I’m Not Afraid to Protect My Children

Call me crazy, but I have never left my newborn out in the street and expected her to crawl home. I never took my toddler to Walmart and left him in the store, expecting him to find his own way to the car. I don’t have the habit … Read More…

How to be nice to Your Family

Whether or not to be nice to my big family is a decision I have to make daily.   Long ago I realized that we as women can be life-givers, or we can bring death. While we carry human life in our bodies, we can also speak words … Read More…

You Don’t Have to be Super Mom

Super powers? Not a chance. Yes, I am the homeschooling mom of 15 children, but there is truly nothing special about me.   Here I am shopping, or banking, or at church… I am having a fine conversation with someone; we are discussing the weather or the Lord … Read More…

Saving the Little Lambs

Sheep are really rather silly!  They jump over imaginary obstacles, panic easily, and mindlessly follow the first sheep that makes a break for it.  They really are followers. A tame hand-reared (poddy) lamb or sheep can be used to lead the rest of the flock to the sheep … Read More…

A Summer Project: Getting Children to Behave

When we homeschool we are facing two fronts; we are not only having to deal with the shortcomings of our children, but we are also being forced to face the realities of who we are (or aren’t). This, I believe, is the amazing aspect of teaching one’s own … Read More…

Are You Crazy Enough to Homeschool Your Children?

There was a time when homeschooling looked crazy and dangerous. I was convinced that it harmed children, and I was sure it could never work. But, here I am, 27 years later, still teaching reading, writing, and enjoying a host of amazing experiences with my 15 children. I’ve … Read More…

Large Family Stress Reduction: Keeping Track by Herding

If children do not know where they are supposed to be and what they are supposed to be doing, they get creative trying to figure things out, and the results can be disastrous! I once passed a park in a rural area and witnessed a fascinating display. A … Read More…

cooking for a large family

5 Ways to Cook BIG!

It takes more than just a little ingenuity to feed a large family in a small family world.  I grew up in a family of three–my mother, my sister, and me–so there was little opportunity to learn how to whip up a batch of 6 dozen cookies (that … Read More…

Large Family Stress Reduction: Facing it!

This post is not about looking one’s responsibilities straight in the eye, although that is a good subject to cover! No, this post will be all about creating a “neat” out of a mess! It’s obvious that, no matter how we try and keep a lid on clutter, … Read More…

Large Family Stress Reduction: Streamlining

It could be said that most of our time is spent dealing with all of our “stuff.” We have to shuffle it around, polish it, maintain it, categorize it, pick it up, stow it, etc. This is only exacerbated when your family has been multiplied by love! Along … Read More…