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Monica Swanson
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Monica Swanson
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parenting+ marriage

I love to help you build strong families, beginning with a healthy marriage, and purposeful parenting.

faith

Every good thing comes from God and healthy families are built on a firm foundation of faith.

homeschool

After 15+ years of homeschooling, my family agrees it’s the best choice we have made!

healthy mind+body

With a background in sports medicine and fitness, I am passionate to encourage women to embrace a healthy mindset and lifestyle.

Latest bit of encouragement
  • When the Battle Overwhelms You

    This fall I have a few special book excerpts and giveaways to share with you. To kick things off, today I have an excerpt from…

    Read More When the Battle Overwhelms YouContinue

  • Jonah and Taylor’s Wedding!
    Encouragement and faith | Miscellaneous | Parenting and Family

    Jonah and Taylor’s Wedding!

    A heap of photos and some favorite memories from the very best day! 3/21/2026, Camarillo, California ❤️ Jonah, Taylor, and her family planned and hosted…

    Read More Jonah and Taylor’s Wedding!Continue

  • Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family?
    Encouragement and faith | Home School | Parenting and Family

    Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family?

    As we wrap up yet another school year, I wanted to share the opening chapter to my book: Becoming Homeschoolers: Give Your Kids a Great…

    Read More Is Homeschooling Right for Your Family?Continue

  • Come on Home
    Encouragement and faith | Parenting and Family

    Come on Home

    You know what’s really special? When one of your favorite authors is truly one of your favorite friends! My friend, Jessica Smartt, writes in a…

    Read More Come on HomeContinue

  • Any Given Moment
    Encouragement and faith | Parenting and Family

    Any Given Moment

    Hey Friends! I am super honored to share an excerpt and a GIVEAWAY from the sweetest devotional by my friend, Sarah Molitor. It is called ​Any…

    Read More Any Given MomentContinue

  • The Perfect Woman Who Made a Not So Perfect Choice
    Encouragement and faith | Miscellaneous | Parenting and Family

    The Perfect Woman Who Made a Not So Perfect Choice

    An excerpt from Moms of the Bible, by Rhonda Stoppe Note from Monica: I am so excited to share another amazing excerpt from a favorite…

    Read More The Perfect Woman Who Made a Not So Perfect ChoiceContinue

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Hey! It’s time to laugh! 😆 I had some fun gatheri Hey! It’s time to laugh! 😆 
I had some fun gathering these…

 #2 and #3 are both so true. #4 made me LOL. 
#7 is for my sports parenting friends. 😄 And #8 is facts! 🎄

Name your favorite 🙏 - and tag or send to a funny friend. 

*At least one or two of these are from @jennyonthespot (who posts lots of funny things!) and also at least one from @themoneysavingmom 😅. We need all the laughter on the ‘gram! 👏🏼👏🏼
Oh my goodness, can we just talk about how challen Oh my goodness, can we just talk about how challenging this is? Dave and I have both been guilty of handling the post game/contest/tournament car ride terribly. Anybody else guilty? 🫣 

Why is self-control so difficult in these situations?

Anyways, this is one area most of us can grow in and I do believe it makes a big difference (my sons are nodding in agreement 😉) 

Read more about the research that’s been done on this here: 
https://www.performance-act.com/post-car-ride-home

Keep pressing on, parents! And I’d love to hear any comments on strategies that have helped you with this or how you handle post-competition moments 🥰
There’s an 11 year age range between my first and There’s an 11 year age range between my first and my fourth son, yet all four of them would say they are each other’s best friends. 

Two live in California and two live in Hawaii, but they talk, FaceTime, or most days. They plan road trips together. They cheer one another on, pray for each other, and hold one another accountable. ☺️👏🏼👏🏼

People ask what I think led my boys to becoming best friends. And my answer is simple: they grew up spending a lot of time together! 

Homeschooling was a huge part of that. 🥰

We also were intentional about family time- Almost every night we sat at the dinner table together. Weekends and vacations were primarily family. Yes, they had other friends, but family was the main thing.👍🏼

Also- we had the boys share bedrooms. Even though we had an extra room, sharing a bedroom taught them to share space, workout differences, and led to almost nightly late night chats. ☺️

Sometimes it’s easier to keep kids busy doing activities or separating them out to spend time with friends who they might get along with better. But in the end, siblings become friends by spending time together. By learning to work through conflict, doing chores, and by being bored together. 🤗

Also, if your kids are home, but on devices all the time, then it doesn’t count. 🤨 You’ve got to give them screen-free time to truly interact and get to know one another. 

It was over Legos, shooting hoops, hiking in the forest, or building blanket forts that my boys became buddies. It was doing dishes, working in the yard, washing windows, and going on dump runs that they got to know each other. 

It was probably more work for us - messier, louder, and sometimes requiring us to referee or break up a fight…But I’m so glad now. ☺️❤️

Give your kids time together now and they will be friends later. 

PS More  on this topic in my book, Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like their Family, and Do the Dishes Without Being Asked . 🥰
Friendship is a huge topic in our kids’ lives. And Friendship is a huge topic in our kids’ lives. And though some parents assume their kids will figure it out on their own, they really could use some help navigating. 🥹🙏

The advice you give them will stick, so be sure you’re guiding them in wisdom.❤️

King Solomon once said, “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20) Oh how true those words are! 

I’ve heard from so many parents who are terrified of allowing their kids to go through a lonely season. But I say (from experience), the lonely seasons can be some of the most valuable of your kids lives!  And it’s way better for your kids to go through a lonely season than to be dragged down by bad influences. 😬

I cover this topic in my books, Boy Mom, and Raising Amazing. I love to offer resources and encouragement to help you parent well through all the stages. And if you haven’t gotten my “What to Expect in Every Stage” guidebook- it is currently free! (though valued at $24) 

Comment: FRIEND and I’ll DM you a link to get it now! 👍🏼

If I can help parents guide their kids in friendships I am so happy. This topic has been a huge one in my kids’ lives and I am truly passionate about helping families navigate well! 

Comment: FRIEND 🫶🏻
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Recent Popular Posts

  • All Q & A: From Homeschooling to the Vaccine, to Parenting A-Z! {Ep.109 with Jonah}
  • How to Avoid Mothers’ Day Disappointment {Episode 104}
  • What I’d Say If We Could Meet for Coffee…. {Virtual Coffee Date, Holiday Edition.}
  • New Podcast Episode! “Aloha Friday” Edition. {Ep. 013: 2 free resources and a Q & A
  • How to Make Biblical Decisions, with Emily Jensen of Risen Motherhood

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  • Start Here
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Homeschooling
    • Raising Kids of Character
    • Women’s Wellness
  • Blog
    • Parenting and Family
    • Women’s Wellness
    • Encouragement and faith
    • Home School
    • Surf
  • Recipes
    • Breakfasts
    • Snacks and Smoothies
    • Lunches and Dinners
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Books
    • Becoming Homeschoolers
    • Raising Amazing
    • Boy Mom
    • The Secret of Your Naturally Skinny Friends
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