Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 023. Several months ago, Brett got her own room.  Since then we’ve been talking a lot about the subject of privacy because I don’t want her to over-value privacy at the expense of relationships.  After all, if she gets married some day, she’s going to have to give up…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 022. Have you ever heard the expression, “He is a born leader?”  While I do think there are people who are natural leaders, I also believe that leadership skills can be taught.  I focus a lot on teaching my children to be leaders because I want them to have…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 021. Our children desperately desire our attention.  We can choose to give it to them proactively on our terms.  Or we can wait until they misbehave and give them attention then in the form of discipline. Children are smart.  They realize that if they can’t get attention from Mom…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 020. How peaceful our homes are hinges on how effectively we discipline our children.  There are a lot of things you can do as a mom to improve the way you discipline and help your children to respond better.  But it starts with you and it takes a lot…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 019. One of my all-time favorite books is Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives* by Richard Swenson.   This is a concept that is really important to a well-balanced life and it is a book that I highly recommend.  If you have margin in your…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 018. I want to raise children that have a strong work ethic.  I think laziness is so destructive to our personal success, especially when it comes to our careers and our relationships.  It takes hard work to succeed in both those areas. I use chores to build a strong…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 017. Words are very powerful and yet most of us use them without much thought.  I have been the victim of words that were carelessly spoken and have wounded me deeply.  I’m sad to say that I’ve been on the other end as well and have uttered words before…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 016. According to Michael Hyatt, the best time to build a platform is five years before you need it.  And yet, if you had told me in 2003 that in five years I would launch a successful goat milk soap business and that I would be reaching thousands of…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 015. I love and value learning.  Not just for the children, but for myself as well.   A “rusty” brain would prevent me from conversing intelligently with my husband and others  about a variety of topics.  So I make sure that I am always learning something about being a…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 014. Sometimes it can be so difficult to decide whether or not you need to schedule a doctor visit.  We don’t want to waste our time or our money, but what if things are serious and a doctor visit is required?  There are obvious injuries (like massive splinters stuck…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 013. Nothing ruins my plans and my busy schedule the way a family member getting sick does.  Everyone of us has a job and a role and if somebody is sick, we have to scramble and re-prioritize and figure it all out. So I make sure that I do…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 012. If you’ve ever had an idea that you think you may be able to turn into a family business, you’ll want to listen to today’s podcast.  I discuss the benefits of attending craft fairs or festivals to do market research for your new or potential business. Then I play…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 010. I don’t want to be the kind of person who becomes consumed by the struggles in my life.  I want to maintain the proper perspective.  And I want to teach my children to do the same.  Because one thing I know about life is that it’s going to…

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast Episode 009. During today’s podcast, I share my journey to living a debt free lifestyle.  It was not easy to learn to live below our means, but the benefits to doing so have been truly tremendous.  Not only have I been able to stay home and raise my eight children,…