Episode 295: How We’re Managing Sleep, Room Sharing, House Progress, and Large Family Life in This Busy Season + More Q&A!

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Welcome to Episode 295 of the Simple Farmhouse Life podcast with host Lisa Bass. In this episode, Lisa delves into the challenges and triumphs of managing a bustling household of eight children while navigating the complexities of building a new home. Through a series of listener-submitted questions, Lisa offers practical advice and heartfelt insights on topics ranging from sleep management to accommodating power outages during a home build.

I. Managing Sleep with a Large Family

Lisa opens the episode by addressing one of her most frequent topics: sleep management. With eight children who all sleep through the night, Lisa shares her methods, albeit humbly admitting she doesn't consider herself a sleep expert.

"I have eight children and all eight do sleep through the night, so I guess I have what works for me, even if it's probably not... it wouldn't pass any of the books or the courses that you take on sleep."
— Lisa Bass [00:53]

Despite her reservations about her expertise, Lisa emphasizes the importance of finding a routine that suits her family's unique dynamics.

II. Balancing House Building with Family Life

Lisa discusses the ongoing process of building a new home amidst the demands of a large family. She highlights the logistical challenges, especially concerning safety with toddlers and babies on a construction site.

"A build site with toddlers, with babies, isn't exactly ideal... it's very tricky to be there very much."
— Lisa Bass [04:05]

She explains how her family minimizes time spent on-site, opting to leave younger children secured in strollers or elsewhere while she and her husband oversee construction. The absence of safety features like steps or railings at certain stages of the build adds to her stress, emphasizing the delicate balance between monitoring the progress and ensuring her children's safety.

III. Listener Questions and Answers

Lisa transitions into a Q&A segment, addressing various concerns from her listeners. Below are the key topics discussed:

A. Accommodating Power Outages in a New Build

Question: "What are you doing for your new build to accommodate power outages?"

Lisa explains her current measures and future plans, mentioning the installation of energy-efficient windows that promote cross-ventilation and the inclusion of wood stoves for heating.

"We didn't exactly design our build to... we have three wood burning units... the new house does have two chimneys... we could cook on that cook stove and heat the house."
— Lisa Bass [06:45]

While she acknowledges the benefits, Lisa admits that installing a whole-house generator remains on her to-do list, citing the overwhelming nature of managing multiple aspects of the build.

B. Dealing with Children Resisting Bedtime

Question: "What do you do about children who resist bedtime and call you back to their room several times every night?"

Lisa shares her strategies, including anticipating her children's needs by providing snacks or drinks before bedtime to minimize disruptions.

"What I do try to do is anticipate all the things that they're going to say. So we go up there, I bring water... we always bring an orange or a banana because he always tells me he wants a snack."
— Lisa Bass [17:15]

She emphasizes the importance of consistency and the eventual success of training children to fall asleep independently.

C. Sharing a Room Between Baby and Toddler

Question: "Have you ever had a baby close to one share a room with a toddler?"

Lisa shares that her family has not arranged for a baby to share a room with a toddler, preferring to maintain separate spaces to ensure better sleep quality for both.

"I personally would prefer to keep a child under one in my room... if your house allows it, it's easier to keep those ages apart."
— Lisa Bass [21:40]

She acknowledges that other families have successfully managed room sharing but personally opts for distinct sleeping arrangements to reduce disruptions.

D. Managing Swimming with Multiple Non-Swimmers

Question: "How do you manage toddlers and non-swimmers at the pool and creek?"

Lisa provides practical advice on supervising multiple children in and around water, recommending life jackets and limiting the number of non-swimmers to what feels manageable.

"If you had three like that, that would pretty much be impossible... you can only keep a close eye on so many."
— Lisa Bass [24:50]

She shares her experiences and suggests strategies like attending the pool during less crowded hours to enhance safety and supervision.

E. Experience with 1-2 Year Old Sleep

Question: "Can you share your experience with 1 to 2-year-old sleep?"

Addressing sleep challenges with a 12-month-old who resists sleeping independently, Lisa discusses her approach to sleep training and the emotional toll it can take.

"I do sleep training... we had a good run with all of the contact naps and co-sleeping overnight... now we're just really running on empty."
— Lisa Bass [29:20]

She expresses empathy for parents struggling with similar issues and underscores the necessity of balancing the child's needs with the parents' well-being.

F. Housing Plans with New Baby Girl

Question: "Does having another girl change the plan for the bedrooms in the new build?"

Lisa elaborates on her flexible housing plans, emphasizing that while the new baby will initially share a room, older children will maintain their separate spaces.

"We have a lot of flex space... it could eventually be bedrooms. Nothing is currently changing with the plans."
— Lisa Bass [34:05]

She highlights the importance of adaptability in a growing family and the unpredictability of future needs.

G. Use of Siding in House Build

Question: "What kind of siding are you going with on your new build?"

Choosing cedar lap siding, Lisa explains her preference for traditional materials that align with her aesthetic vision.

"We are doing lap siding... I'm doing wood... we're doing cedar lap siding now."
— Lisa Bass [36:10]

She reflects on her commitment to authenticity and the timeless appeal of natural wood in her farmhouse design.

H. Use of Instant Pot

Question: "Could you share a bit more about your experience with the Instant Pot?"

Lisa recounts how the Instant Pot has been a lifesaver, especially during busy days when meal planning is tight.

"I got two very frozen solid roasts out of the freezer... I got a really quick bailout that the instant pot provided me."
— Lisa Bass [37:45]

She praises its efficiency and versatility, making it an indispensable tool in her kitchen.

I. Managing Successive Pregnancies

Question: "Do you find that some pregnancies are harder on your body than others?"

Reflecting on her pregnancies, Lisa shares that each experience is unique, with some being more physically demanding than others.

"It's hard to get that serious about it... but maybe it's something you can add later."
— Lisa Bass [38:50]

She emphasizes the importance of listening to one’s body and adjusting expectations accordingly.

IV. Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Lisa reflects on the whirlwind of building a new home while managing a large family. She shares her mixed emotions—from feeling inspired and excited to overwhelmed and eager for normalcy.

"There's a lot going on in our family right now, which is fun... but some days I'm very inspired and some days I'm just so overwhelmed."
— Lisa Bass [40:20]

She expresses gratitude to her listeners for their support and engagement, highlighting the value of community in navigating life's challenges.

"Thank you all so much for listening... it's a really great way to keep you all updated on all the things happening."
— Lisa Bass [41:10]

Additional Resources:

• Blog: FarmhouseonBoone.com
• Courses: Simple Sourdough & Simple Sewing
• YouTube Channel: Farmhouse on Boone

Stay tuned for more insightful episodes as Lisa continues to share her journey of simplifying life, nurturing a large family, and creating a dream farmhouse from scratch.