Simple Farmhouse Life Podcast - Episode 263: "Things I Don't Worry About Anymore as a Mom of 8 + More Q&A!"

Release Date: November 12, 2024
Host: Lisa Bass
Description: Lisa Bass, a mother of eight and seasoned homemaker, delves into from-scratch cooking, natural living, handmade crafts, homeschooling, and business tips. In this episode, she addresses various listener questions, sharing her insights and experiences.

1. Managing Toy Clutter

Question: How can I reduce toy clutter in a home with toddlers constantly making a mess?

Lisa shares her journey of minimizing toys to create a more manageable and stress-free home environment. She emphasizes keeping only a few essential toys that offer versatility and enduring interest.

Key Points:

• Minimization Strategy: Lisa reduced the number of toys by keeping only Legos and Duplos, which encourage creativity and are easy to manage.
• Thrift Shop Visits: Regularly visiting thrift shops allows kids to enjoy new toys briefly before returning them, keeping the toy count low.
• Mental Peace: Simplifying toys decreases the time spent on cleaning and organizing, significantly reducing household overwhelm.

Notable Quote:
"Having a constant mental thing like if I could just get my home in order, I probably could do that. But somehow that time never comes." (02:15)

2. Streamlining Grocery Shopping

Question: How often should I shop for groceries, and should I keep an inventory of what’s on hand?

Lisa outlines her efficient grocery shopping routine, leveraging bulk buying and online pickup services to save time and reduce in-store visits.

Key Points:

• Weekly Shopping: Typically shops once a week using online pickup to avoid frequent store trips.
• Bulk Purchases: Orders bulk items like grains and meat quarterly from suppliers like Azure Standard, complemented by monthly Walmart pickups.
• Inventory Management: Maintains a mental inventory, focusing on high-usage items such as cocoa powder and all-purpose flour, which are stocked in the basement pantry.

Notable Quote:
"I just don't do that. This is one of those modern convenience things that I take advantage of and replace with other things that I like to do in my home." (10:05)

3. Embracing the Value of Homemaking

Question: As a stay-at-home mom, I sometimes feel worthless and pressured to start a business. How do you cope with these feelings?

Lisa discusses the intrinsic value of homemaking and how mastering household tasks can be both fulfilling and financially beneficial.

Key Points:

• Skill Building: Focuses on skills like cooking from scratch and managing household resources, which save money and add value.
• Monetary Benefits: Homemaking can be financially advantageous by reducing reliance on paid services.
• Personal Fulfillment: Finds purpose in creating a beautiful, organized home and nurturing her family.

Notable Quote:
"I quickly realized there were so many ways that you could really hone in on and skill build homemaking tasks to actually save your family money in a way that it would be a monetary detriment if you did go back to work." (12:45)

4. Sleep Training with Sibling Interference

Question: How do you handle sleep training an older child when a younger sibling frequently wakes up and disrupts their sleep?

Lisa offers strategies for effectively sleep training while minimizing disruptions caused by younger children.

Key Points:

• Consistency: Advocates for sticking with the sleep training process despite initial disruptions.
• Noise Machines: Utilizes noise makers to help older children maintain their sleep environment despite disturbances.
• Separate Spaces: Suggests creating physical distance in sleeping arrangements to reduce the impact of younger siblings’ wakefulness.

Notable Quote:
"Honestly, I would just stick it out and let that be a hard couple of days or so for the three-year-old just to gain some normalcy." (08:20)

5. Health Insurance for the Self-Employed

Question: What health insurance options do you recommend for self-employed parents?

Lisa explains her experience with health-sharing programs as an alternative to traditional insurance for self-employed families.

Key Points:

• Health Sharing with Samaritans: Participates in a Christian health-sharing program where members share medical costs among themselves.
• Cost Consideration: Pays over $800 a month for a family of ten but finds it suitable given their medical needs.
• Pros and Cons: While not traditional insurance, it has worked well for them, though costs may be higher compared to conventional plans.

Notable Quote:
"It is not health insurance, it is health sharing. So each month you send it to a different person... when I have a medical need, people send their monthly share to me." (14:10)

6. Handling Sickness in a Large Family

Question: How do you manage when someone in a large family gets sick and it seems to spread quickly?

Lisa shares her approach to managing illness in a household, focusing on strengthening immune systems rather than excessive sanitization.

Key Points:

• Immune Strengthening: Believes that minimal exposure helps build stronger immune systems in children.
• Letting It Spread: Accepts that illnesses will spread but trusts in her children's ability to recover quickly.
• Reduced Anxiety: By not over-sanitizing, she lowers household stress and allows normal interactions to continue.

Notable Quote:
"I just kind of let it be... We haven't had anything, thankfully, that has been life-altering." (16:50)

7. Decluttering Child Items as Kids Age

Question: How do you decide which child items to keep or discard as children outgrow them, especially when planning for more children?

Lisa provides practical rules and mental frameworks to effectively declutter without the guilt of discarding gifted items.

Key Points:

• 20-20-20 Rule: Keep items only if they can be replaced in 20 minutes for less than $20, prioritizing mental clarity over material possessions.
• Thrift Shop Utilization: Prefers donating items and repurchasing them as needed from thrift shops or online marketplaces.
• Selective Keeping: Retains high-value items like denim overalls, which are durable and versatile across multiple children.

Notable Quote:
"How much is your sanity worth taking that risk? There are so many items that can be procured from a thrift shop." (13:30)

8. Organizing a Busy Household with Many Children

Question: How would you organize a home with many children, especially focusing on the entrance area and storage?

Lisa reflects on past experiences and offers solutions for organizing high-traffic areas to accommodate a large family.

Key Points:

• Mudroom Setup: Utilizes the back door area as a mudroom with built-in cabinetry for coats and shoes to keep the main entry clutter-free.
• Basement Pantries: Employs shelves in the basement for bulk storage of pantry items, ensuring easy access without overcrowding living spaces.
• Room Assignments: Assigns specific bedrooms for siblings based on age and sleep routines, keeping the youngest child’s sleep environment separate to prevent disruptions.

Notable Quote:
"It really cannot be overstated how much that would help you." (14:45)

9. Coping with Pregnancy Nausea

Question: How do you handle nausea during pregnancy, and does it get better with subsequent pregnancies?

Lisa shares her personal approach to managing pregnancy-related nausea, emphasizing acceptance and adaptation.

Key Points:

• Acceptance: Acknowledges that nausea is an unavoidable part of pregnancy and focuses on getting through it.
• Minimal Intervention: Maintains her regular routine as much as possible, making only necessary adjustments during the first trimester.
• Temporary Phase: Recognizes that nausea typically subsides by the second trimester, allowing her to resume normal activities.

Notable Quote:
"It's just a short phase. And for me, I'm always over it by 12 or 14 weeks." (17:00)

Conclusion

In this episode, Lisa Bass provides valuable insights into managing a large household through minimalism, efficient routines, and embracing the intrinsic value of homemaking. Her practical advice on toy decluttering, grocery shopping, handling family sickness, and navigating the complexities of stay-at-home parenting offers actionable strategies for listeners seeking a simplified and balanced family life.

Note: For more resources and to submit your own questions, visit Simple Farmhouse Life.