Tag: Homemaking

basket with vegetables on stool in kitchen

The Power of your grocery list

Published on by Alethea Awuku1 Comment

In the whirlwind of busy mum life, where time is of the essence and distractions abound, staying efficient and focused is a crucial skill that all of us mums need! Whether it’s juggling work, family, or personal commitments, mastering efficiency can make all the difference, and one seemingly simple yet profoundly effective tool in the arsenal of efficiency? The humble grocery list that we carry in our heads or on a piece of paper each time we go to the supermarket.

Whether you are are a prepper and have your list ready days before you go out, or you are a last minute scrambler, having something to refer to is so helpful when you you face an overwhelming amount of options on the shop floor. If you haven’t realised the power of a grocery list, you’re in for a treat because in today’s blog post, I delve into why making grocery lists is more than just a mundane chore, but an effective strategy in saving our time, money, and mental bandwidth!

Organisation Leads to Efficiency

As busy mums, who have our hands full with different priorities, being organised in the area of food shopping can relieve stress and anxiety when it comes to meal prepping for the family. At its core, creating a grocery list acts as a blueprint and guide for our shopping trips. It’s a curated selection of items we need, neatly organised to streamline our visit to the store. By taking a few minutes to jot down what you require before you set foot in the aisles, you’re essentially creating a roadmap that prevents aimless wandering, unnecessary backtracking and impulse purchasing. More often than not, grocery lists help us stay within the range of our budget which is also a win! I know that I am less reluctant to pick up that cute top in Sainsbury’s when I know that I came in specifically to purchase and tick off the 5 items that are on my list. If I do pick up the top, I accept that it is an extra £15 that I have added to the budget! A list helps to train us in the habit of living within our means, as well as moving with purpose and efficiency.

Minimising Distractions and Impulse Buys

In keep with my earlier point, have you ever walked into a supermarket intending to pick up a few essentials and walked out with a cart full of items you didn’t need? It’s a scenario many of us are familiar with. I then spend a few minutes when I get home trying to hide some of my purchases from my husband! (ha). Without a list to anchor your shopping trip, it’s all too easy to succumb to impulse buys triggered by enticing displays or hunger pangs (I have heard it said that you should never go to the supermarket when you are hungry because you’ll make bad decisions lol).

However, with a list in hand, you’re less likely to veer off course. You know exactly what you came for, helping you stay focused and resist the temptation of unnecessary purchases. This not only saves you money but also time spent deliberating over items you could do without. When I go to the supermarket with my sons, they are given their own shopping lists (as I am training them to be involved) and we are teaching them that the purpose of the list is to help them stay as self controlled as possible.

Maximising Efficiency in Meal Planning

A well-crafted grocery list goes hand in hand with meal planning, another cornerstone of efficiency in the kitchen and home. By strategising your meals for the week and compiling a corresponding list of ingredients, you eliminate the need for last-minute dashes to the store or frantic searches through your cupboards. Instead, you can approach your cooking and planning with intentionality and confidence. In most cases, you can also save some money because if you purchase the exact ingredients need for your meals, everything else then becomes “extra”- and extra is optional, which means it can be omitted from the list for that week.

Empowers Healthy Choices

We are always looking at ways to encourage and maintain a balanced diet for our families and here, a grocery list can be a powerful ally. By outlining your meals and snacks in advance, you’re better equipped to make thoughtful, nutritious choices at the store. Rather than succumbing to the allure of convenience foods or unhealthy snacks (que chocolate and crisps), your list guides you towards more wholesome options that align with your dietary goals. In this way, a grocery list becomes more than just a tool for efficiency; it’s a tool for self-care and well-being. I love this!

Harness Technology for Added Efficiency

In today’s digital age, the traditional pen-and-paper grocery list has evolved to encompass a variety of digital tools and apps designed to enhance efficiency. From smartphone apps that allow you to create and share lists with family members to meal planning platforms that generate shopping lists based on your chosen recipes, technology offers a wealth of resources to streamline the grocery shopping process.

If you have a smart phone, you can create easy lists easily. We use Google Keep, Excel spreadsheets and Apple Notes, and at times I have used spreadsheets to monitor the prices of staple groceries that we purchase every week. By harnessing these tools, you can take your efficiency to the next level, leveraging the power of technology to simplify and optimise your shopping experience. It also saves on waste as you don’t have to carry and throw away pieces of paper.

While it may seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of things, the act of making a grocery list can really help us become more efficient, organised and focus which we always want more of as busy mums! It can sometimes feel tedious to make one but by embracing this simple yet effective tool, you can save time, money, and mental energy, allowing you to approach the task of grocery shopping with clarity and purpose. So the next time you embark on a trip to the store, take a moment to craft your list—it might just be the key to unlocking a more efficient and enjoyable shopping experience.

What do you think of grocery lists? Hit or miss for you? Have you found it to be helpful relieving stress or frustration concerning food shopping?

living room interior with furniture and flowers in vase

How to be happier at home

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

This post is to encourage you to know that you can find joy and happiness being based right from home. You can thrive in your own environment when you create the conditions to help support you and your family. It takes time but it is well worth the effort.

By wisdom a house is built,
    and through understanding it is established; (Proverbs 24:3)

Wisdom helps us to order our lives with intent. The virtue of wisdom has constructive, life-giving qualities. It initiates life, produces good fruit, creates, nurtures, fosters, establishes, and fills a house- a physical house, a family, and even our personal character with strength for our days.

Feed your soul the inspiration it needs

As a busy mum, it is easy to spend my down time binging on things that don’t necessarily feed my soul because I feel tired and drained after a long day with my children. As relaxing as it can feel to go through a series on Netflix in one sitting, or watch countless Youtube videos, it doesn’t truly feed my soul with the inspiration and strength that I need in the long term. After a while I am still left feeling drained which means that it’s imperative to fill myself with spiritually, physically and mentally nourishing “food”.

Finding creative ways to squeeze in things that inspire and encourage our souls has to be a real intentional effort as we seek to shape and stir our minds toward things that delight and inspire us to love our homes and families better. When we pour into ourselves well, we are not only strengthened, but the overflow is like a beautiful fragrance that fills our environment- which in turn blesses those around us.

Some helpful tips include listening to relevant podcasts while cooking, cleaning or having a shower, listening to audiobooks while taking a walk or doing the food shop, and reading books/our Bibles during morning breakfast or read aloud time with the children. Also, identifying an interest that you may have, and finding a small margin in your schedule to engage with it (e.g. exercise, leisurely reading, drawing, cooking etc) helps you to engage with the things that make you you. I’ve found that when I have given myself a little time, I feel a little more refreshed to then give of myself to others.

Taking tasks in bite sized forms to beat overwhelm

Some days just feel very blah and no matter how much you spiritualise or “speak into existence”, it can just be a very flat day that requires things to just get done. As busy mothers, the to do list is endless. As you cross off one thing on your list, five more are added and this can create a lot of overwhelm, and feelings of being buried. Inspiration can be hard to draw upon, procrastination knocks persistently at your door and you just feel like doing absolutely nothing even when you have things to do.

So how can we be happier when we have a never ending to do list? We can break down our tasks into order of priority and categories, and start tackling them bit by bit. The satisfaction of ticking a few things off creates a snowball effect that gives us momentum to tackle the other things. What are the things you want to spend your time on? Prioritise the categories, put the most important ones first and batch/ block them so you feel more accomplished as you tick things off slowly.

This is a great way to be intentional with your time particularly when it all feels like a melting pot of things that need to be done but you don’t want to do it. Intentionality is not about ignoring the things we don’t enjoy, because that creates overwhelm, anxiety and stress. It’s about the management of all the moving parts of our lives and, and taking back the control and order as much as we can. When practiced and mastered, it helps us to live in a much happier, calmer state of mind.

Take stock of all the positives and be thankful for it

We are prone to look at the negatives all the time because there are painful, challenging and frustrating things to deal with on a daily basis. A part of it is the reality of adulthood! Decide that although challenging moments are always there, you aren’t going to camp there. While dealing with challenging and frustrating things, we can still take stock of all the positive things that we do have in our lives and that we have been blessed with.

One of the greatest hacks to be happier at home is contentment. We can make the choice to be content with what we have in our lives, and how our lives look like. This can be a hard one because we live in a time where we see and know everything that goes on in the lives of other mothers and families and it can make us feel as though we aren’t enough and don’t have enough.

Taking time out to write down the things which you are thankful for will help you to realise that you are indeed blessed- everyday! Your life is unique to you and your family and accepting this helps us to truly own it and then look for ways to beautify and enjoy it!

Decide what matters

Following on from the first point, I believe that intentionality means prioritising the things that you do every single day that line up with your personal values and your personality. We get to choose the things that matter to us and this in turn helps build a life around things that we need to do in order to achieve the goal of what matters to us. For example, being outside for some period of time each day is very important to me.

I find walking to be a great form of exercise, but very therapeutic and healing as I get time to pray, reflect, release and just enjoy the movement of my body and my surroundings without feeling the pressure of passing through to get to somewhere else.

As this is an important thing for me, and even more so for my boys, I choose to make it a priority for us to get outside in nature as often as possible. Depending on the day I’ll build our schedule around it or if we are having a particularly difficult morning, I’ll pause, we’ll put our trainers on and get outside for movement and fresh air.

Knowing what matters to you and how you can make steps to achieving that can be helpful when thinking of ways to be intentional as a mother. You don’t need to have a long list of things, but just taking action on a few core areas that are meaningful to you helps you to feel grounded and in control of your life during the busy and quiet periods. Working on a family mission statement is helpful in this area as it encourages you to dig deep to identify the things of value to you and your home. Once you begin to lock in on this, it makes you happier in the home and with life.

Create a Christ-Centered Home

Last but not least, as Christians, infusing our homes with the love and fragrance of Christ brings such peace and joy that really cannot be matched. Cultivating a Christ centered home is essential to the quality and longevity of our family unit and as a multilayered and complex thing that God has ordained to be put together, there is purpose, intentionality, and beauty that can be experienced deeply when we choose to keep Christ at the centre of the home.

We can achieve this by incorporating scripture readings, prayer time, and discussions about faith into our daily routines. Playing worship music throughout the day also really helps to draw our hearts back onto God as well as helping the children to memorise songs!

toys on the floor

5 ways to Navigate diverse learning styles in our children

Published on by Alethea Awuku3 Comments

I looked at my little 5 year old as I attempted to engage him in some sit down learning and I felt two strong emotions. Compassion because I could see he wasn’t just struggling with the task, but he really wasn’t enjoying it. I also felt frustrated because here we were, on yet another day and I felt like a failure at not being able to “crack the code” when it came to winning his interest and attention to sit down and work through some pages with me.

Teaching our children can feel like a very daunting task, and one of the beautiful benefits of home schooling is that learning can be tailored to the strengths of each child, and time can be given to really personalise their learning experience and build their confidence. Equally, it can be frustrating because you are dealing head on with their struggles everyday. If you are feeling overwhelmed with where to start with the different personalities of your children, here are some strategies that you can try which I hope will help:

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1. Identify Each Child’s Learning Style

Learning styles infographic

Understanding how each child learns best is the first step. Common learning styles include visual (learning through images and spatial understanding), auditory (learning through listening and speaking), kinesthetic (learning through physical activities and hands-on experiences), and reading/writing (learning through reading and writing activities). Supporting our children to learn in a way that is natural to them will help them thrive and it will alleviate a lot of the frustration that we and they feel when it comes to growing learning and discovering the word around them.

It takes time and you may have good days and bad days, but I’m learning to just embrace it all and take my time and try to enjoy the process. First born is very much a kinaesthetic learner and so I can exercise wisdom in this area, and instead of expecting and demanding him to do book work, what I try to do with his learning is to break it up into chunks of tasks. He will do what I refer to as core discipline studies which is a few minutes on penmanship, working out some number sums, and a little bit of phonics. Once he has completed that, his reward is working on a lego project or STEM activity which he absolutely loves.

2. Create a variety of learning activities:

Offer a mix of activities that cater to different learning styles. For example:

  • For visual learners: You could use diagrams, charts, videos, and illustrations to explain concepts.
  • For auditory learners: Engage in discussions, storytelling, reading aloud, and listening to educational podcasts.
  • For kinesthetic learners: Incorporate hands-on activities, experiments, role-playing, and physical games.
  • For reading/writing learners: Provide written materials, encourage note-taking, and assign reading assignments followed by discussions or written summaries.

DIY project tasks have worked really great with my eldest because it allows him to use his brain in a very active way which he absolutely loves. He loves to solve puzzles, and find solutions to tasks, so this has really engaged him. I also see how it fuels his confidence because once he realises his strength and what he’s naturally good at, he wants to learn more and he wants to do more. He loves to talk about the things that he’s created and how he has put it together which is so encouraging to hear.

My second born is predominantly a read and write learner. He takes in information that’s written down in a very logical way. He enjoys books and equations so I find that the traditional books work well. He enjoys the typical comprehension, questions and tasks, and figuring things out, so my approach for him, leans towards text, and any visual or auditory representation of an idea, which he does really well with. Seeing these two different learning styles makes me realise that God really makes none of us the same. We are wired so differently, so uniquely, so wonderfully by Him. As a mother, it is amazing to be able to nurture and bring out, and help my children to discover who God has made them to be.

3. Provide Choices

And another way you could figure out your child’s learning style is by providing them with a few choices for different types of work that you want them to complete over the period of a few weeks and observe what they gravitate to. This will help you to know where to lean into for learning activities. You can also engage in conversation with them about things they enjoy and why they enjoy it. This will give you an idea of how to put together their learning and play sessions. Hopefully in doing this, it will help your child to enjoy and stay focused on what they consider to be fun while also learning and activating a huge part of their brains in an activity. 

Offer choices whenever possible to empower children in their learning process. For instance, allow them to choose from different assignments or projects that align with their interests and learning styles. Observe how your children respond to different learning activities and environments. Talk to them about their preferences and experiences in learning situations.

4. Create an environment that makes learning look fun

I am a minimalist calm, create a spa like ambience in my home type of girl, and so the thought of turning my entire home into a nursery or learning class doesn’t quite appeal to me, but I do recognise that for children, visuals are so important for inspiration, for memory, and for representation of where they are in this life stage. My laminator, my printer and Twinkl website are my best friends as I print put together little resources and learning packs for the boys.

I always have to remember that they are children and it’s important to encourage them to see the world with wonder, and to beautify it in a way that appeals to their senses. When I look at it from that perspective, creating a learning environment whether it’s a corner, conservatory, a whole room, or a bedroom seems like so much fun and even an inspiration to myself.  

Creating a fun learning environment can really enhance their engagement and enthusiasm for learning. Most of us don’t have a separate room that we can turn into a magical learning world for them but if we really look around, we’ll see that we have pockets of space throughout our homes that we can use. If you want to encourage a love of books, you could create a small nook with either a book shelf or some baskets and keep a few books there, or scatter small piles of books throughout the house for them to casually pick up. The same can be done with toys and puzzles or whatever their interest may be.

5. Assess, pivot, personalise and pray

We can pray and ask God to give us wisdom to encourage and teach our children, as well as to give the process over to Him to do a work in our own hearts. We all change as we grow and so do our children’s learning styles over time. Keeping our expectations open will help us to pivot when we need to without feeling too overwhelmed. I am trying to be so much more intentional about just enjoying life and enjoying the process with them. The rest will surely fall into place as we journey along.

A book that has really encouraged me in this area is Sally Clarkson’s book: Awaking wonder. As mothers we want the best for our children. We want them to thrive in every area of their lives and we want to give them a strong foundation. However, it’s so easy to lose sight of the wonder that is found in the journey to this destination, and I think that I’ve come to understand how childlike wonder really can become lost in the fog of formulas, strict curriculum and pressure from external things. Helping my boys to engage authentically and confidently with who they are, while leaning into the truth that wonder and curiosity without constraints does empower such a powerful educational experience.

My encouragement to you Mama

“To give a child the gift of time to imagine, to dream, to create, to engage, and to wonder is to allow time and space for his heart to be touched by the beauty surrounding him, for his mind to have room to grow strong on the feast laid out for his imagination, and for his emotions to bathe in the tranquility of a peaceful life in an unhurried rhythm. Then we offer a feast of theology, math, story, literature, virtue, faith, science, nature, art, music and culture upon which to apply his wondering and wonderful mind. To lay this foundation is to give our children beauty and strength of imagination and the strong pleasure of learning and acquiring knowledge over a lifetime. Wonder is the catalyst in shaping a powerful, engaged intellect.”

Sally Clarkson
Motherhood scripture card

How to be a content mother

Published on by Alethea Awuku3 Comments

Contentment is a very big area of our lives and it really can affect our level of happiness and joy as mothers. It is such a nuanced and interesting topic that affects us all. This journey of motherhood that we are on is marked by profound love, joy, and sacrifice for our children, and as a Christian, I realise that my own contentment is ultimately rooted in the delicate dance between trusting in God’s providence, working diligently and purposefully, and having faith that God does, and can change my circumstances.

In the midst of this beautiful journey of raising my children, I sense another struggle within me which are feelings of “am I satisfied? Am I happy? How can I experience joy and fulfillment as I work hard to serve, love and be there for everyone else in my home?” These are searching questions and I ponder on them constantly because one thing that I am personally committed to, is being a happy and fulfilled woman and mother not only for my children, but for myself.

My contentment is often linked to my expectations of what I believe I should have, and where I believe I should be in life and I think part of what can create discontentment in motherhood, is dealing with the reality of limitations. When we become mothers, it’s inevitable to face certain limitations inherent to this role, because it is a distinctive journey unlike any other. We enter into a new season of life which requires a lot of shift and adjustment.

In our age of social media where curated images of perfection abound in all areas of life, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of measuring our worth against carefully positioned and placed images and videos that display a standard and yardstick which we must all meet. While inspirational, we can find ourselves on a torturous cycle of constantly questioning our decisions, doubting our capabilities, and endlessly chasing after an idealised concept of motherhood that doesn’t truly exist- not 100% of the time anyway!

The arrival of our children brings countless blessings, but it also ushers in personal and relational (with our spouses) challenges that can test even the most resilient of us. Overnight, our lives change and our days become filled with endless demands, sleepless nights, and a constant juggling act to balance the needs of our children with our own desires and aspirations. How can we feel as though we are ok and not forgotten and unseen in the midst of it all? It’s a tough one that requires practical application grounded in scriptural direction.

Contentment and limitations

Mother lifting baby up

Very real and normal limitations to our lives and lifestyles will look different for each mother and I am learning that in order to cultivate contentment well, and find joy, I have to (by faith) adjust my expectations – bend them if you will to my current limitations. High expectations are good, and needed in some areas of our lives as they drive us forward to achieve goals, however I have experienced that my unmovable stance when it comes to my expectations being met in a very specific way actually creates overwhelm for me because it collides head on with my reality which in most cases is different. This then leaves me either frustrated or paralysed and feeling like I am suffocating under it all.

So what can we do? Adjusting our expectations to our limitations can help produce thankfulness, progress and good fruit in our hearts and lives. This is where the faith aspect comes in because it requires a willingness to surrender our desires and expectations to God, trusting that His plans for our lives—and the lives of our children—are far greater than we could ever imagine (Jeremiah 29:11). We live in a fast paced all or nothing world where passionately pursuing our own fulfillment is the norm, so anything that appears to threaten this is seen as a negative thing, even if it’s our own children.

Reconciling our expectations with the reality of our current lives is a great challenge that we’ll always have to find balance with, but in doing this well, I believe that we’ll be able to enjoy and accept the current season for what it is- good and bad while having hope toward something different in the future.

Many of us experience the mourning of our freedom and opportunities when we become mums. The pressure to “have it all” and continue exceling in every aspect of our lives—career, family, relationships—can weigh heavily on our shoulders, leaving us feeling like we are perpetually missing the mark. Natural comparison to other mums who seem to have it all figured out can increase our feelings of discontentment, frustration and disappointment.

Either your a boss babe that can do it all, a stay at home mother who has opted out of the pursuit of career and financial rewards, or a mixture of both. Either way, the issue of contentment comes up because we are women, a lot of us are very capable, and we want to feel as though our output in life matches with the financial reward and our inherent sense of worth.

Even though our once familiar routines become disrupted, and our priorities shift, adjusting our expectations to our limitations can help to shift our focus from impossibility to possibility which is so encouraging! I’ll give two examples from my life.

My personal experience: two examples

I really enjoy exercising, and before I had children, I had the freedom to workout without interruption, I could go to gym classes, or use the gym if I wanted to. My  life in this season looks very different as I have had to cancel my gym membership and workout from home. In the beginning I absolutely hated it and felt resentful towards the fact that I couldn’t have my time the way I wanted to.

I felt very annoyed for a good few months. Why should I have to miss out on what is really important to me? I don’t enjoy working out at home at all and enjoyed the change of environment and focus at the gym. Well I have had to adjust my expectation to this limitation and instead of struggling against it, I have had to bend my will (painfully on a lot of days) to my reality, and redirect my thoughts to see the opportunity of how I can make good with what I can do now. I now workout early in the mornings when the boys are asleep, and I have actually grown to enjoy it. Some times they wake up, and when they do they play around me.

I am always having to train my mind from seeing the lack, to being thankful that I can still have time and opportunity to do something. If this should change in the future, I’ll gladly take it (!!) but for now, this will do and in accepting it as a good thing, good fruit is growing from it.

Another area is in the area of teaching the boys our native language (Twi). This has been a desire of mine since we got married 8 years ago. My husband speaks it fluently, but what is my limitation? I don’t. It didn’t stop me from having very high expectations for myself and my children though and I have wanted them to learn to speak and understand from an early age. As you can imagine this has brought a lot of frustration and feelings of failure as I am no where near the goal of speaking it fluently and passing it down to the boys.

Then I realised that the high expectation was a huge burden that was paralysing me from moving forward. The mountain just felt so huge. So I had to adjust my expectations to my reality by deciding that if all I can do to encourage our culture is work with the boys on a few words etc, translating for them (because I understand the language), songs, and stories, it is still a great seed sowing investment. They may not grow up speaking fluently, but they will still know about their heritage and hopefully have an appreciation and love for it, which is ultimately what we want! Settling my heart in this has brought the joy back in teaching them Twi.

Hope in finding contentment

Mother hugging baby

Amidst the challenges that we face, there is hope for our journeys. Finding contentment after motherhood can feel like this grand finish line that we all need to reach, but I think it’s actually something that God wants us to diligently embrace while we are on the journey. That’s when our eyes and heart open up to see His goodness and faithfulness to us as we grow and encounter new and different life experiences. Acknowledging and accepting the inherent challenges of motherhood can co- exist with immeasurable joy and fulfillment.

We have the liberty to explore our interests and passions, nurture relationships, take time to pour into ourselves with the things we enjoy and so much more within motherhood because we have this new role that propels us forward into a stronger version of ourselves daily. We just have to take our time, breathe and trust that as long as we maintain a healthy balance, perspective and level of discipline, we can attain a lot of our goals. It may just look different to how we want to do it!

Finding contentment in motherhood requires a shift in our mindset which is a conscious choice to embrace the beauty and imperfection of our lives. Contentment is not static- a do once and finish with it type of thing. It is meant to be a daily pursuit (and let’s be real, fight sometimes) to drink from the fresh flowing water of grace available to us each day as we ask God to renew our minds, strengthen us, help us live purposeful and disciplined lives, and above all to anchor our joy, worth and value in Him and not in the world.

Here are two scriptures which I hope will encourage you in this area of contentment.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11- 13

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

How do you deal with cultivating contentment in your own life?

Family Mission Made Easy: Get Your Printable Now!

Published on by Alethea Awuku3 Comments

Dear fellow mama,

In the beautiful confetti flying chaos of raising a family, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture that supports and knits your dreams and ideals together with your current reality. Managing multiple daily commitments, activities, social events, plans and relationships under one household can be an extremely demanding and overwhelming responsibility.

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of moving from room to room, and in and out of the front door, it can honestly feel like I am living in a whirlwind with no idea where everyone will eventually land. Pausing to think or remember what is driving our family is far and few between, but its the most important checker in determining whether we are in or out of focus for our life goals.

An anchor for our busy days

One thing that has been a helpful anchor in the busyness of motherhood is our family mission statement. We created and still revisit our statement to clarify our why, because we are very big on living with intent and in purpose. It has helped me to move with efficiency when it comes to running my home, and making decisions that serve my family well.

This document that you work on (and keep updating) is such an impactful declaration that helps to shape and give a visual of how you want to live out your days. It clarifies direction, purpose, focus, values, beliefs, identity and motivation. It’s a great way to hold us accountable and remind us of the good and the big in the difficult moments and seasons.

Have you ever considered what values and principles guide your family’s journey?

Introducing the Family Path Mission Statement Printable! A powerful tool created to help you dream, define and express your family’s core beliefs, goals, and aspirations! Created by me, a fellow mum, it was important for me to share something that helps you to reflect on what matters to you most so that you can get to work building the best home that you possibly can.

Why do I need a Family Path Mission Statement?

  1. For clarity, intention and purpose: Stan (my husband) always refers to us needing a true north, meaning a core centre that always pulls us back to the things that are the true foundation of our lives: Our faith in Jesus, our character and our work. Having a family statement helps to give clarity to our busy busy days and calendars. We can take control and create a roadmap that is filled with intentionality and purpose!
  2. It knits hearts together: Although I am much of an introvert, I am also a big team player. I want my team to reach success and I want my home to be filled with minds and hearts that are one. We need a common vision that lights our souls, and creates a a kind of safety for us to grow and become. God sets the blueprint for us and gives us the room to build together which is a privilege I don’t take lightly.
  3. It helps with process of elimination: In our busy household, I feel like I blink and our calendar for the month is already full! The schedules, activities and socials can at times be mind spinning. In the midst of this, having a mission statement to refer to helps us to know what to accept and what to choose our absence from. For me, it has helped me to be efficient in running my household because if it isn’t in or near our plans, we don’t need to spend time or energy on it! 

Empower Your Family’s Journey Today!

It is an honour to be able to partner with God and my husband in shaping the future of our family. It’s a vital role that we play and I hope you’ll be encouraged to know that God is and can use you to unlock purpose and intentionality within your home.

To purchase the Family Path Mission Statement Printable and embark on this meaningful journey with your family, visit the shop today.

Here’s to crafting a future filled with love, unity, and purpose!

Crafting Timeless Moments: A Christian mother’s thoughts on creating special family memories

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

One of the big things on my heart is to create and experience special moments with my most favourite people- my husband and my 3 sons. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to plan creative and unique experiences that I pray will be etched onto our hearts for years to come.

Bringing us closer together as a unit is a worthwhile pursuit and deeply fulfilling to my mama heart. In a world filled with distractions and an easy inclination toward busyness, I can see already at this early stage of my families journey that it is essential to carve our moments that will strengthen the bonds between the five of us. In this blog post, I wanted to share some fun and faith-filled ways to build special memories with your family.

Document your family journey

I am sure like me, you have thousands and thousands of photos of your family on your phone! I try my best to not just be present in the moment, but to capture it for us to look back on and remember. That moment of remembering is so powerful for me as I lie in my bed at night and look back, and when we sit together to recall a family holiday or adventure that we were on together. Creating a beautiful roundup of your life, year upon year in photobook format is a great way to display and celebrate special memories.

Serving others together

When we do something good for others, we open up our hearts for God to do a work within us. When we invite others to come alongside us to serve, it seems as if there is a tangible knitting of our hearts with theirs. Serving others in any capacity as a family creates hearts that are missional and that have found a bigger purpose. This is an area of my personal life that I haven’t explored much but I want to learn. One way of doing this is through hospitality and opening my home to friends, families and even strangers. Preparing dishes to fill the hearts and bodies can create wonderful bonding experiences and memories, and helps foster community.

Establishing family traditions

When I gave birth to my first son I started thinking of family traditions that were unique to us, practical, special and that could be easily added without much overwhelm. Here are a few things that we do while the children are still very young:   

  • Saturday breakfast, evening mealtimes (if daddy is at home)
  • Friday games night and chips
  • Sunday movie nights
  • Morning Bible reading/short devotion
  • Regular nature walks          
  • We plan a trip either abroad or within the UK once a year.                           

These are a few things that we have started with consistently. They mean a lot to us and I look forward to seeing how it grows over the years!

It’s thinking about legacy. Pondering on and implementing the experiences that etch deep imprints into the hearts of those that we love and even ourselves, so that when we are long gone, the memories and traditions carry on a flame as a reminder of relationship and the privilege God gave us to know, love and celebrate one another.

Acknowledging milestones and celebrating one another

This is an area that is not only a great way to foster a positive and supportive family culture, but also add significant personal meaning to the individual being celebrated. They feel seen, valued and cared for and that’s the aim.

Timeless Family Bonding: Insights from a Christian Mother

Published on by Alethea Awuku1 Comment

One of the big things on my heart is to create and experience special moments with my most favourite people- my husband and my 3 sons. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to plan creative and unique experiences that I pray will be etched onto our hearts for years to come.

Bringing us closer together as a unit is a worthwhile pursuit and deeply fulfilling to my mama heart. In a world filled with distractions and an easy inclination toward busyness, I can see already at this early stage of my families journey that it is essential to carve our moments that will strengthen the bonds between the five of us. In this blog post, I wanted to share some fun and faith-filled ways to build special memories with your family.

Document your family journey

I am sure like me, you have thousands and thousands of photos of your family on your phone! I try my best to not just be present in the moment, but to capture it for us to look back on and remember. That moment of remembering is so powerful for me as I lie in my bed at night and look back, and when we sit together to recall a family holiday or adventure that we were on together. Creating a beautiful roundup of your life, year upon year in photobook format is a great way to display and celebrate special memories.

Serving others together

When we do something good for others, we open up our hearts for God to do a work within us. When we invite others to come alongside us to serve, it seems as if there is a tangible knitting of our hearts with theirs. Serving others in any capacity as a family creates hearts that are missional and that have found a bigger purpose. This is an area of my personal life that I haven’t explored much but I want to learn. One way of doing this is through hospitality and opening my home to friends, families and even strangers. Preparing dishes to fill the hearts and bodies can create wonderful bonding experiences and memories, and helps foster community.

Establishing family traditions

When I gave birth to my first son I started thinking of family traditions that were unique to us, practical, special and that could be easily added without much overwhelm. Here are a few things that we do while the children are still very young:   

  • Saturday breakfast, evening mealtimes (if daddy is at home)
  • Friday games night and chips
  • Sunday movie nights
  • Morning Bible reading/short devotion
  • Regular nature walks          
  • We plan a trip either abroad or within the UK once a year.                           

These are a few things that we have started with consistently. They mean a lot to us and I look forward to seeing how it grows over the years!

It’s thinking about legacy. Pondering on and implementing the experiences that etch deep imprints into the hearts of those that we love and even ourselves, so that when we are long gone, the memories and traditions carry on a flame as a reminder of relationship and the privilege God gave us to know, love and celebrate one another.

Acknowledging milestones and celebrating one another

This is an area that is not only a great way to foster a positive and supportive family culture, but also add significant personal meaning to the individual being celebrated. They feel seen, valued and cared for and that’s the aim.

Affirmations for mothers at home

Published on by Alethea Awuku1 Comment

I am humbled by the breadth and depth of my role as a mother to my 3 boys. I am even more humbled (and often overwhelmed!) by the opportunity to be able to be with them each and everyday – watching them grow and come into their own.

The motherhood journey isn’t easy at all, and yet I truly believe that it is a sacred calling. It is an incredibly enriching and character shaping role in which we need all the encouragement and love to just keep going- one- day-at -a -time. It is deeply refining.

I am guilty of getting lost in the busyness of everyday life and responsibilities (because it all needs to be done!) and I often forget to fill my cup up as I am pouring into others everyday. It is easy for me to reach burnout and I have come to realise that daily short reminders and affirmations are a great way for me to incorporate multiple infusions into my mind and heart as I train, live with, enjoy, discipline and disciple my children.

I am always researching, reading, downloading, printing and creating something for the boys and you must do too! I thought that while we are busy making wonderful resources for our children, we should also be encouraged along the way, because as tough as our motherhood journey is, it is also incredibly beautiful and we can thrive in it by the grace of God.

I created these downloadable and free printable scripture based affirmations for mums. May they encourage, edify and remind you of your significant significant role as mum.

Motherhood Affirmation cardsDownload yours here
Afternoon light at the park

A Christian Mother’s Homeschooling Journey with Her Boys: routine and resources!

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

Welcome to a glimpse of a typical day homeschooling our three boys who are ages 5, 3 and 1. Each day looks a little different, but I have a structure which I pull from during different parts of our day. It helps me to be as consistent as possible while balancing my other responsibilities as a home maker. Join me as I share our routine and some resources that have worked well for us. This is a journey that I want to be marked by fun, creativity, and paersonalised learning/activities. I’ll share what I do in my own personal routine which helps me to stay focused, and on top of things as much as possible.

The start of our day:

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: An ease into the day

  • Getting dressed, breakfast time, and quick wash up time.
  • Set intentions for the day

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Praise and worship/Bible reading

  • We start with praise and worship (dance or fitness on Youtube)
  • Bible reading time

The boys have a lot of energy in the morning and I usually do not so what helps me to cope well with this is praise and worship. We watch a few videos on Youtube which they love to sing and dance along to. It’s a great way to learn new songs, and it helps to bring focus to our minds for the day. Our Bible reading time at this age is not very long and it is all story based. Our mid-morning session is dedicated to Bible study, exploring the stories of faith and lessons they hold for our lives. We have discussions around the story. This is for about 10 minutes.

Resources we love:

Bible: Illustrated Childrens Bible : North Parade Publishing: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Our favourite Youtube channel: (2) Listener Kids – YouTube

10:00-10:30 Character studies:

  • Conversation and activity around a character that I am teaching them.
  • Take short breaks as needed.

Character studies is an area that I am really passionate about and I really try to be consistent in working on activities and setting time aside to have conversations about this with the boys. I like to start the day with character studies because I want it to frame the day as we play and interact with each other. This works really well for us as they remember what we discuss and often pull each other up if they aren’t displaying the particular trait that we discussed in the morning!

Snack time and break

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM:

  • The boys help put their snack plate together- which they love to be involved with!
  • While they eat, they can play or draw etc. I take the youngest for his nap.

Start a few core subjects

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM:

  • 1 page of penmanship each, 1 page of phonics each
  • Older boy works on 1 page of sudoku
  • 1 page of maths/numbers (occasionally)

At this age through trial an error I have discovered that my boys cannot contain too much formal sit down work. What has helped a great deal is to have them work together with myself for a maximum of 5-10 minutes. We work on one page of penmanship, and one page of phonics/reading for the day. By breaking this down into bitesized lessons I have found that they are so receptive and enthusiastic to work. I get just enough out of the experience with them before their minds move onto something else! At this stage it is just enough and the plan is to build on this little by little without them noticing. My oldest enjoys Sudoku so to develop that a little we have him work on 1 puzzle a day which he is fine with.

Resources we love:

Sudoku book: Sudoku For Kids: Beginner Sudoku Puzzles | Puzzles ages 4-8 | Beginner to Medium Level Puzzles | 4×4 Sudoku Puzzles : Two Cubs Press: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Penmanship books: KS1 English Year 1 Handwriting Targeted Practice Book (CGP Year 1 English) : CGP Books, CGP Books: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Phonics and reading books: Learn to Read Activity Book: 101 Fun Lessons to Teach Your Child to Read : Braun, Hannah: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Lunch and Break

11:30 AM – 13:30 PM:

  • Enjoy lunch.
  • Take a break for relaxation, creativity, or personal interests.
  • I’ll prep for our outdoor adventure or afternoon extra curricular activity

We take frequent breaks throughout the morning as I have found that this helps the boys to focus more and not feel too overwhelmed. It also helps me to use a few minutes here and there to reset the house throughout the morning. After lunch they have free time, the youngest is awake from his nap and I prepare for our afternoon trip outside of the house.

13:30 PM – 16:30 PM: Afternoon fun

  • Gymnastics or swimming or park fun

This is a time for the boys to use their bodies in physical activity which they absolutely love! it’s so nice to see them learning new skills but also being in a space where they can just be so physical- because it’s truly what they need.

17:00 Dinner time

More things that we love to do

These things are woven into our day based upon the flow of and tone of the day.

  • We love all things hands on so we are often working on puzzles, doing science experiments, playing with playdoh, drawing and building lego cities, magnatile castles and marble runs, and building forts and hotels!
  • We are part of a homeschooling community which we attend once a week. This is focused on teaching geography for this current season. It’s great for the social interaction and learning.
  • We watch educational YouTube videos. I haven’t ventured into the area of using apps just yet because they love TV already! I want to pace it out as our digital age has opened up a world of resources at our fingertips. I am very keen on fostering and encouraging a love of learning traditionally (e.g. loving books, words, numbers, pen and paper, play etc) as they all involve an active engagement of the mind. I want that to form the building blocks on which they love learning rather than the razz and dazzle of a digital device. There will be a place for it at some point and we are just trying to navigate when the right time for that will be.
  • We have a lot of books as I try to build up a beautiful library for the boys so we dip in and out of different topics such as history, science and general information throughout the day. Read aloud time is enjoyed by us all.
  • To aide in my mission of encouraging a love of books, we go to the library once a week. This is cemented in our routine.
  • Twi learning!

Resources we love:

Science: UNGLINGA 100+ Science Lab Experiments Kit for Kids, STEM Activities Educational Scientist Toys Gifts Chemistry Set, Play Sand, Gemstone Dig, Volcano, Glowing Worms, Fizzy Reaction : Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games

Books: Usborne Look Inside Our world 6 Books Collection Pack Set ( Seas and Oceans, Nature,Our World,Animal Homes,Jungle,Space): Amazon.co.uk: Usborne: 9789526530994: Books

Twi learning: Twi/african Language Bi-lingual Learning Flashcards, Beginners, Kids & Adults, Conversation Cards, Must Know Words and Phrases 27 Cards – Etsy UK

The above schedule is what a typical day looks like for us at this age and stage of our home education journey. I am learning that in order to enjoy the day and my children, I need to be flexible and anticipate that needs, interests, moods and life can shift our routine at any moment! I am not bound to the time slots. They simply serve as a framework for me as I aim to set a rhythm for our days.

If you’re considering homeschooling, remember that each journey is unique, and the key is to embrace the freedom it offers while crafting an educational experience that resonates with your family’s values and aspirations. If you are at the beginning stage, there are beginner guides that can help launch you into this new world.

Mama’s thoughts:

This is hard and holy work. As I navigate the ebb and flow of homeschooling, I’m continually reminded of the immense privilege it is to shape my childrens’ educational journey. Through flexibility, creativity, and a deep commitment to personalized learning, our homeschool routine becomes a dynamic tapestry of exploration and growth.

Homeschooling, for us, is not just about academics; it’s a journey of faith, love, and discovering the wonders of God’s creation together.

I have an opportunity to build a specific type of legacy and that just blows my mind. I set an atmosphere and have been given the capacity to love, be loved and launch something unique in my sons. Good work can turn into great work and great work turns into legacy which will outlive me. My heart is in this. I am graced for this.

Afternoon light at the park

Homeschooling 3 Boys: Routine and Resources!

Published on by Alethea AwukuLeave a comment

Welcome to a glimpse of a typical day homeschooling our three boys who are ages 5, 3 and 1. Each day looks a little different, but I have a structure which I pull from during different parts of our day. It helps me to be as consistent as possible while balancing my other responsibilities as a home maker. Join me as I share our routine and some resources that have worked well for us. This is a journey that I want to be marked by fun, creativity, and personalised learning/activities. I’ll share what I do in my own personal routine which helps me to stay focused, and on top of things as much as possible.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep this blog running.

The start of our day:

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: An ease into the day

  • Getting dressed, breakfast time, and quick wash up time.
  • Set intentions for the day

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Praise and worship/Bible reading

  • We start with praise and worship (dance or fitness on Youtube)
  • Bible reading time

The boys have a lot of energy in the morning and I usually do not so what helps me to cope well with this is praise and worship. We watch a few videos on Youtube which they love to sing and dance along to. It’s a great way to learn new songs, and it helps to bring focus to our minds for the day. Our Bible reading time at this age is not very long and it is all story based. Our mid-morning session is dedicated to Bible study, exploring the stories of faith and lessons they hold for our lives. We have discussions around the story. This is for about 10 minutes.

Resources we love:

Bible: Illustrated Childrens Bible : North Parade Publishing: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Our favourite Youtube channel: (2) Listener Kids – YouTube

10:00-10:30 Character studies:

  • Conversation and activity around a character that I am teaching them.
  • Take short breaks as needed.

Character studies is an area that I am really passionate about and I really try to be consistent in working on activities and setting time aside to have conversations about this with the boys. I like to start the day with character studies because I want it to frame the day as we play and interact with each other. This works really well for us as they remember what we discuss and often pull each other up if they aren’t displaying the particular trait that we discussed in the morning!

Snack time and break

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM:

  • The boys help put their snack plate together- which they love to be involved with!
  • While they eat, they can play or draw etc. I take the youngest for his nap.

Start a few core subjects

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM:

  • 1 page of penmanship each, 1 page of phonics each
  • Older boy works on 1 page of sudoku
  • 1 page of maths/numbers (occasionally)

At this age through trial an error I have discovered that my boys cannot contain too much formal sit down work. What has helped a great deal is to have them work together with myself for a maximum of 5-10 minutes. We work on one page of penmanship, and one page of phonics/reading for the day. By breaking this down into bitesized lessons I have found that they are so receptive and enthusiastic to work. I get just enough out of the experience with them before their minds move onto something else! At this stage it is just enough and the plan is to build on this little by little without them noticing. My oldest enjoys Sudoku so to develop that a little we have him work on 1 puzzle a day which he is fine with.

Resources we love:

Sudoku book: Sudoku For Kids: Beginner Sudoku Puzzles | Puzzles ages 4-8 | Beginner to Medium Level Puzzles | 4×4 Sudoku Puzzles : Two Cubs Press: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Penmanship books: KS1 English Year 1 Handwriting Targeted Practice Book (CGP Year 1 English) : CGP Books, CGP Books: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Phonics and reading books: Learn to Read Activity Book: 101 Fun Lessons to Teach Your Child to Read : Braun, Hannah: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Lunch and Break

11:30 AM – 13:30 PM:

  • Enjoy lunch.
  • Take a break for relaxation, creativity, or personal interests.
  • I’ll prep for our outdoor adventure or afternoon extra curricular activity

We take frequent breaks throughout the morning as I have found that this helps the boys to focus more and not feel too overwhelmed. It also helps me to use a few minutes here and there to reset the house throughout the morning. After lunch they have free time, the youngest is awake from his nap and I prepare for our afternoon trip outside of the house.

13:30 PM – 16:30 PM: Afternoon fun

  • Gymnastics or swimming or park fun

This is a time for the boys to use their bodies in physical activity which they absolutely love! it’s so nice to see them learning new skills but also being in a space where they can just be so physical- because it’s truly what they need.

17:00 Dinner time

More things that we love to do

These things are woven into our day based upon the flow of and tone of the day.

  • We love all things hands on so we are often working on puzzles, doing science experiments, playing with playdoh, drawing and building lego cities, magnatile castles and marble runs, and building forts and hotels!
  • We are part of a homeschooling community which we attend once a week. This is focused on teaching geography for this current season. It’s great for the social interaction and learning.
  • We watch educational YouTube videos. I haven’t ventured into the area of using apps just yet because they love TV already! I want to pace it out as our digital age has opened up a world of resources at our fingertips. I am very keen on fostering and encouraging a love of learning traditionally (e.g. loving books, words, numbers, pen and paper, play etc) as they all involve an active engagement of the mind. I want that to form the building blocks on which they love learning rather than the razz and dazzle of a digital device. There will be a place for it at some point and we are just trying to navigate when the right time for that will be.
  • We have a lot of books as I try to build up a beautiful library for the boys so we dip in and out of different topics such as history, science and general information throughout the day. Read aloud time is enjoyed by us all.
  • To aide in my mission of encouraging a love of books, we go to the library once a week. This is cemented in our routine.
  • Twi learning!

Resources we love:

Science: UNGLINGA 100+ Science Lab Experiments Kit for Kids, STEM Activities Educational Scientist Toys Gifts Chemistry Set, Play Sand, Gemstone Dig, Volcano, Glowing Worms, Fizzy Reaction : Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games

Books: Usborne Look Inside Our world 6 Books Collection Pack Set ( Seas and Oceans, Nature,Our World,Animal Homes,Jungle,Space): Amazon.co.uk: Usborne: 9789526530994: Books

Twi learning: Twi/african Language Bi-lingual Learning Flashcards, Beginners, Kids & Adults, Conversation Cards, Must Know Words and Phrases 27 Cards – Etsy UK

The above schedule is what a typical day looks like for us at this age and stage of our home education journey. I am learning that in order to enjoy the day and my children, I need to be flexible and anticipate that needs, interests, moods and life can shift our routine at any moment! I am not bound to the time slots. They simply serve as a framework for me as I aim to set a rhythm for our days.

If you’re considering homeschooling, remember that each journey is unique, and the key is to embrace the freedom it offers while crafting an educational experience that resonates with your family’s values and aspirations. If you are at the beginning stage, there are beginner guides that can help launch you into this new world.

Mama’s thoughts:

This is hard and holy work. As I navigate the ebb and flow of homeschooling, I’m continually reminded of the immense privilege it is to shape my childrens’ educational journey. Through flexibility, creativity, and a deep commitment to personalized learning, our homeschool routine becomes a dynamic tapestry of exploration and growth.

Homeschooling, for us, is not just about academics; it’s a journey of faith, love, and discovering the wonders of God’s creation together.

I have an opportunity to build a specific type of legacy and that just blows my mind. I set an atmosphere and have been given the capacity to love, be loved and launch something unique in my sons. Good work can turn into great work and great work turns into legacy which will outlive me. My heart is in this. I am graced for this.