As a dad, your mental strength is the bedrock of your family’s stability. In a big family, chaos is constant, from spilled juice to sibling squabbles to unexpected bills. Mental strength isn’t about never feeling stressed; it’s about adopting a selfless mentality that shows your kids how to face life’s challenges with grit and grace.… Continue reading Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Two – Cultivating Mental Strength for Your Family
Tag: kids
Twenty-Two: The Great Hand-Me-Down Hullabaloo: Four Boys, Two Girls, and a Wardrobe Reboot
As I stood over my fourth basket of laundry yesterday (I think it was four, anyway), I had a distinct thought about the majority of the clothes I was sorting: they’re nearly all hand-me downs. Hand-me-downs are the ultimate family heirloom as far as I’m concerned. I grew up in my older brother’s clothes. I… Continue reading Twenty-Two: The Great Hand-Me-Down Hullabaloo: Four Boys, Two Girls, and a Wardrobe Reboot
Random Musings #8
In our house, the kitchen table is more than just a piece of furniture: it’s the heartbeat of our family. With six kids running around, mealtimes are a sacred ritual, a time when we all come together, share stories, catch up on baseball games, and just be. I’ve noticed something about this over the years: my… Continue reading Random Musings #8
Twenty-One: The Beautiful Mess of a Big Family in a Little House
Our house is small, much smaller than most people would probably believe. I know people with half the kids I have who live in a house that’s literally 3.5 times the size of our house (not a joke or an exaggeration either) because they “outgrew” their previous house which was only twice the size of… Continue reading Twenty-One: The Beautiful Mess of a Big Family in a Little House
Nineteen: Hello World! Redux
We are officially, as of 10:02 am, Monday, May 19th, a family of eight (how is that possible?!?)! I’ll keep this one very brief by saying only a few things, the most important of which is…. We are so excited to have our other bookend to hold all of the boys together! God has truly… Continue reading Nineteen: Hello World! Redux
Seventeen: A Mother’s Day Tribute: To My Wife and All Moms Who Make It Work
Mother’s Day is a moment to pause and honor the women who hold our families together, especially those navigating the beautiful chaos of raising kids. This year, it’s even more personal—my wife is literally a week away from giving birth to our sixth child, and her strength inspires me in ways I can’t express. But… Continue reading Seventeen: A Mother’s Day Tribute: To My Wife and All Moms Who Make It Work
Random Musings #7
“The way we talk to children becomes their inner voice.” – Peggy O’Mara I ran across this quote just today. I’m not sure how I hadn’t seen it before, but it hit me kind of hard because I realized that virtually all I do all day long is talk to kids. When I wake my… Continue reading Random Musings #7
Fifteen: Why the Slate Truck Sparks Joy for Our Big Family of (Almost!) Eight
A little something different today…. As a dad of five (soon six!) rambunctious kids, I never thought I’d be daydreaming about a two-seat electric pickup. With car seats, baseball and ballet gear, and enough snacks to feed a small army, our family’s rides usually scream “minivan or bust” (actually, our Honda Pilot isn’t a minivan, but I… Continue reading Fifteen: Why the Slate Truck Sparks Joy for Our Big Family of (Almost!) Eight
Fourteen: I’ll Be Back
Woke the kids up early to see what the Easter bunny left. Went to sunrise mass to worship and receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our risen Lord and Savior. Came home to hide Easter eggs all over the back yard. Watched all my kids hunt those Easter eggs, count the candies they… Continue reading Fourteen: I’ll Be Back
Random Musings # 6
I recently had the opportunity to take a group of students to hear author Stephanie Land speak about her book, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. It was quite the experience to hear her speak about how she knew she had a good story to tell but didn’t think anyone… Continue reading Random Musings # 6