Tuesday, October 14, 2008

In Defense of Mothering Simply

Someone attacked my blog and its title this weekend. This person said that there is nothing simple about the way I am mothering with my over-abundance of crafts and fancy recipes. I thought I would take an opportunity to defend myself in case others felt the same way.

The reason I called my blog Mothering Simply is that I want my focus to be on mothering and my love for my children. We try to avoid some worldly distractions and that's another way the simply comes in to play - it doesn't mean that everything I do is simple and uncomplicated - I don't want to be boring! I am not simple, but I want to live a more simple life - does that make sense?

And my plethora of crafts over the previous few weeks had to do with my crazy nesting instincts and trying to be prepared for Christmas before the baby got here.

I hope that others out there aren't judging me as critically, but if they are - maybe they understand me a bit better now. Or you can just think we're crazy, my mom does - she's told me that more than once since she's been here (relating to the fact that Jason makes our own soap and currently we have no shampoo in the house, we use this).

14 comments:

liz said...

I don't know if I'm going to give up the shampoo, though I only wash my hair about twice a week, but wanted you to know that I get you. I have found that the best way to simplify my life as a young mother is to spend more time at home and focused on home, which is what your blog is all about. My life also feels simpler when it's about doing things with my children and making yummy food for us all. Your blog gives some perspective to those of us still using shampoo, and it's good for everyone to learn from other points of view. I'm glad you are sharing yourself and think you should keep doing so un-apologetically. Love you.

liz said...

p.s. My kids favorite idea from your blog is the bow and arrow from a stick and yarn and that was a simple one! They are still playing with those.

Sara LaClaire said...

i wish i could be as "simple" as you. while i agree you're not doing things the "easy" way, you certainly have taken pride in the simple things in life. i realize all too often i am quite vain and need much more than is required but i'm in awe of the way you guys are living and hope it's not the standard for the celestial kingdom cause otherwise we're out. :D you seriously amaze and inspire me and while i'm NOT giving up my car anytime soon, i do wish i was reading more books, making more things from scratch & had a sewing machine because i'm quite jealous of all things people are making these days. and i agree with liz, you don't owe anyone an apology for the fact that you're capable of living this "simple" life.

The Super Seven said...

Hey I think you are doing a great job at everything you do. Obviously I don't do things the same way but we are all different. I wish I could be as crafty and fun as it seems to be at your house. I get flustered with the everyday tasks and in achieveing those. I'm hoping that after this last baby I will be able to de junk all the extra baby things I have and start to de clutter a little better so I don't feel so overwhelmed. We all do things the way that they work for us,and you shouldn't feel bad about it or feel you have to explain it.

Hope that you are having a good visit with your mom despite having no shampoo and that all the kids and Jason are well!!!!! Hope to see more fun ideas soon....you inspire me!!!!

Let the party begin... said...

Lately I have been looking back on my years raising our children and I must say I admire the way you are approaching motherhood. I look back and feel like I have rushed all the way to this point and now I see young mothers like you doing a much better job than I did. I think everyone do things differently and we can learn from each other. I don't think you need to defend anything that you are doing because in the long and short of it, your children are only going to remember what you did with them and how you made them feel. I love how you think and what makes it even more wonderful is that you put it out there as an extension of yourself as a mother and a woman.

Topsy said...

No Judgment. Just respect and appreciation for your example. Motherhood isn't easy but it is clear from your blog that you do it with your whole heart and focus of being a mother, simplifying your life so that your children and your husband are the most important thing.

Totally understood the title. I think Mothering Simply hearkens to an early time when mothers weren't so pressed to be all things to all society, social pressures and people. A time when mothers, were simply that, mothers. Which, done well is the most unsimple task on earth, but the most precious and worthy.

Please continue mothering simply. Please continue to inspire us with crafts, creations, passions, and simple living (even if it is difficult at times). We know that your everyday isn't supposed to be a representation of perfection. We know that you aren't trying to express anymore to us than that you love your family, your children, and your God given right to determine for your family how best they should be raised.

Danielle said...

Goodness! I totally get what you mean. Totally totally! And I love it. I go between trying to live more simply to wanting to be a part of everything under the sun. I am work in progress;)
Anyway, I love your blog!

Honey said...

I get it too. Like Sarah said, we're all "crazy" in our own ways! And, isn't it great?!!

AP said...

i just think you guys are weird ;-) haha.

i think we "get" you guys pretty well... and you all are about the only people that "get" us :-)

you're doing a great job christina -- or as a wise man once said (many times) "you've really outdone yourself!"

we miss you guys!

Aaron and Angela said...

I am always in awe of you. I just love reading your blog and I am always telling Aaron about it. (He thinks it is hilarious that he now gets informed about his own family through me.)

Even though I am addicted to shampoo and couldn't imagine my life without it. I still think what you do is incredible.

Anonymous said...

love Nisa's second paragraph. and love your blog, too. no need to defend yourself. i think we should all do more of what feels good and right to us without worrying so much about what everyone else is thinking. (within reason.)
i admire so many things about your lifestyle.


but i'm keeping my shampoo, too :)

julie said...

Eh, think about if you were buying all the beautiful stuff that you instead make, and eating out at restaurants to get those "fancy" recipes that you instead make, and maybe working longer hours and spending way less time with the kiddos in order to earn the money to do all that--that would not be mothering simply.

Instead, you show your children that you can live without many things that we believe we need, and that you can make for yourself many things that we want, and that you can rely on yourselves to craft a bountiful and generous life instead of on our commercial culture.

When you tell us that you're mothering simply, I don't think you necessarily mean that you're mothering without abundance, or mothering while lacking much. I think you mean that you're mothering within a sense of what your family needs, and a sense of what your family doesn't, and a sense of what your children need to grow up as good people, and a sense of what they don't need, and you choose the needs and leave the rest.

Margaret said...

I know I'm a little late to this post, but I agree with everyone. You are doing a great job and I love seeing how other people chose to do things differently from me. It is inspiring and thought provoking, whether or not you chose to follow it.
No need to apologize for your blog.

acte gratuit said...

I love your blog and your philosophy. For some reason Nienie really sorta drives me nuts (still! shame on me!) but your blog actually does make me want to get my priorities in order! (I just can't do it in red lipstick, that all...)