Health

How to Work from Home Effectively with Kids

March 21, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has turned our world upsidedown. As families quarantine and practice social distancing, they also struggle with how to manage endless downtime. I love slowing down and embrace the margin in our schedules. We're free to do things like play a board game, try a new recipe or plant an herb garden. #coronatime But I recognize that working parents are trying to figure out how to work from home and simultaneously entertain and educate children. Workspaces and Homeschool Spaces A few years ago, I homeschooled my son. Most of the time, we traveled but here's the room I used for several weeks. I simply adjusted the height of my existing desk. We didn't buy a new desk. My son worked here for 1-2 hours a day and preferred to be near me. Repurpose or Reuse - Do Not Buy Perhaps your kitchen or dining room table is the answer to this temporary situation. Don't rush out and buy something that will become clutter. Flat surfaces are notorious for …

When An Ordinary Monday is Anything But

October 9, 2019 by Amy Slenker-Smith 1 Comment

It was an ordinary Monday. Our family plans included work, errands and a math quiz. My son headed off to the bus stop. His swim bag packed for practice after school. Dad went into work early. And I left with a car full of donations and my grocery list. An ordinary Monday. Or so we thought. So when the school's number popped up on my phone, my heart skipped a beat. It was my son calling from the nurse's office. I could hear in his voice he didn't feel well. His stomach hurt. I asked all the usual mom questions and drove to pick him up. Why I'll Never Win Mother of the Year He hunched his back and held his stomach as we walked to the car. The nurse mentioned he was like that all morning, unable to get comfortable. It turns out I didn't answer the first time he called. Nor did two other emergency contacts. He waited and the pain got worse. "How was your quiz?" I asked. "Are you stressed about it?" "Nervous about the musical tryouts?" It had to be stress right? In …

Decluttering Challenge – Day 26 – Bedroom

January 26, 2018 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Our bedroom is a clean and uncluttered space that we enjoy coming home to each night. It’s a place of rest, a sanctuary. The master bedroom is minimalist and peaceful. Each night, we close the armoire doors which hold electronics. In future months, we plan to remove the TV and armoire completely because we know that blue light interrupts our circadian rhythms. And bedrooms are meant for just two things, neither of which involve screens. Clutter and Sleep Quality You might discount the importance I place on the the state of our bedroom, but studies show that decluttering your bedroom leads to better quality sleep. One article states that “If you’ve ever gone to bed feeling a little guilty about the condition of your bedroom, there’s a good chance that the mess interfered with your sleep.” In addition, our bed is really comfortable so I sink into it with gratitude after a long day. I look forward to crawling into bed early to read and …

My Values

August 29, 2017 by Amy Slenker-Smith 1 Comment

I mention my five Core Values often, but they’ll probably make more sense if I elaborate a bit. My journey to simplify isn’t just a desire to declutter and have less stuff but rather a goal to live with more intentionality and purpose focused on these values. …

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Family and Health First, Blog Second

August 14, 2017 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Dear Blog Readers, I miss you! It's been too long since my last post! Believe it or not, I'm working hard on several topics but as often happens, life got in the way. Specifically, me getting sick! So, this note is to let you know that yes, I am still here! My days have been spent trying to get everyone back into the groove of work and very soon...school. This has proved to be no easy task and I appreciate your patience! I'm focused on taking care of my family and getting healthy. We're doing ok, but it's taken longer than expected. Remember My Values? I shared these before: Faith, Family, Friends, Health and Generosity. Well, I wouldn't be honoring them if I didn't let my blog take a backseat once in a while. So as you might expect, this will be a short post just to let you know that I haven't forgotten you. I hope to be back to normal soon. That said, I did have the opportunity to speak to several amazing Mom's Groups in the last year and tell the story of Simply …

Not Enough Time

March 25, 2017 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

I confess, I have a favorite grandparent. If this were a trivia question, my husband would answer correctly. He knows. Other family members probably know too. Grandma Alice My Grandma Alice was my favorite...a character with an infectious smile. I’m accused of emulating her Spyker spunk which probably explains our connection. I wear it proudly. As the oldest granddaughter, she and I were blessed with memories that are beyond words. There’s rarely a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. I loved all four of my grandparents dearly. Ruth, Elwood, Joe and Alice were present my entire childhood. Vivid memories and stories I was honored share when we celebrated their lives. What a blessing to have four living grandparents until age 22! Such a gift of time and yet I’d love to start over. Ask them questions, listen to their stories and write them down. What strikes me about my memories of Grandma Alice is that few are about the …

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