(This one hits a little differently than some of my other posts. Fair warning.) Life as a dad of six is a whirlwind of chaos, messes, and noise, but it’s also overflowing with love. Lately, I’ve been grappling with the idea and possibility of some really big changes: my wife’s seriously chasing a new job,… Continue reading Thirty-Four: Chasing Change: A Dad’s Thoughts on New Jobs, Big Moves, and Holding Onto Home
Tag: stress
Thirty-One: Packing Lunches for My Crew
Yesterday morning marked a milestone: my first time packing school lunches for four kids, as our four oldest are now all officially tearing into the school year. I stood at the kitchen counter, a one-man assembly line, crafting their homemade lunchables with crackers, cheese, and pepperoni, stacking them neatly into each of their lunch bags.… Continue reading Thirty-One: Packing Lunches for My Crew
Random Musings #14
The first week of school. Well, that’s about all there is to it, really. If you know any teachers or anyone who works at a school and welcomed kids back this last week, please check on them. Don’t be surprised if they don’t answer right away. They’re probably still sleeping. But in all seriousness, the… Continue reading Random Musings #14
Thirty: The Annual Back to School Rollercoaster
As summer fades like the last glow of a firefly, I’m sitting here writing this post, feeling the weight of back-to-school season settle in. The end of summer always hits me hard, with those glorious days of no alarm clock, filled with spontaneous adventures or late nights watching baseball games. Those moments of pure, unhurried… Continue reading Thirty: The Annual Back to School Rollercoaster
Random Musings #13
Let’s call this one, On Parenthood and Perspective I was scrolling through Instagram soaking in a few moments of me time when something hit me like a ton of bricks: why are so many parents out there using the platform to just dunk on their kids? It’s all rants about the messes, the tantrums, the… Continue reading Random Musings #13
Twenty-Seven: A Day of Faith, Family, and Fun: Our Catholic Retreat Experience
Last Saturday, our family embarked on a soul-nourishing journey at an all-day Catholic outdoor retreat, the first one we’ve ever attended as a family. It was certainly a day to remember! From praying together in the presence of Our Lord to a serene rosary walk with a stunning replica of the Our Lady of Guadalupe… Continue reading Twenty-Seven: A Day of Faith, Family, and Fun: Our Catholic Retreat Experience
Random Musings #11
“I’m a boy mom!” “I’m a girl dad!” Gag me already. You’re a mom. You’re a dad. You’re a parent. Stop with this garbage. Being a parent isn’t about trendy labels like “boy mom” or “girl dad.” It’s about the real, messy, incredible work of raising a human. Those terms are just social media fluff,… Continue reading Random Musings #11
Twenty-Five: Six Months (or so) of Bring Back Big Families
It’s been a full and fast-paced six months here at Bring Back Big Families. Between swimming pool clean-ups, late-night reflections, and a deep dive into what it really means to be a strong dad, I’ve covered a lot of ground lately. The Dad Strong series unpacked the four pillars of strength—physical, mental, spiritual, and intellectual—and how they play… Continue reading Twenty-Five: Six Months (or so) of Bring Back Big Families
Twenty-Four: The Backyard Swimming Pool
Our backyard swimming pool is the heart of our summer chaos, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a modest ten-foot pool, nothing fancy, but it’s ours, and it (somehow) fits our whole big family, kids, parents, and toys. The kids go wild for it, splashing and shrieking with joy the moment they… Continue reading Twenty-Four: The Backyard Swimming Pool
Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Four – Sharpening Your Intellectual Strength
A dad’s mind is a tool that needs constant sharpening. In a big family, where questions fly from “Why is the sky blue?” to “Daddy, in what situations would I need a gas mask?” (you might laugh, but that’s a real question from my eight-year-old/survivalist son), intellectual strength means staying curious and informed. By always… Continue reading Twenty-Three: Dad Strong, Part Four – Sharpening Your Intellectual Strength