creativity and dreams when your mom brain is DONE! Whether you’re brand new to goal planning or a seasoned planner, you’re going to hear something on this podcast, or you’re going to find something in The Deliberate Start that you’ve never considered before.
Momma, this guide will change your world.
- The Deliberate Beginning (01:53)
- Personal (03:05)
- Spiritual (08:30)
- Family (13:40)
- Home (18:50)
- Finances (27:40)
- Business (35:20)
- Homeschool (35:45)
- Invitation (37:25)
While we were only able to share a few questions from each category of the Deliberate Reflection today, if you loved what you heard and want to dig deeper with a beautiful workbook and resources you can use again and again, head over to our website, thedeliberateday.org, and get your copy of The Deliberate Start Guide today!
Moms get to have goals too…whether you’re a stay at home mom who’s immersed in raising little ones, a mom who feels like she’s barely surviving, or a mom who’s balancing homeschooling, a side hustle or ALL OF THE ABOVE. We’re here to tell you, you get to have goals.
For the next five days we’re taking you step by step through goal planning for REAL moms. From an intimate self-reflection, to figuring out what you want, aligning those dreams with your own priorities, creating a goal or two and making plans to reach it, and finally a 30-day assessment to help you get more and more traction as you crush your goals.
After years of goal planning as moms of many, we’ve tested countless frameworks from various experts and that has really shaped what we’re using today. We’re working from a resource we created called The Deliberate Start. It’s an incredible guide designed specifically for mothers. It includes 3 sections, the Deliberate Reflection, Deliberate Beginnings, and Deliberate Goal Planning.
The prompts are designed to guide you and ask you good questions, there are checklists to spur your creativity and dreams when your mom brain is tired. Whether you’re brand new to goal planning or a seasoned planner, you’re going to hear something on this podcast, or you’re going to find something in The Deliberate Start that you’ve never considered before.
Self Reflection (02:05)
- Personal Reflection (03:30)
- Spiritual Reflection (09:05)
- Family Reflection (14:40)
- Home Reflection (21:05)
- Finance Reflection (31:45)
- Business Reflection (37:05)
- Homeschool Reflection (37:40)
- Invitation (38:23)
We’ve picked out only a few questions from each category in the Deliberate Reflection to share with you here on the podcast...But if you loved what you heard and want to dig deeper with a beautiful workbook and resources you can use again and again, head here, and get your copy of The Deliberate Start Guide today!
We’re coming to you today to share a few stories of pivotal moments in our lives. If you’re listening, and you haven’t experienced these things, we pray that your heart is touched and it will equip you to help another momma who may be experiencing these things. When you’re done listening, click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- The School of Life (00:50)
- Britt’s Before & After Moment (03:40)
- My Before & After Moment (23:44)
- Invitation (36:45)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Gifts & Giving Planner
- Family Gifts & Giving Planner
- My Wishlist (a keepsake)
- Stocking Stuffer Ideas
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here (below) in the podcast notes!!
Happy holidays!
It’s our 1 year anniversary! This episode is all about starting and working on a podcast and a business! When you’re done listening, click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- The School of Business (00:50)
- Fits & Starts (03:20)
- The Deliberate Day (08:20)
- The Holy Spirit (16:05)
- Slow Growth (27:35)
- Invitation (36:45)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Holidays Thank You’s List
- Holiday Life Notes
- Resources We Love
- Recipes
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here!
Happy holidays!
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week we want to give you a peek behind the curtain, and tell you ALL about the holidays and traditions we celebrate in our homes. BUT, as you listen remember…we’re sharing ideas, customs, and traditions from over the years and how they’ve been shaped in the different seasons of motherhood. Your seasons will change, your capacity will change, and you still have plenty of time to try-on traditions to see what fits your family best. Get the MOST out of this episode when you click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Invite Your People In (01:40)
- The In-Laws (03:15)
- Just the Family (06:10)
- Britt’s Extended Family (12:45)
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Tiff’s (15:20)
- How Are We Doing? (20:00)
- Recap (20:25)
- Invitation (20:50)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Holidays Thank You’s List
- Holiday Life Notes
- Resources We Love
- Recipes
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here (below) in the podcast notes!!
Happy holidays!
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week we want to give you a peek behind the curtain, and tell you ALL about the holidays and traditions we celebrate in our homes. BUT, as you listen remember…we’re sharing ideas, customs, and traditions from over the years and how they’ve been shaped in the different seasons of motherhood. Your seasons will change, your capacity will change, and you still have plenty of time to try-on traditions to see what fits your family best. Get the MOST out of this episode when you click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Friend & Family Gifts (01:48)
- Teacher Gifts (08:10)
- Random Acts of Kindness (10:25)
- Mailmen & Waste Management Workers (11:25)
- Extended Family Gift Giving (11:55)
- Gifts for Our Kids (14:15)
- Stockings (25:00)
- Recap (31:00)
- Invitation (32:15)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Gifts & Giving
- Wishlist (it’s a keepsake)
- Stocking Stuffer Idea List
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here!!
Finally, hop on Instagram and share a holiday tradition with us that we can share with the mommas in our community! We love hearing from you, and mommas learning from mommas is SO important, it builds community AND it enriches our lives!
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week we want to give you a peek behind the curtain, and tell you ALL about the holidays and traditions we celebrate in our homes. BUT, as you listen remember…we’re sharing ideas, customs, and traditions from over the years and how they’ve been shaped in the different seasons of motherhood. Your seasons will change, your capacity will change, and you still have plenty of time to try-on traditions to see what fits your family best. Get the MOST out of this episode when you click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Saint Lucia (01:40)
- Celebrating Saint Lucia (04:20)
- More Ways to Celebrate (09:20)
- Recap (10:35)
- Invitation (12:00)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Weekly Meal Planning
- Shopping List
- Holiday Budget
- Holiday Checklist
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here!!
Finally, hop on Instagram and share a holiday tradition with us that we can share with the mommas in our community! We love hearing from you, and mommas learning from mommas is SO important, it builds community AND it enriches our lives!
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week we want to give you a peek behind the curtain, and tell you ALL about the holidays and traditions we celebrate in our homes. BUT, as you listen remember…we’re sharing ideas, customs, and traditions from over the years and how they’ve been shaped in the different seasons of motherhood. Your seasons will change, your capacity will change, and you still have plenty of time to try-on traditions to see what fits your family best. Get the MOST out of this episode when you click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Saint Nicholas (01:40)
- Shoes and Notes (02:02)
- Baking and Cooking (05:25)
- Recap (10:38)
- Invitation (11:40)
Go get our free holiday planner, made specifically with mommas in mind, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Holiday Cards Log
- Family Feast Checklist
- Family Feast Planner
- Family Feast Life Notes
- Holiday Baking Planner
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here (below) in the podcast notes!!
Finally, hop on Instagram and share a holiday tradition with us that we can share with the mommas in our community! We love hearing from you, and mommas learning from mommas is SO important, it builds community AND it enriches our lives!
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week we want to give you a peek behind the curtain, and tell you ALL about the holidays and traditions we celebrate in our homes. BUT, as you listen remember…we’re sharing ideas, customs, and traditions from over the years and how they’ve been shaped in the different seasons of motherhood. Your seasons will change, your capacity will change, and you still have plenty of time to try-on traditions to see what fits your family best. Get the MOST out of this episode when you click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Advent (01:25)
- The Advent Wreath (02:00)
- The Advent Journey (Jesse Tree) (09:22)
- O’Antiphons (12:50)
- Almsgiving (13:20)
- Recap (16:55)
- Invitation (17:30)
Go get our free holiday planner, it is filled with resources to help YOU plan the holidays this year (and stop letting the holidays plan you).
Here are a few of the pages you'll find inside:
- Family Values & Traditions
- Tradition & Customs Inspiration
- Activities & Celebrations Inspiration
- Two Month Planner
- Daily Planner
You can find the link to get the Holiday Planner EVERYWHERE! It’s at www.thedeliberateday.org, send us a DM, e-mail at Brittany@thedeliberateday.org, and it’s right here!!
Finally, hop on Instagram and share a holiday tradition with us that we can share with the mommas in our community! We love hearing from you, and mommas learning from mommas is SO important, it builds community AND it enriches our lives!
Today we'll address the dreaded 'B' word (it's 'Budget'). We are adulty adults...adulty adults talk about budgets, and more importantly, aligning our budgets for the holidays. Get the MOST out of this episode when you head to www.thedeliberateday.org and sign up for your FREE holiday planner (which includes a fantastic Holiday Budget page).
The holidays with kids are both incredibly beautiful and overwhelmingly full of challenges, like organizing all the people, planning meals, packing for trips or preparing for guests, not to mention all the gifts & MORE! This week, we’re sharing real tips from two moms of many! Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
This week we’re trying something new! This episode is part five of five ALL about gratitude (In a mom-friendly way). Today we’ll talk about meditation (prayer) and mindset (noticing your complaints) (and how to fit these in as a mom). Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Improving Your Life in Hard Seasons (00:40)
- Meditate & Pray (01:40)
- Notice Your Complaints & Reshape Your Mindset (09:20)
- Recap (20:30)
- Invitation (20:50)
For the next 24 hours, do your very best to catch yourself and your kids when you’re about to complain. To go a bit further, catch yourself and don’t complain to your kids! Not about them, not about your husband, your mother, their clothing, nothing. This is HARD, but you can do it!
If your husband is your sounding board when he gets home from work (which is totally understanding), try to end the conversation with a few positives from your day! Take a little time to throw in some positives, because it can be hard (as a husband) to get excited to spend time with the family when they get all the negatives right when they walk in the door. Sprinkle in some good things, and try to do it within ear-shot of whichever kid it applies to!
Finally, click here to get your FREE Holiday Planner!
This week we’re trying something new! This episode is part four of five ALL about gratitude (In a mom-friendly way). Today we’ll talk about writing to someone and visiting a friend (or going on a trip) (and how to fit these in as a mom). Make sure to come back for part five, when we’ll cover prayer (meditation) & mindset. Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
This week we’re trying something new! This episode is part three of five ALL about gratitude (In a mom-friendly way). Today we’ll talk about volunteering and savoring your experiences (and how to fit these in as a mom). Make sure to come back for parts four and five, when we’ll cover writing to someone & visiting a friend (or going on a trip), and prayer (meditation) & mindset. Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Improving Your Life in Hard Seasons (00:40)
- Volunteering (02:15)
- Savoring Your Experiences (07:25)
- Recap (18:20)
- Invitation (18:35)
At least one time today, look into the beautiful eyes of your child or your husband while they talk to you and think about how much of a miracle it is that they’re there wanting your time and attention.
If you feel like it, send us a picture of any moment of your day! Maybe sitting in the car with a bunch of kids crying after a shopping trip. . .share it with us in a DM (@thedeliberateday) or via e-mail (brittany@thedeliberateday.org) because we’d love to say hello, cheer you on, and be a part of your journey!
Grab your holiday planner here if you don’t have it yet!
This week we’re trying something new! This episode is part two of five ALL about gratitude (in a mom-friendly way). Today we’ll cover drinking more water & getting more sleep (and how to fit these in as a mom). Make sure to come back for parts three through five, when we’ll cover volunteering & savoring your experiences, writing to someone & visiting a friend (or going on a trip), and prayer (meditation) & mindset. Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here and we’ll send you the 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner AND get you on the list!
- Improving Your Life in the Hard Seasons (01:15)
- Drink More Water (02:55)
- Get More Sleep (10:00)
- Recap (22:15)
- Invitation (22:35)
Set a timer and drink 4 ounces of water every 30 minutes or every hour if you can! It’s just 1/2 cup, you can do it!
Come back tomorrow because we’ll be talking about volunteering and savoring your experiences.
Don’t forget to click here to get your 2022 Deliberate Day Holiday Planner!
This week we’re trying something new! This episode is part one of five ALL about gratitude (In a mom-friendly way). Today we’ll cover journaling and exercising (and how to fit these in as a mom). Make sure to come back for parts two through five, when we’ll cover drinking more water & getting more sleep, volunteering & savoring your experiences, writing to someone & visiting a friend (or going on a trip), and prayer (meditation) & mindset. Are you on our e-mail list yet? Each Monday we check in with our community of moms-and we want you there! Click here to get our FREE 2022 Holiday Planner (and get on our e-mail list)!
- Improving Your Life in Hard Seasons (01:15)
- Journaling (03:57)
- Exercising (18:55)
- Recap (31:30)
- Invitation (31:40)
Go for a five minute walk, and record yourself sharing one win (regardless of what you look like). Tag us @thedeliberateday in your video on IG, or send it to us in DM’s! Momma, this world needs more REAL. . .you are inspiring others just by being YOU!
Consider checking out GrowthDay! The basic membership comes with a Daily Fire AND a journal (in the app) and it’s a GREAT way to quickly begin a journaling habit! There IS a free trial, and you can click here to save on a membership if you enjoy it as much as we do!
Finally, click here to get your FREE 2022 Holiday Planner!
This is part five of a five part series ALL about meal planning! Today we’ll be looking at making your list, spending intentionally, and saving! If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit which has a beautiful meal planning template in it that encourages you to put your schedule right on there, AND it’s an 8-day planner so you can work in that planning and shopping day!Build Your List (00:45)
- Pick Your Shopping Day (03:15)
- Commit to the List (03:45)
- Recap (05:00)
- Invitation (05:15)
If you’re still a bit intimidated, and don’t know where to start with meal planning, DM us on Instagram @thedeliberateday with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit! (Or head to www.thedeliberateday.org and click the little button in the top right hand corner).
This is part four of a five part series ALL about meal planning! Today we’ll be looking at building your menu. If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit which has a beautiful meal planning template in it that encourages you to put your schedule right on there, AND it’s an 8-day planner so you can work in that planning and shopping day!
- Building Your Menu (01:00)
- Make Sure the Meal-Ease Fits Your Schedule (03:20)
- Nights of Ease (04:20)
- Use What You Have and Check the Sales (06:10)
- Have A Back-Up Meal (07:05)
- Invite Help (09:00)
- Make A Note to Take Out the Meat (11:30)
- Recap (12:30)
- Invitation (13:05)
If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit!
This is part three of a five part series ALL about meal planning! Today we’ll be looking at the best ways to save and shop. If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit which has a beautiful meal planning template in it that encourages you to put your schedule right on there, AND it’s an 8-day planner so you can work in that planning and shopping day!
- Saving Money and Spending Intentionally (00:50)
- Shopping the Sales (01:50)
- Reducing Food Waste (09:05)
- Recap (22:33)
- Invitation (22:52)
If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “bonus” and we’ll send you a link to our free mini meal planning kit!
This is part 1 of a five part series ALL about meal planning! Today we’ll be talking about the different options for how often you can meal plan and shop. We discuss weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly meal planning, and address the pros and cons of each one. If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “quiz” and we’ll send you a link to a cute little quiz that we’ve come up with that can help you choose your meal planning frequency!
- Weekly Planning (01:50)
- Bi-Weekly Planning (03:30)
- Monthly Planning (05:30)
- How to Choose Your Planning Frequency (10:25)
- Recap (13:20)
- Invitation (13:40)
If you’re following us on Instagram @thedeliberateday, send us a DM with the word “quiz” and we’ll send you a link to a cute little quiz that we’ve come up with that can help you choose your meal planning frequency! Weekly Planning (01:50)
You’re going to fail! Momma, it’s a necessary part of learning. In today’s episode, the fourth of a five part series, we talk about how you can fail when your best made plans are derailed AND we give ideas for how to overcome those “failures”! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and DM her the word “bonus” to get the Mini Meal Planning Kit!
- A Word on Failure (00:40)
- What is mindset and why does it matter? (01:25)
- Your self-talk (03:00)
- Your meal planning mindset (06:00)
- Recap (08:45)
- Invitation (09:25)
If you’re new to meal planning altogether, and if you’re a person who likes to have all the information right in front of you, with a beautiful workbook and resources that you can use again and again, we’d like to invite you to visit our website www.thedeliberateday.org where you’ll find out meal planning masterclass!
Additional Resources (on Growth Mindset)
Grit (by Angela Duckworth)
Mindset (by Carol Dweck)
Biglifejournal.com (for kids)
You’re going to fail! Momma, it’s a necessary part of learning. In today’s episode, the four of a five part series, we talk about how you can fail derails your best made plans AND we give ideas for how to overcome those “failures”! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and DM her the word “bonus” to get the Mini Meal Planning Kit!
- A Word on Failure (00:40)
- When you’re derailed in the day-to-day (02:00)
- When an appointment or activity goes long (or pops up) (04:45)
- When there are surprise visitors or guests (06:15)
- When you’re living in crisis (07:50)
- When you’re moving or traveling (09:50)
- When you’re experiencing a medical crisis (planned or unplanned) (12:20)
- Recap (18:00)
- Invitation (19:00)
If you’re new to meal planning altogether, and if you’re a person who likes to have all the information right in front of you with a beautiful workbook and resources you can use again and again, we’d like you to check out the Mess to Meal Plan Masterclass at www.thedeliberateday.org !
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
You’re going to fail! Momma, it’s a necessary part of learning. In today’s episode, the third of a five part series, we talk about how you can fail while making the meals AND we give ideas for how to overcome those “failures”! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and DM her the word “bonus” to get the Mini Meal Planning Kit!
- A Word on Failure (00:40)
- When ingredients go bad before you can use them (01:45)
- When you forget to defrost the meat (05:45)
- When ingredients aren’t available at the store (08:00)
- When you lack the expertise or know-how to make a recipe (08:45)
- When you’ve made the meal too. . . (salty, acidic, spicy, sweet. . .) (10:00)
- When you (or one of your kids) burn dinner (13:29)
- When you (or your meal mastery apprentice) makes a recipe that doesn’t taste good (14:45)
- When you just didn’t make tonight’s meal (17:08)
- Recap (18:10)
- Invitation (19:10)
If you’re still feeling intimidated or just need a little boost to start, DM Brittany @thedeliberateday on Instagram with the word “bonus” and she will make sure you get a link for your beautiful Mini Meal Planning Kit!
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
You are going to fail! It’s a necessary part of learning. In today’s episode, the second of a five part series, we talk about how you can fail while shopping AND we give ideas for how to overcome those “failures”! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and DM her the word “bonus” to get the Mini Meal Planning Kit!
- A Word on Failure (00:40)
- When you didn’t get to the store (01:40)
- When you didn’t make a good list (03:25)
- When you didn’t find what you need at the store (05:05)
- When you’ve gone over-budget (06:10)
- Recap (07:50)
- Invitation (08:20)
If you’re still feeling intimidated or just need a little boost to start, DM Brittany @thedeliberateday on Instagram with the word “bonus” and she will make sure you get a link for your beautiful Mini Meal Planning Kit!
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
Food IS love! In today’s episode we talk about how we can use a “Family Favorites'“ list, building community by sharing meals with friends, and the beauty of religious feasts and fasts. When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and DM her the word “meals” to get the Mini Meal Planning Kit!
- A Family Favorites List (00:40)
- Meal Sharing With Friends (03:39)
- Religious Feasting & Fasting (09:50)
- Recap (13:56)
- Invitation (15:00)
Text your people this week and choose a date to meet up and share a meal! It can be at someone’s house, or even a park, just DO it! Just send the text!
Have you filled out your meal plan this week? DM Brittany @thedeliberateday on Instagram with the word “meals” and she will make sure you get a link for your beautiful Mini Meal Planning Kit!
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
If you have a food allergy, life isn’t over! In fact, you can still enjoy delicious foods! In this episode we go through our favorite subs (and a few to stay away from). When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and join our upcoming Pantry Challenge by DM’ing her the word “challenge”!
- Food Allergies (00:40)
- Life is Better with Sauce (04:05)
- Consult a Friend (07:53)
- Our Favorite Substitutions (10:23)
- Dairy Substitutions (12:32)
- Egg Substitutions (22:20)
- Creamer Substitutions (26:26)
- Gluten Substitutions (28:06)
- Recap (32:09)
- Invitation (32:43)
Do you have a favorite substitution? Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and tag us in a photo, or send us a DM with YOUR favorite!
Are YOU up for a challenge!? Send a DM to Brittany @thedeliberateday with the word “challenge” and she’ll send you a link to join!
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
Would you consider your kitchen “Well stocked”? Have you put thought into your kitchen tools, making sure they work for you and your family? Today, Brittany & I talk about our 5 must-have kitchen essentials, and WHY we love them! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and tag her in a photo of YOUR favorite kitchen necessity!
- Kitchen Necessities (00:40)
- Kitchen Essential Priorities (01:46)
- Brittany’s Kitchen Essentials (03:45)
- Tiffany’s Kitchen Essentials (12:40)
- One Final Essential & Tips for Purchasing (19:29)
- Recap (20:49)
- Invitation (21:01)
Do you have a kitchen essential we didn’t mention? Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and tag us in a photo of YOUR favorite kitchen necessity!
If you don’t have your meal planning template yet, send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created (Image featured below)!
Finally, make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and give us a rating if you haven’t yet!
In this third episode of the three-part series, we’re talking about the MONEY portion of meal planning. We’ve talked about your ‘Why’, your ‘Time’, and today we’re talking about your MONEY. Consider which of the three categories you’re in, if that aligns with your values, and if not, think about how you can get to where you want to be! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and tag her in a photo of your COMPLETED weekly meal plan! If you don’t have The Deliberate Day Meal Planning Kit yet, send her a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll send you a link where you can get it!
- Money and Meal Planning (01:02)
- The Penny Pinchers (01:33)
- The Budget Conscious (05:40)
- The Room to Players (08:42)
- Series Recap (09:22)
- Invitation (10:19)
Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and tag us in a photo of your completed meal plan! If you don’t have your meal planning template yet, send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created (Image featured below)!
Finally, we LOVE to hear from you! Please consider giving our podcast a rating on your favorite platform (5 is our favorite)!
The time/money paradox will GREATLY affect how you approach meal planning. . .listen in this week to learn how these two things (time and money) and their availability will influence how you feed your people. When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and tag her in a photo of your COMPLETED weekly meal plan! If you don’t have The Deliberate Day Meal Planning Kit yet, send her a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll send you a link where you can get it!
- What is the time-money paradox? (00:40)
- The 4 factors of your food life. (01:00)
- Planning Meals (01:15)
- Prepping Meals (01:32)
- Making Meals (03:34)
- Eating Meals (04:00)
- What season are you in? (04:38)
- How old and how helpful are your kids? (07:59)
- How involved is your spouse? (11:26)
- What outside activities, obligations, and commitments do you have? (13:32)
- Recap. (14:31)
- Invitation. (15:02)
Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and tag us in a photo of your completed meal plan! If you don’t have your meal planning template yet, send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created!
Finally, give us a rating on your favorite podcast platform (5 is our favorite)!
What is the ‘why’ that guides how you feed your family? It is SO important to plan with YOUR family, YOUR season, and YOUR life in mind (not anyone else’s). Food values can (and should) vary greatly from family to family—and we are only limited by our creativity. When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and send her a DM with the word “meals” for your link to sign up for the “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit.
- What are the priorities for your family? (00:40)
- What are some areas where food values can differ? (4:55)
- Recap. (10:31)
- Invitation. (10:41)
Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created!
Before you go, make sure to subscribe and give us a rating! Ratings help us to build a community where mothers feel seen, encouraged, and empowered!
What is your meal planning mindset? Today’s episode begins with a great question. . .Were you ever actually taught how to meal plan? Listen in to see how this can affect your entire belief system (and ultimately any frustration you may have) around meal and menu planning! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and send her a DM with the word “meals” for your link to sign up for the “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit. While you’re doing all the things, hit subscribe and give us a rating too (5 is our favorite)!
- Were you taught to meal plan? (01:04)
- How can you expect to be great at something you were never taught (02:33)
- Have you ever thought about what your meal planning story is? (03:22)
- How is your story shaping your current beliefs around meal planning? (05:25)
- Recap. (12:11)
- Invitation. (12:38)
Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created!
Before you go, make sure to subscribe and give us a rating! Ratings help us to build a community where mothers feel seen, encouraged, and empowered!
What can meal planning do for you and your family? Hint: more than you think! When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and send her a DM with the word “meals” for your link to sign up for the “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit.
- What can meal planning do for you and your family? (00:45)
- How can meal planning save you money? (01:04)
- How can meal planning save you time? (06:09)
- How can meal planning save you stress & anxiety? (09:45)
- How can meal planning save you from decision fatigue? (17:15)
- How can meal planning bring my family together (If I so choose)? (19:07)
- Recap. (20:20)
- Invitation. (20:38)
While you’re doing all the things, hit subscribe and give us a rating too (5 is our favorite)!
What is meal planning and who is it for? In this episode, we answer these questions and more! Listen in to hear ALL about meal planning, and how it can look in different seasons of life. When you’re done listening, come follow Brittany on Instagram @thedeliberateday and send her a DM with the word “meals” for your link to sign up for the “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit.
- What to expect in season 4. (00:39)
- What is meal planning? (01:19)
- What isn’t meal planning? (02:37)
- Real life examples of meal planning. . . (05:05)
- Newlyweds. (05:22)
- Young with young kids. (08:50)
- Older with older kids. (11:00)
- Older with kids out of the house. (12:37)
- Recap. (15:28)
- Invitation. (16:00)
Go to Instagram, follow @thedeliberateday, and send Brittany a DM with the word “meals” and she’ll give you a link to get the beautiful “Meal Planning Made Easy” kit she’s created!
Do you cook hot breakfast for your kids on weekdays?
In our family, we've had times where breakfast was the "family meal". We've also had times where breakfast was a "fend for yourself" type of meal.
For a while, Brittany's family was doing hot breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and she was feeling quite overwhelmed. She listened to a mom who did a dinner rotation--after considering that--Brittany realized that good and diverse dinner menus were one of her values. Also, eating the same meals every week would get VERY boring for her family. Dinner wasn't negotiable, but breakfast was. SO, Brittany's family does a static breakfast menu to save time and energy (with a hot breakfast choice-made by older kids-of course).
In our house, we now do a freestyle breakfast. Honestly, I got tired of cooking food that kids weren't eating. We have fruit, yogurt, cereal, and waffles available--and I encourage kids to forage in the pantry and refrigerator for breakfast.
Sidenote: why is it feast or famine with bananas? Either they get eaten in 24-hours, or they sit and go bad on the counter. . .there is no in-between.
What do you do for breakfasts?
For Brittany's family, lunches are almost always leftovers or freestyle. Ramen, macaroni and cheese, and sandwiches are a good fallback.
Sidenote: Brittany's sandwiches are unreal! Y'all, you can even up-level a pb&j.
In our home, we do leftovers for lunch quite a bit. Food is expensive, so limiting food waste is a good thing. You can ALWAYS spend that money on something else!
When we don't waste food, we teach great lessons to our kids about life in general.
Dinners. . .how do you handle dinners?
Brittany uses Pinterest! Scanning recipes, appealing meals for her and her husband, new ways to torture her older son with sweet potatoes. . .
Brittany shops not only for the week's meals, but also to stock her pantry and freezer. When she does her meal planning, she looks at what she has AND what's on sale.
For example, if zucchini and squash are on sale, she has ground beef in her freezer, and pasta in her pantry, she will search recipes on Pinterest with those items. (All together-or in complimentary dishes).
IMPORTANT: Pinterest is a search engine! It is EASY to find visually appealing recipes that are delicious!
Another example, Brittany's family was recently sick, and had an abundance of produce in the fridge. Instead of letting it go bad, she cut up some pre-cooked sausage, diced the veggies, tossed everything in olive oil and her favorite seasonings, and cooked them in the oven. This is a GREAT way to get more veggies in!
Sidenote: Garlic, onion powder, salt, and your favorite creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's and Brittany prefers Zatarain's) are excellent for the veggie bake mentioned above.
Finally, if you need meal ideas, Pinterest is a GREAT way to go!
Our favorite recipe books are:
Trejo's Tacos
Trim Healthy Mama (All three cookbooks are great)
I also spend time on:
Brittany's Pinterest Board
In conclusion, breakfasts don't have to be hot, lunches are negotiable, and dinners can be simple or crazy extravagant. Choose what works for you, but really try to eat one meal a day together as a family, and do it regularly. Enjoy the food, and enjoy it together!
For more recipe and meal ideas, check out @thedeliberateday on Instagram!
If you haven't subscribed yet-please do! While you're at it, give us a rating!
What are some of the best decisions you've made in your family life?
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Being a stay-at-home mom (for Brittany). She and Brandon decided that she would stay at home to raise their kids. 11 pregnancies and 7 kids later, it is the biggest and best decision she made.
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Homeschooling. It's not always easy, every year it is re-evaluated, but it is still what's working best for their family. It is important to note that we understand that homeschooling isn't for everyone-we don't believe it is for everyone. Once you start-you aren't stuck! As homeschool moms we can feel pressure to stay homeschoolers-but the real gift is the ability to choose from ALL the options!
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Dinners as a family. This one can be easy to take for granted, but it is a positive thing that both our families do together (Brittany's every night, mine as much as possible). This doesn't necessarily have to be dinner, it can be ANY meal together. In my home-dinner is a battle currently.
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Family nights. In Brittany's house, they will do something together on Friday nights. . .game nights, memory nights, movie nights, and even Instagram Reel nights. This has also lent to taco nights, fondue nights, etc.
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Memories over things. Brittany and Brandon grew up in big families-never wanting for anything-but also learning that experiences were worth spending money on. Their family has continued this with intentional experiences. . .
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Being as debt free as possible. Brittany isn't quite "Dave Ramsey" but works really hard to tow that line. If they do acquire debt to pursue an experience-they pay it off as quickly as possible.
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Fostering sibling relationships. Encouraging the bond between kids is an incredible thing, especially after parents have passed away.
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Faith. Brittany & Brandon's entire marriage and family is built on their faith. Prayer, sacraments, and liturgical seasons are big.
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Raising adults. Financial responsibility and work ethic are all encouraged. Meal mastery, taking classes, chores, and participating in business fairs.
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No cell phones for kids. Also-so social media.
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Traveling. Traveling and introducing kids to different places and people is a priority for Brittany's family.
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Love and respect for others.
Shifting gears a bit. . .
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In our family-we prioritized outdoor play equipment over indoor toys. Also-we have prioritized kid-powered over battery or electric powered.
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Homeschooling. I have 2 kids who have moved on from homeschool to public school and three who are still homeschooled.
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To have another. Openness to life. In our family we very quickly had 3 kids in 3 years. We tried again for a girl (which is when we had our fourth son), and then my husband came home injured when Raylan was 4 months old. Even though life wasn't easy after Raylan (with an injured husband), we decided to have one more and have Anna.
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Supporting my kids decisions. I try to encourage my kids in their endeavors. . .but in the process, I have extinguished many a passion.
How do you encourage your children in areas where they are weak?
Personally-my weak area is seeing people's weaknesses. I see ALL the things my kids are great at-so I have a difficult time with this one.
Brittany is built for constructive instruction. Brittany and Brandon work to encourage their kids and build their confidence, recognize strengths their kids have that they can use in different situations.
Teach kids to learn from experience and work on their weaknesses.
Hit "subscribe" below and come over to Instagram and follow @thedeliberateday
How do you find time to connect with your husband?
Where do you plan your "me" or "us" time in?
How frequently do you plan these things?
First, there are different seasons of parenthood. . .
Before we ever planned a date night, I would make sure the first 15 minutes after my husband got home from work belonged to us. . .I would make sure the kids were safe and we would head into our room or bathroom (where I would sit next to the tub and let my husband talk about his day).
Brittany makes a specific effort to welcome her husband home-and let him know she is happy to see him. It can be a challenge-but it is important for her to really let her husband know (with a smile, a hug, and a kiss) that it is wonderful that he is home.
What do you do for date nights?
With littles, Brittany would spend time with Brandon after the kids went to bed at night. They would order a "Hello Fresh" meal, and enjoy it together. They would watch shows together and talk and laugh about them afterwards.
Now, Brittany has two sisters that she pays to babysit one time a month and she and her husband go out for the whole day! Pro-tip. . .try to come home after the kids go to bed. (This can help you avoid a "date hangover" feeling from having to come home and immediately enter hardcore parenting mode). Every mom knows that 3:00-7:00 is the "witching hour" and having the ability to miss that once in a while is a gift. . .for you, and for your kids (who may enjoy a fresh face).
When my two first kids were little, my husband and I would hire a team of babysitters who would watch the kids for us while we went out-almost every weekend.
If you don't have time for a proper date night. . .take 10-15 minutes in your room together!
Now that Brittany's kids are older, she and her husband go on a walk in the neighborhood. If you can't go on a walk, consider a movie or show. . .sit on the porch, hide in a closet or your room, just take the time!
My husband and I would do bread dates! We would go and order garlic cheese bread (for a grand total of $6) and play cribbage together for an hour!
There are times when Brittany and Brandon have paid for the babysitter and had a picnic, or gone on a drive. Dates don't have to be expensive!
Find a common interest, try caring about what your husband cares about. For Brittany's husband, it's tanks, or painting. My husband finds shows for us to watch.
How do you make time for "me" time?
Brittany gets her "me" time when she gets up before her kids! Me too-I used to wake up at 4:00 am to get a few things done before my people get up (before daylight savings), now I'm on the struggle bus. If you have little ones, finding the pockets of time to regroup is VERY important. Maybe you need to be honest with your husband and ask for a little time. . .perhaps an hour (or few) here or there. Let your husbands help. . .and spend time with them!
How do you deal with "busy"?
Just having kids raises your level of "busy". But you probably have more control over your "busy" than you may think!
Two things. . .we do "waste" time, but even without "wasted" time, as humans, we almost always try to fit more "busy" into a day than is possible.
For example, our family has created some rules around our schedule.
- We only do one appointment a day (unless having more will limit long range trips).
- We need 1-2 "off" days a week.
Brittany looks at the day in three chunks. . .
- Morning-they are the most productive and energetic. This is when appointments happen.
- The afternoon-the house gets quiet, naps happen. (Generally Brittany doesn't schedule anything during this time).
- The afternoon/evening-a VERY busy time of dinner prep and bedtime routines, nothing is planned outside the house. (This is another time when Brittany doesn't schedule anything).
Depending on which season you are in, you may need to say "no" to good things!
If you are slowly turning from "mom" to "drill sergeant" it may be an indication that you are scheduling too much.
There are busier seasons when you can't take things off your plate-it is in these times where you can focus on being kind to tomorrow's you (as Jon Acuff says).
In Brittany's family, down days are necessary! Rest isn't earned! Build in rest times for every day, and build in rest day(s) every week.
Even on a day dedicated to errands, plan ahead for meals and snacks, and build in some play time! Brittany even suggests that even 30 minutes of hard play at a park can change a busy day for the better!
Do your children participate in extracurriculars?
Brittany's family doesn't do organized sports. Years ago, they made a decision that the schedule of sports was more frustrating and stressful than it was worth. However, as a homeschool family, they do sewing classes, cooking classes, theater classes, and outings during the morning! They visit the skate park, throw baseballs, bike, kick soccer balls, just not on an official "team".
It's really important to know who you are and what you enjoy! You can say "no" to sports! There are beautiful benefits that come along with sports, but these lessons can be learned outside sports as well!
Our family does participate in organized sports, in a very chill way. I love watching my kids on the field, regardless of their ability.
Do you allow your kids to participate in more than one sport or extracurricular activity each season?
For my family, no. One activity times 5 kids is enough.
Brittany's family does one thing at a time, and one class per day. It's good to know what season you're in!
For example, our kids wanted to play basketball this winter and I knew we had a big surgery for my husband coming up. I had to say "no" this time around.
Mommas-it's ok to say "no" to sports!
How do you handle multiple kids on multiple teams?
I had a friend who told me that the best way to handle this is to get to know the coach and the other parents on the team. Get phone numbers, social media accounts, and learn to communicate with others. You may need to learn to get creative and make friends quickly. Begin with the coach-as they generally have a background check.
If you get in a real pickle and you absolutely can't get kids where they need to be, here's how I determine who goes to what. . .
- Games trump practices.
- Older kids have less time left to play, and trump younger kids.
Head over to Instagram and check out @thedeliberateday
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How do you deal with highly sensitive kids?
We talk about three types of highly sensitive kiddos. . .
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Kids that are overly emotional.
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The melt down kid.
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The kiddo who just shuts down.
There are a few different ways to handle these kids, but we ALWAYS begin with respect.
Then, first, we remove ourself from the situation (especially if a kiddo is acting out when we are out and about). As parents, it's our job to help our little ones deal with these emotions and communicate their needs in a better way.
We've all left stores with screaming children, we've all cried in our cars in parking lots, but these are all good battles we are fighting.
Highly sensitive kids seem to push boundaries, and it's our job to set boundaries and stand firm on them. We all want kids who are kind, sensitive, loving adults who bring good to the world.
So, remove kiddos from the situation, acknowledge their feelings (as much without judgement as possible-because they are trying to communicate), then seek to hone the behavior (without breaking the child) and stick with your boundary.
At home, starting from a young age, we don't do screaming or all-out laying on the floor fit throwing. Brittany acknowledges the kiddo, offers them the option to go and calm down, feel ALL the things, and come back when they are a bit more calm (little kids, big kids, etc.).
In our house, we have had some kiddos who can't settle themselves once they get going. In that case I have held hands, looked in eyes, given hugs, even bear hugs. It ALL depends on the kid.
When kids DO settle down, Brittany suggests listening first-and then trying to help kids navigate those feelings with respect. Respect is BIG for Brittany-modeling respect (speaking respectfully to her kids and expecting her kids to speak respectfully to her). Next, Brittany uses the "good questions" to get her kids involved in handling the situation.
In summary. . .Firm boundaries, consistency, ask good questions, give them time and space to calm down, then address the issue and draw your hard line at disrespect-and do so without guilt.
Something to keep in mind (with highly sensitive kids) is the times when they are more likely to break down. Some kids don't do well with change or transitions. If you have a kiddo like this, make sure to talk them through the day-and give your expectations.
Finally, kids are always growing and changing! Maybe this is not the "Library" or the "Grocery Store" with kids season (I stayed out of the library for like 10 years), but just keep doing your best and trying over and over again!
Maybe not at first, but children respond to boundaries really well (when we are consistent).
Do you bed-share?
Bed-sharing can include, but is not limited to infants, nursing toddlers, and older kids. Our answers are yes! For both of us, it has made nursing babies much easier!
For both Brittany and I, the key was keeping diapers, wipes, and a garbage close so babies could be changed and fed right in bed. This led to me keeping a larger bed in our babies' rooms so I could continue my version of bed-sharing even when my husband was home. Brittany did the same thing-in her bed!
What are some things you have done throughout the years for bedtime routines?
Infants: Brittany picked the last feeding for the evening (either 6:30 or 8:30), change and nurse them and put them in their own bed. Then at the first wake-up, she would change and feed them and keep them in bed with her. My own kids chose 6:00pm as the "screaming hour" and our last feeding would be about 9:30 (when I would feed, change, and put the babies in bed). At about 11:30 my babies would come into my bed.
Toddlers: Consistency is key. Try a few different things, and when you find something that works, stick with it. Eat dinner, clean everyone up and get toddlers ready to be IN bed by 7. In Brittany's house, they would do "loves" and go to bed. In our house, bedtime really began with dinner at 5:00pm. After dinner, we would turn on classical lullaby music and dim the lights, then baths, and reading before bed (until either the kids or I fell asleep). These kiddos go to bed about 7:00pm.
Side note: Brittany's version of "loves" is getting the kids ALL riled up-and then reciting the MOST beautiful poem. Also, bed times are determined by age AND maturity level in Brittany's house, and are staggered.
Pre-Schoolers & Kindergardeners: These kiddos are similar to toddlers.
School-Agers: Kids who are six and above do chores after dinner and have a little free time after the smaller kids go to bed.
Middle-Schoolers: These guys get to play games and watch movies after the littles go to bed. If they get chores done by chore-check, they have more free time in the evenings (if chores aren't done, they need to go to bed). They DO get to read in bed (as long as chores are done). Privileges come along with responsibility and good decisions. In our home-we start wrapping things up at 7pm (final snack, brushing teeth, etc.), then I let the professionals at Audible do night-time reading for me.
High-Schoolers: My high schoolers begin making their way towards bed at 9:00pm (the actual falling asleep varies, but we aim for 10:00pm).
What are the best ways to divide up children's rooms as your family grows?
“Love grows best in little houses, with fewer walls to separate. Where you eat and sleep so close together, you can’t help but communicate. If we had more room between us, think of all we’d miss. Love grows best in houses just like this.” – Doug Stone from the song Little Houses
From "You Belong Here" by MH Clark
Kids CAN share rooms! Brittany has 7 children in a home with 3 bedrooms! When you live in a smaller space, you LEARN to exist with other humans and there ARE beautiful benefits!
Currently, they have the 5 girls sharing a room and the 2 boys are together. Kids DO get woken up, but they are also becoming hardier sleepers.
If you are transitioning give it three days! You will BOTH be different people by day 4! Just do it! Also-stay consistent!
Know your season. Take your kids' ages into account, as well as the needs of your family. Be open to what you need, what your kids need, and your resources.
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I'm tired of family who belittles and berates me for my choices, do you have any suggestions?
First, let's get on the same page. . .
Even the worst moms we know are most likely doing THEIR best.
You may feel like you are doing an AMAZING job, and your kids may not receive it that way.
You may also feel like you are doing an AWFUL job of momming, and down the road you may find that your kids didn't see it the same way.
Sarah Mackenzie often said, "It's not all up to us, we have to be faithful and we have to allow God to work." You have to show up the best you can, and you have to allow God to work.
Beginning with people who belittle and berate you for your choices. . .
Unless someone is directly caring for your children, their opinion doesn't matter.
Children are here to humble us!
Ending with family. . .dig into WHO is doing the belittling. Is it coming from a place of love? If not, if it's true berating and belittling, it doesn't deserve space on your bookshelf.
Sometimes, when family sees you doing things differently, they may see it as a direct affront to their choices. We need to remember that it's ok for us to make different decisions for our family. What you discern together with your husband is the MOST important (more important than what your extended family thinks).
Practice self awareness. ARE you making good choices? If yes, great! If no, try to do much better!
You will come across toxic people, and a lot of people can be well intentioned but poorly executed, and then there are people who are purely toxic.
Brittany doesn't generally engage with people who are challenging her decisions. She will listen, but will set firm boundaries. She and her husband prayerfully and thoughtfully discuss their choices and they take responsibility for them.
As parents, we make millions of choices. All we can do is the best we can do, learn from what happens, and then pivot if necessary.
Did you ever feel like just being a mom is not enough in this society, like you always have to have your hand in something else other than raising the most important people in your life in order to be on the same level as everyone else?
I (Tiffany) say yes! I never planned on having children, and if I did, I figured I would be a working mom. I DID work up until kid #3, and then a series of events led to me staying home.
Brittany came from a long line of women who were stay-at-home moms. She grew up thinking that she would be a stay-at-home mom. This is a long game, and a marathon-not a sprint. Brittany has picked up odd jobs over the years and enjoyed the external validation. Children have a great way of helping you die to self.
Being a mother is incredible, powerful, and beautiful.
Everything that we do and learn as moms has actually trained us to be great humans, and eventually employees (or business owners) if that is your goal! You should be able to put "mother" on a resume and it should hold REAL weight.
Being a mother will make you into a better person, being married can do the same, AND just striving to be a better human will as well.
We all have the opportunity to live the life we've been given to the best of our ability-including MOMS! If you are feeling pressure to do more or be more, pray about what God's calling you to-and go live that out.
Are you following us on Instagram yet? Head over to @thedeliberateday and follow us!
Finally, if you haven't subscribed to the podcast yet-you need to! While you're at it-give us a rating too!
If you feel like you've lost your fun side, how do you recover it?
When you're in the survival zone, it can be easy to forget who you are. Your wants and needs tend to align directly with what you kids want and need. . .it can be easy for moms to lose that fun side while they are so busy keeping little people alive.
Sacrificing for your children can be a very noble thing, but it isn't noble to sacrifice EVERYTHING. It is important to find "fun" for yourself in different ways! When you're a mom, you are automatically giving out large chinks of your day-so beginning in the morning and making "fun" a priority is important. There are pockets of time where you can fit fun in-you just have to find them.
Maybe traveling is your thing, find ways to bring your kids into that fun. Find ways to have fun WITH your kids!
With older kids, how do you have fun? Brittany suggested video games, bringing them into your hobbies, working with them to build skills (that can also be fun)!
You are worth it!
How do you invest in yourself?
Your most important student in your homeschool is you! (Or, the most important learner in the family is the parent!). Everyone benefits from a mom who is dedicated to learning and growing!
This is the Age of Enlightenment! Everything you need to grow and invest in yourself is available, and lots of it for free!
Let your kids see a mom who is a lifelong learner! It's always ok to get better! You can google and learn just about anything you want to know for free!
This podcast is an example of investing in yourselves so you can pass that knowledge along to others.
How do you invest in yourself? Anything! Start with your interests! If you are a homeschooler, use your schooling as an opportunity to learn WITH your kids! Listen to podcasts, books, read books, check out your library! You are only limited by your creativity!
When you invest in YOU, you are also investing in your family.
We have a challenge for you, invest in yourself this week! Pick something (start with 5 minutes a day) and just do it!
If you haven't rated our podcast yet, head over to Apple or Spotify and give us a rating! Are you with us on Instagram? Head over there and check out @thedeliberateday
How can you get your kids to not talk SO loud all day?
Kids naturally are just loud-especially at different intervals during the day.
We recommend setting some boundaries. Establish the "inside" and "outside" voice levels in your home (this may be different for every family).
Also, work on a little "sound consideration." The amount of noise generated by ALL the humans in a home (even if it is happy sound) doing ALL the things can be overstimulating. Closing doors, setting down the toilet seat, even moving dishes can be done a bit quieter. If this is your "thing" as a mom, try a bit of calming music (earbuds anyone?).
Expect to repeat yourself ALL the time.
Something that WILL drive the noise level up is a TV or music that is loud. Try turning it down or off to help keep the volume level low.
When kids come to you very loud and excited, it's ok to call attention to the volume and work on quieter voices. Consistency and training are key here-as with everything.
Top tips: Make eye contact, create a hand-motion reminder, set boundaries, train a ton, and be consistent.
How do you keep your kids entertained when you are nursing a newborn without just giving them screen time?
We don't entertain. . .we contain.
Make sure children are safe and contained-where they have less ability to harm other children and property.
The thing about entertaining kids is that nothing lasts. . .unless of course you have one of those "unicorn" children who will play and entertain themselves for hours. (Brittany got one, I had none.)
Try staying in the same small area, or heading outside with your kids (the back yard, the front yard, or even the park-unless you have a child who is a flight risk).
Boredom is ok-in fact-it can be GOOD for kids!
Older kids can read, the family can listen to audible books, or moms can even read aloud while nursing!
Finally, Brittany also had a rule that kiddos needed to wait to make requests until nursing was complete.
Thank you for joining us! Please, give us a rating-and head over to @thedeliberateday on Instagram to see what we're up to!
How do you feed your family without spending ALL day cooking?
It's true, cooking 3 meals a day and 7 days a week can be overwhelming! In order to make more time, some families create a static meal plan where they eat the same meals each week. Brittany heard this idea, and while it sounded like it would greatly simplify life, it didn't fit her family's values.
So, she came up with a hybrid plan that allows for kids to make their own simple breakfasts (waffles, eggs, pop tarts, etc.), simple lunches (leftovers or simply prepped meals), and more elaborate dinners.
Brittany suggested making a bit extra at dinner, so lunch the next day is also taken care of.
The important thing is that you consider what season you are in, what you value as a family, and make a plan that works for you.
Maybe you have a husband or teenagers who have different hours and dinner together isn't possible, consider having breakfast or lunch together. Be willing to try different things in different seasons.
Shift work, school work, and sports can make flexibility SO important!
Try a theme week. . .my favorite cookbook is the Trejo's Tacos cookbook. I will make meals that all compliment one another in the same week (I start with ALL the salsas, and add in different protein and carb choices all week).
Brittany suggested making a big roast at the beginning of the week and doing potatoes & veggies for night one, barbecue sauce and buns on night two, toss the roast with garlic and oil for night three, and night four could be a stir-fry!
As always, be kind to yourself! Try cooking all your proteins early in the week and using them as the days go on.
What or how do you choose what you are going to keep up with and what you will let go of?
Experience! Also, be a student of your children. It is easy to want to die on every hill-but unsustainable. As we grow and learn as parents, we begin to recognize which battles are the most important.
For Brittany's family, respect is the most important because it is an integral part of love. Respect for others and ourselves is BIG. Food is another thing that is very important in the Brittany house (which really goes back to respect).
For me, listening the first time is VERY important. It is a safety issue-when kids are little AND when they get older.
What are some things you did with one or two kids that you have let go of now?
For me, it was Christmas cards (this was the first time in 10 years I was able to send them out)!
For Brittany, birthday parties are no longer a priority.
Also, Brittany has let go of not ever taking time for her. She no longer does ALL the things, and has allowed her kids and husband to help her-regardless of if it's right or not.
I have let go of my ideas of the mom I wanted to be (the ideal Pinterest & room mom). I realized very quickly after my husband was injured that I had to focus on taking care of the people in my home.
It is important to know that you can always re-evaluate and change your mind!
My family has given up sleep-overs. Brittany's family has given up gum, slime, balloons, and markers.
Know what you can handle. Much of our trouble as moms comes from trying to do more than we can handle. Are there extra things you are trying to do right now that are making life more difficult for you, and in turn the rest of your family? Let it go.
Brittany's family has decided that they don't make plans that day-at least 24-hours notice is required (this is a THING in my house as well, because: teenagers).
Did you enjoy this podcast? Head over and give us a rating, and follow us on instagram @thedeliberateday
Homeschooling looks different for all of us.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the evidence of homeschool on social media, but keep in mind that you don't always see what happens before the videos.
What is your homeschool schedule?
Every day is different! At Brittany's house, it goes something like this:
Ideally, Britt wakes up before her kids for a cup of something hot, prayer, and to start breakfast.
She uses the natural rhythm of her kids in her schooling (she works with early risers as they wake up).
She combines science, history, and reading--but adapts it to their skill level (littles play, middles read passages, and older read pages).
Reading is usually done at the kitchen table. . .Brittany uses the opportunity of full mouths to read-aloud.
Older kids use Teaching Textbooks (which is very independent).
Littles do Language Arts, Math, and some reading.
Older kids do Language Arts after Math, and really have a lot of control over their own schedules.
After lunch, older kids tie up any loose ends, Brittany works, and the littles take naps.
At my house:
I do my work early in the mornings (between 4 & 6).
I get my High Schoolers off to school shortly after 6.
I begin math with my early risers, and continue after they wake up.
Then we do read-alouds. . .usually the Bible, A Saint Story, A Folk Tale, and a book.
Next up, we do History, Language Arts, Civics, and Science (although right now we are between science units).
A great thing is when kids get old enough to realize that if they get all their work done, they are free to do as they please.
I look for moments to work with individual children.
Every day is different--our family has 2-4 medical appointments each week--which I usually try to schedule in the afternoons, but if that can't happen, we bring school on the road.
Both of our families school formally from breakfast to lunch. . .that seems to be the sweet spot for learning productivity.
Do you require your children to sit in a seat at the table all day long? Or for school?
Brittany does not. . .she wants to create an environment that encourages a love of learning more than anything. Trying to recreate school at home was a challenge for everyone. Littles school all over the main part of the house. Older kids use their rooms for the quiet.
When kids get "behind" (we're not sure "behind" is as big of a "thing" as we sometimes make it).
Are there creative ways you address tough subjects and frustration in learning?
When kids are getting frustrated and everything is escalating, Brittany takes a break and comes back later. A "cookie break" can change the mood in the most wonderful way. Teaching kids to regulate their own mood (by talking through it and regulating our own emotions) is a great skill! When everyone regroups, it is good to come back with a different attitude and behavior (for both teacher and child).
Working with other humans can quickly turn into a pressure cooker type situation. Pause-breaks are important. Learn how to "reset."
Sometimes, it can be beneficial to change the scenery. For example, why does math have to be done at the table? Try a whiteboard, or the driveway, change the location! This can work for every subject. Learn what can reset you, and what can reset your kids! Be a student of your kids.
On a suggestion from Brittany's educator Aunt, Brittany incorporates physical movement (like jumping on a couch). Also consider cutting a lesson in half, or only completing problems until mastery is achieved! Write on sidewalks, windows (with window markers), or white boards!
There are not two identical homeschools-but that is the beautiful thing!
What do you do when kids forget things and don't show responsibility?
Kids are GOING to forget things and be irresponsible! Because they are kids! The key is to figure out if it is purposeful, or just a personality trait, and be prepared to lovingly repeat yourself. (Have you ever forgotten anything? I know I have!)
Be a student of your kids, and use that knowledge to work with individual kids and personalities as you work with them to grow responsibility. As they get older, teach your kids to work with their own personalities (for example, if they are very forgetful, teach them to do things as they come up so they DON'T get forgotten).
After a certain point, as long as it's safe, consider allowing natural consequences to occur. This way you can let go of micromanagement and the stress that comes with having to follow behind many littles checking up on them constantly.
With your kids, are you more reliant on natural consequences or do you use other kinds of consequences more often?
Y'all, we are trying to raise adults and teach lessons that will grow kind, respectful, and caring humans.
We really try to work with natural consequences as much as possible. By giving kids appropriate amounts of responsibility, you may find that natural consequences will ensue.
Family Outing Example: Kids AND husbands can share the responsibility for preparing for family outings. Allow your people to help! It sets good expectations that mom isn't solely responsible for everyone's happiness when the family is out and about (this is good NOW and in the future when these little people head out into the world to be husbands and wives).
As you allow natural consequences to occur, watch how your kiddos react. . .do they feel sorry? Do they understand the opportunity for learning and growth? This is when it MAY be necessary to step in and lay down a boundary.
We WANT to say yes, but it's important to take care of business first! Resist the urge to feel mom-guilt when kids don't hold up their end of the bargain and have consequences as a result of their actions. This is GREAT adult training.
It is so HARD for moms when kids make poor choices, it makes us sad, BUT we have to stick to the boundaries (natural or otherwise) we set out if we want to raise good adults.
How about you? Do you rely on natural consequences? Head over to Instagram this week and join the conversation @thedeliberateday
Also-have you joined our e-mail list? If not, head over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and enter your e-mail to gain access to a beautiful resource library!
Finally, if you are enjoying the podcast, give us a rating on apple or Spotify! This will help us reach as many moms as possible!
Specifically, what chores do your children have?
For me, here's the chore breakdown. . .
17 & 16 year-olds: Garbage & Recycling (shared responsibility because they are never home).
14 year-old: All things table & surrounding area
11 year-old: Sweeping
8 year-old: Bathroom counter & mirror
In Brittany's house, they are constantly adapting and changing things up.
They start "chores" very early on. Meaning, as soon as kiddos can pick a toy up, they can start doing little jobs. Even an 18 month-old can learn how to pick up their toys (little-by-little).
When assigning chores, Brittany's family always considers the youngest CAPABLE child (not necessarily the child who will do the best job). It gives children the opportunity to rise to a challenge. As soon as a child understands commands (and give your kids some credit-they are REALLY much smarter and more capable than we think), they can begin doing small tasks.
Be willing to work with kids. . .they are not going to do a perfect job the first eleventy-billion times, and that's OK! It's our job to work with them! Try not to rely on the oldest and most capable kids ALL the time.
At 2 to 3 years-old kids: grab things for you, pick up their own toys, clean up their own non-shatter glasses and plates, load their own dishes in the dishwasher, and put their own trash in the trash can.
At ages 4 to 5 years-old kids: sweep, pick up certain rooms and areas (ONE task in a certain area-be specific), take out recycling
At ages 6 to 7 years-old kids: pick up the yard, dog messes, garbage, cleaning the car (please be mindful of weather conditions and safety)
Another thing Brittany's family does with chores is the chore swap! On the first of every month, kids receive their new responsibilities. On the last day of every month, Brittany & her husband decide how jobs will be divided out for the next month. They have a rough list they divide up based on responsibility, capability, and pay. Older kids (as training for adulthood) are given the opportunity to rise to the challenge.
Chores in the Brittany House:
Oldest child (14): scouring bathrooms once a week, cleaning inside and outside of van, and all trash and recycling in the house (up to making sure they are brought to the curb)
Second Oldest (12): kitchen duty each night, ALL things laundry and laundry room
Third Oldest (11): vacuums the stairs, cleans the loft area, and cleans the girls' room with the help of the little girls
Sidenote 1: Allow older kids to work with the younger kids-consider the "ask 3 before me" rule with chores. . .give kids the opportunity to help one another and teach one another.
Sidenote 2: Break large tasks into smaller chunks to make it less overwhelming for kids, don't just say "clean this room." Consider making a laminated card for each room with necessary tasks for cleaning.
Sidenote 3: Look at your specific house, the ages and capabilities of your children when designing your chore list.
Sidenote 4: Allow older children to help littles get ready for bed.
Fourth Oldest (9): Cleans the whole downstairs, vacuums, and sets and cleans the dining room table.
Sidenote 6: Kids won't do a great job every time. . .sometimes they will kill it-other times they will slack off.
Sidenote 7: Little kids CAN fold washcloths and dish towels!
How are you encouraging responsibility in general? Habits?
It isn't unreasonable to expect kids to obey, but you will need to repeat yourself more than you ever thought possible!
Remember that children have different strengths! Become a student of your child!
Acknowledge that kids are different, but it's also ok to have responsibilities and firm boundaries.
How do they earn money. . .or DO they earn money?
One way that kids can earn money is through chores.
Initially, Brittany's family was of the mind that chores were just a part of life-and should be done-which is a belief that many families hold (and how many of us were raised). Over the years, however, she and her husband have pivoted a bit and decided that there are definitely SOME chores that are simply done out of family responsibility, but there are also tasks that can be completed for money-for a really good reason:
Allowing children to earn money beginning at a young age can provide SO many teaching opportunities when it comes to money management-and helps with the goal of raising financially smart adults.
Both our families pay children their age in allowance each week. Brittany's family has a great system (which also teaches responsibility and the importance of a job well done). We'll call it the system of 1/2's. . .
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It's ALWAYS a good idea to check kid work (think of yourself as quality control). Brittany emphasizes the idea (once again-because it is brilliant) of asking good questions (in a loving way) when effort is lacking (or if a job hasn't been done).
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Then, if a child doesn't complete their chores one day, their pay is cut in half.
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If they miss a second day, there goes another half.
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By the third missed day-there will be no pay.
On raising entrepreneurs. . .
Brittany's kids have participated in the Children's Business Fair for a few years now and they have learned a TON. This last year, her boys made and sold wooden toys, and her girls sold handmade dolls and paper. Parents help, yes, but the kids purchase supplies, create product ideas, and run their shops on the big day! For more information on Children's Business Fairs, check out:
https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org
After the fair, there is another great opportunity for a teachable moment. . .what to do with the profit!
Earnings are divided as follows. . .
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10% is given. Giving is SO important, and when started young, it can become a GREAT lifelong habit.
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20% is saved. The only exception to this is when profits (or earnings exceed $100, then savings gets bumped to 30%)
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70% is spent! If kiddos work hard to earn all that money, they should get to enjoy it! Now. . .depending on the kid, this can get a bit sticky--literally and figuratively--because we all have that one child who wants to spend $15 on candy! This is another great opportunity to ask good questions and let your kids waste a little money (because when something else comes along later when they have nothing to spend-it will be a great lesson).
As far as savings goes, this is an area where we exercise a bit more parental control, for two reasons. . .1. to teach good habits (because savings is important, and saving little bits over time and not digging into it constantly is a GREAT habit), and 2. both of our families have a parent matching program (where we add the child's age to their savings each month on TOP of what they save themselves.
Kids CAN do big things with their money! Brittany's two oldest saved for and traveled from Florida to ALASKA! She also has another son saving for his own hoverboard right now! Our family was able to help my oldest purchase a new camera for his photography business by saving in this way!
If you aren't interested in chores, and you don't live near an area with a children's business fair-consider encouraging kids to own their own skills. Kids CAN do big things-with a little help and encouragement!
Finally-we would love to hear YOUR ideas! Find us on IG @dirty_moms_talk, @thedeliberateday, and @artfullybydorajayne
- How do you keep up with household organization and cleaning without getting overwhelmed and just not doing anything at all?
Start with a book!
Some of our favorites are:
Declutter Like a Mother
A Mother's Rule
Pray Like Mary, Clean Like Martha
First, figure out your priorities! Is a clean house your #1, then schedule your day for it. Is playing with your kids the most important to you? Then plan for that! (All of us have different priorities and that's OK!)
Then, figure out what makes you crazy! Is it the laundry? Dishes, the kitchen? Is there a small thing, that you can turn into a habit that will make you FEEL like your home is clean?
Next, what can you do to be kind to tomorrow's you?
Finally, understand that having help that isn't exactly up to your standards is better than no help at all. . .not all help will be exactly what you want, and that's ok. Opportunities for growth exist here-both for us moms (in learning to let go a bit) and for kids (in learning to be proud of the work they do). Just know that you will have to repeat yourself over and over again.
Sidenote: In Brittany's home they practice mastery. . .
First time-you show by doing.
Second time-you show them by having them help you.
Third time-they show you and you're there to monitor and ask good questions.
Fourth time-they do it all by themselves, and you come back and check.
(The above steps can be applied to MANY different situations-not just chores and meal mastery!)
- What do you do when your kids are asking for snacks all day long?
In Brittany's family, the rule is one piece of fruit and then vegetables (carrots are always available), and as soon as dinner prep starts there is no more snacking.
In my family, it's free reign. I get cereal bars and chips and my kids quite often refuse to eat the delicious food I cook (this isn't always the case-but it isn't a battle I pick currently).
It really comes down to what battles you are willing to fight! If you want to snack all day and that's your thing, that's fine! If food is really important to you, fight that battle mama-and just know there will be things that you will make that your kids don't like!
On the planning side, you need to figure out what your priorities are. If you want snacks every day, plan it out! Hungry kids will eat eventually! You don't have to turn to Mac n' Cheese-unless it is for you, and you need to let it be easy.
If you need some help with meal planning, check out episode 9 (season 2) AND head to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and enter your e-mail for access to the free resource library and your FREE printable.
- What do you do about so many different taste buds?
I try to include something something that everyone likes in each meal. Sometimes it is a second veggie or grain.
Brittany's meals are non-negotiable. Cooking is a sacrifice-with lots of love and care that goes into each meal-so even if they don't like it, they need to eat it. Tastebuds are always changing, and it's possible that if you don't like something-you might like it cooked a different way! Kids don't need to lie about what they like and don't like, but we should ALL be thankful that someone loved us enough to cook for us.
Sidenote: Food battles are almost ALWAYS a thing with toddlers. Hang in there though-keep encouraging kids to try and eat lots of different items. Food is fuel, it keeps us healthy and nourishes our bodies, it isn't just for pleasure.
How do you get everyone's attention when you're out and about?
Consider a special whistle! (Like Brittany-y'all this is so neat to see in action). If you can't whistle (like me), make sure you set clear boundaries for how far your kiddos are allowed to venture out (based on age, personality, and responsibility) and agree ahead of time on how they will be called.
When you collect all the people, also think about how you will make sure everyone is present. Brittany, once again, has a great way to make sure all the kids are there. Encourage your kids to keep eyes on one another (because we can all use the help)!
Inside mom tip: Your kids are capable of helping you! Give them small responsibilities at young ages and build upon them over the years!
What is the Catholic and Mormon rule of visiting friends?
Rule: With few exceptions, it's not ok for you to bring your many children to a home with less children.
Consider meeting at a neutral location, or your own house.
Something else to consider, two star families (with two kids) may not be used to five star level crazy (five kids).
This rule can be a reason why having more kids can be isolating. . .we suggest to keep trying! Find your people (regardless of how many kids they have) and keep building relationships (if meeting a your house doesn't work, try a park, or pool, or coffee. . .just keep trying)!
How do you feel about allowing kids to venture out?
I'm a recovering helicopter parent. I know it is so important to let kids go and explore, but it is HARD. (If you are like this-I feel you mama!). Brittany is a great example of a mom who sets clear boundaries and lets kiddos have a bit more freedom. Think about this freedom as an opportunity to grow responsibility. Kids do need opportunities to get themselves into-and out of- a little bit of trouble. For two great books that touch on this topic, check out:
The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk
If YOU have any ideas about these topics, please send us a DM on instagram! While you're there, check out what we have going on!
@dirty_moms_talk (both of us can be reached here)
@thedeliberateday (Brittany)
@artfully_by_dorajayne (Tiffany)
If you are enjoying the podcast, give us a review (it will help us to reach more mamas!)
Finally, if you haven't already, head to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and enter your e-mail for access to ALL the amazing FREE printables!
Season three will be ALL about listener questions! We will do our best to share our wisdom and experience on a wide variety of momming topics!
Don't you know what causes that?
This is a question that you begin to hear quite often-once your kid count surpasses 3. We're not sure why people seem to ask this so often, Brittany thinks it *may just be an attempt to connect--even if it doesn't feel that way--so we encourage you to answer charitably. Also, if you are a mom who wants to connect and encourage other moms out and about in public, consider complimenting their children, flashing them a knowing smile, or perhaps telling them good job (because at the most basic level, regardless of HOW we mom, we all LOVE our kids and want what's best for them).
How do you do IT?
What is IT anyway? According to Brittany, we are all picking a different mountain to die on based on our priorities. We both agree that the idea of a supermom who has it all together is an absolute MYTH. Not one human can actually do it all, and that's ok! Just know that momming well is all about choosing your priorities in this season.
Real talk. . .Good moms yell. Good moms get angry. Good moms get frustrated. Good moms get worn out.
Motherhood can be like a battlefield and require triage. This, mama, is where we get to shine, because we get to choose what we will prioritize. Based on your season, you need to prioritize, do the best you can, give yourself grace, and let the rest go!
Where do you put them?
You may not need as much space as you think you need! Brittany's family of 9 lives in an 1,800 square foot home-very comfortably! My family of 7 lives in a home that is just slightly bigger. Whether you have a huge space or a small space, it can be more about how you USE it than how much you have.
Brittany suggests the idea of being flexible. . .different set-ups are necessary for different ages and stages. Allowing children to be in close proximity can teach children selflessness, communication, and basic "humaning" skills.
Sharing space is good roommate and marriage practice. Consider that siblings are a great gift-even if it doesn't feel that way!
Should I have another baby?
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Have you prayed about it?
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Are the reasons you aren't having another baby rooted in love and goodness and Christ? Or are they rooted in fear or selfishness?
Brittany has seven children and I have five, and they were NOT all planned. Still, each little soul has added to, changed, and grown our families in beautiful and amazing ways.
So much goodness can come from adding another soul to your family. We can create so many reasons to say "no" to another life, but all these things aren't always as big of a deal as we think. There will be challenges-absolutely-but all of those challenges are conquerable! You will grow, you will see beauty, and although it can feel scary or overwhelming, you can do it.
Many times, our children are given to us in order to make us into the humans we are meant to be. Hopefully, you are a different mother today than you were a year ago. With God's grace, you will be a different mother twenty years from now!
Finally, saying "yes" to more children DOES mean you will need to say "no" to other things right now. But consider that those "yesses," might close some doors, but will open others. So, have a conversation with a husband (if this is something that's on your heart). And consider approaching it from a "why not" angle.
Connect with us on Instagram @dirty_moms_talk and @thedeliberateday and head to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and enter you e-mail!
Where do you stand on wardrobe planning?
What does wardrobe planning look like? In this episode, we talk about a modified capsule wardrobe for kids.
So, how do you start?
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Start early and small. . .go through clothes and purge anything that is in poor condition or doesn't work. Save what will work fo the next child down for next season-or the next two seasons ONLY.
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Go to deliberatedayjournal.com and put in your e-mail for access to the FREE wardrobe printable, print it off (one copy for each child) and start making notes about what you have and what you want.
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Shop! Online, in store, and yard sales and consignment shops are ALL great ways to find the pieces you need. Also-ask friends with kids older than yours where they get their clothes-or what they do when the kids outgrow them! (We shop at Old Navy, H & M, Target, Hollister, Underarmour Outlet, Nike Outlet, Primary).
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Keep your list for next season! Make notes on what works and what didn't.
If all this sounds overwhelming, take it slow! Do what you can and give yourself grace. If starting fresh is all you can handle, do that.
Some other things to keep in mind:
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Socks and underwear have a lifespan of about 12 months.
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Your laundry prowess. If you are really good at laundry, you can probably get by with less. If laundry is not your gift, make sure to have enough clothes to cover laundry delays.
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Don't overplan. The goal is to have several pieces that can all be worn interchangeably.
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Get one, cute, well put-together outfit for special occasions and protect it with your life.
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Kids of ALL ages are hard on clothes. Make sure to bake in extras for when pieces are damaged or lost (how do kids lose so many pieces of clothing!?).
Finally, if you found value here-share with a friend and give us a rating!
Why do our people need to eat 3 times a day?
Meal planning saves you frustration, fatigue, time, energy, and money, but why is it such a difficult thing for moms (in fact, it's right up there with laundry)!? It doesn't have to be! We're here to help!
For us, there are 5 steps to meal planning:
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Budget-be prepared for some trial and error if you have never made a food budget. The good news is that "food" is generally one of the largest portions of a family's expenses-so there is great opportunity to save here if you really put your mind to it!
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Inventory-check your pantry, freezer and refrigerator! Take photos or keep a list. . .this will keep you from overbuying certain items (like Cholula) or forgetting items (which will require yet another visit to the store).
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Schedule-don't forget this step! Do you weekly planning, and don't make elaborate plans for busy days! Be kind to your future self and let those hectic days be easy! This will save you frustration and money!
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Menu-keep a running list of the meals that your family enjoys! Use these strategically. Also, we give you permission to include a leftover/quick & easy night! In fact, if you are in a particularly busy season-make one meal a day into a leftover/quick & easy meal-no judgement here! Head over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and put in your e-mail to gain access to the resource library where you will find a great FREE meal planner printable!
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List, shop, & save. Keep a running list on your phone or your refrigerator door that you can easily add to all week! Consider which items are on sale this week and build meals around what's on sale and what you have on hand! If you need to keep it simple, at most, choose your two favorite stores and shop at those! (If you dread shopping-consider going with a friend-or a delivery or pick-up service!)
The people need to eat, so you may as well learn to simplify the process of feeding them. Right now, head over https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and get your FREE meal planner!
If you have enjoyed our episodes, please give us a rating on your favorite podcast platform, and if you have any questions or comments you can find us on Instagram @dirty_moms_talk.
Each week is 1/52 of a year.
It is just the right amount of time to review, make 1% chances, and pivot is need be.
Creating an intentional plan for your week will give you action steps and help you create a master to-do list to pull from.
So, how do you create your weekly plan? First, head over to the Resource Library at https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com
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De-clutter your brain. Write down every "possibility" for this week. Every appointment, every task, the habit you are working on, even your big challenge for the week ahead. As a mom, you WILL forget things--make it less likely when you write them down as you think of them--and when you still forget a few things, give yourself grace. Use the FREE weekly planner resource to help guide you as you begin!
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Prioritize! Keep 3 categories. (Use highlighters, letters, or numbers. . .make it your own).
a. Max priority. Must be done. Include one thing each day that gets you closer to your big goals- the world needs what YOU have to give!
b. Mild priority. Important, but no one will perish if you don't get these things down.
c. Barely a priority. Hope-to-dos. This is where your dreams and goals can begin to live if you aren't careful! Don't let this happen!
- Use your prioritized possibility list to Pick Your Six for each day. (To learn more about Picking Your Six in Episode 7). Be AMAZED at your progress over time (1% each week adds up quickly)!
Rest easy knowing that you are doing the next best thing, and limit stress, resentment, and frustration in the moment because you have been kind to tomorrow's you.
Finally, go to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and get access to the FREE Resource Library. Start planning your week today-even if the week is mostly over, START TODAY.
If you haven't listened to podcasts #5 and #6 on Goals and Habits, you should revisit those in order to get the most out of episode #7.
Next, go to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and claim your FREE Deliberate Start resource!
Pick your six! Only six each day. You may be tempted to choose more, but limit it to six.
What should we include in our six?
At least one item that links back to your big dreams and goals. This is SO important! Don't let it go! The world needs what you have!
Non-negotiables, appointments, classes, and sports.
Hope-to-do's. . .reading a book, visiting a friend.
When should you pick your six? Preferably the night before or in the morning when you wake up, before the chaos starts.
What happens if you don't complete your six? You GET to carry it over tomorrow! Give yourself grace.
Our favorite place to write our six is in our Deliberate Day Journals! Head over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com if you would like to purchase your own digital copy!
Finally, for the next three days, use your phone, your notebook, or your Deliberate Day Journal and pick your six! Do it before bed, or in the morning before the crazy starts and let us know how it goes! Send us a DM on Instagram or Facebook!
"You are making something, you are making yourself."
-Donald Miller
How are we making ourselves? We are making ourselves with HABITS!
According to the Google, a habit is a "routine behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously."
Whether you realize it or not, you have habits. Good or bad, there are routine behaviors that fill your days. The key is to begin to CHOOSE more of those behaviors.
When we CHOOSE our habits, we can align them with our mini-goals, and ultimately our big goals and our why.
When we CHOOSE our habits, we can select to perform actions that are kind to tomorrow's us!
So, HOW do we CHOOSE our ONE (only ONE) new habit?
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First, head over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and get your Deliberate Start Guide (FREE)! This will help you REFLECT on key areas, ASSESS what you want in the future, and CREATE new goals aligned with your why!
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Think of activities that align with your goals AND lend to a kindness to your future self.
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Choose ONE (yes, only ONE) habit to start. Bonus points if you choose something that makes progress in more than one area (such as waking up early in the morning, or exercising with your people).
HOW do we START a new habit?
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Consider things you are already doing. (Waking up, eating meals, picking kids up from school, nap time, etc).
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Get creative, and consider your season of life. Maybe "reading" more for you right now looks a lot less like you sitting in your favorite chair for hours at a time, and a lot more like you enjoying an audible book on your way to the carpool line.
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Start SMALL. Start with ONE (max two-if you are an overachiever). Do not overwhelm yourself. Lasting change happens in 1% increments. Be the turtle.
So! Go to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and get your FREE Deliberate START guide! If you need a good Habit Tracker, there is a fantastic page in the Deliberate Day Journal (which can also be found at the link above).
First and foremost, head over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and gain access to your Deliberate Start resource so you can get the most out of this episode!
Don't choose a word, choose your "why"!
Begin working on your goals by imagining your big picture. Start with your grand vision (based on your values and priorities) and work backwards.
When you have your "why," consider what big goals will get you there. Then, break those big goals into smaller-more manageable chunks (and even into habits-which we will cover more next week).
Important notes. . .
1. Mothers can-and should-have goals! If you have time to scroll social media, you have time to think about what you want your life to look like!
2. Focus on goals that fall within your circle of influence.
3. While you may not know what this year has in store, writing down your intentions and working towards them will set you on a path to achieve a surprising amount.
Finally, head on over to https://www.deliberatedayjournal.com and get your FREE Deliberate Start resource. Better yet, send this link to a friend (or your husband) and set a date (do this NOW) to work on your 2022 together.
Thank you for listening-we would love to hear YOUR thoughts about goals and goal setting! Head over to Instagram or Facebook and tag us @dirty_moms_talk, or leave a review on Apple or Spotify and let us know what you think!
Momming can be HARD. If we aren't careful, our days can quickly get hijacked by an endless list of to-do's and fires to put out.
Before too long, we have an endless string of days that run together and we have no recollection of any of the good that happened.
It doesn't have to be this way.
If we train ourselves to look for little moments of beauty in each day, it will positively influence our relationships with our people.
But how can a busy mom do this? Of course, we have some ideas. . .
- Take out your phone, notebook, or journal.
- Pick one moment from your day that you remember fondly.
- Record it! (Voice memos count!)
Finally, as a bonus--take out your phone again--and text your husband and tell him one beautiful moment (our men need to hear the positive too!)
Why is mom-guilt a thing? Jon Acuff has some hilarious ideas about dad guilt, and how it really doesn't exist.
The good news is that we don't have to "do it all"! All we are called to is faithfulness.
That's it.
Consider then, that it may not be your "best" that has to change, but your mindset.
Maybe your best mommy self shined through and your struggle lies in things undone. . .if that is your challenge, print Jon Acuff's New Anthem out here:
https://acuff.me/soundtracksaudio/screen-shot-2021-04-06-at-2-47-52-pm/
And write any leftover items from today on your list of six for tomorrow!
Finally, for the next three days, do these three things:
- Pick one moment when your best self didn't really shine.
- Write that moment down in your phone, notebook, or Deliberate Day Journal.
- Say a prayer for grace and let. it. go.
Choose grace over guilt.
Gratitude is good on so many levels!
First, it is good for your physical body! Unbelievable? Read this article:
For more reading on the effects of gratitude, check out this article: https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-gratitude/
Second, it can change your outlook and your days. If we approach life with an attitude of gratitude, it will spill into everything.
Finally, modeling gratitude can change the lives of your spouse and children!
Don't forget! Make sure to text a friend and tell her why you are grateful for her (we all need to hear these things from time to time)!
Why "The Dirty Moms"? This episode answers this very question (hint: it's probably not what you think).
Are you already dreading the holiday rush just a little bit? Listen in for some ideas for keeping holiday chaos at bay and right when you are done-do these things:
- List your holiday possibilities. (THIS is your one little thing. . .do this now!)
- Pick your top six Christmas activities.
- Write in your choices and protect the time in your calendar.
- Gather supplies ahead of time.
- Don't pile on!
The holiday season should be a time when we get to joyfully enjoy those we love, and this can only happen if we are intentional about how we spend our limited time and energy. So, make those choices today and commit to them.
Finally, share YOUR ideas with us! What are your favorite holiday activities, and how do you calm the chaos?