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Kristen S

Kristen S
25 POSTS 10 COMMENTS
Kristen grew up all over the world as an Air Force brat, with amazing parents and eight siblings. She met husband Dave at college in Chicago, and, in addition to the Windy City, they lived in San Antonio and Northern Virginia before settling in Fort Worth in 2010. Along the way they managed to have six children: Molly (98), Warren (01), Henry (02), Carrie (04), Liam (06), and Donovan (11). Most of her time is spent homeschooling her brood, but Kristen is also a lover of Notre Dame and Seahawks football, IPAs, and winter. She believes in teasing her children mercilessly to keep them well-adjusted.
siblings acting funny

In Defense of Bickering

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But, I've gotta tell you . . . there is something to the bickering that adds dimension to their relationships. In their jockeying for position or insistence on being right, they're figuring out what it means to resolve conflict. Bickering often happens when they're bored, and since I believe that boredom is good for kids, I think what they do when they're bored can be too (there are exceptions, including, but not limited, to painting desks with nail polish and cutting bangs up to the hairline).

Dear Teen Who’s Feeling Left Out

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Here you are safe, you are important, a critical piece of who we are and what we're building. So put your head on my shoulder, wipe those tears on my sleeve, and hear what I have to say next, love. You're not THAT important

The Woman I Want You to Know

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My mom wasn't perfect, and neither am I. And though I'm different from her in some ways, much of the mothering I do is layered with her influence. Looking forward, I hope that someday I see my children parenting in ways that improve upon what they learned from me.

Birth of a Homebirther

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Delivering my third child in my own room was the most peaceful, empowering experience I've ever had. I moved when I wanted, ate or drank if I felt like it, and no one pressured me about anything.

I Refuse to Raise Children

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I'm raising adults. Six of them, to be specific. You might object that only one of my offspring has so far reached legal adult status, but the plan is that they all will. And since kids don't magically learn how to be an adult on their 18th birthday, the preparation for adulthood starts way before then, when they're small, foolish, adorable, and dependent. Sadly, it isn't as common for parents in my generation to see things this way, and yet parents are more stressed out than ever doing things our grandparents would be shocked to see. My husband and I make a lot of mistakes on this journey, and we have piled up our own parenting regrets along the way. But there are some things that are important to us as we prepare our crew for the future, things that are making a difference. While by no means exhaustive, here is the backbone of our strategy . . .

Welcome to My Day: Big Family Style

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6:07 p.m. -- Finally, dinner is made, all eight of us are around the table, dogs waiting expectantly under the table for the five year old to drop something. Dinner Thankfuls are shared. Kids declare the meal delicious, which reminds me to be thankful that my kids eat pretty much everything I make without complaint.
boy not socializing with friends

Different Kids, Different Plans

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I have six children. I know, I know, crazy, right? And each of these characters that lives in my house is so very different from the others. I've got a couple of gifted artists,...