The Magic + The Mess: Brittany Mann
Mama of three to Amelia (4), Isaac (2), and Levi (8 months), Brittany Mann is BUSY. Yet, she hugely inspires us with her perspective and ideas—and our most recent chat with her was no different. She shared everything from her family’s daily rhythms to what they’re learning, and the fun ways she keeps both her kids engaged and her relationship with her husband a priority. Read on, take what you need, and find comfort in the magic and the mess.
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At Home with Brittany
Even if my littles stay at home all day, we still go through the routine of getting dressed for the day. PJs are fun, but I have found we are all able to sense a shift in the day with a change of clothes!
Mornings are more about naps, school work, and chores, but afternoons are dedicated to free play and outside time. We’ve been taking walks when the weather permits. Sometimes the kids are on bikes and scooters. Sometimes we add a sprinting challenge or let the dog join us, but we’ve found carving out a little time in the outdoors has been good for our souls.
We’ve taken nature walks, flower walks, hikes, and bike rides all around our neighborhood. We are soaking in the delight our kids find in creating rainbow color wheels with flowers or new leaves with cool patterns or even the way a rock sounds when they throw it down a drain. We even got a butterfly kit and are waiting on our caterpillars to turn into chrysalis, leading to fun new conversations.
We’ve also been doing a movie that the kids start while dinner is prepped and we finish as a family before bed. Keeping this rhythm has made our days more predictable for the kids and they learn as we go!
Brittany is wearing the Izzy Top and Drake Joggers. Her son Levi is wearing the Greer overalls.
Sweet observations
My kids are spending A LOT of time together, which was hard on them at first. With two years between them and their different play preferences, they’ve had to make allowances for each other. They’ve learned grace and patience. Slowly (and sometimes painfully), they are learning to enjoy this time together. I’ve watched their imaginations weave together to play games I don’t understand, but captivate their little hearts.
Our little backyard has become a whole new world to them and it transforms for them daily, serving their new ideas. When disagreements arise (which happens a couple of times a day!), I let them handle it as much as I can. They are learning to apologize and forgive, encourage, and challenge. It’s been amazing to watch!
I also keep the mentality of embracing the mess and the chaos in play, but bringing back order midday and evening. This is something I do for myself and am teaching my kids to do as well. It helps to keep our house under control and fuels a sense of peace!
Isaac and Levi are both wearing the Greer Overalls.
A few daily or weekly rituals
I do one load of laundry a day, no matter what. It helps keep loads small and easy to take during small windows of “free-time”.
Every day to every other day, I go out for a “coffee break”. My favorite local coffee shop serves curbside coffee and muffins. While the kids play and my husband keeps watch, I sneak out for a coffee for us both and use the quick trip in the car as a quick reset and a little “me” time.
Every week we have “Fancy Family Dinner”, a tradition we started last year and have kept up amidst all of the grocery shopping chaos. Keeping this weekly dinner has been huge for us during this time. We dress up, make appetizers, rolls, an entree, and dessert. The kids have sparkling cider and use real plates. We light candles for each of us and someone special. It gives us something to look forward to every week and makes the days between fly by!
As tired as we are from a day of wrangling kids, my husband and I take at least three nights a week to spend intentional time together as a date night or to plan for our week. Watching TV is awesome, and something we do together often, but taking the time to engage in conversation with one another has helped us make the most out of our time at home and stay on the same page.
Girl’s Night Zoom time has been an essential for me! Every week, I pour a glass of wine, sit down in my favorite chair, and talk to my best friends. Some of us have kids and some don’t, but we all have common ground in making sense of this crazy time. We laugh and cry and share stories. I feel more connected after these nights and filled up for the rest of the week.
Brittany is wearing the Karolina Dress. Her daughter Amelia is wearing the Margaret Dress.
