“Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” Part 1: Atmosphere
Today’s podcast episode title comes from a Charlotte Mason quote: “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” Over the next few episodes, I’ll be unpacking how the three words (atmosphere, discipline, and life) are helping me to direct my goals for our home and family in the New Year. Today’s word: atmosphere.
Links/Resources Mentioned This Episode:
- Ourselves by Charlotte Mason
- “… wise men are feeling strongly that prudence requires of us, for the good of the state, to live simple lives, to avoid excesses, even if they come in the way of athletic or intellectual toils, and to eschew possessions more than are necessary for fit and simple living. Perhaps it is lawful for us to allow ourselves, in our furniture and implements, beauty of form and colour, and fitness for our uses; but it may be our duty not to accumulate unnecessary possessions, the care of which becomes a responsibility, and whose value lies in their costliness. These things interfere with that real wealth of a serviceable body and alert mind which we owe to the service of our country as well as that of our home.” Ourselves, p. 54
- Decluttering at the Speed of Life by Dana K. White
- as of this recording, it is free on Kindle Unlimited. My local library has it, and it’s available on audio as well!
- Favorite Tea Time recipes
- Healthy Banana Muffin
- Healthy Morning Glory Breakfast Muffins
- No Bake Energy Bites (I double the recipe, press the batter into 2 greased 8×8 dishes, and cut them into bars)
- Yeti 14 oz. rambler (Favorite gift in the stocking from Santa! They’ve revolutionized Tea Time!)
- Electric Kettle by Cuisinart (my birthday present!)
Next time, I’ll pick up with the word DISCIPLINE.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on education being an ATMOSPHERE
Join the conversation!
- What are you doing in your home to improve or enhance the atmosphere?
- Do a 5 senses inventory – what ways could you improve the way you experience your home through the 5 senses? Sight, smell, touch, taste, feeling?
- Apart from the physical home, what else is contributing to the atmosphere? (Routines, rhythms, tone, conversations, domestic church, etc.)
- Are you doing something unique that you’d like to share?
- What’s benefiting your family’s atmosphere?
Get in touch!
E-mail: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
My Favorite: E-mail me an audio file as an attachment (podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom) or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! Our community grows best through word of mouth from superfan listeners!
For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
What’s New in the New Year
Sorry I fell off the face of the earth for awhile there! Some bug took us out of commission, and I decided to take a little break for Christmas. I’m happy to be back to releasing weekly episodes in the New Year!
Links/Resources Mentioned This Episode:
- Some Lines a Day: The 5-Year Memory Book
Join the conversation!
-
- Any more thoughts on the social media stuff?
- What about homeschooling? Do you have any questions about it that you’d like me to take up in a future episode?
- Are you reworking some of your habits? How’s it going so far? What habit would you most like to hear about (prayer, exercise, getting ready, reading, etc.)?
Get in touch!
E-mail: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
My Favorite: E-mail me an audio file as an attachment (podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom) or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! Our community grows best through word of mouth from superfan listeners!
For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Pelvic Floor PT Q&A Interview
Hooray! It’s the interview you all have been waiting for! This week, I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Jami Wilson and Stefanie Urbom from Empower Physical Therapy. Jami and Stefanie are physical therapists who specialize in pelvic floor physical therapy, and they took on all of your questions in this episode!
Links/Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
- Helpful article outlining what is/isn’t permissible in the sexual union between a married man and woman through a Catholic lens
- Empower Physical Therapy
- Empower Physical Therapy (Instagram – give them a follow for some great information!)
- Cozean Pelvic dysfunction screening protocol (Helpful screening test to see if you should seek out pelvic floor PT!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
My Relationship With Social Media
I’ve been on a little journey with social media, and I did a little deep dive on all of that this week. I went through my history with joining Facebook, starting my blog in early motherhood, becoming an online contributor CatholicMom, joining Instagram, starting the podcast, reevaluating all of it, and where I am with things lately. Spoiler alert: I’ve kept my social media accounts for now, I deleted the apps off of my phone, I haven’t posted in about two months, and I’m a much happier, less foggy-brained lady!
I love having a creative outlet, I don’t love social media, and I want to figure out how to keep connecting in a real, organic way with all of you wonderful listeners. Can you please help me by sending feedback to my questions below?
Join the conversation!
- How’s your relationship with social media lately? Have you made any adjustments recently? How do you navigate all of that?
- I love our podcast community, and I’d love to see the engagement increase without doing it on social media. I’d love your input on that front!
- How do you like to receive information–social media, newsletters, websites, etc.?
- How would you be most likely to reach out to me?
- Do you have any interest in connecting with other listeners, or are you content to be on your own listener island?
- Do you participate in any other online communities that fill your bucket without being on social media? Can you share about them?
Get in touch!
E-mail: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
My Favorite: E-mail me an audio file as an attachment (podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom) or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! Our community grows best through word of mouth from superfan listeners!
For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
My Reading Life Lately
This week’s episode was inspired by some listener feedback from Michelle! She has a 16-month-old and wants to know what my reading life looks like. I shared all about how I find book titles, how I get the actual books, how I track them, when I find the time to read, and what keeps me going.
Links/Resources Mentioned This episode:
-
- What Should I Read Next?
- Read-Aloud Revival
- Hoopla
- Libby
- Audible
- GoodReads
- My Daily Dashboard Template (click to open and download PDF)
Join the conversation!
- How’s your reading life looking lately? What’s keeping you reading? Please share your tips and tricks!
- Do you have any questions for my pelvic floor physical therapist? I’ll be interviewing her in two more weeks, so please get your questions in ahead of time! Several of you have already sent in questions, and I’m so excited to record this episode!
Get in touch!
E-mail: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
My Favorite: E-mail me an audio file as an attachment (podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom) or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Discipline Deep Dive With Philip
Philip and I did a quick solo road trip today, so we thought we’d recorded an impromptu episode together! We had a great conversation about discipline: what we used to do, what did/didn’t work, what discipline looks like lately for us, and some concluding thoughts. I got a little weepy at the end when I talked about trying to be like the father in the parable of the prodigal son. I’m not one bit sorry, and I’m leaving it in because becoming the Father is the goal in parenting and life in general. One day at a time. Mercifully, these kiddos give us countless opportunities to practice!
Links/Resources Mentioned This episode:
- A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond by Amber O’Neal Johnston
- Simply Convivial with Mystie Winckler
Join the conversation!
- Where are you in the years of parenting? Do you relate to my conversation with Philip?
- What ways are you disciplining differently than you did in the early years? Did you feel the scarcity we talked about?
- What’s worked for you?
- My pelvic floor physical therapist and her business partner are coming on the podcast! Two experts on the show! People! Now’s your chance! Send in your questions so that I can ask them on your behalf to Jami and Stef. I’m really looking forward to recording that one and sharing our conversation with you!
Get in touch!
E-mail me at: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
E-mail me an audio file as an attachment or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
How We Harry Potter
Our family has taken a unique approach to how we let our kiddos read the Harry Potter book series, and I brought my 11-year-old son, Walter, on the show to talk about it. We talked about the magic of the wizarding world, why fairytales make for wonderful reading, how the books turned him into a voracious reader, why audiobooks are wonderful (and definitely “count” as reading!), and some other titles Walter has enjoyed lately.
Links/Resources Mentioned This episode:
- Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling
- Hagrid’s Hut (Walter’s YouTube channel. Subscribe so that you don’t miss his next episode!)
- The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell by Jordan Sonnenblick
- A Place To Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Join the conversation!
- Did you read the Harry Potter series? Are your kids reading the books?
- How have you handled the book series in your home? Any ideas you’d like to share?
- My pelvic floor physical therapist is coming on the podcast with her business partner and fellow pelvic floor physical therapist! Two experts on the show! People! Now’s your chance! Send in your questions so that I can ask them on your behalf to Jami and Stef. I’m really looking forward to recording that one and sharing our conversation with you!
Get in touch!
E-mail me at: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
E-mail me an audio file as an attachment or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Sabbath Week Reset
We started doing a “Sabbath Schedule” in our homeschool this year. We do 6 weeks of school, and then we take 1 week (called a Sabbath Week) off. We use that time to do all of the things we aren’t able to during our school weeks. We recently had our first sabbath week, so I thought I’d share about it: what went well, what didn’t, and what I plan to do differently next time around.
Links/Resources Mentioned This Episode:
Join the conversation!
Do you have a sabbath schedule in your homeschool? Maybe you don’t homeschool, but do you apply the idea of a sabbath into your routine? I’d love to hear about how you’re incorporating REST into your family’s rhythms!
Also, don’t forget: my pelvic floor physical therapist is going to be a guest on an upcoming episode, and she’d love to answer all of your questions! Now’s your chance to get all of your pelvic floor questions answered by a professional!
Get in touch!
E-mail me at: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
E-mail me an audio file as an attachment or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Interval Training
Have you ever done interval training to meet a fitness goal? Have you ever considered working in shorter sprints within the framework of your family and home calendar? That’s what I’ve been doing since the start of the school year, and I am loving it! This episode is all about how I’m implementing interval training with my personal/homeschool/home/family goals and calendars.
Links/Resources Mentioned This Episode:
- Simply Convivial with Mystie Winckler
- Mystie Winckler’s post on Interval Training
- My Daily Dashboard Template (click to open and download PDF)
- Interval Training Template (click to open and download PDF)
- My interval format:
- For each interval:
- Choose 1 habit to focus on
- Choose 3 bigger projects to complete
- List all of the action items that need to happen for that project to be considered done
- Choose 1-2 tasks to complete from each project. Transfer those tasks to the large lined post-it weekly to-do list on my Daily Dashboard.
- Transfer those tasks to Daily Top 3 Post-Its as they work with that day’s priorities
- Choose 5 smaller action items to complete
- Transfer action items to weekly to-do list and Daily Top 3 when they fit in
- Make a plan for Sabbath week
- Schedule a planning/review session
- Put it on the calendar, and schedule it with your husband
- What worked/what didn’t
- Continue filling out next interval planning sheet
- Appointments – pediatrician, eye doctor, internist, preventative care (colonoscopy, mammogram, OBGYN, dermatologist, etc.),
- Friends
- extended family
- Nagging tasks/projects (example: swap out summer clothes for fall/winter clothes)
- Schedule a planning/review session
- For each interval:
Join the conversation!
Do you already apply interval training to your goals or calendar? Do you think you might benefit from this set-up? I’d love to hear about how you’re setting goals and working toward completing necessary projects while managing the rest of your domestic life!
Get in touch!
E-mail me at: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
E-mail me an audio file as an attachment or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Until next time, be sure to share what you heard While You Were Folding!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Moms, You Might Need Physical Therapy
Has your body never been quite the same since giving birth? Do you experience ongoing pain or discomfort? Have you accepted peeing with each sneeze as your new normal? This episode is for you! I share very candidly about my experience with childbirth and the roller coaster ride my body has been on for the past 12+ years. I’m finally finding hope through physical therapy, and I hope you’ll consider looking into it if you’re struggling with your physical body post-baby!
To find a physical therapist in your area, search for “pelvic floor dysfunction + physical therapy”
Join the conversation!
Do you have some of the same struggles I shared about in this episode? What experience (if any) do you have with postpartum physical therapy? What about physical therapy while pregnant? Do you have any further insights to share? What about a follow-up question to something I discussed? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this important topic!
Get in touch!
E-mail me at: podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or
or
E-mail me an audio file as an attachment or send a voicemail on Voxer, the free walkie talkie app, so that I can feature your voice on a future episode! (I’m “catherineboucher” on there.)
If you liked the show, please tell a friend! For bonus points, leave a positive rating and a review! That will help the show to get in front of as many listeners as possible. Here’s how to leave a rating or a review for a podcast.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
