As a wife and mother of 5 children --one of which is severely disabled-- I’m often asked, “How do you do it?” Many mothers have vented to me that they feel overwhelmed with the one or two that they have, and can’t imagine having more. I’ve helped moms often, through the years and wished I had kept track of the questions and my subsequent advice. So, I decided to start blogging about it. One thing I can tell you is that it DOES get easier.
We have one boy and four girls. As you can imagine, drama often ensues, but we have compassionate, hardworking children, who are close to each other and to us.
We didn’t always follow the popular parenting trends, often choosing to follow our own path. Along the way, I was always doing research and asking questions of those who had been there. I’d ask the same questions and have the same conversations with several people and take the answers and ideas that clicked with us and how our family worked. I’d always discuss these with my husband and together, we’d figure out which would best fit our family, then put our own spin on it to make it truly ours. But, we’d keep the other ideas in mind in case our first attempt didn’t work, as can often happen when parenting. Also, what works for one child, doesn’t always work with another child, even within the same family.
Along those lines, raising 5 kids, the biggest lesson to take away from everything we have learned, so far, is that every pregnancy, every birth, every baby, every child, and every family is different. Some things work for the entire family, some things will work for only a few or one child in that family. We are all unique.
As our family grew, we got a better sense of what would work for each child or our whole family. We didn’t need to ask as many questions, but we still discussed how to proceed. We were also asked questions by other parents. We would talk about our experiences, but also mention the advice that was given to us by others that worked for them, but not for us. We always felt this was more helpful, because it gave options. We all need options. Then we can make up our own minds and find what works best for us.
I have been a stay-at-home mom since just before our oldest was born. I have never been the best at keeping my home organized, nor decorated in the latest trends. In fact, my house has always been a bit cluttered, even, but my husband and kids were always clothed, fed, and happy. I have had great fun being a mom, and always made time for my family, first.
Now that my babies are mostly grown, very independent, and venturing out into the world, I have a little more time on my hands. I still find myself asked for advice or having ideas to share. I’ve always enjoyed writing, so with that in mind, I felt the need to start a blog. My wonderfully supportive husband thought it was a great idea and agreed to handle the technical aspects (Thank God!). He also proofreads my posts, helps with brainstorming, inspiration, and advice. We make a great team. He is my rock.
I’m also learning to take timeout for ME and the house. I still have a disabled daughter at home, so I will always be a needed mom. I’m learning tips and tricks along the way to improve my ability to care for her, as well as, keep an organized home. Plus, I am working out, following an eating plan, learning about fashion, creating my own style, and finally wearing makeup again for the first time in years! Follow me along in these new lessons in self-discovery!
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