When we first opted into this lifestyle, one of my biggest concerns was how to homestead with littles. Doing anything with babies and toddlers is always interesting, but this lifestyle in particular can become downright chaotic all on its own. At any given time, we will need to go get feed or harvest produce or preserve our harvest for future seasons. Adding in the chaos of littles into that can be difficult, if not completely impossible for any one person to manage. Let me share my top tips on how to manage this chaos as best as possible so this life can still be fun and abundant.

1. Embrace the mess. It’s going to be messy. When there is dirt and animals and kids, the mess is inevitable. Give up the Pinterest dreams and go with it. It will save everyone a lot of emotional distress in the end.
2. Welcome them in. Even around 2 or 3, kids can be completely involved. All my kids as toddlers have loved sitting on the counter with me to help pour ingredients into bowls. They can carry buckets and dig holes for planting seeds. They want to help. They want to be alongside you, so giving them age appropriate jobs will help everyone enjoy this life more.
3. Grace and patience. With number two in mind, remember that little fingers make big messes, and having grace and patience when that happens is key. I have found myself commonly saying “I love you more than I love (whatever has been broken).” This goes a long way for my babies to know that their hearts are the only thing I care about being broken.

As we welcome in our newest little homesteader, I’m hoping to keep these things in my own mind so I can enjoy her childhood here on our farm as much as I hope she does!