How to Fall in Love with Homemaking
I promise this post is not trying to convince you to leave your job and stay home full-time. However, if you’re in a season of change and questioning what to do, I want to show you how to fall in love with homemaking.
The structure of home and family is constantly challenged in our world, and supporting your family is more important than ever. While not for everyone, being called a homemaker or stay-at-home doesn’t bother me. It’s not my entire identity, but I am blessed by the role every day, and I try my hardest not to take it for granted. Some days, that is much easier than others!
As a mom of six children, being home with our children full time is best for us. Paying for childcare and working my schedule around their activities is too much to handle. Years ago, we decided that having me stay home with our children and homeschool them worked best for our family structure. As our kids get older, we may reevaluate that decision, but this dynamic is best for now.
If you’ve been praying about the structure of your family and may consider homemaking, I want to share my experience with you today. Although I knew from a young age that I wanted a large family and prayed to stay home with my children, it is not always easy, and I don’t want to give the idea that being home full-time is perfect bliss. It’s not. There are days when I wonder how I’ll make it to naptime. I have moments where I feel underappreciated and overwhelmed. It’s those moments that tend to teach us something, though. Those moments make me pause and remember why being home with my children is so important. And why learning how to fall in love with homemaking is important.
When choosing to stay home and embrace homemaking, we knew a serious shift was happening worldwide. One that we weren’t very comfortable with. I want to provide my children space to be children as long as possible. They don’t need to worry about political issues or hear every hot topic that makes headlines. They have the rest of their lives to worry about those things.
Keeping our children home allowed us to choose our curriculum and use our environment to teach them about real-life things. This year alone, they’ve learned how to bake bread with me, change the oil in our cars, care for a garden, and more. I understand this isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay! Shaping your family dynamic to fit what works best for you is crucial! We’ve found that through homemaking and homeschooling.
What is Homemaking?
Some will answer by saying ‘stay at home mom’ or ‘housewife.’ If you’re lucky, you might be hit with a snide comment like ‘jobless woman’ or something rude.
Those don’t really cover it completely. A homemaker is more than that.
This may vary from person to person, but a homemaker manages a home.
It’s pretty simple, but that could mean so many different things.
As a homemaker, I homeschool our children, manage the budget, keep the home clean, and handle meals. My husband works a physically taxing full-time job that has allowed me to stay home with our children, and I am grateful for that. While not always easy, there is no place I’d rather be.
I grew up in a large family. My mom stayed home with us for many years, homeschooling and managing the household. She loved being home with us and showed me what an incredible role motherhood and homemaking can be. She worked hard raising us, and when my parents split, she worked even harder to provide for my siblings and me independently. I don’t know how she did it all, but I am so grateful for the example she provided me with.
Even knowing from a young age that I wanted to have a lot of kids and be home with them, making that goal a reality was not always easy. My husband and I married young and started our family young. We had debt to pay off and wanted to buy a home eventually. I started caring for a few kids in our home to help pay for bills while still being with my children, and it was the greatest compromise. I didn’t have to leave my children, and I could help provide for them financially.
This was when I realized how much I loved being home with my children. The idea of putting them in someone else’s care made me physically sick to my stomach, and I knew I needed to figure out whatever I could to be able to continue staying home.
So, how do I fall in love with homemaking?
My heart always knew I was meant to stay home, but I understand completely if that isn’t the case for you! Let me encourage you with a few tips if you’re considering staying home but unsure if it’ll fulfill you.
Try something new
This year, I’ve learned how to make bread, pastries, pasta, and cleaning supplies. There is so much to learn and try out that I always have something I can attempt at least once. Baking has been my favorite so far. I love that I could put so much love and effort into something, stay busy, and provide something for my family. My husband works hard to keep me home, so I work hard to care for our home and provide nutritious meals. Stereotypical? Maybe. But I don’t mind it. Working a fast-paced job would never fulfill me the way homemaking has.
I would love to have a homestead one day and live off our land. I want to garden, learn to can food, and stop relying on the rising cost of groceries to survive. It may not be an immediate option, but having dreams and goals to try to reach encourages you to keep moving forward!
Check your budget
If you’re surviving on two incomes and have no idea how to scale back and afford your life on one, that is an excellent play to start. Are there areas in your budget that you can adjust? Could you start a side hustle from home that made enough? Could you start a blog, use social media, or care for a few children a few days a week?
This was one area that terrified me, too. My husband had credit card and medical debt, so we needed to build our savings, and scaling back enough to survive on one income seemed impossible. In-home childcare helped us make our dream come true, and for four years, I could provide financially while we saved for a home and worked on our credit.
Find a supportive group of friends
As an introvert, I don’t need social interaction often. In fact, I like being home because I don’t have to talk to people if I don’t want to! Whether you need a lot of social interaction or occasional opportunities to see friends, find a support group! This could be a women’s bible study, preschool group, or even a coffee date a few times a month. Taking time away is not selfish; it allows you time to recharge and return home ready for more.
Create a schedule
This doesn’t need to be complicated, and it certainly shouldn’t stress you out! Having structure in my day helps tremendously when I’m struggling to make it to naptime. Knowing what comes next, how to entertain myself and my children, and breaking up activities keeps me motivated to get things done and make time for activities that bring me joy.
Becoming a homemaker isn’t for everyone
I am not naive enough to think that everyone will enjoy homemaking. That’s silly. But if you’re considering this role and want to know if it’s for you, ask yourself if it’s doable, if you can afford it, and can find joy in the simpler moments.
I am always busy. I can always find something to do, but it’s not the same as having a full-time job. How I stay busy as a homemaker is completely different from staying busy working at a job.
Why I love being a homemaker
I could not imagine a more demanding yet rewarding job that could make me feel as blessed as I am. Caring for our home and being with my children full-time is difficult. I promise I’m not trying to make anyone think that motherhood is a blissful journey because it’s not. What it is, though, is the greatest honor in the world to be blessed to hold this role.
I get a front-row seat to everything my children experience every day. Good or bad! I watch them learn new things, make decisions, and become independent mini adults whenever they solve a problem. Homeschooling has only added to that experience and provided even more time with them each day.
I am not delusional enough to think homemaking or motherhood is for everyone because I completely understand it’s not. However, if you choose to become a homemaker, I promise you can make it the most rewarding experience you’ve ever been given.
Final thoughts
I completely understand if homemaking isn’t for you. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. I am not here to argue or shame anyone for their decision, I just want to share how to fall in love with homemaking and the blessing this role can be.
Thanks so much for being here today. Remember to pin this post for later, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
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