Whether you are homeschooling or part-time schooling this year, chances are you need to re-purpose a space in your home to accommodate the needs of your children and family.
In this episode Krista Gilbert, a professional home coach, breaks down how to get creative about space, and how to make your home work for you in this season of COVID and life. We discuss creative ways to think about the spaces you already have, the questions to ask, and how to actually set up a space that will work for school.
As a bonus, Krista also gives her best tips and ideas for homeschooling, giving practical resources and hacks that will make your schooling experience more enjoyable this year.
Tune in families – you need this one!
101 Things Every Girl Should Know
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
Rosetta Stone Spanish Program for Kids
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It's back to school time. But likely this year school is looking a little different for your family. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of families doing school part-time or full-time at home, we've got some ideas for you. Seasoned homeschool moms Katie Westenberg and Erica from My Busy Bees and Me lead us through some of their best approaches to school and family 24/7.
The word of the day for moms doing school at home is freedom. That may seem counterintuitive given the fact we feel trapped at home, but we can have flexibility in how we approach everything from schedule to curriculum. We hear how Erica and Katie maneuver that fine line between teacher and mom, the books they like to read aloud to their kids, and the benefits they see to doing school together as a family.
Whether you are taking the educational lead as homeschool mom for the year or you are working with your children's teachers around online school, this interview will remind you that you can do new and brave things. You will be setting the tone for school at home in your house and your kids need you at your best. So put on your seatbelt mom, it's back to school time COVID style!
Are you deciding whether to stay at a job or find something new? In this episode Krista and Alex shoot straight about what questions to ask and what you might want to consider as you make your choice.
The last episode in the Work Flip series, they also discuss how COVID19 has impacted their work lives, how narrowing margins push toward innovation, and ten ideas for quick cash.
If you are wrestling with your work life, this whole series is for you!
Round Top Texas is known for two things: The Texas Antique Show and pies. Tara Royer Steele is the owner of the Pie Haven and when the pandemic shut down the annual spring antique show that typically sustains her pie shop for the next six months, she knew things had to change. Enter the creativity that constraints offer. Tara did a pivot on her pie business and found herself working in ways she never felt she had time to try before.
Tara is a real woman, a "street level" kind of Texas gal, that tells it honestly. We talk about how to get honest feedback from those around us, what it looks like to talk money decisions with a spouse, and how a "no" isn't necessarily an indication that a dream shouldn't be pursued, it might just mean an adjustment is needed. Tara shares about real life scheduling pivots, working to keep employees paid, and using what she had, a commercial kitchen and a community reputation, to build a new arm to her business when things could have been described as bleak.
If you are wondering if now is the time to make a change in your work life, if you are dreaming about something new, if you are finding some of the pandemic parameters might actually be opportunities, this is the episode for you.
Many people are re-considering work. Whether it is to increase income or flexibility, this unique moment in time has been a catalyst for change. Today we are looking at how to choose the most profitable idea and how to set up a plan to move forward.
Business expert Rachel Proctor generously shares her experience, wisdom, and advice on how we can pivot well or create a new business. From confidence, to branding, to the three P's of business, you will walk away more equipped and empowered to begin for the first time, or re-start.
Working women - we've got you! and we're all in this together!
The COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos for many families. Women are finding themselves in the middle of the upheaval, needing to make up for lost income or needing increased flexibility to care for children home from school. For those in frontline positions as part of their paid work, health risks may be an additional stressor as women determine what they need from their work life under unprecedented circumstances.
It's for this reason we invited Joanna Meyer to help us kick off our newest series, Work Flip, where we'll be exploring what it means to pivot in work due to the pandemic. Joanna leads the Women and Vocation Initiative for the Denver Institute for Faith and Work. She also serves as the Director of Events and Sponsorships, creating meaningful opportunities for Christians to consider what it means to serve God in and through their work. In this conversation we cover the God-given purpose of work, how women are uniquely called to vocation and leadership, and how the pandemic is offering unique opportunities for women to advocate for themselves at work.
Whether you work for pay or not (and we cover unpaid work in this episode), you'll be reminded that God gave us work as part of our design. When we feel different roles pulling at us, we can step back and use some creativity to meet the world's needs with our talents while (hopefully) gaining income. An episode for any woman in the world who knows she was made to be a world changer for good right where she is ... through her work.
The last episode in our “Hone Your Voice” series, Alex and Krista shoot straight about what it means to navigate conflict better while maintaining our voice. We also cover what it means to “steward” our voices. Meaning, what does responsibility look like when using our voice, especially as people of faith?
We wrestle in this episode with the hardest parts of having a voice and using our voice in a world often divided and in tension. We even give a specific real-life scenario and talk through how each of us would respond.
Come with us and explore, in earnest, these last important topics when it comes to honing our unique voice in the world.
---> Included in the show notes today is a FREE DOWNLOAD recapping our best tips from the "Hone Your Voice" series. This is useful as a reminder or for teaching others.
New York Times bestselling author and For The Love podcast host Jen Hatmaker, is a mom to five teens and young adults. For this reason we invited her on to our Hone Your Voice series to speak directly to moms as we help our teens and young adults discover, use, and hone their own voices. Jen's honesty leads us through a rich conversation we are happy to share with you.
With her signature wit, Jen reminds us that much of parenting is loving and letting go. We laugh (and cry real tears) through this episode as we talk about helping our kids step over the threshold of childhood and into adulthood. Jen reminds us that so much of parenting is modeling. We as moms must discover and use our own voices if we want our children to do the same. Here at the sisterhood, we couldn't agree more which is why we are bringing you this series.
So go ahead and push play and get ready to do some honest evaluation as you consider what it means to have a home with honesty, where failure is seen as opportunity for growth, and walking our kids into adulthood is something to be celebrated rather than feared.
As we seek to hone our voice, there are some practical changes we can make in our communication. The queen of practical, Deborah Smith Pegues, harnesses her years of experience in corporate America to instruct the rest of us on what is helpful, and what is not. After a successful career as an executive, writer, and speaker, she has much to say about using our words for good.
Deborah talks about how we can be powerful and warm, how to embrace silence, and how we can leverage our natural tendencies for strong leadership.
Winsome and engaging, you will love this interview and will discover more tips on how to hone your unique voice.
Paula Faris uses her voice more than most in her professional work. As a former host of The View and Good Morning America, Paula knows that when she speaks, people are listening. She hasn't always felt qualified though. Her fear of inadequacy and intimidation of others' expectations made her hesitate to step in front of the camera. On this episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast, we hear how she pushed through her fears and use her voice.
Once at the "top of her career", Paul was burnt out. A series of personal crisis made her realize she needed to slow down. She stepped down from her roles at The View and Good Morning America and now hosts the popular ABC podcast Journeys of Faith, taking with her the skills and passion she brought to television.
We cover faith calling vs. vocational calling, being tired vs. being burned out, and work vs. identity. If you are afraid to step into the places God is calling you, this conversation could give you the push you need to step into them regardless of your fear.
We believe at The Sisterhood that God has given us each a unique voice to use in the world. We are positioned in places with people to speak hope and truth over situations. We may feel this now more than ever.
In this new "Hone Your Voice" series we want to bring you both practical coaching and insights that inspire you to develop your voice for today. In this episode we feature Dr. Sasha Shillcutt who shares her journey of finding her center in her adult life, and how she began exercising her voice, especially at a table with mixed genders and high achieving professionals.
You will be interested in her insights about why women apologize, how female leaders are perceived, and practical ways to disagree with others while still respecting their viewpoints. An MD, author, and speaker, Sasha has an important message to share with women about finding their unique voice in the world, and overcoming fear to share it.
Our older kids had distinct hopes and maybe some pretty solid plans about how their summer would look. Enter COVID-19 and we're all adjusting to this new summer reality. With varying physical distancing measures in place around the country, and many group activities cancelled, we have an opportunity to help our older kids find purpose in their "new normal".
Enter Kristen Hatton and Greta Eskridge, two moms who are intentional about the everyday moments and stand out memories. With Alex and Krista in the mix, these four women have 15 kids between them! From work ethic to intentional rest, family books to managing food needs this is a great listen on the early end of your summer.
We recorded this conversation, full of practical COVID-sensitive ideas a few weeks ago. Because of this we don't cover protests, hard conversations, or citywide curfews, though these are likely topics of interest to our listeners with older kids at home. Here you'll find more discussion about quality time, making memories with our kids, and creating a sense that family is a place they will want to come back to. We pray these are timeless topics regardless of the day's headlines.
We're living in an interesting time. It seems just as we're getting through one piece of difficult news, another arises. As we head into summer, we want to acknowledge that life for us and our children feels heavy. Protecting mental health is vital as we navigate all that is before us.
Colleen Blake Miller, a registered psychotherapist and speaker, offers The Sisterhood wisdom and help on how we can protect and foster solid mental health in our children during these months.
From acknowledging feelings, to honesty in our communication, to replacing bad habits with good ones, we cover practical ideas that will help families as they move forward in a tough season. We also dive into ways to help your children grow spiritually this summer.
What do we do with kids who are too young to entertain themselves for days at a time but too big to be carried around in a backpack all day? Especially when a global pandemic causes most large group (or any sized group) gatherings to be cancelled for the summer? Well, we brought in the experts for you: Mia St. Clair and Crystal Miller are both moms of littles and they've got the ideas.
Let's talk practical when it comes to kids. We've got the everyday, the special, the food, and the crafty. From theme dinners to water play (when the pools are closed) Alex, Krista, Crystal, and Mia all chime in on this mom-to-mom conversation. When we say The Open Door Sisterhood is part practical, part inspirational, this is a practical-heavy episode.
We see you moms. We know you have some unexpected bumps this summer due to COVID-19. We're here to give a few ideas that might spur more ideas that meet your family's needs perfectly. So don't delay, press play, and then give us your best summer tips and hacks in the comments on the shownotes.
Because of COVID19, summer is cancelled for many of us. Okay, we realize it's not really cancelled, but it feels that way as camps, programs, classes, and vacation spots send apology letters and emails about why they can't open as usual.
Today begins a four part series we're calling, "Summer is cancelled: Now what?" We begin today with guest Jessica Smartt talking about perspective. How can we change our lens to see that our situation is no different than the hardships endured by many in our history, and to find courage in the stories of those who have gone before.
But we don't stop there. We also move into some practical ways we can re-structure our plan for summer by setting up a rhythm for our days, allowing opportunities for work, and using the extra time to build family memories outdoors. Join us for this helpful conversation!
High school and college graduations around the world have been cancelled due to physical distancing requirements from COVID-19. We feel a collective disappointment because we know this is a marker and a celebration for graduates and their families. If you have a graduate in your circle, you are likely trying to figure out how to celebrate your senior within the current parameters for group gatherings.
Krista and Alex invite author and podcast host Monica Swanson on this episode to talk through why we should be intentional about creating both meaningful and fun experiences for our graduates and how we can do that with varying levels of restrictions in place. All three moms bring different experiences, personalities, school communities, and local distancing restrictions to the conversation, offering a variety of ideas. No matter your circumstances, there is an idea in this episode for you.
At The Open Door Sisterhood we strive to offer listeners content that is part practical and part inspirational. It's the how and the why. This episode is no different. You will be reminded that life markers matter and you'll be given ideas on how to creatively mark your graduate's transition.
Working moms, this one is for you. Do you find yourself in a new normal with the stay at home order? Are you struggling to get the same volume of work done that you did before? Do you need some new ideas to stay focused or motivated?
In this week's episode Alex and Krista discuss how quarantine has impacted the working mom. They discuss the value of limitations, the pressure of expectations, and what it might look like to pivot in our thinking and in our schedule.
This is a continually evolving and changing topic - the home / work balance. Let's work it out together!
Marriage during a pandemic is no joke! We know this is likely a unique season for relationships. Many have not experienced this much "together time" in recent years or ever! Perhaps financial stress is high or worries about the health and safety of a spouse or others we love is putting you on extra edge. No matter the "different" in our circumstances, it helps to recognize that every relationship goes through various seasons.
We brought relationship expert and therapist Debra Fileta to the sisterhood to talk about her newest book Love In Every Season. She describes the flow of relationships through various cycles and how working through each one well prepares you for the next. From the newness of spring, to the hot passion of summer, the colorful conflicts of fall, or the quiet of winter you can determine which season you are in these days and how it can build toward overall health.
Sister, we know this may be a difficult time at home simply because of the unexpected stress that life is throwing at you and your spouse. No matter your season you can make intentional choices to love each other well. You have agency in how you respond to each other. We pray this is an encouragement.
Yes, this life in a pandemic is new. Last week hosts Alex and Krista dove into their emotional responses to the situation. This week they look at the practical opportunities that arise because there is a virus that forces most of us to stay home. This is a unique moment, how will we make the most of it?
From teaching kids life skills, to TV suggestions, to how to love our neighbors during this time, to ideas for games to play, to how to celebrate birthdays, we look at how we can redeem this time for good in our homes and in our lives.
If you want to learn how to make more of your time at home focused and intentional, this episode will help.
Links from Today's Episode:
Intentional Chore Scheduling (DISH DUTY!)
Redeeming TV:
Just Mercy
Little Women
Mr. Rogers
Rudy
The Greatest Showman
McFarland USA
Kit Kitridge American Girl
Great Read Alouds for families:
Love Does by Bob Goff
Everybody Always by Bob Goff
Footloose Dance - you can learn too!
Vidhug website - makes video making a snap for the bday person!
Games:
See Krista's Mega List. of Games on her website
Code Names
Coup
Left, Right, Center
Crazy Powerpoints
Basketball Tournment
Nightly Trivia using CrowdPurr
Dr. Henry Cloud's Podcast
Morgan Tyree - Capsule Wardrobe Challenge & Organization Challenges
We are all experiencing something new, life under a pandemic. It is unique in its grief, its circumstances, its universal impact, its opportunities for connection. How can we capture this unique time for our personal growth and to grow closer to God?
Hosts Krista and Alex share a bit of their emotional responses during the COVID 19 arrival and spiritual practices that are helping them move through their days. An honest discussion of what keeps them up at night and how God is meeting them and inviting them to share in Christ's suffering.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or simply exhausted, this episode is intended to ground you as we talk about "gritty peace" and the unchanging nature of God grounds us in a way our circumstances can't. We love you sister and we want you to know you're not alone. This episode is meant to be a place of rest and encouragement as you push through the quarantine life.
If you feel as if your emotions are wildly swinging during this unsettling time of the Corona Virus, you are not alone. Many report feeling a paralyzing fear one moment, anger and frustration the next, then an unexplainable feeling of gratitude and peace. Does it feel like whiplash sometimes? It does to us.
Sara Hagerty, well known author and speaker, assures us that this is not only normal, but necessary as we learn how to authentically name our feelings and take them to God.
If you have struggled though sheltering in place, and have wondered what to do with all of your emotions, especially in light of your faith, this podcast will help.
Anjuli Paschall knows what it is to escape the uncomfortable. However in this time of pandemic, when the walls seem to be closing in on us, it feels nearly impossible to escape where we are. Anjuli's invitation is to stay. Stay in your uncomfortable circumstances, feel the hard feelings, and invite Jesus into those place to experience his transformation.
In an honest, timely, and poignant interview we hear how this mom to five is "staying" during the pandemic. Though she may want to avoid, deflect, or escape the places of friction and tension, she is choosing to consciously be present so that God can do his work. For most of us who are literally staying at home because we have no other option, this mindset of choosing to stay gives us opportunity to grow and allow Jesus to meet us in our real moments of need.
From big griefs to small moments, this invitation to bring the holy into our reality may be just what you need to fully experience what God has for you during this season of "stay".
We’ve all heard about Wuhan, China, the birthplace of the notorious Corona Virus. What we haven’t heard as much is a direct interview with someone on the ground, in lockdown, on the twenty fifth floor of an apartment building.
Rebecca Arendell Franks wrote a Facebook post from quarantine in Wuhan that went viral. After lamenting their experience in several other posts, her husband challenged her to write about the good things springing out of their situation.
Alex and Krista asked Rebecca to come on the show to talk about what it has been like walking through the season of the Corona Virus from Wuhan. No matter where you are on your own journey with the virus, sheltering in place, or freely moving, you will find pieces of your own journey in Rebecca’s story.
We are living through an unprecedented global pandemic. We have not experienced anything like this in our lifetimes. As we consider the likelihood of weeks at home, kids off from school, and what it means to practice social distancing, we wonder what exactly we should do to prepare for the unknown.
Our guest Kathi Lipp brings us the "safe and sane" approach. We need to be prepared and wise about our choices, but not panic and operate from a scarcity mindset. We must remember to care for our neighbors out of abundance, control what we can control, and practice faith for God to carry what we cannot. Kathi brings us both practical next steps, empathy for where we are today, and most importantly hope that we will get through this together.
From shopping lists to mindset shifts, you won't want to miss this conversation so relevant for today's dilemmas. Where else are you going to get both the practical and inspirational as we face the unknown today that COVID 19 brings? We are here for you sister trusting God is with you and goes ahead of you.
The phrase "world changer" is thrown around on Pinterest memes, slogans, and yes, even here at The Sisterhood. But what does it really mean to be a world changer?
In this episode Krista & Alex break down The Sisterhood definition of what this phrase really means, and how we can start being a world changer in our actual lives, right where we are, today.
Gena Thomas joins us for the second part of the interview to share her story of helping a Honduran five year old who was separated from her mother at the border. This story helps us see how God can take small, faithful steps, and turn them into giant leaps of faith and hope.
Find Alex Kuykendall on Instagram or her website
Find Krista Gilbert on Instagram or her website
Find Gena Thomas on her website or connect with her on Twitter