Meet Cheryl Allin, our Everyday Mom for January 2010

Where did you grow up? All over the world! One of the perks of being a military brat is traveling all over — I have driven through almost every state and have lived in North Carolina four times, Oklahoma twice, Washington, Germany and Texas. Now, I live in Raeford.

Do you have any siblings? Two younger brothers, Joseph Dugan and his wife, Amy, who have three kids, Ethan, Megan and Katelyn; and Robert Dugan, soon to be married to Crystal Arritia.

Where do you live now? Raeford

What are your childrens’ names? Hannah, 11, and Nathan, 8

What are your favorite activities with your kids? Everything! We treat each day as a blessing and try to make the most of every moment. Whether it is just sitting at home reading a classic novel aloud, taking a walk, working on a puzzle, playing a game, schooling or going on some wild field trip I planned, as long as we’re together, we always try to make it enjoyable!

What is your least favorite “mom chore”? Cleaning the floors has to be the top least-favorite chore. We have hardwood floors because of my son's and husband's severe allergies, and they have to be cleaned constantly. Add the dirt from two dogs, and one is a Great Dane the size of a small horse, and it is a battle that I continually lose!

What kid-free activity do you enjoy in your free time? Anything outdoors. Gardening, walking or horseback riding all provide me the opportunity to refresh myself and clear my mind. I also enjoy reading anything inspirational from the Bible, online devotional forums and other encouraging books.

Are you involved in any organizations? I am currently the leader of FishNet, the homeschool group at my church, and help out in the nursery. I volunteer for the homeschool PE program at Omni Gym where my children take PE. I work for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, an international homeschool magazine, as a marketing assistant and affiliate manager, and occasionally write articles for E-Books and print.

Tell us about your typical day — from the morning wake up until you finally climb into bed. No day is ever typical here at the Allins! As a former military brat, I thrive on consistency and scheduling but love flexibility, so we basically have three different days: 1-off, 2- stay at home and 3- field-trip day.

Day 1 is “off.” This is a family day, a day to have a special friend over or just chill out for a much-needed break. I get the majority of my work for TOS done that day, as well as the big chores in and out of the house.

Day 2 is our typical school day. We start out with time with Daddy, breakfast, prayer and chores. I usually take this time to do a few chores myself and review the lesson plan for the day, which is very flexible in case a great educational or social opportunity comes along. We begin our studies around 9 a.m. and get our Bible, math, grammar, computer and spelling done. We break for lunch and chores from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and I normally get dinner prepped. We go outside and play or go for a walk or bike ride if the weather’s favorable. From 1 p.m. on, we continue our studies of Spanish, sign language, science, history, home ec and art. I start dinner when we are done schooling and the kids play. We try to always eat dinner together and have excellent conversations.

Day 3 is our PE and field trip day. We have homeschool PE twice a week at the Omni gym. On this day, we keep the normal school schedule until lunch, then go to our class or field trip. I get a lot of errands done since we normally go into Fayetteville. For field trips, we visit museums, zoos and aquariums, parks, battlegrounds and others on this day.

The end of each day is usually the same. We have several late afternoon activities like Boy Scouts, American Heritage Girls, art, dance or church. As soon as we get home at night, we shower and prepare for the next day. We read aloud a historical fiction, science or Bible story for 30 minutes together, and then the kids get to read for an hour. I normally clean up, get lessons ready for the next day and catch up on volunteer and work e-mails until I am exhausted. Finally, I drag myself to bed.

What advice do you have for new moms? There are so many things I have learned over the years that I hope will help others. Here are a few:

First, enjoy every moment. I know this can be hard in the first few years of mommy hood when you haven’t slept in days because you and the kids are sick and you smell because you have baby puke running down your back! There will always be challenges with children, just different trials at each age. Just know that you will get through it — but on those challanging days, survival mode is key. Do only what needs to be done and let the rest go. There will always be another day to do it.

Next, my mother once told me there is a season for everything. As mothers, we will go through many seasons: new home, new baby, more babies, moving, children growing up and eventually children moving away. Right now, my season is to be a mother before everything else except God and my husband. Whether you are a single-parent mom, work or stay-at-home mom, or military “wife” mom. Let me encourage you that God made all women strong and resilient to get through each season of life.

Lastly, since the kids don’t come with instruction manuals, read a few highly endorsed books. I personally recommend reading “The Five Love Languages” and “The Five Love Languages for Children” by Gary Chapman. Both books changed my life by helping me change my attitude and the way I interact with my husband, friends and kids. Also, be sure to check out Cynthia Tobias; she has lots of information to educate you on how to deal with kids’ misbehavior, discipline methods and learning styles.

Do you have a time-saving tip to share? Let your kids help — in everything you do. In the beginning, take the time to teach them exactly what you expect on a chore, I have even written out a check list — and before they could read I drew pictures of each step of the chore. They will learn responsibility and how to be part of the team — team family — while helping you. I don’t expect perfection, just their best. I give them lots of positive encouragement while tenderly teaching them how to do it better if needed, and they are always very proud of their accomplishments!

Share your favorite 30-minute (or less!) recipe. Pancakes: I finally found a way to make them healthier but fast. I use the Bisquick recipe but take away half the milk, add ½ cup of applesauce, 1 small jar of baby prunes, ¼ cup wheat germ and ¼ cup flax seed. They eat it with jelly or syrup ... add juice or milk and you have a very healthy meal! (Side note: I hope to be Bisquick-free one day and use wheat flour, but the kids are having a hard time adjusting to how bland it is!)

What is most challenging at your children’s ages? Character building — it’s constant — starting from infancy and extends beyond the college years — and it’s hard work. Kids are like mini sponges and mirrors; they take in everything and will do as you do! There are many books on character building that we have used over the years to help to teach these traits.

What is most rewarding at their ages? When my children, for no reason, stop what they are doing, hug and kiss me, and simply tell me that they love me.

What do you look forward to most as your children grow? I can’t wait to see who they become and to see what plans God has for them. My husband and I pray that all the time and effort we put into training these children will make them productive and responsible adults ready to take on the world, while keeping true to themselves and their morals and values.

What three words would your children say best describe you? Fun, clean-aholic and organizer.

What is your favorite children’s book and why? I have to say there are two by Jennie Bishop, one made for a boy, “The Squire and the Scroll,” and one made for a girl, “The Princess and the Kiss.” These stories offer lessons on the virtues of purity and courage. In “The Princess and the Kiss,” a king and queen present their daughter with a gift from God — to keep or give away. And in “The Squire and the Scroll,” a brave young lad fearlessly defends “the lantern of purest light” against all enemies!