✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://go.laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode, Lauren and Jeremy sit down to talk about something almost every family with more than one child wrestles with: sibling bickering, and how to actually cultivate love between siblings instead of just refereeing conflict all day. They are quick to say this isn't meant to be a how-to, more just what they have learned raising six kids and watching the Lord work in their home.

KEY TOPICS

• The discussion centers on teaching children to love others well using biblical principles, especially 1 Corinthians 13 and the command to love your neighbor.
• How to handle tattling
• What they do with bickering children
• The episode distinguishes between communal toys and personal property, teaching both generosity and respect for ownership.
• Lauren and her husband discuss how age matters, especially when toddlers are involved, and how older children can be asked to help, serve, and play with younger siblings.
• Family rhythms like dinner table sharing, birthdays, and noticing generosity are presented as ways to cultivate a home where siblings enjoy one another.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard: Don't Make Me Count to Three
• Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic: Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches - Grace Based Christian Parenting

This episode is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.

CHAPTERS

05:51 What We Do First When a Child Comes Tattling

12:00 How to Handle Bickering as a Mom Solo Parenting During the Day

14:16 When Telling on a Sibling Isn't Actually Tattling

17:28 The Walk We Make Our Children Take When They're Unkind

20:42 The Toy Rule That Ends Almost Every Argument

24:07 Why We Don't Squelch a Generous Heart

28:26 How We Think About Sibling Hospitality in Our Home

35:31 Teaching Older Children to Help With the Littles

39:28 The One Question We Come Back to When We're Stuck

—CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Ask questions/contact us: https://laurenmefford.com/contact

Youtube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

✨ If you've been moving all day but nothing seems to get done — start here. A daily rhythm to help you get food on the table, laundry moving, and peace back in your home. $27. Instant access. → https://go.laurenmefford.com/faithful-in-the-little-things-page
✨Overwhelmed by meals, laundry, and endless to-dos? Learn the simple system that makes home feel manageable again in my FREE Masterclass → https://www.laurenmefford.com/free-training

✨ Ready for a small reset? Get the free guide here 👉 https://www.laurenmefford.com/rooted-reset-sign-up-page

If your home feels chaotic and you're constantly overwhelmed, you're not alone. I used to feel completely unqualified to manage my home—until I began living out these 5 biblical habits that transformed my life as a Christian homemaker.
In this video, I’m walking you through the exact rhythms I’ve built that brought structure and peace to our home. These simple but powerful routines are rooted in Scripture, and they’ve made a massive difference in how I manage my home and love my role as a wife and mother.
Whether you’re in survival mode or just craving more stability, these biblical homemaking habits will give you a framework to build from.

✨ Watch the notebook video I mentioned → https://youtu.be/N5zdDeKeZ80
✨ Follow along on Instagram for the full wellness challenge → https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/
✨ Check out the supplements I mentioned 👉https://shopneolife.com/rootedvitality/shop/product/2996G

✨Overwhelmed by meals, laundry, and endless to-dos? Learn the simple system that makes home feel manageable again in my FREE Masterclass → https://www.laurenmefford.com/free-training

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ 

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers 

Lauren shares her seven-year journey of finding a way to stay connected to the outside world without being pulled away from her home and family. She discusses the pros and cons of using dumb phones and the transition to a smarter smartphone solution that allows for customization and reduced distractions.

Takeaways

• The journey of finding the right balance between staying connected and being present at home.
• The transition from a dumb phone to a smarter smartphone solution that allows for customization and reduced distractions.

-RESOURCES MENTIONED-

✨ How to actually dumify your Android (full tutorial): https://youtu.be/RZZl7_m2tDg 

✨ Why texts drop between iPhone and Android, explained: https://youtu.be/yZAWF_Fq758 

✨ The refurbished Google Pixel I bought to dumify: https://amzn.to/4gzYvGe 

✨ O Launcher (the app I use for my minimalist home screen): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.olauncher&hl=en_US&pli=1 

✨ The Sunbeam F1 Pro (the flip phone I used and loved): https://sunbeamwireless.com/by/31010/ 

This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Why I Went the Flip Phone Route 
01:45 Pros and Cons of Dumb Phones (and How I Adapted) 

06:18 The Transition to a Smarter Smartphone

09:27 What I Kept (and Cut) + My Final Verdict

—CONNECT WITH THE HOST —

Ask questions/contact me: https://laurenmefford.com/contact
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

#DumbPhone #DigitalMinimalism #FlipPhone #ChristianHomemaking #HomeschoolMom

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://go.laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode, Lauren and Jeremy share the story behind a question many of you have asked: why did we move from being Reformed Baptists to Presbyterians? They walk through where they started, the moment that first cracked things open, and the theological questions that shaped how they now think about faith, baptism, and raising their children.

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

Baptism Is Not Enough — one of the books that shaped this conversation: Baptism Is Not Enough: How Understanding God's Covenant Explains Everything

Genesis 17:7, Romans 4, Galatians 3, Acts 2, Acts 16 (the Philippian jailer), Jeremiah 31 — key passages referenced throughout

The catechism we now use with our kids — I Belong to God: A Catechism for Covenant Children

This episode is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission. 

—CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Ask questions/contact us: https://laurenmefford.com/contact
Youtube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

Instagram: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC (@laurenmichellemefford) • Instagram profile  

CHAPTERS

00:13 Journey from Reformed Baptists to Presbyterians
07:57 Understanding Covenant Theology and Its Implications
13:38 The Role of Faith
20:33 The Shift in Perspective on Baptism and Children
27:27 Understanding the Covenant and Its Implications
31:18 Baptism and Its Significance in the New Covenant

✨ If you've been moving all day but nothing seems to get done — start here. A daily rhythm to help you get food on the table, laundry moving, and peace back in your home. $27. Instant access. → https://go.laurenmefford.com/faithful-in-the-little-things-page
✨Overwhelmed by meals, laundry, and endless to-dos? Learn the simple system that makes home feel manageable again in my FREE Masterclass → https://www.laurenmefford.com/free-training

This description below includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may receive a small commission—thank you for supporting my channel!

Do you feel constantly distracted by your phone—scrolling through apps while dinner burns, kids need you, and the day slips away?
You’re not alone. In this video, I share the simple 3-minute notebook routine that helped me stop mindless scrolling and become the focused, present homemaker I truly wanted to be.
After trying many different methods and planners, this $10 notebook is what worked.

I’ll walk you through the exact way I use it each day and week to retrain my brain, reclaim my time, and stay anchored in real life—not lost in my phone.

***I will say, this notebook is a big part of the equation, buts not the ONLY part. Self control is still important—and finding ways to choose not pick up the phone and scroll (i.e., limiting times to check it, using app blockers, keeping it in another room, etc.). BUT, using paper instead of having another reason to reach for the phone (to plan, keep lists, etc.) has been very helpful for me, personally.***

Whether you’re trying to scroll less as a stay-at-home mom, create weekly rhythms that stick, or finally feel clear-headed when you wake up, this system will help.

You’ll learn:
Why we reach for our phones and how a simple notebook helps
The weekly planning rhythm that keeps my homemaking calm and consistent


My 5-minute evening routine that helps me wake up already in motion

How I use my notebook for meals, priorities, to-dos, and even a custom dopamine menu that rewires my brain toward life-giving choices


If you’re a Christian homemaker who wants to stay focused, love your role, and create systems that bring peace and joy to your home, this video is for you..

My notebook: https://amzn.to/44TlHJQ
My favorite erasable pens: https://amzn.to/48WycXt

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ 

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside my membership, the Rooted Homemakers Collective, where I walk you through exactly how → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

Answering your questions on balancing chores and play, our new homeschool plan, how I meal plan, and how we train our children's’ character.

This episode is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links, which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.

Resources and Products Mentioned in this video:

✨Voetberg Music Academy: https://www.voetbergmusicacademy.com?affiliate_code=29079a
✨ BiblioPlan (our history, Bible, and literature curriculum this year): https://www.biblioplan.net/
✨ IEW: https://amzn.to/4w7x5fy
✨ Apologia Science: https://amzn.to/4zimkKj
✨ Math Mammoth: https://amzn.to/4wMAAsU

**For Math Mammoth, you have to get the A and B workbooks, plus tests/quizzes and answer key

CHAPTERS

00:00 Balancing Chores and Play
12:09 Our Evening Schedule
14:25 Homeschool Updates
22:31 How I Meal Plan
25:18 How We Discipline & Train Our Children's Character

—CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Ask questions/contact us: https://laurenmefford.com/contact
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ 

✨Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home (rather than it running you)?  Learn more about the Rooted Rhythms Method: https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-rhythms-method

— SHOW NOTES —

Ashley Buffa is a mother of eleven who has homeschooled from the start and graduated four children. But for the first fifteen years, she'll tell you plainly that she hated it. In this conversation she shares what finally changed her heart, why keeping your kids out of school isn't the same as homeschooling well, and how she structures a full life as a homeschool mom and businesswoman without letting either one run the show.

Lauren and Ashley cover the practical and the heart-level: why getting dressed sets the tone for the day, loving your children, pulling toddlers in instead of pushing them away, and cultivating a family culture that loves beautiful things without nagging anyone into it.

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

• Ashley on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@AshleyMBuffa
• The Homeschool Excellence Framework and other homeschooling resources can be found at https://go.vocationalhomeschooling.com/
• Keep an eye out for Ashley's upcoming motherhood course (releasing end of August)

—CONNECT WITH THE HOST —

Youtube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

Instagram: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC (@laurenmichellemefford) • Instagram profile  

Website/Contact Us_:http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨Struggling to build rhythms that actually work in your home?
My free masterclass shows you how to create simple routines that are rooted in biblical priorities and actually work. Watch it here: https://www.laurenmefford.com/free-training


If you’ve tried planners, routines, and every self-help strategy but still feel behind, this video walks through a biblical approach to time management that is actually effective and freeing, because its based on biblical fruitfulness and faithfulness, not the worlds view of productivity and hustle culture. We’ll talk about fruitfulness vs productivity, seeing your homemaking through Scripture, and why your identity in Christ changes the way you build habits.

You’ll learn practical ways to build habits that stick and help you faithfully manage your home, how to leverage rhythms God already built into the day, and how habit-building connects to the kind of Christian woman you’re becoming.

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ 

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

🌿Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home (rather than it running you)?  Learn more about the Rooted Rhythms Method: https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-rhythms-method

In this episode, I'm sharing the unexpected key I've found to a truly peaceful home, plus three practical, God-honoring ways you can start walking it out this week.

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ 

Website/Contact Us_:http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers 

In this episode, Lauren and her husband Jeremy get real about health and wellness in their own home and what they've lived and watched work. Lauren, a nurse practitioner, shares the dramatic story of a hormone crash in her mid-twenties that left her at menopausal estrogen levels despite an active lifestyle, and what brought healing.

From there, they talk through their family's brutal sick seasons, the whole-food supplements that turned things around for their kids' immunity, and Lauren's own recovery after a string of miscarriages.

The conversation also covers soil depletion, food as medicine, and a few biblical parallels that reshaped how they think about nutrition. They close out talking about staying active as a family — not through motivation, but through systems and an environment that makes movement the default.

— CHAPTERS —

0:00 — Why We're Talking About Health and Wellness Today

2:11 — Do Your Daily Choices Actually Support Your Goals?

5:01 — The Hormone Crash That Changed Everything in Lauren's Twenties

7:06 — Nutrition Changed the Course of Her Life

13:20 — Why Today's Produce Isn't as Nutritious as It Used to Be

15:43 — Breaking the Cycle of Endless Sick Seasons

22:30 — The 90-Day Challenge

29:09 — Is Food Really Medicine?

41:44 — A Case for Prioritizing Nutrition

49:50 — Building an Active Family Life (Without Relying on Motivation)

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

• Kid's vitamins:
  • Immunity: https://beta.neolife.com/rootedvitality/en-US/shop/product/vita-gard?sku=3125
  • Daily: https://beta.neolife.com/rootedvitality/en-US/shop/product/vita-squares?sku=3122
• Rooted Home health & wellness resource page mentioned in the episode —https://laurenmefford.com/wellness-general-health
• Kids' bodyweight workout playlist for the kiddos— https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZeBwGx-VLPsJ6Ucsov3lYJ24xTCiB_Bz

  
  

— CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

A quick heads up: we're NeoLife promoters, so we may earn a small commission if you order through us. I only share what we use ourselves. This is our experience, not medical advice.