My Calling to Homeschool

My Calling to Homeschool

Apr 28, 2022 | Family & Home, Homeschool

I know for many families the decision to homeschool is a difficult one. In the U.S, roughly 3.3% of school-aged children are homeschooled. According to the U.S Census Bureau, this number has only recently increased due to the global pandemic. It certainly requires commitment, both of your time and your energy. But for me, it was the path that God laid at my feet! While His guidance has often asked me to sacrifice, this is one area that I feel He truly provided a step that was easy to take.

My Background in Education

Some of you may not know this, but before meeting my husband I was in the process of pursuing a career in education. My coursework and experience in college was focused on Early Childhood Education, allowing me to work in the public school system as both a substitute teacher and a standardized test specialist. It was a future I was highly invested in and excited to grow into, but something even more wonderful happened… God placed my beautiful life partner before me and gave me a new calling.

Separation Anxiety

Admittedly, the transition from pursuing education and deciding to educate my own children wasn’t a clear one. In the early days of our marriage Demario and I had once joked about me homeschooling our children, but at the time it seemed like a very foreign concept. I only started truly considering the idea once my first child was about 10 months old. I found I was getting some severe separation anxiety. Call me over-protective, but we tried 3 schools in less than 3 months, and I just didn’t feel comfortable being apart from my baby girl. It was then I realized that perhaps God was calling me home!

Making the Transition

It took a little bit to create a plan of action, but I began setting up learning stations around the playroom and spent time daily on educationally stimulating tasks. It was a system that worked for us until my firstborn was about 3 years old. Around then we began integrating a few days a week into preschool to help her socialize, but I never felt truly satisfied having her educated outside our home. I decided to trust God and homeschool her full time and I haven’t looked back since!

 

Take God’s Cue

He does not put things in our path that we cannot take on (1 Corinthians 10:13). If you are considering homeschooling your child(ren) I will suggest you first pray over this calling. Ask God if this is what he has set before you and once you receive confirmation research an online curriculum within your home state to help you get started. My experience homeschooling has reminded me that His wisdom united a passion I had early on with a family life that was new to me. He provided the opportunity to put the tools I had at hand to use. God gave me new purpose, vision, and boldness to enact something I had never seen modeled before.

Over the years, with 5 children, I have certainly re-evaluated my homeschooling methods, even applied for schools at times, but He is always there to remind me that my course of action is the one He designed. He has granted me my dreams: I get to spend unlimited time with my kids, I get to nurture them as whole children, and I have flexibility in my schedule, discipline, and curriculum.  I am thankful everyday that I answered His call, trusted his wisdom, and made home the center of my children’s education!

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Childproof Your Kitchen

Childproof Your Kitchen

Apr 26, 2022 | Family & Home, Home Organization

This may come as a shock (note a little sarcasm here), but food is one of the deepest foundations of my home.

 I connect with my family and the people around me through my cooking. My love for creating food makes my kitchen the heart of my house. My love for creating food makes my kitchen the heart of my house. But with five kiddos running amok, it isn’t always the safest place for them to be. It’s important to me to make food as much a part of their lives, as it is in mine, which makes childproofing the kitchen an absolute must. With a little help, my kitchen has become an environment where they can be present, participate, and explore without danger.

Out of reach, out of danger. Here are some of my favorite tips for childproofing your kitchen:

Get on their level!

The best way to determine what dangers your kitchen presents is to view it from your child’s point of view. Get down to their height (even if that means sitting your booty right on the floor) and look around. What objects or drawers are in reach? Are there electrical outlets present? Does your island have sharp corners at head height? By seeing the kitchen through their investigative and curious eyes, you can determine what dangers are the most accessible for them and get a starting point for what to address first.

Out of reach, out of danger.

This may seem like an obvious statement. But the first true step to childproofing your kitchen is to put objects out of reach of your kids. Move refrigerator magnets high up to prevent choking hazards. Place heavy pots and pans or appliances with blades into upper cabinets. Slide anything displayed on your countertop away from the edges toward the wall. And please, please, please don’t make a step-ladder easily accessible to your kids!

Secure, secure, secure!

If it opens, spins, or slides, secure it! Little fingers find a way of getting into things they shouldn’t and getting squished by things that hurt. I started with the old-school rubber band method on cabinets, but learned quickly to put drawer locks on everything. These can be found anywhere from Target, to Amazon, to Home Depot. For the most part, they are inexpensive, easy to install and use, and can be removed without damage once your kids are old enough.

When all else fails, hire help!

If you’re a new mom, or even a third-time parent, sometimes consulting an expert can make you feel more confident. You aren’t expected to know everything so please don’t be scared to ask for help from an individual or a company with professional experience in childproofing.

Do you have any childproofing techniques that have worked for you?

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Parents: Stopping a Tantrum In Its Tracks

Parents: Stopping a Tantrum In Its Tracks

Apr 6, 2022 | Family & Home, Parenting

With a household of five little ones, you can imagine we spend a lot of time navigating toddler tantrums and sibling breakdowns.

The past few years have certainly been a process of trial and error when learning to deal with and help manage my kiddos’ emotions. While still a work in progress, I am excited to share with you some of the tools I have found to be successful.

Name the Emotion 

1. Get On Their Level!

 

Much like adults, kids want to feel that they are both seen and heard. I find that meeting them at eye level creates a sense of equality where they feel safe to begin sharing and communicating. So get low to the ground, or lift your kiddos up (count it as a mommy’s arm workout!) and start out every conversation with eye contact.

2. Name the Emotion

 

For small ones, emotions can sometimes be overwhelming. I like to ask questions to help them to narrow down their experience and put a name to it. Once we know if they are angry, sad, disappointed etc. we can start addressing the emotion and finding the best solution.

3. Breathe Deep

 

This is a staple! I know you’ve heard it before, but helping your child to slow down their breathing will regulate their bodies as well. We like to say “Inhale the flowers, blow out the candles.” This allows the kids to not only take a second to breathe, but reminds them of experiences that are both happy and calming.

4. Redirect Their Attention

 

As I mentioned before, feelings can sometimes be overwhelming. I have found that introducing things to redirect their attention can help alleviate some of the pressure and make it easier to communicate. In our household this may mean using fidget toys (like Rubik’s Cubes, stress balls, or spinners), altering the location of the conversation (nothing like a change of scenery!), or shifting the focus (they may not want their feelings to be the center of attention). These tactics help to give the kids a healthy outlet if they aren’t ready to talk or need some time to process and communicate what they are experiencing.

5. When in Doubt, Pray It Out!

 

Y’all should know by now that God is at the center of everything at the Davis household! Children are never too young to learn how to take time and pray about their emotions. We always like to teach that God can help educate you on how to overcome your experiences, all you have to do is ask for His wisdom. It’s important to me to encourage their personal relationships with God and seek his assistance in everything.

The most important thing to remember is to build a home where communication is key. Our household is more about words of affirmation than yelling, more about time in than time out. If you build successful tools for your kids early, they will take their communication skills with them throughout their lives.

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5 Tips for Conquering Your Family’s Bathroom Clutter

5 Tips for Conquering Your Family’s Bathroom Clutter

Apr 3, 2022 | Family & Home, Home Organization

I’ve made my home a special place for my family to thrive and live in comfort, but all that “comfort” requires one thing: clutter-less space!

Let’s talk about the bathroom, specifically. Between everyone’s clothing, bath toys, tons of hygiene products and haircare for every age in the house, and random things that just end there, avoiding clutter in and outside of drawers/cabinets is a constant task. Luckily, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that have helped me overcome the mess. It can be easy to let items overflow and take over your bathroom, but if you put these five pointers to work, you’ll have a cleaner, more organized bathroom in no time!

 

Splurge On Cabinet Organizers

 

Bins, drawers, cabinet organizers, and baskets are my BFF! And nowadays, you can find a container for any space and opt for whatever style fits your lifestyle. Clear bins are great for easily seeing your items, but colored organizers show off your style and look sleek. No matter what you choose, remember this: label everything. Creating categories for your items will help you sustain your cabinet organization in the long term.

Make Sure Functionality Equals Accessibility

 

I’m keeping up with a lot of active kiddos, so the quicker I can reach for items like diapers, toys, and cleaning supplies, the better. I make sure to give some thought to where my most important items will be. By spending time finding the perfect spot for my things, I avoid the frustration of struggling to reach what I need quickly, and I’m less likely to reorganize later down the line. So if you need to move as quickly as I do, devote time to organizing everything right the first time!

Tackle Your Towels Properly

 

This is a small habit that will make a world of difference. By folding towels small and neat, you can easily place them in file position or flat depending on if it’s a drawer or cabinet. Now those bulky towels take up less space and create a clean look! This also leaves room for plenty of spares for future guests.

Rule #1: Put It Up

 

The phrase “set it and forget” only works if everything has a place. Try to make an active choice to put things in the bathroom back where they belong as you use them—or at least before you leave out. When you can’t or are short on time, set aside about 15 minutes a week to get straggling items back to their home. Over time, you’ll find that your bathroom clutter piles become smaller and smaller as you find a spot that fits into your organizational system.

Use The Bissell Drawer Vacuum

 

You won’t always have time to handle the daily dust and dirt that magically appears in your home. I’ve invested in a small Bissell drawer vacuum to keep those hard-to-reach drawer spaces clear. After a quick once-over with the vacuum, I wipe down any handle, countertops, or appliance with a Clorox wipe. When you give it a try, you might not get to everything in one go, but be sure to have these on hand to fight off grime and bacteria.

You are not alone in your bathroom cleaning journey; we all get messy sometimes! But you don’t have to let that stress you. I hope these tips help you tackle that clutter and keep it at bay.

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Gifts that Keep on Giving: The Best of My 2021 Christmas

Gifts that Keep on Giving: The Best of My 2021 Christmas

Feb 10, 2022 | Family & Home, Favorite Things, Reviews, Shopping, Unboxing

 

This past year was a rollercoaster of highs and lows for our family, but it’s made me appreciate the little things and life so much more! In 2022, my goal is to actively enjoy everything that God has given me — down to the smallest detail. The Davis family celebrated a wonderful Christmas and now that I’ve had time to dive into all the goodies I received, I want to share the gifts that I’m most grateful for and that have really made a difference in my personal and business life.

 

Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite Face Wear

 

I’ve been working hard to treat and maintain my skin; your face is the first thing people notice, after all! But as a mother of five, I can’t always step out of the house for a spa day. That’s where this light treatment face mask comes in. It has up to 100 LED lights that glow red or blue to assist in firming and collagen production. The treatment only takes three minutes, making this skin tool great for my busy lifestyle while also allowing me to treat myself.

 

 

 

Beauty Fridge

 

Speaking of skincare, I’ve been upgrading my routine to make it extra effective and easy to accomplish. Since adopting a day and nighttime skin routine, I have more products to store than I can count! This adorably sized beauty fridge helps me store them all in a central location and keeps everything fresh. It’s especially useful for storing cooling items like tools, face masks, or depuffing treatments for an extra cool experience.

 

 

Digital Cards from Blinq

 

I love to make new connections, and with Blinq, I can grow a network of friends and business partners. The app allows me to share my contact information, social media links, blog website, scheduling calendar, app payment options, and much more! I love using it to share all of the projects I have and for sending greeting cards on special occasions. I highly recommend it to other bloggers like me or just the average person looking to have an elevated business card.

These aren’t the most conventional Christmas gifts, but they have truly made my life more enjoyable in unexpected ways. I’m so grateful for the people in my life that took the time to understand what I enjoy and go out of their way to give it to me. Whether you’re a busy mom, a business owner, or just a self-care enthusiast, these items are wonderful for adding a bit of luxury into your life. I hope you enjoy them just as much as I do!

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Managing the Chaos: How I Stick To My Goals

Managing the Chaos: How I Stick To My Goals

Feb 3, 2022 | Faith, Family & Home, Marriage, Parenting

Managing the Chaos: How I Stick To My Goals

I will admit, I most certainly have a tendency to… let’s say, overcommit to some of my gospels. First and foremost? Philippians 2:3. You know, the part that says “Count others more significant than yourselves.” I can’t tell you how often I find myself run ragged trying to ensure that all those around me have what they need; nice clothes, exercise, balanced meals, spiritual enrichment, and this list goes on. Meanwhile, I push myself to the side, looking like a stray dog, overweight, body aching, eating cake for breakfast.

Set your intentions

The most important advice I can give is to be very strict when you set your intentions. Many people make the mistake of having goals that are too general, which makes it harder to determine if they have been achieved. Be clear with yourself and be clear with what you want to work towards.

Tier your goals

I divide all of my goals into three categories: daily, weekly, and monthly. By characterizing my goals this way, it allows me to scale my life and prioritize tasks within the larger picture of my needs. It also gives me a timeline for accomplishment. Without a deadline, or a scope of time, it would be harder to enforce the need to complete a task. I can repeat the short-term goals in my daily routine, and plan my month to achieve my longer-term goals.

Set an example

Sometimes it can be hard to determine what goals we are working towards. Look to your friends and people you admire to help develop your goal list. It can be the perfect inspiration to focus what direction you want to go in.  Here is an example of my daily, weekly, and monthly goals to help get you started:

Daily

  • Spend at least 10 minutes outside
  • Give myself 5 minutes of alone time
  • Set aside time to spend with God (this can be listening to a song of worship, reading my bible, or listening to a sermon)
  • Hug everyone in my house, give them one compliment, and tell them I love them

Weekly

  • Set out the week’s clothes for the little people
  • Review the week’s calendar
  • Confirm the week’s appointments and calls
  • List and prepare the week’s menus
  • Clean an area on my organizing list

Monthly

  • Set future goals and timelines
  • Review next month’s tasks and goals to make any adjustments
  • Develop a list of professional goals

With tips like these, you’ll be checking your “to-dos” off in no time!

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