Busy Moms Survival Guide with PJ Jonas

Multitasking

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:00:56 +0000

As busy moms, we often believe that we can be more productive if we multitask more. But this is not necessarily true. Multitasking is defined as “the performance of multiple tasks at one time.” Because our brains are not wired to multitask, attempting to do so can actually make us more inefficient.

I have found that the best way for me to multitask is to do two (or more) tasks at the same time that do not require thought. During this podcast I discuss how I multitask and how the family multitasks so we are getting more done without becoming inefficient.

Listener Feedback

Sara: I have twins (almost 4) and a little one (almost 2). I struggle with multitasking with them around, especially now that we are down to just one short nap in the afternoon. Trying to avoid TV but with such short attention spans I have a hard time keeping them entertained while I get my work done. We homeschool but even with little projects and play around that I sill am getting little done. I’d love some advice! LOVE the podcast, looking forward to new episodes!

Sarah: Multitasking- How do you make sure schoolwork is getting done on those days you have to be busy with business stuff? How do you prioritize the two?

Melody: How do you handle farm chores and juggling babies? I haven’t figured that one out yet.

What about you? Do you try to multitask and find it doesn’t work well for you? Or have you figured out some wonderful things that you can accomplish at the same time? I’d love for you to share what’s working (and not working) for you.

Thanks for listening!

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Being Polite

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:00:14 +0000

One of the compliments I hear most often about my children is how polite they are. I find that very comforting and very sad at the same time. Don’t get me wrong. I’m very pleased that my children are polite to other people. That is how we’ve trained them. Yet the fact that so many people point out to me how impolite other children act shows the lack of importance many parents are placing on teaching manners.

As with anything, the best way to teach your children to be polite is to be polite yourself. Modeling the appropriate behavior will always be more effective than any amount of lecturing. But you do need to train your children to be polite. It takes constant reminders and reinforcement to make being polite a habit.

During this podcast, Jim and I discuss some of the ways we teach our children to be polite. These include teaching them:

to say “please” and “thank you”
to share (even when they don’t want to)
to ask and not demand
to use “I” statements and not “you” statements
to give people the benefit of the doubt and not assume the worst
not to interrupting others (how to properly join a conversation)
how to listen
to consider the feelings of others above their own ^”Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

What about you? Have you had a rough time dealing with children (not necessarily your own) or adults who were very rude or impolite? What are some of the things that you think should be intrinsic manners that we all exhibit?

Thanks for listening!

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Be Prepared

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:00:35 +0000

As a mom of 8, there are lots of people depending on me to meet their needs. I not only take care of them on normal days, but I plan ahead and get prepared for how I will take care of them if disaster strikes. This can be anything from a sickness, job loss, death, fire, natural disaster (e.g. tornado), or loss of income.

Note: photo is what was left of our old church after the March 2nd F4 tornado.

It’s not a fun topic to think about, and hopefully I’ll never need any of my preparations. But if something bad does happen, I want the stuff that I could have dealt with taken care of so I can deal with the emotions and needs of the moment.

During this podcast episode, I discuss the need to think through your family’s possible risky situations. Jim and I periodically talk about and update our plans for

storing food and water
evacuating family and livestock
managing extended loss of electricity (food storage, lighting)
cooking and heating without electricity
sourcing clean water
seeking safety in storm shelter

Listener Feedback

Katie: The military has all sorts of activity books, checklists, and guides for families for all sorts of natural and other disasters online. We make sure to have a “hurricane” bag- just something with essentials (crank lights, flares, 1st aide, non perishable food, etc) and to familiarize ourselves with whatever new area in which we live.

Tara: Tornadoes – we have a storm shelter with three days water, a flashlight and any other things. Just never know where a twister might hit.

Lenea:I’m working on a 3 month supply. Not just having it but also using it so I know what to do when I really need it. To help me get a variety of items I became a consultant for Shelf Reliance. They have a program called the Q. I set a budget and a “wish list” of food storage items that I want and each month I get that budgeted amount of food sent to my home. It has really helped me get organized and get the items I need/want.

Rebecca: We can’t even afford groceries, and preparing with a disabled child only allowed one month’s supply of anti seizure meds is about as pointless as can me. Wish I could, guess our family will be in the first to check out. Yayness.
Note from PJ: Preparedness isn’t just about having money to stockpile stuff. One of the best ways to be prepared is with knowledge and by having a plan. That is free and just requires your time. Oftentimes, it is people without money who fare better than the “rich”.

Becky: We keep a bag by the door with water flashlights emergency info etc. Meds are always ready to go easily. Just added an emergency phone charger and radio. every 3 months I rotate the snacks and water. We are in OK so tornados and in winter ice storm threats make us stay prepared.

What about you? Have you thought through some basic needs in case of a disaster or unexpected crisis? This is not about preparing for the end of the world, this is about being able to meet your family’s needs despite the circumstances surrounding you.

Thanks for listening!

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Achieve Your Goals

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:00:28 +0000

Many people regularly set goals. Yet they are often frustrated when they don’t reach them. It is important to set goals the right way as well as doing some work (after setting your goal) to help yourself successfully achieve them. During this podcast episode, I talk about some of my current goals, how many of them I have, and what I do to make sure that I achieve them.

Listener Questions

Charlene: What tools do you use to note that the goal is completed?

Laurel: Homeschool goals?

Abigail: What do you do to motivate you to continue towards a goal when it gets hard?

Kara: How do you teach goal setting to your children?

Rebecca: How do you know how high to set the bar? I am doing some goal setting myself, but I don’t want to set a goal that I can’t achieve… but I don’t want to set the bar too low because then there will not be a challenge.

Resources Mentioned

Here is a link to the episode about my control journal that I reference in this podcast.

What about you? Are you good or bad about meeting the goals you’ve set for yourself? I’d love to hear what your goals are and how you’re going to make sure that they’re not just dreams, but something you can successfully accomplish.

Thanks for listening!

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Being Prepared To Leave

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 21:41:05 +0000

Jim and I recently made a trip without the children to attend the New Media Expo in Las Vegas. During this podcast episode we discuss our trip, some of the things we learned, and the great time we had with the friends we’ve made.

We also talk about what it is like to leave all of our children and the things we do to prepare to leave. This trip we made sure that our will was updated and that all of our information was accessible if it was needed.

Do you have things prepared in case you leave and don’t return? It’s not something we like to think about, but it’s something we need to take care of regardless. Please share if you’re prepared and I’d love to hear what you do with your important paperwork. I’m trying to figure out where to store mine and whether or not I should just get a safety deposit box.

Here is a link to the podcast episode about setting up a control journal that I reference.

Thanks for listening!

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Stay in the Moment

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:00:38 +0000

In today’s world it is so easy to concentrate on what we need to do, that we lose sight of what we are currently doing. When this happens, we tend to let time go by and life happen and we don’t enjoy today.

During this podcast episode I talk about why it is important that we not find our joy in checking items off our to-do list. Instead we need to stay in the moment and enjoy the actual living of our to-do lists.

Thanks for listening!

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The Rewards of Occasional Spontaneity

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:15:32 +0000

I find that the best way to (joyfully) survive being a busy Mom is to be very organized with my life, my family, my homeschool, and my business. But I don’t ever want our lives to be boring and routine. So I always make a point to occasionally be spontaneous.

I’ve decided there are five reasons it is important to allow some spontaneity into my life.

It keeps things fun and makes me happy.
It keeps the children guessing.
It changes the tone of the day.
It takes advantage of opportunities that arise.
It builds memories.

During this podcast episode I discuss these reasons as well as share some of the ways that I’m spontaneous. Emery also joins me and shares his feelings about spontaneity in our family.

Do you ever make time for spontaneity? I’d love to hear about any spontaneous things you’ve done with your family and what the results were. I’m always looking for new ideas!

Thanks for listening!

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Sometimes It’s Best To Say “No”

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:03:10 +0000

Busy moms always have plenty to do. And yet, it seems like we’re always asked to do more. Sometimes it’s people outside of our family who are doing the asking. Sometimes it’s our spouses or our children. But quite often, it’s ourselves who are doing the asking. We hold ourselves up to certain expectations and find ourselves unable to let anyone (including ourselves) down and so we say yes and do things that we shouldn’t be doing.

I’ve learned how important it is to say “no”. It is important for me and it is important for my children. Because when you say “no”, it frees you up to say “yes” to other things.

But just because it is important, that doesn’t make it easy. During this podcast episode I discuss the fact that I have learned to say “no” even to some important things in my life. Indigo joins me and we discuss some fun family things and how she feels about Mom telling her “no”.

For me, I have the most difficulty when I have to say no to my Goat Milk Stuff customers. I find myself wanting to give them everything they ask for. I’d love to hear in what situations you most struggle with saying “no”.

Thanks for listening!

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Homeschooling Part IV

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:41:23 +0000

This is the final episode in the homeschooling series. Whether or not you are a homeschooling parent, I hope that it provides you with some encouragement. You can engage your children and help them to learn and to succeed. In fact, giving your child a hunger for knowledge is one of the best gifts you can ever give.

I’d love to hear what you thought of the series and if you homeschool what your biggest goals are.

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week when I discuss learning how to say “no”.

You can subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Homeschooling Part III

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:00:11 +0000

Our homeschooling series continues as we answer more homeschooling questions such as “How do I homeschool boys?” and “What about curriculum?”

There are many different ways to homeschool. This series gives you an idea of not only how we homeschool, but how we continue to enjoy homeschooling. Tune in next week as we finish this series on homeschooling.

Thanks for listening!

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Homeschooling Part II

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:00:29 +0000

Homeschooling at the Jonas house takes place all the time. Somebody is always learning something and the older children often help the younger children.

This is part two in our homeschooling series. Jim and I finish our initial discussion and then start answering some of the questions we received. I was sick when I recorded the introduction and you’ll hear it in my voice. But the interview sounds fine. Tune in next week as we continue answering homeschooling questions.

Thanks for listening!

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Homeschooling Part I

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:51:01 +0000

The Jonas children have been homeschooled their entire lives. We start homeschooling them when they are babies because we consider all of life to be a part of their homeschool.

Jim and I sat down and talked about homeschooling for over 2 hours. I have edited our conversation into 4 parts. This first part discusses why we decided to homeschool and what we believe the benefits are.

We have two main objectives to our homeschool.

1. For the children to know HOW to learn

2. For the children to LOVE to learn

If we accomplish those two goals, we consider our homeschool to be a success.

Thanks for listening!

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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How To Organize A Control Journal

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:09:50 +0000

Keeping a family of ten and Goat Milk Stuff running smoothly requires a lot of organization. One of the things that I rely upon to help keep me organized is my Central Notebook or Control Journal. It contains everything I need in a central location.

During this podcast episode, I discuss in detail how my control journal is organized, in the hope that something I do can help you to organize your life better. I talk about how I use all the following sections:

Goals/Tasks
Calendar
House Chores
Shopping
Holidays
Contact & Reference Info
Special Stuff

Do you struggle with organization? or does it come naturally to you?

Thanks for listening!

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Family Vacation

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 10:00:30 +0000

Taking a family vacation with eight children may not be the easiest thing to do, but it is worth every minute of effort and all the expense. We believe getting away from home and your normal routine really strengthens family bonds and gives Mom and Dad a respite from their normal stresses.

We just returned from a vacation to Topsail Island in North Carolina, and during this episode, Indigo and I talk about the trip and the fun times that we had.

Are you able to take family vacations? What’s the favorite vacation you’ve ever taken?

Thanks for listening!

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Train Your Children Then Trust Them

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:00:27 +0000

A few weeks ago we drove Brett and Colter to North Carolina so they could go on a two week Outward Bound excursion in the mountains of North Carolina. It was the first time either of them were away from home. While it was not easy to let them go, we believe that we have trained them properly and they are mature enough to handle the experience.

During this podcast, Brett and Colter discuss what they learned from their trip and how they feel about the way they are being raised as compared to the rest of their Outward Bound crew members.

What about you? Have you ever let your children do something away from home for an extended time period? If so, how did it go? If not, do you plan to?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week to hear me talk about vacations.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Be Protective, But Not Over-Protective

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:18:41 +0000

We are protective of our children while they are still young and need us to protect them. As they mature they are given the opportunity to test themselves and their beliefs while still under the protection of our household. We try very hard to be protective, but not cross the line to becoming overprotective.

During this podcast, I am joined by my friend Kim and we discuss the line between being protective and over-protective when it comes to music, books, physical challenges, and spirituality.

Where do you fall on the spectrum – under-protective? protective? or over-protective?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week to hear Brett and Colter discuss their Outward Bound excursion and what it was like to be away from the Jonas home for 2 weeks.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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No Such Thing As a Typical Day

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:00:42 +0000

Do you finish your “typical” day feeling like you accomplished nothing? Or do you typically go to sleep feeling tired, but believing you had a good day? For me, I enjoy wrapping up the day knowing that I worked hard, taught my children, enjoyed my family, and accomplished something.

Jim joins me on this podcast episode to discuss what a typical Jonas day looks like. We both agree that we have no typical day, but have a schedule that we set that acts as a framework for our days.

We also share some of the insights that we’ve learned over the years and how we view our to-do lists and the tasks that we need to accomplish throughout the day.

What does your typical day look like?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week to hear my thoughts on being a protective vs an overprotective parent.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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How Important Is Privacy

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:00:55 +0000

Several months ago, Brett got her own room. Since then we’ve been talking a lot about the subject of privacy because I don’t want her to over-value privacy at the expense of relationships. After all, if she gets married some day, she’s going to have to give up the very privacy she has finally achieved.

When I look at my life, I’ve come to realize that I live my life with very little privacy. I’m always surrounded by my family. There are regularly people in my house. I blog about the things that daily happen to us. And people are always watching me when I go out with the family. In fact, when Jim and I went to New York (just the two of us) a few months ago, we both commented on how strange it was that nobody was watching us. We realized how much attention we drew just by the size of our family.

And I’m ok with that. I think living my life with transparency is better than heavily guarding my privacy. It makes me want to be a better person knowing that people are watching. I want to be a better wife and mom because people are watching me and that carries over to the times when people aren’t watching me.

During this podcast episode, I’m joined by my friend Prayse Dangler, a fairly new wife and mom. We discuss the concept of privacy and how it relates to our personal lives and our children’s lives. I also share a very personal experience about a struggle that I kept private and the lessons I learned from that. This episode really isn’t designed to “teach” anything, but just to spark some thought.

I’d love to hear from people what you think about this topic and how the issue of privacy plays out in your life.

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week to hear about what my “typical” day looks like.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Learning Leadership

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 10:00:03 +0000

Have you ever heard the expression, “He is a born leader?” While I do think there are people who are natural leaders, I also believe that leadership skills can be taught. I focus a lot on teaching my children to be leaders because I want them to have the strength to believe they can lead themselves and others to success.

During this podcast episode I talk about the intense experience we’ve sent Colter and Brett on to help them meet new people, have fun, and build their leadership skills. I also interview Emery who is very insightful on some of the leadership skills of the Jonas family members.

If you’d like to strengthen your children’s (or your own) leadership skills, there are four principles that are discussed:

Knowledge: To lead people, there needs to be a solid knowledge base about the subject matter. Help your children to become confident in their knowledge and it will be easier for them to lead.

Opportunity: We have to step back and allow our children the opportunity to lead. If we’re always stepping in, we do not allow them the chance to be leaders.

Example: Set an example for your children of how good leaders behave. Bad leaders “push”; good leaders “pull”. Point out examples of good leadership for them to mimic.

Confidence: While you can’t give your children confidence, you can help them to cultivate it by allowing them the opportunity to fail and giving them lots of opportunities to practice their leadership skills.

What about you? Are you a natural leader? Or is it something you had (or still need) to develop?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week when I talk about privacy and how it affects our lives.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Spending Time

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:00:51 +0000

Our children desperately desire our attention. We can choose to give it to them proactively on our terms. Or we can wait until they misbehave and give them attention then in the form of discipline.

Children are smart. They realize that if they can’t get attention from Mom and Dad by being good, they can certainly get it by being bad. Parents need to be smarter. Parenting is a lot more fun if we can harness their desire for our attention and use it to effectively parent. By carving out time for our children we drastically reduce a lot of the misbehaviors that make us question why we ever became parents.

During this podcast episode I discuss how our family handles the following issues:

Preventive Parenting: I have found that proactively providing individual time with my children goes a long way toward minimizing discipline problems.

How Much Time is Required: My goal is to meet each child’s needs. There are times when different children (depending upon their age and circumstances) require more individual attention. I never set an amount of time that will work (e.g. 10 minutes twice a day). I’m flexible and pay attention to my children to know when somebody needs to spend extra individual time with me.

How to Fit One-On-One Time into Busy Schedules: I get creative. I do very few things alone, but often have one of the children as my “buddy” so I get to spend time working side by side with just them. It’s important, so I find a way to make it happen. There are certain of my children that definitely require more of my attention than others. I find a way to make it work.

Child Directed or Parent Directed Time: Depending on how busy the family is determines who gets to choose how individual time is spent. When the schedule is crazy, I choose. If things are fairly smooth, I let the child decide.

One-On-One Time or Buddy-Up: There are individual children that enjoy sharing their special time with me. When I can Buddy up this special time, it works great.

Quality vs Quantity: Children need both. You can not just have one without the other. While you must find a balance, that balance will constantly change as the needs of the family shifts.

Time with Spouse: Don’t neglect your spouse and make sure that he gets attention and one-on-one time with you as well.

Overall, spending one on one time with your children should be fun and not a stressful thing to add to your to-do list. Don’t feel like there is some magic number you need to achieve. Be aware that your children need your attention and have fun giving them as much of it as you can.

What about you? Are you able to spend enough one-on-one time with your children? Or do you need to spend more?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week when I talk about how to teach your children to be leaders.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. If you haven’t already, I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Discipline Yourself and Your Children

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:00:32 +0000

How peaceful our homes are hinges on how effectively we discipline our children. There are a lot of things you can do as a mom to improve the way you discipline and help your children to respond better. But it starts with you and it takes a lot of effort.

During this podcast episode, I discuss seven P’s that I practice in my disciplining efforts.

The Seven P’s are:

Personal
Persistent
Punishment fits the crime
Preparation
Prevention
Practice
Perpetual

Listener Questions:

Melissa – How do you effectively discipline your children in public? My boys made a huge scene in the grocery store today and I got loads of looks from other shoppers.

Debbie – what tips do you have when a kid who once was compliant, now fights the simplest things like brushing teeth, let alone getting school work done.

Danielle – How to handle whining when talking to the child about why they shouldn’t do whatever it is they’ve done.

Elizabeth – How to make a child who squeels/screams whether she is hurt or not and doesn’t even realize that she is doing it, how do you make her stop?

Patricia – What is the best approach when you are having a conversation with another adult and the child insists on interrupting?

Thanks for listening! Tune in next week when I talk about how to give each child one on one attention.

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

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Restore Margin To Your Life

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:00:02 +0000

One of my all-time favorite books is Margin by Richard Swenson. This is a concept that is really important to a well-balanced life and it is a book that I highly recommend. If you have margin in your life, you have the resources to handle the unexpected. You also have time to play with your children and relax with your siblings.

According to Swenson,

“Margin is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating. It is the leeway we once had between ourselves and our limits.”

During this podcast episode I talk about how important it is to restore margin to your lives. Brett joins me and talks about this concept at work in her life.

I also share with you some of what I have done over the years to make sure that I keep enough margin for our family to succeed. Like most things, the amount of margin in your life is dynamic and you have to continually revisit and readjust. Otherwise, today’s fast-paced culture will rob you of your margin and the result is stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

I have a short (5 question) podcast survey. I would really appreciate it if you would take 2 minutes to fill it out. Thank you! Click for Survey

The Importance of Chores

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 10:00:30 +0000

I want to raise children that have a strong work ethic. I think laziness is so destructive to our personal success, especially when it comes to our careers and our relationships. It takes hard work to succeed in both those areas.

I use chores to build a strong work ethic into my children. It isn’t always easy. Raising children who do their chores regularly and with a cheerful attitude takes a LOT of work on my part. I have to dedicate a portion of my day to inspecting their chores and training them on how to do their chores efficiently.

Even though I could do the chores faster (and better) than my children, I don’t (often) succumb to the temptation to do everything myself. I put in the effort when the children are young, so that later on I am rewarded with children who are incredibly capable.

During this podcast I discuss how chores work around the Jonas house and provide some suggestions for getting your children to do their chores. Plus I talk about how I handle the complaining that inevitably comes when it is chore time.

Indigo also joins me on this episode and you’ll get to hear the adjective she chose to describe how she feels about her chores.

I hope you enjoy listening to the episode and learn something that can help with chore time at your house. What about you? Do you struggle with getting your children to do their chores? What is the most hated chore in your household?

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Do You Limit Yourself?

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:00:20 +0000

As a very busy Mom, I know that I can’t do everything I want to do. So I choose to limit myself. I find that it is more important for me to do less and have time to relax and spend time with my family, than it is for me to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way.

Limiting myself allows me to spend time just snuggling and reading with my children. It also allows me to have time to deal with the every day emergencies of life, such as broken legs.

There are three main ways that I know I’m doing too much and I have to remove some things from my schedule:

My stress level stays elevated for more than 1 week
I start yelling at my children
I start to feel like I’m a terrible Mom

When those things happen, I know I’m doing too much and I have to change something. Sometimes it’s an easy change. Sometimes it’s more drastic. Sometimes it’s quick. Sometimes it takes longer.

But no matter how hard, I make the change. Because the most important thing in my life is my family. And that means that I’m willing to give up some good things to have the room in my life to keep myself sane and happy so I can take care of them the way I want to.

This subject is so important to me that several months ago I recorded this short video about it:

My first podcast episode, The Myth of the Mom Who Can Do Everything, is also on this subject and goes into things that I don’t do a bit more in depth. If you are unable to watch the video, you can read the transcript (but it’s much better when you watch to it).

I hope that you can look at my life and all that my family accomplishes and be encouraged. It is possible to set your goals and determine what is important to you. When you concentrate on those and remove the distractions, you can accomplish great things. If you sacrifice what isn’t essential to meeting your goals and don’t feel the need to be a “supermom”, life becomes much more enjoyable.

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve struggled with this issue of doing too much. Have you been able to give up some things? If so, what? Or are you still struggling with feeling overwhelmed?

Watch Your Words

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:00:29 +0000

Words are very powerful and yet most of us use them without much thought. I have been the victim of words that were carelessly spoken and have wounded me deeply. I’m sad to say that I’ve been on the other end as well and have uttered words before I thought about the impact that they would have. Both of these experiences have taught me to be more careful with my speech.

I think that as parents we cannot teach our children to control their words unless we first learn to control our words. During this podcast episode I discuss some of the things that I have been learning and some of the changes that I’m trying to make with how I speak. I even share one “bad” word that I’m trying to eradicate from my vocabulary since my children have started saying it and I don’t like hearing it out of their mouths.

Brett also joins me to discuss tone of voice and some of the things that she struggles with when it comes to her brothers.

I hope you enjoying listening to this episode. I would love to hear an example of how you’ve used or received words that have hurt you or built you up and how it changed you.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Build Your Platform

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:00:28 +0000

According to Michael Hyatt, the best time to build a platform is five years before you need it. And yet, if you had told me in 2003 that in five years I would launch a successful goat milk soap business and that I would be reaching thousands of people I would have laughed at you. Back then, I had no idea that building a platform would be useful to me.

So what about you? Do you need to start building a platform? Do you have any idea where you’ll be in five years and what you’ll be doing?

Unless you have a crystal ball, the answer is no.

And because you can’t forsee the future, you should consider building a platform now. If you’re not sure what I mean when I use the term “platform”, listen to this podcast episode where I interview Michael Hyatt, author of the best selling book, Platform.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Never Stop Learning

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:00:53 +0000

I love and value learning. Not just for the children, but for myself as well. A “rusty” brain would prevent me from conversing intelligently with my husband and others about a variety of topics. So I make sure that I am always learning something about being a better person, mother, wife, and business owner.

Join me on the podcast as I share the importance of learning and some of the ways (and things) I learn. Fletcher also joins me on this episode and is very enthusiastic about what he wants.

What about you? Are you learning and growing and challenging yourself? Are you using your “free time” or your “me time” to learn something? Or are you wasting those opportunities on simple amusement? Please leave me a comment and let me know something you’ve read or learned recently.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

When to Visit the Doctor

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:00:50 +0000

Sometimes it can be so difficult to decide whether or not you need to schedule a doctor visit. We don’t want to waste our time or our money, but what if things are serious and a doctor visit is required? There are obvious injuries (like massive splinters stuck into your child’s foot) that require a trip to the ER. But other issues may not be so clear.

During this podcast episode, I interview my friend, Kristie Williams, who is a nurse practitioner. Please do not construe the information on this podcast as medical advice, but we wanted to give you some information that could help you make decisions.

As a parent, you need to find and develop a relationship with a family practitioner or pediatrician. Ask that doctor to help you educate yourself so you are more comfortable in making decisions about the health of your children.

I’m pretty slow to take my children to the doctor. What about you? Do you find yourself at the doctor’s office frequently?

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Strengthen Your Immune System

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:46 +0000

Nothing ruins my plans and my busy schedule the way a family member getting sick does. Everyone of us has a job and a role and if somebody is sick, we have to scramble and re-prioritize and figure it all out.

So I make sure that I do everything possible to strengthen our immune systems and keep us healthy. I don’t try to avoid all bacteria and viruses and germs. Instead I try to build our immune systems so that we can handle whatever gets thrown our way.

During this episode, you’ll also hear a little bit about my upcoming trip and why it’s a first for me. Plus Greyden joins me and talks about getting sick, staying healthy, and gifts.

I hope this episode gives you some ideas and encouragement to help you strengthen your family’s immune systems now, long before cold and flu season arrive.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you’ve found to be helpful in keeping you healthy.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Interview with Karen Ranzau of Little Pink Ladybug

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:22 +0000

If you’ve ever had an idea that you think you may be able to turn into a family business, you’ll want to listen to today’s podcast. I discuss the benefits of attending craft fairs or festivals to do market research for your new or potential business.

Then I play an interview that I recorded with Karen Ranzau, the owner of Little Pink Ladybug. In addition to pre-made hairbows, Little Pink Ladybug offers a patented template that teaches others how to create their own bows. She also has several information products that show you how to sculpt particular hairbows. As another entrepreneur who turned a hobby into a business and obtained patents, Karen has some great insight to share.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Starting a Small Business

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:59 +0000

Many families today feel trapped by dead end jobs that barely make ends meet. Even so, there is a perceived safety net in an expected paycheck, and with the struggling economy, any job is better than no job at all.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. America is still the Land of Opportunity and with the right mindset and business plan, you can create a business that not only meets your financial needs, but that can grow and provide a retirement and a future for your family.

Once you have the right mindset, begin to go about it in the right way. If your dream is a small business, start laying the foundation today. Use some of the many resources on the web to put together a business plan. Read lots of business and marketing books. And mostly, start to dream and dream big!

In this podcast episode, I share some of the things that I have learned from starting and building Goat Milk Stuff. Plus Jade and Brett join me at the end for their opinion on the business.

Please leave me a comment and let me know if you have a dream of starting a small business or if you’re happy with the career you have. I’d love to hear about your dreams and goals.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

You Can’t Always Be in Control

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:44:48 +0000

I don’t want to be the kind of person who becomes consumed by the struggles in my life. I want to maintain the proper perspective. And I want to teach my children to do the same. Because one thing I know about life is that it’s going to be full of problems and struggles – some big and some little. How we deal with those problems not only says a lot about the kind of person we are, it also models for our children (for good or bad) how they can handle their problems.

During this podcast episode, I discuss my current trial and how I deal with it. I also interview my friend Sarah, who was childless for the first 14 years of her marriage. Sarah shares her experience and I hope that it encourages you if you are struggling with something in your life. If you would like to contact Sarah, her email is josaaaco at yahoo dot com.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you have struggled with and how you maintained your perspective.

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Pay It Off!

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00:32 +0000

During today’s podcast, I share my journey to living a debt free lifestyle.

It was not easy to learn to live below our means, but the benefits to doing so have been truly tremendous. Not only have I been able to stay home and raise my eight children, but because we lived below our means, we were able to fund the growth of our family business. Being financially able to grow the business so quickly allowed Jim to join Goat Milk Stuff full time. Now all ten of us work together. This wouldn’t have been possible if we were still in debt.

If you are struggling financially, I encourage you to listen as I offer ideas and tips that can help. If you are currently on the path to debt free living, I hope that our story truly encourages you and keeps you working toward your goal.

Please leave me a comment and let me know if you’re desiring to live debt free or already are!

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Getting Rid of Clutter Part III

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:49 +0000

Today’s podcast is the final episode in my series on clutter. I hope that over the past two episodes you have gotten a sense for how drastic a problem clutter is in America. So much so, that there have been a lot of studies done on the impacts of clutter on people’s lives.

Studies have shown that people with clutter problems tend to use the following words to describe themselves:

Overwhelmed
Stressed
Anxious
Non-functional
Non-productive
Suffocating
I can’t breathe
Embarrassed

If you can relate to any of these words and feelings, please address the fact that it may be the physical clutter in your home that is causing these emotions.

In fact, observations have shown that as people “clean up”, their energy seems to rise. Often times, the clean up and reduction of clutter motivates people to tend to other issues in their lives such as being stuck in an unsatisfactory occupation, losing weight, or living in an unhealthy relationship.

Various studies have also shown that the average American only uses somewhere between 20% and 30% of the stuff in their home. So you should have a lot of room to get rid of stuff that you really don’t need.

During today’s podcast episode, I’ll be answering listener questions about how to deal with the clutter in their lives. It’s a long episode as there were a lot of detailed questions.

I hope you enjoy this concluding episode to the clutter series and that you are motivated to make a real change in your life to a simpler lifestyle. You and your family will be benefited by the change.

Please leave me a comment and let me know if this series has changed the way you approach the clutter in your home.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Getting Rid of Clutter Part II

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:34 +0000

A couple of years ago, Jim and some of the boys went to a home in Louisville. The family was living amongst garbage and debris that literally was piled everywhere. The mom was single and had been injured and suffered from diabetes. The boys should have been old enough to do something about it, but without guidance, they didn’t. And so the stuff was left to accumulate. And it did. While they were cleaning out and loading the garbage trucks, Jim uncovered a cat litter pan and cat food. He inquired about the cat only to discover it had died a few years previously.

This is an extreme example, but as you can imagine it made a HUGE impact on the boys. They got to see first hand how bad clutter can get if we don’t regularly battle against it.

People let clutter accumulate for many reasons. But eventually, there comes a time when it must be dealt with. You may hear (or speak yourself) some of these reasons why people hang on to clutter and allow it to accumulate:

I might need it later
I could get money for that
I’m going to finish that
I spent a lot of money on that
Somebody gave it to me
That’s an important memory
I don’t have time

During this podcast episode, I’ll address these excuses and give you some solid encouragement on how to counter these fears. Because the last thing you want is for people to have to some day bring dumpsters and garbage trucks to your home to empty it.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and where your home stands when it comes to clutter. You can also call the feedback line at 240-230-SOAP and leave me a question that I will answer on the final episode on clutter.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Getting Rid of Clutter Part One

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:00:48 +0000

Clutter is out of control in most American homes, and I believe it is a major factor in why so many women are overwhelmed by their lives. The mountains of clutter residing in your home can weigh you down and cause you stress without you even realizing it.

This podcast episode is part one in a series on clutter. During this podcast episode, I am joined by my friend Lori Lynch. I asked Lori to join me because her home and most of her possessions were destroyed by the F4 tornado that recently ripped through our area. In an instant, her life was instantly decluttered of all her possessions and I thought she could offer a great perspective on what is truly important.

During this podcast we’ll be talking about the tornado, the blessings that came from it, and the perspective that the tornado gave us on the clutter in our lives. The next episode will discuss some of the types of clutter as well giving tips on how to make some difficult choices on what to remove. I’ll end the series by discussing ways to organize what remains and how to keep your home clutter free on an ongoing basis.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and where your home stands when it comes to clutter.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Get Off Your Backside and Move!

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:20 +0000

Most of us hear the term fitness and we immediately think of exercise. But there’s a lot more to fitness than that. Being fit affects our mood, our energy level, our health, and our decision making. It allows us to be the person we want to be and complete the tasks we need to complete.

Find out how I define fitness and why it is so important to the kind of wife, mother, and friend you are. During this podcast episode, I also share some of the ways that I stay physically fit in the hopes that they encourage you.

Colter joins me to talk about fitness and what types of physical exercises he enjoys.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and what your fitness goals are.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

Drink Your Water… or Else!

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:00:34 +0000

We’re told over and over again to drink enough water. And I admit, that I usually do, but I didn’t really understand why it was so important. But now I do! There is a reason that you can live for several months without food, but only a couple of days without water. Water is essential to your body functioning properly.

And if you’re not drinking enough water, you’re not going to feel as well as you could.

During this podcast episode I discuss why it is important to drink water, how much you should drink, and how to know if you’re getting enough.

Emery also joins me for a little while to discuss his feelings about drinking water instead of sodas.

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and whether or not you think you’re getting enough water throughout your day.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

How to Eat Enough Fruits and Veggies

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:00:31 +0000

In order to be the best wife and mother you can be, you need to take care of yourself. That means getting enough sleep, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating right. Most of us fall short on most of those things not because we don’t think that they’re important, but because we have too much going on to do them!

Eating enough fruits and vegetables is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s a vital piece. In this podcast episode, I’ll share what and how I eat to make sure I’m getting my needed vegetables. I’ll also talk a little bit about getting those vegetables in your children.

It may not be easy, but getting enough colorful fruits and vegetables is a necessary way to keep you healthy and full of energy so you can get it all done!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and if you have any great fruit or veggie recipes you’d like to share.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

The Importance of Sleep

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:00:12 +0000

This week, I’m addressing the issue of sleep. As moms and homemakers, most of us know what it is like to feel sleep deprived. But do you truly know how that impacts your health? Over the past couple of months I personally discovered that it isn’t always enough to get 8 hours of sleep. The quality of our sleep can often be just as important or even more important than the quantity. Brett joins me and answers questions about the role of sleep in her life and what happens when we don’t get enough of it. I hope this episode helps you to make proper sleep a priority in your life so you can be the mom you are capable of being!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of this episode and what the biggest obstacles to a good night’s sleep are for you.

Thanks for listening!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Podcast:

The Myth of the Mom Who Can Do Everything

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:00:56 +0000

Busy Mom’s Survival Guide Episode 001

I am most often asked, ”How do you do it all?” Actually, that’s not the question, I’m most often asked, but you’ll have to listen to find out what that one is. I discuss some of the things that I do, and some of the things that I don’t do. (I told you it was a myth – not even I can do it all!) You’ll even get to hear from Indigo as she joins me and helps me pick the winner of the Goat Milk Stuff gift certificate. I’m hope this episode is encouraging to those moms who feel like they can’t get it all done.

I’d love to hear some of the things that you’re ok with not doing, so please share them!

***Update***

You can read my lists:

http://goatmilkstuff.com/Important-List.html

http://goatmilkstuff.com/Not-Important-List.html

My Test Podcast episode

pj@goatmilkstuff.com (PJ Jonas) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 19:57:49 +0000

This is just a test podcast recording for me to practice podcasting. It is mostly me babbling and practicing all the knobs on my new podcast equipment.

Leave a comment here with something you heard me say on the test podcast and you’ll be entered into a $10 GMS gift certificate giveaway. The winner will be announced on episode #1 of my new podcast. Listen to that episode (airing 3/7) to see if you are the winner!