As a busy mom, you can still enjoy projects with the family by keeping these tips in mind.

Realistic Family Projects for the Non-Pinterest Mom

Surfing through Pinterest, one of my favorite relaxing activities,  I’m bombarded by these extravagant family fun projects that make me cringe a little.

Inside I’m questioning how on earth these families have it together enough to make glorious arts and crafts, while my child is shoveling paste and crayons in her mouth faster than I can encourage her to stop.  {Yes, that’s Autism in action at our house!}

Here's how to embrace family projects even as a non-Pinterest mom.  These simple projects will have you making memories together in no time!

While I LOVE Pinterest, its standards can be a little daunting and I sometimes walk away wondering why I am not a more creative or hands-on mom.

I’ve heard from countless women who feel inferior and that they don’t measure up while surfing Pinterest and seeing posts of immaculate homes and magazine-worthy craft projects.

But you don’t have to be chained to expectations of craftiness or imaginary standards of super-mom perfection!

Your worth as a woman is not defined by how Pinterest-worthy your life is!

Your identity doesn’t lie in your ability to craft the perfect holiday wreath or throw glamorous birthday parties.

Your worth lies in God alone, and when you have a personal relationship with Him, He calls you daughter, chosen, and beloved, and gives you a new identity in Him.

This new identity doesn’t depend on your abilities or situations here on earth, but in who He is, and in His sacrifice for YOU.  He loved you enough to have His only Son die in your place at the cross, and when He did, it shattered all earthly expectations of perfection.

When you let go of the lie that you don’t measure up to Pinterest standards as a mother, remember who the Ultimate Standard is, and find security in knowing that the King of All Kings delights in YOU.

And when that new identity takes root in your soul and you begin to live free from the shackles of perfectionism, you’ll realize you can still have fun with a family project without being a Pinterest mom!  You don’t have to have elaborate projects or scrapbook worthy preparation photos for memories to be made and families to be unified.

Your kids won’t care if your project is super creative or if it doesn’t turn out perfectly. All they’ll remember is that you took time to intentionally build into their lives and spent time together.

So this week, we’re going to celebrate the Strong Family Project {#strongfamilyproject} in action with REALISTIC family projects. {Are you new to the Strong Family Project?  Grab a printable calendar of fun and focus on strengthening the bond of you family unit.}

We will:

1. Make memories with our family and laugh together.

2. Make a mess and be ok with it.

3. Resist the urge for perfection and let our children have a solid role in the project.

4. Understand that even if our project is a flop, the goal is to talk, laugh, and enjoy the company.

5. Let go of our insecurities about not being crafty and stop comparing our projects to those of other families.

As a busy mom, you can still enjoy projects with the family by keeping these tips in mind.

Easy Project ideas:

1. Make goo or slime together. {This is one of our favorites, and you can find more kid-friendly ideas on my Pinterest board, Kid Stuff.}

2. Have the family paint canvases to hang as art around the home or in their rooms.

3. Make sock puppets out of old socks and have a puppet show.

4. Do a Science experiment to make learning together fun {Great project ideas here.}

5. Do a service project together {Here’s a great list of projects for all ages.}

6. Make a family scrapbook.

7. Cook or bake together.

8. Send a care package to a soldier.

9. Shop for and make Blessing Bags to pass out to those in need. {Details about Blessing Bags found here}.

10.  Create a backyard obstacle course. {Ideas found here.}

There are countless ways to engage the whole family in a project and to strengthen your family bond.  Have fun and let those perfect Pinterest expectations go!

What are your favorite projects to bond with your family?

 

25 Comments

  1. Kelly Mama28kiddos says:

    I’ve never been one to come up with tons of projects for my kids during the summer especially. They have so little “free” time during the rest of the year I allow summers be the time they explore things they’re interested in that require little involvement from me except support, my experience if asked, and can usually be accomplished at home. Now my younger 4 are older this has included this summers projects, 14 ds is building a fence and laying some cement in an area I have wanted for a sitting area for awhile. He found scrap redwood and worked cutting it building it and it looks great. Now he put it in and it’s crooked so he is taking it back out and his dad is helping him to level it a bit more. My other son almost 16 is building some pathways through the backyard we’ve talked about for a very long time. DD 17.5 is reorganizing her room (much needed task!) and dd 11 is making lot’s of tin can wind chimes, drawing pictures for many shut ins we know, etc. All the kids are required to read something! We are enjoying just being home as much as we can be and finishing projects that are much needed family projects around the house 🙂 I love encouraging my kids creativity and seeing where it take them!

    1. I love it! I tend to be more like you and let the creativity flow, but my daughter has Autism, and can’t handle a lot of down time. But I love your ideas of these fabulous projects, and that they are getting such hands on experience at a young age. Bravo, mama!

  2. Our favorite project is “painting”- we give my son a big paintbrush with a bucket of water and he “paints” the house, sidewalk, stairs, etc. Keeps him occupied for hours!

  3. Favorite project? Hmmm …. so far this summer, we’ve been doing more meal planning/cooking together. The kids have been taking charge of entire dishes or even a whole meal, and we hang out together and talk our way through it They’re learning a lot, and the outcome is always yummy.

    1. Oh I can’t wait until my kids are old enough to cook for me! Sounds like a perfect family project!

  4. I love this. My home is definitely not Pinterest worthy, but I strive to make it homey and loving. I really want to do #3 with the socks that have lost their mates!

    1. I am the same way, Angela! There is such freedom in knowing that I don’t have to be that person and can be free to be who He created me to be!

    2. Mine is far from a Pinterest home too, but once we remember where our worth comes from, we realize we are free to be who God made us to be!

  5. I’m so glad my kids didn’t grow up during the Pinterest era because I think as a mom I would have been intimidated. The Pinterest parties, projects, everything – they just seem a bit over the top to me – and I’ll be the first to say that I LOVE Pinterest! But I was one of those moms who let my kids play a lot with each other and we didn’t do a whole lot of projects because those stressed me out!
    We baked together and went to the pool every day and hung out. So I like your project ideas way better, they are just more down to earth, I think.
    Anyhoo, I’m your neighbor on Grace and Truth today, friend! Good to see you again!

  6. So true! Who has the time for all of those elaborate projects?? I think Pinterest causes major mama anxiety! 🙂 Thanks for reminding people that sometimes the best kind of play is often the simple kind! 🙂

    Have a great weekend!

    1. I LOVE simple play, and encourage moms everywhere to jump in with the resources and talents God gave them! No need to be someone you’re not!

  7. I love paintings canvases with my kids. When we get tired of the current paintings, we just paint right over them and start again.

  8. Great ideas! I am obsessed with pinterest, but most of my projects are usually failures. I will keep these on hand to lower the stress!

    1. Ha! I am a Pinterest lover too, and am with you that most of my projects aren’t the best. 🙂

  9. Love the idea of a sock puppet project. Why didn’t I think of that?! Thanks for sharing this list!

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