Thank you for being honest about your temper or mood swings in handling your children. By being honest you've carved out a pathway of grace for other mothers to go behind you and forgive themselves for not being perfect and being human.
I agree about makeup. I explain it’s just for fun and I definitely keep my thoughts about my undereye circles to myself because they inherited them too. I also watch the language I use about clothing, shoes, and other wearables. I think saying, “You look beautiful in that dress” sends the message that their beauty is dependent on the dress, so I will say, “That dress looks nice on you!” or “A beautiful dress for a beautiful girl!” 😊💕
We have 2 little girls and another on the way. We constantly tell them they are beautiful inside and out. What do we say when they do something extra? (Wearing a dress, hair bow, pretend makeup, etc) We tell them they look fancy. We wanted to make sure they knew they were always beautiful no matter what, not just when they put on makeup or special clothes.
I have strived to teach my children that makeup doesn't make us pretty. The biggest and easiest way I do this is if they put on makeup or a nice dress I don't ever say "wow! Beautiful!" or "oohhhh you look so pretty." Instead I say, "Wow! Fancy!" or "I like your dress!" If we call our children beautiful because they put on makeup that communicates to them they are beautiful because of the makeup. I tell my girls frequently that I don't wear makeup to look pretty. I wear makeup to look fancy. Just like we put on fancy clothes for church I put on fancy stuff on my face for church. My oldest is 5 and I just heard her explain to a friend that makeup makes us fancy but God makes us pretty 🥰
My parents always spoke to us kids like equals and I’m so glad my husband’s family thinks the same way! I’m almost 10 weeks along in my first pregnancy and I’m so appreciative of this month’s content from you ❤️
My mom always stressed that makeup was fun. It was always a way to have a fun start to the day. It’s fun to be creative with makeup. But it’s absolutely not necessary and it’s never about looks. It’s about fun.
I found this so encouraging first thing this morning! My heart feels a bit lighter and more joy-centered as I start my day with my almost 10 month old! 💗
I'm glad you talked about getting frustrated. I always feel like such a bad mom because Instagram and youtube paint the best pictures of motherhood but sometimes I am angry. It's great to know I'm not alone! Love your family 💕
As a kid, I always enjoyed listening to adults converse, and participating. I appreciated that my parents never made me feel unwelcome, unless it really was not my place, of course :) I really enjoyed this video!
I love how real and honest you are. I continue to learn to be more intentional to make sure I am not yelling when I get frustrated. I do apologize to the kids and tell them mom had a moment and I should of reacted more calmly. My parents did the eat what we have or you go hungry and I became more fearful of food because of sensory issues I would get sick but we would have to stay at table until we finished or it was bedtime. I am still very picky. I love how adventurous your kids are with food.
Yesssss to speaking to your kids as adults! I have a freaky good memory and I remember as a child thinking my parents thought I was dumb and didn’t realize I understood what was happening. They are smart, they know so much more than we give them credit for!
You're a wonderful mommy. The nice thing about having another daughter is giving Hailey a sister. I grew up with 3 brothers and always felt like I was missing out on something so many other people had by not having a sister. Even as an adult it's something I would love to have. I had 2 girls and 2 boys. I love hearing my daughters on the phone, making plans to do sister things, it makes me happy that they have that when I didn't. My boys do boy stuff together, hiking, biking, boating... if it's outdoors they do it. My kids have large gaps in their ages yet they still team up more often with their same gender sibling than their opposite gender sibling. My girls are 7 years apart, with a brother in the middle and my sons are 9 years apart with a sister in the middle.
So happy you talk to your kids in a way that makes them feel equally important. My parents often made us feel like less than. I still struggle with the effects of that to this day. I definitely talk to my 5 year old like a real person.
Loved your q&a style. The first one I’ve seen where it was entertaining the whole way through because of the fun little clips you inserted instead of it just being you talking!!!
Your children are a credit to you. Beautiful and intelligent. You're a wonderful Mama :) I really appreciate your honesty when discussing the highs and lows of parenting
I am not in the stage of motherhood but I absolutely enjoyed this video! I cherish so much for how you are open up to share your heart. I hope I can be a mom like you when God leads me to that stage of life in the future. 😍Can you do a video about menstrual cup? Would love to know more of your thoughts and experience of it! Btw, I love this new uploading time! It's around 10pm my time so it is so good to be relaxed and watch your videos before going to bed! ❤️
Your kids are very confident in who they are (even for their young age). I am sure it's because they are deeply loved and cherished and because they receive sound teaching in the word of God. I would love to see a vlog showing how you build on their confidence in this way. Love your vlogs.
I’m probably going to comment again when I finish the video but I wanted to say this before I forgot the perfect way to phrase it! Coming from the perspective of a 22 year old who hopes to be a mom one day, I see makeup as a form of artistic expression I don’t wear it most days but when I put it on to go out I use it to make a bold statement because I enjoy the artistic expression of doing fancy makeup but I’m also a firm believer that anyone I have to wear makeup to impress may not be worth impressing at all!
Please do a video about your menstrual cup! I recently started using one and would love to know what brand you use and any tips you’ve learned about using it in public.
I use the Lena cup and I LOVE it! After my normal period cramping is over, I forget I’m even on my period! Re: public use, most can be left in for up to 12 hours so I haven’t had to change it in public. If you aren’t loving the one you have, try a different size or a different brand all together, you never know which will be perfect for you. FemmeHead has several videos all about menstrual cups.
Thank you for the responses ladies! Summer sellers unfortunately I usually have too heavy of a flow to let it go the full 12 hours which is why is want to know how others deal with
There are a lot of companies that sell menstrual cup wipes, and I think I’ve seen portable menstrual cup cleaning containers as well. These may be good options to check out. :)
I loved and enjoyed this video so much, your so real and your videos are so loving and I can tell you put so much work, time and feelings into your amazing videos 💗
I love my mom more than anything but I wish she had talked to me about beauty and makeup like you do to your kids. I had a really bad view on makeup until the past year or two, because the first time I remember my mom talking about makeup was when I was probably in jr high and she told me to go put on some mascara because I looked like a zombie, I know now in hindsight that she was trying to help me to fit in at school and to look and feel my best, but it made me think that people wouldn’t like how I looked if I didn’t wear makeup, and that I had to wear it everyday. Now that I’m older I just think it’s fun, it started with me liking red lipstick honestly, and my mom didn’t like it on me but it was fun and made me feel beautiful and confident, and to this day I still stand by the thought that no matter how you’re feeling you can’t feel down on yourself if you’re wearing a fun lipstick. This attitude has seeped into different areas of my life, like fashion or my hair colour, and I even decided that I was going to start dying my hair fun colours so that no matter how I was feeling on a given day that I’d have something to love and be happy with. It’s a funny notion but it’s done wonders for my self confidence.
Could you do a video on how to prepare for your first baby or prepare for the newborn stage? I'm noticing so many first time moms to be comments below (including myself) and would love your input!
When I have moments when I loose it I have to make myself (it’s hard) apologize to my kids. I think it’s so important for them to know that even though it’s not ok if they are being bad but it’s also not ok for mommy to lose control. I think it helps show that I am human and I still have to work of the fruits of the Spirit as well. But we live in a world we’re people say it’s ok to treat other like crap if they have wronged you and Jesus says we are to show grace and forgiveness.
yes, this! My therapist also told me that when you get angry because you had a rough day, it's important to tell them that it's not all because or them. Kids tend to think they are the cause for everything. Sometimes when I get angry my 5 year old says "mommy, you need a hug" because now she knows that I might only be having a bad day.
This is something I really want to implement when my baby boy gets older. I’m nervous about my success though. I have lovely, compassionate, God fearing parents, but I don’t remember once ever hearing them apologize for a mistake, even as I have because an adult. I’m afraid that I picked up the habit and make a lot of excuses to my husband without just saying sorry. It is something I am really working on.
@bonnie brown in prayer and practice you will. Maybe by adding a note (written in beautiful font so it can look like decoration) on a mirror in your bedroom or bathroom that way when you see it will remind you to go back and say sorry even if it hours later it’s never to late. It can say whatever will remind you “never to late for sorry” “repent and forgiveness “ etc.
I just wanted to say sometimes I find sit down videos boring but I love yours because you show clips of what you’re talking about. It flows well and keeps my attention.
Loved this video Nat! I appreciate your humbleness and ability to admit faults! It has helped me to not compare and to realize that ALL moms have struggles! Thanks for being so real! ❤️
my youngest self weaned at 6/7 months. she was not interested anymore... I was proud of that time I gave her. my first born had a cleft lip so I physically couldn't breastfeed her. but they both were and are fed and happy. so its all good here lol
Do you use reusable liners or anything with your cup? Can you maybe talk about it more? I love mine but still no matter how I put it leak. This past time is only the 3rd month of having it but still not 100% on it
Mama, you're an inspiration! I babysit 2 children one 8 months, and one 2 years. During these times my daughter is always home. I've lost it ao many times lately!! The 2 year old is teaching my daughter 22 months, how to spit, to hit and pinch, she jumps on our dogs. Everyday I am so thankful my little girl doesn't act the way the 2 year old does! But it's soooooo stressful 😓 I love your honesty!! Also, 22 months and still breastfeeding❤❤❤
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve told my (now) 8 year old “use your words!” Or “don’t minion talk!” (Those dang minions drive me nuts 😆) and because of that I have received so many comments about how articulate my son was at such a young age.
My son's Kindergarten teacher talks to the kids in a baby voice, which really grinds my gears but here's the kicker....she talks to the parents that way as well. It comes off as very condescending & disrespectful. Both to the children and to the parents.
I don't have a patreon, Stevie! Thank you so much for thinking of me though. And actually, Thompson Family this turned from a hobby to a full time job for me about 2 years ago and I'm so grateful! 💕
Please do a video on your menstrual cup experience! I am very interested in switching over and would love to hear your take on it! (Which cup do you use?)
You make the sweetest videos. You have beautiful, well manored, smart kids. I'm jealous of Judah being such a good eater. And I remember thinking in old videos how well Hailey talks!!
Love your take on life and motherhood. Currently expecting our first and stumbled across your channel while browsing diaper/hospital bag videos and do/don’t purchase videos. I am thrilled to know you are a fellow believer! Also, are those Bob Books??? 😍😂 I loved those when I was little!
About the “yelling at your kids” situation: April from AprilJustinTV once said in a Q&A: we don’t share the moments when our kids have tantrums or when we’re yelling or disciplining our kids because these are private family matters that we work out first, outside the view of a camera lens and we don’t want to “embarrass” our kids if we leave these awe full moments in the vlogs” I loved that answer!
Watching your videos has inspired me to take videos of our family to record our memories! Love your intentionality and honesty. I know your content is authentic and feel like your motherhood journey is so relatable. Thank you ❤️
Thank you for sharing about being a “recovering yeller” without showing it. I appreciate your genuine positivity and encouragement, and that’s what I come to your channel for. ❤️
my boys eat anything and everything as well, and I accredit that to including them in our meals since they were babies (which was a no-brainer for me lol).
My parents also treated us with equal importance and made us feel like our opinions mattered. Especially my dad would take the time to explain things to us with truth and patience. I love that! This is a topic I feel strongly about and I try to do the same with my little boys. You are such a positive and inspiring example for me, Natalie. God bless you and your family
Happy Mother’s Day nat ur such an amazing mother to ur 3 beautiful babies 👶 I cannot wait for baby #4. Love ur mummy videos keep them coming lots of love from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺.
I agree, beauty comes from within, and if we say makeup makes us beautiful, it feels like we are saying we aren’t pretty without it. It is always treat kids as people, not adults, but just be normal. We all lose it at times. It’s just how you let it out that matters. I never had the one on one time, and I regret that. We all yell, and a mom of a deaf child said yelling doesn’t work, I could only say, l see how you can think that, yelling at a deaf child would make you look foolish. She was a judger, so I gave he food for thought. I breastfed all my children, 6-18 month, I feel that any longer is a mothers an child’s choice, with that said, I think that when a child comes over to you in public and lifts your shirt (2 an over) to get themselves a drink, yup that’s an issue, for me 3 years old and over should be using a cup... Would you say that your kids are so smart and advanced because you are a stay at home mom?
A few weeks ago my one year old son found a painting brush at my mother’s house and “painted” his face and it made me realize how much our kids observe us and imitate us! He can’t talk yet but I look forward to the conversations we are going to have and it’s interesting to hear (and to experience) that you have to deal with that issue with boys too! Somehow thought it will come naturally, that I’ll only have to explain those things for my future daughters. God bless you Natalie, keep up the good work! Sometimes I envy you for having a UA-cam channel because I’d be more consistent in documenting my life when it’s my job. I want to start doing more homevideos too (without having to create a UA-cam channel 😉) you’re a bad a** mom! 😘
My advice about the makeup question is that actions speak louder than words. My mother had to wear makeup every day and so I had low self confidence about my face without makeup. In order to teach your child that she is beautiful without makeup you need to show her that you find yourself beautiful without makeup too. This means wearing makeup less frequently and showing her that the things you value most are inside.
I think children learn by looking up to their parents first. If you are able to show Hailey that you feel beautiful and confident even without make up, I am sure she will see that. And will understantd that what you tell her about beauty and make up is true !
Oh my goodness I’m that same way when I lose it. Just the other night actually, I had to stop putting my 3 year old son to bed since he was driving me crazy. I went went into the bathroom while rocking my 4 month old daughter to sleep for a few minutes. My son is the same way as well when it comes to poop being everywhere... the question I have had to ask myself a lot lately is,” why is there poop on the floor?” 🤦🏻♀️
Omg trying not to sob because I am so bad at documenting precious moments with my son. 😭😭 Any tips on taking and storing videos? My phone storage can’t handle all the videos I want to take, please help! What camera/ other essentials would you recommend so I can start? Thanks!,
The fact that you are so honest about loosing it and your short temper makes me feel so much better about myself cause I don’t feel alone. I have lost it more than I would like to admit 😭❤️ thank you for being honest and real and raw
I highly, highly recommend the book "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" It has amazing strategies for how to parent without yelling
I don't have kids, but I have always viewed makeup as a tool to enhance our natural beauty. Enhance what I like and cover up what I like less. And I definitely look at make up as fun, and not as something necessary. And I feel like my moms view of makeup really has helped me have such a good relationship with make up :)
My fiancé has twin cousins the same age as your boys, also named Liam and Judah. I had a conversation with their dad recently about twin co-dependence, which I had never considered before. For that reason, they always elect to have their boys in separate pre-school classes.
I totally agree with you on feeding them what you are eating! I am 17 and my parents have never made me anything different than what they were eating unless I physically was not able to eat it. There are times when I didn’t want to eat what my mom had prepared so I had to go without and I learned my lesson! It taught me to be grateful for what my mom had fixed and to eat a variety of foods! Preparing special meals for them just because they don’t want what was fixed for them teaches them to be ungrateful and adds extra hassle that is totally unnecessary! It’s one thing if the child has allergies, is sick, etc. but just making them something different because they don’t want what’s been prepared for them is not helping them (or you) in the long run!
Happy Belated Mother's Day Natalie! I so enjoy your videos on both channels. I'm a Mom at heart and love kids. Even so, just appreciate your tips, openness and strong faith. Bless all of you!
Re makeup and daughters. My granddaughter has a set of empty makeup pots and washed old brushes. She gets great pleasure in copying her aunt. Her mum is like me and doesn't often wear makeup.
Theresa here, and I nursed my oldest until 2 and a half, I only stopped because I was pregnant with my youngest and I nursed said youngest until she was 3 and a half. But after she was 2 and a half I only nursed her at night and at nap times if I was not working that day and it helped because she was a picky eater.
Love your opinion on extended breastfeeding! My boy is 6 months and I plan to continue until he is two years old. I have already had a few people making comments about how he should be weaning now and it’s so frustrating. Love how open, honest and down to earth you’re - you are my favourite You tuber ! :)
don't listen to the haters ;) my husbands grandma told me to wean my son at 8 weeks and to give him 'formula and ground meat in a bottle so he won't have to eat every two hours' 😒 every day you breastfeed your baby is valuable, don't wean until YOU decide it's time!
I've loved watching your videos since you posted your weekly pregnancy updates with Hailey. I was struggling with infertility and in the midst of my TTC journey, and those videos brought me so much hope and joy. Now I'm happy to say I'm pregnant with identical twin boys. Easy to say I'm even more invested now. 😉
Right off the bat, I loved what you said about beauty and make-up! It really is only an extra and something fun, not something necessary. My 2 year old also "powders her face" quite often:) Along with that I also find it important to teach my 5 year old that beauty is not the most important thing about a person. She loves princesses and so I always tell her there is nothing wrong with liking princesses but that it's important that we don't focus only on their dress or their hair but on whether they are kind, smart, strong.... etc.
Honestly, I have a 7 month old and it ain't gettin' any easier, haha. I feel like the newborn stage was hard, but also a little easier than it is now just because they don't need to be constantly entertained, and they just sleep! And I have lost it so many times with my baby... and I feel bad because he is still just a baby, but he tests me so much! I'm seriously worried about toddler'hood! After watching this video, I feel like I need to prioritize documenting better, because my parents were also big on home videos, and I loved watching them too. Thank you!!!
I like your perspective when it comes to teaching Hailey about beauty and makeup. For me, outward beauty is about a reflection of who you are as a person. So when you are putting yourself together, do it in a way that you want people to perceive you as. I am a strong Christian myself and when I get dressed up, I do it for me. Not because society says I should. Because true beauty comes from within. I try to make my outside match my inside, and I plan on teaching my girls the same without forcing them to be someone they're not.
i really appreciate you talking about having a temper and not always being this perfect camera smiley mom. social media stacks the expectations enormously high in that aspect!
I would love to take more videos of my son. I love having the memories. I mostly take videos on my cell phone because it's always on hand. Is there a compact camera that isn't super expensive that would reccomend? Also, what do you use to store all of your videos?
I record vlogs on a Canon G7X which is a great little camera for both video and pictures and is much more affordable than a DSLR it higher end option. I store footage on a ton of different external hard drives ☺️
My heart burst when you spoke about makeup when it comes to Haliey!!! My tween isn't interested in make up because I don't wear it myself often and she can't wear certain brands due to contact allergies. Happy belated Mom's Day! *Only on that part when wrote this ;) ). I am glad to hear that you take the boys one and one time! I hope my sil does this with her twins (only 2). The oldest is really attached to her. Of course it doesn't help she doesn't say it's ok and not constantly picking him up. They do go to daycare so he has to let go. Of she leaves the room he lays down and just screams.
This video was so uplifting to my spirits. Thank you for your honesty! I would say I'm a "recovering yell-er" as well and I've been really focusing + praying for peace & gentleness within my mothering story. Guilt & shame is such a destroyer of working for positive change, and I recently encountered a UA-camr who just gave a blunt answer of "if you're yelling at your kids, you are raising messed up kids." (Not verbatim, just how my sensitive heart interpreted it.) It shattered me for many days, feeling like a complete failure. I understood in my head that what she was getting at is you should never excuse a negative behavior when there's an alternative, positive approach, but my heart couldn't get there at the time. It finally clicked for me that if I'm truly Trying & leaning on the Lord's Grace + Wisdom to help me, than I'm not failing my kid(s); I'm working on being better for them, myself and for our collective. Your video really helped to cement that Truth for me. Trying is never failing. Love you & your sweet family, Natalie.
I always love your q&a’s, Natalie. As far as makeup goes, I heard Elle Lindquist say something on her UA-cam channel that really resonated with me. She said something along the lines of “makeup doesn’t make us beautiful, it makes us fancy. We are already beautiful.” And I’ve copied that with my daughter.
I love your Mommy videos! It helps me as a first time Mom 😍 With my husband gone a lot, I am basically a single Mom and its REALLY hard at times. Your videos help me get through the day- and my daughter loves watching them too (especially when your kids are in the video). 🤗😊
Hahaha the poop. This morning my 2 month old woke up at 6am with a poopy diaper and when I changed him proceeded to poop all over the changing table. Luckily I use a bamboo liner and most of it stayed on there so I could just throw it in the wash.
I was totally blessed with the newborn stage. My babies were THE BEST behaved from day 1 to about 5 weeks. They woke up maybe twice a night which made cuddling them all day so stinking easy and dealing with them crying was so rewarding. At 5 weeks, they learned how to use their tempers. Ha!!
I agree about the picky eating situation! I have always fed my kids almost anything my husband and I are eating and they both eat almost anything. My rule with something new is try it and if they truly don't like it they can have something else.
I love your stance on makeup and Hailey. I tell my stepdaughter that I like makeup because it’s fun. It’s something I enjoy, and I use it as a creative outlet. I don’t use it because I feel I need to cover something up. She says she thinks I look weird with makeup which actually makes me feel good. I like that she prefers how I look without it.
Thank you for talking about losing your temper! I feel so awful and guilty when it happens, and lately its been happening way more frequently as im 39 weeks pregnant and getting so tired. I find it difficult but i force myself to apologise after i lose my temper. Something i am really struggling with is in the moment of anger for some reason my auto reaction is a desire to swat my daughters hands, which is something i do NOT want to be doing but in the moment it seems to be my auto reaction and i dont know why. Its not a hard swat, its pretty gentle, but i do NOT want her replicating my poor behaviour especially with her sibling arriving soon. I dont know how to stop it being an auto reaction, but i need to try. With my 2 year old i have definitely started having to be a bit hard nosed with dinner and not offering alternatives if she refuses to eat. One night she refused dinner and asked for something else and i gave it to her - and the next day for every meal she thought she could refuse the offered food and ask for something else! After that i stopped offering alternatives, if she wont eat it then fine she can go do something else after we have offered it for a while, but if she asks for food again she just gets the same food again until she eats it (which she always ends up doing!)
My husband and I just found out we're expecting baby # 2. I'm hoping for a boy! We have a little girl who's 14 months right now and I feel similarly to you about having another girl.
Thank you for being honest about your temper or mood swings in handling your children. By being honest you've carved out a pathway of grace for other mothers to go behind you and forgive themselves for not being perfect and being human.
I agree about makeup. I explain it’s just for fun and I definitely keep my thoughts about my undereye circles to myself because they inherited them too. I also watch the language I use about clothing, shoes, and other wearables. I think saying, “You look beautiful in that dress” sends the message that their beauty is dependent on the dress, so I will say, “That dress looks nice on you!” or “A beautiful dress for a beautiful girl!” 😊💕
We have 2 little girls and another on the way. We constantly tell them they are beautiful inside and out. What do we say when they do something extra? (Wearing a dress, hair bow, pretend makeup, etc) We tell them they look fancy. We wanted to make sure they knew they were always beautiful no matter what, not just when they put on makeup or special clothes.
I have strived to teach my children that makeup doesn't make us pretty. The biggest and easiest way I do this is if they put on makeup or a nice dress I don't ever say "wow! Beautiful!" or "oohhhh you look so pretty." Instead I say, "Wow! Fancy!" or "I like your dress!" If we call our children beautiful because they put on makeup that communicates to them they are beautiful because of the makeup. I tell my girls frequently that I don't wear makeup to look pretty. I wear makeup to look fancy. Just like we put on fancy clothes for church I put on fancy stuff on my face for church. My oldest is 5 and I just heard her explain to a friend that makeup makes us fancy but God makes us pretty 🥰
Savanna Brown that is so adorable!! Love this approach
My parents always spoke to us kids like equals and I’m so glad my husband’s family thinks the same way! I’m almost 10 weeks along in my first pregnancy and I’m so appreciative of this month’s content from you ❤️
Aw congratulations! ❤️
Congratulations!! So exciting. There's NOTHING like becoming a first time mama! 💕
Natalie Bennett Aww thank you! I’m very excited. I’ll be binging all of your pregnancy/baby content for the next 6 months ☺️
My mom always stressed that makeup was fun. It was always a way to have a fun start to the day. It’s fun to be creative with makeup. But it’s absolutely not necessary and it’s never about looks.
It’s about fun.
I found this so encouraging first thing this morning! My heart feels a bit lighter and more joy-centered as I start my day with my almost 10 month old! 💗
For Hailey: 1 Peter 3
For the boys: Proverbs 31
The word of God is the strongest teacher. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
💕
I'm glad you talked about getting frustrated. I always feel like such a bad mom because Instagram and youtube paint the best pictures of motherhood but sometimes I am angry. It's great to know I'm not alone! Love your family 💕
As a kid, I always enjoyed listening to adults converse, and participating. I appreciated that my parents never made me feel unwelcome, unless it really was not my place, of course :)
I really enjoyed this video!
I love how real and honest you are. I continue to learn to be more intentional to make sure I am not yelling when I get frustrated. I do apologize to the kids and tell them mom had a moment and I should of reacted more calmly. My parents did the eat what we have or you go hungry and I became more fearful of food because of sensory issues I would get sick but we would have to stay at table until we finished or it was bedtime. I am still very picky. I love how adventurous your kids are with food.
Yesssss to speaking to your kids as adults! I have a freaky good memory and I remember as a child thinking my parents thought I was dumb and didn’t realize I understood what was happening. They are smart, they know so much more than we give them credit for!
You're a wonderful mommy. The nice thing about having another daughter is giving Hailey a sister. I grew up with 3 brothers and always felt like I was missing out on something so many other people had by not having a sister. Even as an adult it's something I would love to have. I had 2 girls and 2 boys. I love hearing my daughters on the phone, making plans to do sister things, it makes me happy that they have that when I didn't. My boys do boy stuff together, hiking, biking, boating... if it's outdoors they do it. My kids have large gaps in their ages yet they still team up more often with their same gender sibling than their opposite gender sibling. My girls are 7 years apart, with a brother in the middle and my sons are 9 years apart with a sister in the middle.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this! Thank you Natalie!
So happy you talk to your kids in a way that makes them feel equally important. My parents often made us feel like less than. I still struggle with the effects of that to this day. I definitely talk to my 5 year old like a real person.
Your skin is so glowy, you’re so beautiful, can you share your skincare routine? Love your videos,especially the super long ones, have a great day😘
Loved your q&a style. The first one I’ve seen where it was entertaining the whole way through because of the fun little clips you inserted instead of it just being you talking!!!
Your children are a credit to you. Beautiful and intelligent. You're a wonderful Mama :) I really appreciate your honesty when discussing the highs and lows of parenting
I am not in the stage of motherhood but I absolutely enjoyed this video! I cherish so much for how you are open up to share your heart. I hope I can be a mom like you when God leads me to that stage of life in the future. 😍Can you do a video about menstrual cup? Would love to know more of your thoughts and experience of it! Btw, I love this new uploading time! It's around 10pm my time so it is so good to be relaxed and watch your videos before going to bed! ❤️
Your kids are very confident in who they are (even for their young age). I am sure it's because they are deeply loved and cherished and because they receive sound teaching in the word of God. I would love to see a vlog showing how you build on their confidence in this way. Love your vlogs.
I’m probably going to comment again when I finish the video but I wanted to say this before I forgot the perfect way to phrase it! Coming from the perspective of a 22 year old who hopes to be a mom one day, I see makeup as a form of artistic expression I don’t wear it most days but when I put it on to go out I use it to make a bold statement because I enjoy the artistic expression of doing fancy makeup but I’m also a firm believer that anyone I have to wear makeup to impress may not be worth impressing at all!
Please do a video about your menstrual cup! I recently started using one and would love to know what brand you use and any tips you’ve learned about using it in public.
Sarah Smith I’ve been using Saalt and it’s great! They’re selling them at Target now too. 😊
I use the Lena cup and I LOVE it! After my normal period cramping is over, I forget I’m even on my period! Re: public use, most can be left in for up to 12 hours so I haven’t had to change it in public. If you aren’t loving the one you have, try a different size or a different brand all together, you never know which will be perfect for you. FemmeHead has several videos all about menstrual cups.
Thank you for the responses ladies! Summer sellers unfortunately I usually have too heavy of a flow to let it go the full 12 hours which is why is want to know how others deal with
There are a lot of companies that sell menstrual cup wipes, and I think I’ve seen portable menstrual cup cleaning containers as well. These may be good options to check out. :)
Got all my washing folded and put away while watching this! It's like doing laundry with a friend ❤
I talk to my children the same way!
And YESSSSSSS to the menstrual cup🙌🏻🙌🏻 I can’t imagine going back!
I loved and enjoyed this video so much, your so real and your videos are so loving and I can tell you put so much work, time and feelings into your amazing videos 💗
I’m so glad I’m not the only mom who makes her children eat what we are eating or they go to bed hungry!!
I love my mom more than anything but I wish she had talked to me about beauty and makeup like you do to your kids. I had a really bad view on makeup until the past year or two, because the first time I remember my mom talking about makeup was when I was probably in jr high and she told me to go put on some mascara because I looked like a zombie, I know now in hindsight that she was trying to help me to fit in at school and to look and feel my best, but it made me think that people wouldn’t like how I looked if I didn’t wear makeup, and that I had to wear it everyday. Now that I’m older I just think it’s fun, it started with me liking red lipstick honestly, and my mom didn’t like it on me but it was fun and made me feel beautiful and confident, and to this day I still stand by the thought that no matter how you’re feeling you can’t feel down on yourself if you’re wearing a fun lipstick. This attitude has seeped into different areas of my life, like fashion or my hair colour, and I even decided that I was going to start dying my hair fun colours so that no matter how I was feeling on a given day that I’d have something to love and be happy with. It’s a funny notion but it’s done wonders for my self confidence.
Could you do a video on how to prepare for your first baby or prepare for the newborn stage? I'm noticing so many first time moms to be comments below (including myself) and would love your input!
I never would have thought you have a short temper. You seem so calm in your videos! :)
Can you do a video on your workout routine?
When I have moments when I loose it I have to make myself (it’s hard) apologize to my kids. I think it’s so important for them to know that even though it’s not ok if they are being bad but it’s also not ok for mommy to lose control. I think it helps show that I am human and I still have to work of the fruits of the Spirit as well. But we live in a world we’re people say it’s ok to treat other like crap if they have wronged you and Jesus says we are to show grace and forgiveness.
yes, this! My therapist also told me that when you get angry because you had a rough day, it's important to tell them that it's not all because or them. Kids tend to think they are the cause for everything. Sometimes when I get angry my 5 year old says "mommy, you need a hug" because now she knows that I might only be having a bad day.
This is something I really want to implement when my baby boy gets older. I’m nervous about my success though. I have lovely, compassionate, God fearing parents, but I don’t remember once ever hearing them apologize for a mistake, even as I have because an adult. I’m afraid that I picked up the habit and make a lot of excuses to my husband without just saying sorry. It is something I am really working on.
@bonnie brown in prayer and practice you will. Maybe by adding a note (written in beautiful font so it can look like decoration) on a mirror in your bedroom or bathroom that way when you see it will remind you to go back and say sorry even if it hours later it’s never to late. It can say whatever will remind you “never to late for sorry” “repent and forgiveness “ etc.
Happy. MOTHERS DAY Natalie!!!!
Nathalie love your videos and watching from when you have pregnancy of twins... I'm also a mom of a cute baby boy. Love from Pakistan
I just wanted to say sometimes I find sit down videos boring but I love yours because you show clips of what you’re talking about. It flows well and keeps my attention.
Loved this video Nat! I appreciate your humbleness and ability to admit faults! It has helped me to not compare and to realize that ALL moms have struggles! Thanks for being so real! ❤️
my youngest self weaned at 6/7 months. she was not interested anymore... I was proud of that time I gave her. my first born had a cleft lip so I physically couldn't breastfeed her. but they both were and are fed and happy. so its all good here lol
your videos are so good love your videos Natalie Bennett.
Man you're glowing in this episode! 😍 At least in the first twenty seconds, haven't watched further yet :p
thank you so much! I've been feeling so much better health-wise in the last 2-3 months and I think the Seattle sun is agreeing with me! ☀️
@@NatalieBennett that's great to hear! Same for me, the sun is helping me so much and all the new green leafs make me very happy this year :)
Do you use reusable liners or anything with your cup? Can you maybe talk about it more? I love mine but still no matter how I put it leak. This past time is only the 3rd month of having it but still not 100% on it
😂 Talking about losing it - “usually with breathing, and praying, and drinking some... water” I could’ve sworn you were gonna say WINE 🤣
Hahaha that's too funny. Alcohol isn't for me but water does the trick!🙃
Mama, you're an inspiration! I babysit 2 children one 8 months, and one 2 years. During these times my daughter is always home. I've lost it ao many times lately!! The 2 year old is teaching my daughter 22 months, how to spit, to hit and pinch, she jumps on our dogs. Everyday I am so thankful my little girl doesn't act the way the 2 year old does! But it's soooooo stressful 😓
I love your honesty!!
Also, 22 months and still breastfeeding❤❤❤
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve told my (now) 8 year old “use your words!” Or “don’t minion talk!” (Those dang minions drive me nuts 😆) and because of that I have received so many comments about how articulate my son was at such a young age.
I loved this video so much!!
My son's Kindergarten teacher talks to the kids in a baby voice, which really grinds my gears but here's the kicker....she talks to the parents that way as well. It comes off as very condescending & disrespectful. Both to the children and to the parents.
Do you have a patreon account? I couldn't find you when I searched on there. Love your videos, and let me know! :)
Stevie Robertson I’m 100 percent sure she dosnt. This is her hobby.
I don't have a patreon, Stevie! Thank you so much for thinking of me though. And actually, Thompson Family this turned from a hobby to a full time job for me about 2 years ago and I'm so grateful! 💕
No worries! 💜 Besides watching your videos, is there a way for viewers to show support financially?
Please do a video on your menstrual cup experience! I am very interested in switching over and would love to hear your take on it! (Which cup do you use?)
Thanks Natalie I love your videos they are so beautiful and thoughtful. I am a first time mom to be that's how I found your channel. Thanks again!
You make the sweetest videos. You have beautiful, well manored, smart kids. I'm jealous of Judah being such a good eater. And I remember thinking in old videos how well Hailey talks!!
Beautiful mama 😘 thanks for sharing your heart!
Love your take on life and motherhood. Currently expecting our first and stumbled across your channel while browsing diaper/hospital bag videos and do/don’t purchase videos. I am thrilled to know you are a fellow believer! Also, are those Bob Books??? 😍😂 I loved those when I was little!
About the “yelling at your kids” situation: April from AprilJustinTV once said in a Q&A: we don’t share the moments when our kids have tantrums or when we’re yelling or disciplining our kids because these are private family matters that we work out first, outside the view of a camera lens and we don’t want to “embarrass” our kids if we leave these awe full moments in the vlogs”
I loved that answer!
Watching your videos has inspired me to take videos of our family to record our memories! Love your intentionality and honesty. I know your content is authentic and feel like your motherhood journey is so relatable. Thank you ❤️
Thank you for sharing about being a “recovering yeller” without showing it. I appreciate your genuine positivity and encouragement, and that’s what I come to your channel for. ❤️
my boys eat anything and everything as well, and I accredit that to including them in our meals since they were babies (which was a no-brainer for me lol).
I would love to hear about your menstrual cup experience in depth! Love how real you are in this video. Thanks for sharing Natalie!
My parents also treated us with equal importance and made us feel like our opinions mattered. Especially my dad would take the time to explain things to us with truth and patience. I love that! This is a topic I feel strongly about and I try to do the same with my little boys. You are such a positive and inspiring example for me, Natalie. God bless you and your family
Happy Mother’s Day nat ur such an amazing mother to ur 3 beautiful babies 👶 I cannot wait for baby #4. Love ur mummy videos keep them coming lots of love from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺.
Awww thank you! Much love! 💕
I agree, beauty comes from within, and if we say makeup makes us beautiful, it feels like we are saying we aren’t pretty without it.
It is always treat kids as people, not adults, but just be normal.
We all lose it at times. It’s just how you let it out that matters.
I never had the one on one time, and I regret that.
We all yell, and a mom of a deaf child said yelling doesn’t work, I could only say, l see how you can think that, yelling at a deaf child would make you look foolish. She was a judger, so I gave he food for thought.
I breastfed all my children, 6-18 month, I feel that any longer is a mothers an child’s choice, with that said, I think that when a child comes over to you in public and lifts your shirt (2 an over) to get themselves a drink, yup that’s an issue, for me 3 years old and over should be using a cup...
Would you say that your kids are so smart and advanced because you are a stay at home mom?
I feel that a lot of it is just who they are but staying home with them DOES foster their best qualities, in my opinion. 😌
Such good questions!!
I thought so too!! 💕
A few weeks ago my one year old son found a painting brush at my mother’s house and “painted” his face and it made me realize how much our kids observe us and imitate us! He can’t talk yet but I look forward to the conversations we are going to have and it’s interesting to hear (and to experience) that you have to deal with that issue with boys too! Somehow thought it will come naturally, that I’ll only have to explain those things for my future daughters.
God bless you Natalie, keep up the good work! Sometimes I envy you for having a UA-cam channel because I’d be more consistent in documenting my life when it’s my job. I want to start doing more homevideos too (without having to create a UA-cam channel 😉) you’re a bad a** mom! 😘
Thank you!!!
My advice about the makeup question is that actions speak louder than words. My mother had to wear makeup every day and so I had low self confidence about my face without makeup. In order to teach your child that she is beautiful without makeup you need to show her that you find yourself beautiful without makeup too. This means wearing makeup less frequently and showing her that the things you value most are inside.
Yes! I totally agree with this. 😌
@@NatalieBennett I always love watching your videos and you inspire me in many ways. I am due to have my first child, a daughter, in 5 weeks.
🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔 Natification squad
Thank you, Holly! 💕
I think children learn by looking up to their parents first. If you are able to show Hailey that you feel beautiful and confident even without make up, I am sure she will see that. And will understantd that what you tell her about beauty and make up is true !
You are so encouraging
Oh yeah, poop problems are real 😀 I didn't know babies could shoot poop in your eyes while you are changing them 😂
Omg yes! I love my menstrual cup. Been using it for many years now and it makes that time of the month so much more comfortable!
Oh my goodness I’m that same way when I lose it. Just the other night actually, I had to stop putting my 3 year old son to bed since he was driving me crazy. I went went into the bathroom while rocking my 4 month old daughter to sleep for a few minutes.
My son is the same way as well when it comes to poop being everywhere... the question I have had to ask myself a lot lately is,” why is there poop on the floor?” 🤦🏻♀️
Omg trying not to sob because I am so bad at documenting precious moments with my son. 😭😭 Any tips on taking and storing videos? My phone storage can’t handle all the videos I want to take, please help! What camera/ other essentials would you recommend so I can start? Thanks!,
The fact that you are so honest about loosing it and your short temper makes me feel so much better about myself cause I don’t feel alone. I have lost it more than I would like to admit 😭❤️ thank you for being honest and real and raw
You are SO welcome! I'm glad it resonated with you! 💕
Hi, Natalie! Which brand of menstrual cup do you use?
I highly, highly recommend the book "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" It has amazing strategies for how to parent without yelling
I don't have kids, but I have always viewed makeup as a tool to enhance our natural beauty. Enhance what I like and cover up what I like less. And I definitely look at make up as fun, and not as something necessary. And I feel like my moms view of makeup really has helped me have such a good relationship with make up :)
My fiancé has twin cousins the same age as your boys, also named Liam and Judah. I had a conversation with their dad recently about twin co-dependence, which I had never considered before. For that reason, they always elect to have their boys in separate pre-school classes.
I totally agree with you on feeding them what you are eating! I am 17 and my parents have never made me anything different than what they were eating unless I physically was not able to eat it. There are times when I didn’t want to eat what my mom had prepared so I had to go without and I learned my lesson! It taught me to be grateful for what my mom had fixed and to eat a variety of foods! Preparing special meals for them just because they don’t want what was fixed for them teaches them to be ungrateful and adds extra hassle that is totally unnecessary! It’s one thing if the child has allergies, is sick, etc. but just making them something different because they don’t want what’s been prepared for them is not helping them (or you) in the long run!
Happy Belated Mother's Day Natalie! I so enjoy your videos on both channels. I'm a Mom at heart and love kids. Even so, just appreciate your tips, openness and strong faith. Bless all of you!
i doubt you will see this, since it's an older video but you are SO relatable and I LOVE that some of your answers are unexpected. Lol! 💩
Re makeup and daughters. My granddaughter has a set of empty makeup pots and washed old brushes. She gets great pleasure in copying her aunt. Her mum is like me and doesn't often wear makeup.
Theresa here, and I nursed my oldest until 2 and a half, I only stopped because I was pregnant with my youngest and I nursed said youngest until she was 3 and a half. But after she was 2 and a half I only nursed her at night and at nap times if I was not working that day and it helped because she was a picky eater.
Love your opinion on extended breastfeeding! My boy is 6 months and I plan to continue until he is two years old. I have already had a few people making comments about how he should be weaning now and it’s so frustrating.
Love how open, honest and down to earth you’re - you are my favourite You tuber ! :)
Oh good grief! Ignore those people! I dealt with that too both times around and it was so annoying. 🤦🏻♀️
don't listen to the haters ;) my husbands grandma told me to wean my son at 8 weeks and to give him 'formula and ground meat in a bottle so he won't have to eat every two hours' 😒 every day you breastfeed your baby is valuable, don't wean until YOU decide it's time!
I've loved watching your videos since you posted your weekly pregnancy updates with Hailey. I was struggling with infertility and in the midst of my TTC journey, and those videos brought me so much hope and joy. Now I'm happy to say I'm pregnant with identical twin boys. Easy to say I'm even more invested now. 😉
ticklemycloaca Congratulations! That’s lovely!
Right off the bat, I loved what you said about beauty and make-up! It really is only an extra and something fun, not something necessary. My 2 year old also "powders her face" quite often:) Along with that I also find it important to teach my 5 year old that beauty is not the most important thing about a person. She loves princesses and so I always tell her there is nothing wrong with liking princesses but that it's important that we don't focus only on their dress or their hair but on whether they are kind, smart, strong.... etc.
Honestly, I have a 7 month old and it ain't gettin' any easier, haha. I feel like the newborn stage was hard, but also a little easier than it is now just because they don't need to be constantly entertained, and they just sleep! And I have lost it so many times with my baby... and I feel bad because he is still just a baby, but he tests me so much! I'm seriously worried about toddler'hood! After watching this video, I feel like I need to prioritize documenting better, because my parents were also big on home videos, and I loved watching them too. Thank you!!!
Consistently the best content for moms on UA-cam
I like your perspective when it comes to teaching Hailey about beauty and makeup. For me, outward beauty is about a reflection of who you are as a person. So when you are putting yourself together, do it in a way that you want people to perceive you as. I am a strong Christian myself and when I get dressed up, I do it for me. Not because society says I should. Because true beauty comes from within. I try to make my outside match my inside, and I plan on teaching my girls the same without forcing them to be someone they're not.
i really appreciate you talking about having a temper and not always being this perfect camera smiley mom. social media stacks the expectations enormously high in that aspect!
I would love to take more videos of my son. I love having the memories. I mostly take videos on my cell phone because it's always on hand. Is there a compact camera that isn't super expensive that would reccomend? Also, what do you use to store all of your videos?
I record vlogs on a Canon G7X which is a great little camera for both video and pictures and is much more affordable than a DSLR it higher end option. I store footage on a ton of different external hard drives ☺️
My heart burst when you spoke about makeup when it comes to Haliey!!! My tween isn't interested in make up because I don't wear it myself often and she can't wear certain brands due to contact allergies. Happy belated Mom's Day! *Only on that part when wrote this ;) ). I am glad to hear that you take the boys one and one time! I hope my sil does this with her twins (only 2). The oldest is really attached to her. Of course it doesn't help she doesn't say it's ok and not constantly picking him up. They do go to daycare so he has to let go. Of she leaves the room he lays down and just screams.
This video was so uplifting to my spirits. Thank you for your honesty! I would say I'm a "recovering yell-er" as well and I've been really focusing + praying for peace & gentleness within my mothering story. Guilt & shame is such a destroyer of working for positive change, and I recently encountered a UA-camr who just gave a blunt answer of "if you're yelling at your kids, you are raising messed up kids." (Not verbatim, just how my sensitive heart interpreted it.) It shattered me for many days, feeling like a complete failure. I understood in my head that what she was getting at is you should never excuse a negative behavior when there's an alternative, positive approach, but my heart couldn't get there at the time. It finally clicked for me that if I'm truly Trying & leaning on the Lord's Grace + Wisdom to help me, than I'm not failing my kid(s); I'm working on being better for them, myself and for our collective. Your video really helped to cement that Truth for me. Trying is never failing. Love you & your sweet family, Natalie.
I always love your q&a’s, Natalie. As far as makeup goes, I heard Elle Lindquist say something on her UA-cam channel that really resonated with me. She said something along the lines of “makeup doesn’t make us beautiful, it makes us fancy. We are already beautiful.” And I’ve copied that with my daughter.
I love your Mommy videos! It helps me as a first time Mom 😍 With my husband gone a lot, I am basically a single Mom and its REALLY hard at times. Your videos help me get through the day- and my daughter loves watching them too (especially when your kids are in the video). 🤗😊
Oh, Hailey from the back looks like my 2 year old daughter Clara, it's very confusing to me haha The exact same hair.
Hahaha the poop. This morning my 2 month old woke up at 6am with a poopy diaper and when I changed him proceeded to poop all over the changing table. Luckily I use a bamboo liner and most of it stayed on there so I could just throw it in the wash.
I was totally blessed with the newborn stage. My babies were THE BEST behaved from day 1 to about 5 weeks. They woke up maybe twice a night which made cuddling them all day so stinking easy and dealing with them crying was so rewarding. At 5 weeks, they learned how to use their tempers. Ha!!
I agree about the picky eating situation! I have always fed my kids almost anything my husband and I are eating and they both eat almost anything. My rule with something new is try it and if they truly don't like it they can have something else.
I love your stance on makeup and Hailey. I tell my stepdaughter that I like makeup because it’s fun. It’s something I enjoy, and I use it as a creative outlet. I don’t use it because I feel I need to cover something up. She says she thinks I look weird with makeup which actually makes me feel good. I like that she prefers how I look without it.
You should do a video with Kristina. Like maybe a Q&A.
Thank you for talking about losing your temper! I feel so awful and guilty when it happens, and lately its been happening way more frequently as im 39 weeks pregnant and getting so tired. I find it difficult but i force myself to apologise after i lose my temper. Something i am really struggling with is in the moment of anger for some reason my auto reaction is a desire to swat my daughters hands, which is something i do NOT want to be doing but in the moment it seems to be my auto reaction and i dont know why. Its not a hard swat, its pretty gentle, but i do NOT want her replicating my poor behaviour especially with her sibling arriving soon. I dont know how to stop it being an auto reaction, but i need to try.
With my 2 year old i have definitely started having to be a bit hard nosed with dinner and not offering alternatives if she refuses to eat. One night she refused dinner and asked for something else and i gave it to her - and the next day for every meal she thought she could refuse the offered food and ask for something else! After that i stopped offering alternatives, if she wont eat it then fine she can go do something else after we have offered it for a while, but if she asks for food again she just gets the same food again until she eats it (which she always ends up doing!)
yesss!! ♥️♥️
My husband and I just found out we're expecting baby # 2. I'm hoping for a boy! We have a little girl who's 14 months right now and I feel similarly to you about having another girl.
What a lovely and genuine video :)