June 6, 2025 • 43 mins
Corinne Lantis shares her journey transitioning from full-time corporate work in marketing to very part-time hours, reshaping her approach to motherhood, and discovering deep purpose in everyday family life.
• Former marketing professional who initially said she would "never be a stay-at-home mom"
• Struggled with her achievement-oriented personality (Enneagram 3) when first becoming a full-time mom
• Transitioned slowly into motherhood while moving from Colorado to Michigan to be near family
• Created intentional rhythms inspired by "Habits of the Household" including nighttime routines of pray, hope, story and song
• Deleted Instagram to be more present and intentional with her time and attention
• Chose classical education and hybrid homeschooling for their focus on cultivating wisdom and virtue
• Trained for marathons after each baby as a form of self-care and personal goal-setting
• Makes faith central by keeping her Bible visible and accessible throughout the day
• Prioritizes praying with her husband over their children each night
• Embraces the challenges of motherhood while seeking to be fully present in this season
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Today I am joined by Corinne Lantis, a mother of
three, former corporateprofessional and woman committed
to intentional living.
After thriving career inmarketing, corinne chose to
downshift her work and reorienther life around motherhood, home
and faith.
She shares her journey oftransitioning from full-time
corporate work to very part-timehours, how her Enneagram 3
(00:25):
personality reshaped herapproach to parenting, and how
faith has grounded her throughseasons of change, including a
cross-country move,homeschooling and training for a
marathon.
This is a conversation aboutsurrendering control, embracing
small beginnings and discoveringdeep purpose in the everyday
work of motherhood.
Welcome to Little Hands, bigPlans the podcast for moms who
(00:48):
want to reimagine work afterkids and build a life where
family comes first, withoutgiving up your dreams.
I'm Emilia and I know firsthandhow much motherhood shifts our
careers, our priorities and ourpace.
But instead of seeing it as asetback, what if we saw it as an
invitation, an opportunity todesign a life with a little more
(01:10):
freedom, a little more presenceand a little more fulfillment?
Each week, we'll have honestconversations with moms who've
shaped their work and businessaround what truly matters.
Whether you're considering acareer pivot, dreaming of a
slower pace or just wonderingwhat's possible, you're in the
right place.
So grab a little something warm, settle in and let's explore
(01:32):
the possibilities together.
Hey Corinne, thanks for havingme.
I'm so excited to hear moreabout your journey, motherhood,
career, all the fun stuff.
Tell us a little bit about whatyour career was like before
(01:53):
kids.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, so I was actually a exercise science
major in college Me too.
Really, I didn't know thateither.
We'll have to definitely talkmore about that because, yes,
there's a lot.
So I took a after I graduated,I was applying to grad school
and just really I moved out toColorado pretty immediately to
(02:18):
go be with Scott, my thenboyfriend, soon to be fiance,
now husband but moved out toColorado from Michigan and was
okay, am I going to do gradschool?
What am I going to do with thismajor that I don't really like,
don't really enjoy?
And I was actually nannying andI heard about a job on the radio
(02:41):
, on the Christian radio station, and they were, like, apply for
this job.
And so I felt totallyunqualified.
But I had a career, a job incollege that like fulfilled all
my kind of creative needs anddesires and like the way that
God made me, and so, anyway, Iapplied for the job, got it, and
it was marketing for CalebRadio, which is a Christian
(03:03):
radio station, and it wasmarketing for Caleb Radio, which
is a Christian radio station,christian radio network, and so
I worked concerts eventspromotions for Caleb Radio in
the Denver office.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So it was a lot of fun.
That is amazing and I don'tthink I knew that.
Yeah, yeah, okay.
So before you had kids, whatwas your plan?
And then did it change?
Did it stay the same?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I had always said that I would never be a
stay-at-home mom.
I was just naively.
I will never do that Becauseyou just didn't think it was for
you.
I feel God made me veryachievement-oriented.
The three on the Enneagram so Ijust I love goals.
Achievement oriented a thethree on the enneagram so I just
I love goals.
I love accomplishing things andhaving that feeling.
(03:48):
And so the corporate.
I loved working.
I loved working, I felt good atit, I loved managing people, I
felt accomplished, I had goodresults from the work that I did
, and so I just never, I neverreally felt like I wanted to be
a stay-at-home mom.
So then with Emerson, we hadmaternity leave and it was COVID
(04:09):
.
So it was weird and I also amgrateful to God for it, because
it was the work from homemovement started.
So I went back to work after Ihad my first daughter and I was
working from home after that.
So we had a babysitter come inand I would hear her play with
Emerson and would sit there andI started having these feelings
of what is God doing?
Do I want to do this?
This is really hard to hear mybaby in the other room and not
(04:32):
be in there and be sleeping.
So it was back full time, backfull time with Emerson.
And then we got pregnant prettyquickly with Brooks, our second
born, and that's when I feltlike God was totally calling me
to be a stay-at-home mom and Iimmediately just had a strong
gut feeling of I want to be theone to raise my kids and did you
quit right away?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
How did you handle that?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It was a tough transition because that's when I
got pregnant with my second.
It was again.
They were 13 months apart, soincredibly close age gap and
that's when we decided we'regonna go move to Michigan to be
near family and so my husband'sjob changed.
My job changed.
I did transition slowly, but wewere moving across the country
(05:14):
so I couldn't keep my job inDenver and they slowly trickled
it out to part-time and then iteventually fizzled out.
So it lasted the transition ofour move to Michigan, but then I
was pretty much done working bythe time we moved.
So Emerson was not yet one.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
How did you find that change of pace and do you think
that the way that you run yourhousehold or manage motherhood,
do you think you stillincorporate that part of your
personality?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I do, because I have been told before that I'm
like high capacity and so I justagain, with having three kids
or having two close in age, itfeels like I, just I can manage
it a little bit better.
And again, I think that goesall glory to God and how he made
me.
But just sometimes the chaosand the stress doesn't affect me
(06:11):
as quickly and I'm I'm okaymultitasking and I'm I'm always
laughing that one before we havepeople come over, I just go
into like turbo mode and I needto accomplish, watch the kids
clean the house, house, cook themeal and have it ready by the
time people come.
So I would agree.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I think sometimes, even when we're gonna get
together, you can do so manythings like make sourdough
bagels, oh, and so I report onyou too.
So how long did you go beforeyou decided that you were ready
again to take on a little bit ofwork?
How did you transition intosomething different?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, I think that I honestly do think I was scared
for the full stay-at-home momconcept.
So even after I quit at K-Love,there was another job that was
marketing and it was part-timebut fully remote.
I hopped in with thatimmediately and so I was working
about 20 hours a week, yeah,and it felt like a lot, but I
(07:12):
was just.
I felt like I was clinging justwith all that I had onto I need
, I want to be a working mom.
This is what I've always.
I never said I was going to bea stay-at-home mom, so I, I'm
gonna white knuckle this untilit kills me.
And it was a lot, and I thinkit was a lot of pride, but yeah,
so I worked until my son wasborn and then I went on
(07:34):
maternity leave again.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So I, yeah, then worked for that next year
part-time, and so did you takeany time for maternity leave or
okay.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah, then I had about three months maternity
leave, okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Second time, okay, and then you downshifted a
little bit more.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Then I downshifted.
I was still part-time and againit was just getting harder and
harder and I again was justwhite knuckling, not being a
stay-at-home mom.
So I have to work and I thinkit was I probably hit.
I think my son Brooks wasprobably six months by the time
I said I can't do this anymore.
And I think it was I probablyhit.
I think my son Brooks wasprobably six months by the time
I said I can't do this anymoreand I just fully quit okay and
(08:11):
did you feel it was a sudden?
Speaker 1 (08:13):
it was okay, I had a hard day, or did you?
How do you come thinking aboutit for a while.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It was a couple months of hard.
My husband looking at me sayingwhy on earth are you doing this
?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
you don't need to do this and for child care.
Then you still had someonecoming to your house to help you
.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, okay, a babysitter, yeah what do you
have?
A flexible schedule, or was it?
Yeah, flexible schedule, butthey wanted a lot of
face-to-face, like clientmeetings.
Yeah, and again, as astay-at-home mom, I can't always
be face-to-face ready, and itwas.
So the hours were not regularand that was also.
What didn't work for me is Ineeded regular hours where I
(08:48):
could schedule a babysitter andso I couldn't take a client
meeting at the last minute andexpect to not have a screaming
child in the background.
So then I was done.
I was.
I think it was.
Yeah, maybe I the timeline isescaping me, but yes, then I was
done.
When I was done with thatsecond marketing job months
after my maternity leave, so itwas probably yeah.
(09:10):
Six months in then I was justdone and I was home with kids
full time.
Stay at home mom Amazing, yes.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
And then when I first met you, you had a very
flexible, not very many hours,still something.
Yeah, how for someone thatwants that type of job that
works with mostly being stay athome but not full-on, let's say,
20 hour a week job?
(09:37):
How did you find that and whattips do you have?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I honestly feel like God has been very gracious in,
at the right time, giving methings that he knew that I
needed.
Yeah, just something, because,again, I do love working, I've
always loved working, itfulfills a part of me, and so
God was gracious in giving methose opportunities in the right
time, especially that one.
But a lot of it was networkingjust people I knew.
(10:05):
This most recent one was afriend that I met in Colorado
and it's a company in Coloradoand he basically was like hey,
any hours you can work, comework for me.
And he was.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
He is a great guy and you had mentioned that you
might be interested, or it justcame up in conversation, I think
it was out of the blue.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It was similar to the work.
So the work that I didpreviously was like a pretty
specific.
Again, my background ischristian marketing yeah, for
christian radio station, and alot of it is seo and working
with churches and grant writingand all that sort of thing um so
again it's like, yeah, veryspecific, very niche, random.
(10:46):
So these other companies areessentially marketing companies
that are like an outsourcedmarketing team for churches.
And I have a very stronghistory of working with churches
, Christian nonprofits orpersonnel.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Is there like a specific type of job board for
someone that's interested, thathas not had a job like that to
get, or I would say thecommunity?
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I would just say yeah , I would say it's a very small
network of people who are inChristian nonprofits or
ministries, because a lot ofthat is churches.
So I would say LinkedIn is areally great tool and even
church, just looking up churchmarketing personnel.
Online you can connect withsome people because, again, all
(11:32):
the comms people they're goingto generally know each other or
they'll know what they need interms of like marketing.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, so any parting advice on that topic for working
very part-time hours?
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, I would just say be very upfront and
transparent with your employerfrom the jump.
Just be very clear of andprotect that.
And also, when they don't staytrue to what they've promised,
you don't sacrifice on your kids.
That's not what you need to besacrificing.
You need to.
(12:06):
I should have been moredefensive at times of my
schedule and what I had said andwhat was promised to me and
what was ultimately given up wastime with my kids, and so make
sure that there's transparencyon your end of what works for
your family, and I do thinkthere are employers out there
that will work with you on thatabsolutely shifting gears a
(12:28):
little bit.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
one of the things that really stands out about
your journey is how intentionalyou are with, I think, the way
you live your life, the way thatyou seek faith, priority
household, and I would love tohear, if you were always that
way, how you became that way,because I think most people
(12:53):
would want to be intentionalwith the way we spend our time,
but it's very difficult toactually do it and to make
difficult decisions likedeleting Instagram, to be able
to be more present and to nothave a lot of distractions.
I really look up to you in thatsense and I would love to know
(13:17):
how that comes about, becauseyou make it seem easy, but I'm
sure that it wasn't always thatway maybe yeah, that is very
nice of you to say Really Thankyou, that's very kind.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I do not know.
It was not that way and I stillstruggle with it and work very
hard on it, and I think that'swhy I have to work really hard
on it.
But my first year as astay-at-home mom, or right after
my son was born my second-bornson I felt like I was just
(13:51):
existing and just in that blackhole of day-to-day, there's no
routine, there's method or rhymeor reason and I'm just being
swallowed alive by motherhoodand it feels exhausting and
overwhelming and I have nobodyand it was just.
it was dark, honestly.
So I don't think it was reallyuntil I quit my job and I just
(14:20):
was in therapy and had communityin church and and that's when I
started God started working inme, saying I've created you for
this and this is what gets yourattention now and this is what
you need to be.
Do not grow weary of doing goodin motherhood and really
(14:40):
starting to be intentional aboutit.
And then, when I think ourthird born, jack, was born, I
really started to enjoy it interms of I can do this is still
hard, but I'm going to make themost of this, and this is by
calling, and I'm going to workwith everything that I have and
put all my energy and everythingthat God made me into this and
(15:02):
I think it it was just a slowdevelopment and everything that
God made me into this and Ithink it was just a slow
development, a slow boil overtime of God working in me a
thousand percent, but it was notalways like that and I think I
needed time to say that time andthose moments of this is
overwhelming.
I can't do this and to reallythen shift and say, nope, you're
going to do this, we're goingto work hard at this and this is
(15:24):
going to be intentional.
One of the books that you saidhad helped.
You is called Habits of theHousehold, do you?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
want to share one or two or three little things that
someone that might not have readthe book could try to implement
.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yes, I cannot recommend it enough.
I think it's really good.
One of them, one of my favoriteones, is just the habit at
nighttime and it's just littlerituals of things that you can
say again, so that when you areoverwhelmed or it has been a
hard moment, you still aregrounded and you can go back to
saying the same thing that yousay every night to your kid yeah
(16:01):
, and he has one specificallythat he says.
But basically I startedimplementing what we call
praying hope story song, and soevery night before bed we do
pray and so we'll say a prayerand then we do hope, which is
our Bible verse.
So we memorize the Bible verseand the kids it's crazy how much
they love it and they know itand they will learn it and we'll
(16:23):
go through different verses andso they have a memory.
Verse One per week no, it's likeper year, no, we've done maybe
three or four.
And then story We'll tell thema story Kids love stories and
then song.
And so we'll sing a song tothem and I'll scratch each of
their backs and then, before Ileave, I just say to them and
(16:50):
this was taken from the book, aversion of it is I'll say,
emerson, there's nothing thatyou could do that can make me
love you more than I love youright now.
There's nothing that you coulddo that can make me love you
less than I love you right now.
And God loves you that way.
To rest in that love.
And then I go to Brooks and Isay that and those are just yeah
, just and again, all taken fromhim.
It's like I made it my own anddid my own version.
But those are just things thatlike, at the end of the day, I'm
grounded to remember that, nomatter how crazy this day was.
(17:14):
We went to this museum todayand you saw firsthand how crazy
it was and there's misbehaviors,but having those moments of
reminder of the bigger pictureand helps me and, I think, helps
them.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah, I really love that.
Yeah, great book.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
So Instagram, you deactivated it, deleted the app?
Yeah, how has that been?
What are some of the thingsthat you have noticed most, and
do you plan on having it deletedforever?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
I feel like right now , I don't miss it at all.
There was a moment when I feltlike I lived under a rock and I
realized how much of the worldnews I miss out on.
Yeah, and so it's justreshifting those things of.
Okay, I need to be getting thenews somehow.
Yeah, I need to be stayingupdated on that.
(18:10):
That's practical.
So I started subscribing to thePour Over, which is like a
Christian news source and youjust get daily emails every day.
So, again, it's reassessingwhat am I going to do to fill
this time, because I also easilyget.
Okay, I'm going to turn theshow on now, that's my new thing
.
Or I'm going to online shop.
So something's always going tobe pulling for your attention.
(18:32):
It may not be social media, butit's going to be a show or
something.
It's going to be a show orsomething, and so I have tried
to work in podcasts, audio books.
Let's be filling my mind withthese things that are going to
be giving me knowledge andwisdom from the Lord.
(18:54):
Am I reading my Bible more?
The point of this is to be moreintentional with the time that
I'm spending.
So I feel like those are thetwo observations I've made.
Is okay.
Now I have to be careful ofwhat I'm filling my time with,
and also something will alwaysbe wanting my attention.
So I still have to have momentswhere I'm putting my phone down
(19:15):
and I say I'm going to leavethis here for an hour and I'm
going gonna go play with my kids.
Doesn't always happen, butthat's the goal, have you
noticed?
Speaker 1 (19:23):
any loss of connection, because I love the
concept, but when I think aboutit, I think my biggest fear is
you have people that youwouldn't necessarily see as
often, but that you would loveto stay in touch with.
Social media feels like such aneasy way to do that.
(19:44):
Yeah it does, althoughsometimes I think it also is
more superficial, because thenyou feel like you're caught up,
but you are only caught up.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
And everyone's highlight reel.
Yep, no, totally.
What I started doing with myfriends who are long distance is
we'll do a monthly update andso we'll just send each other 10
photos.
Oh, I like that Of a month'supdate, of See.
You have such good ideas.
It was hard at first because Iwas.
We were saying I haven't seenyou, are you alive?
And I'm also a phone talker,which is scary to most people
(20:15):
that I'm talking on the phoneLike I would rather pick up the
phone and call you than text you.
So luckily, I have a lot offriends in Colorado.
That's how we will communicate.
Is we just talk on the phone?
Yeah, on the way over here Icalled three people.
Oh good, so again, you justhave to reevaluate that.
But yeah, it is hard.
You do feel like you're missingout.
But again, it's everyone'shighlight reel and I also didn't
(20:38):
want it to get to the pointwhere I'm not conjuring up this
life.
That's not really real.
You're seeing my highlight reel, but this is not my day-to-day
and I just I don't want to puttime and energy into something
that's not super authentic.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah, If that makes sense.
So another thing that I knowwasn't necessarily in your plans
was to do any form ofhomeschooling.
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
And that has changed.
That was another thing I said Iwould.
I will never.
Okay, God, yeah, Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Before that I didn't.
I had never heard aboutclassical education before you,
even though now I hear all thetime and I know it's this big
way of educating.
Yes, so for someone that'snever heard of it, can you do
the high level of what classicaleducation is and then how it
ties into hybrid homeschooling?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
yeah, so I have to look at my notes for this one
because it's multifaceted.
My husband and I went to acollege that was a classical
education and it was reallyimpactful in what I want for my
kids, and when we moved back toMichigan I didn't know that it
was an option until we found theschool that they are now at.
(21:57):
So classical education thepurpose of classical education
is to cultivate wisdom andvirtue, and this happens by
nourishing the soul on truth,goodness and beauty, which is
often done through liberal artsand the four sciences, and then,
if you think about christianeducation, all that is so that
the student is able to knowChrist and glorify him forever.
(22:21):
So I think essentially the shortversion of it is that classical
education focuses on the wholeof the student and it's not just
we're not trying to throw somenumbers at you and just memorize
all this stuff so that you canpass the test, but it's really
cultivating the person as awhole and you do that through
means that have withstood thetest of time rhetoric, logic,
(22:43):
resuscitation, which issomething.
To have kids stand and memorizethings for lengthy, meaningful
passages is really neat and thenthe hybrid level that just
works alongside with the parent,so it is making sure that the
parent comes alongside inbuilding the child and building
(23:04):
the student.
And it's not just you ship yourkid off to school and it's the
school's job to throw a bunch ofnumbers in their head, but it's
, how are we collectively goingto form the soul of this student
?
Which seems like a lovely task.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
I agree.
Okay, so you did not want tohomeschool or you did not feel
called to homeschool.
So when you learned of theschool which assigned to your
church, why did you consider it,knowing that was not something
you were interested in?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
I think because of the purpose and the mission of
the school, it was verycompelling and we felt really
called to where God was leadingus in this direction and also it
didn't feel like that muchpressure of I have to be my
kid's teacher.
It is I am just helping workout and helping them rehearse
(23:56):
the things that they've alreadylearned and I'm just
reemphasizing that.
And again, that is how youlearn is through practice and
through the whole right.
And so when we now I get totake them out on nature walks
and we're saying, oh, youlearned about this animal, let's
go find it out in nature.
Or let's go talk about why thisis happening outside and the
(24:17):
leaves are changing.
What is the science behind it?
So it's just cool that it's all.
It all can work together.
Yeah, and so I feel like ittakes the pressure off too when
I'm just using simple logic tore-emphasize the things that
they've been taught in class,and it's not like I have to be
their teacher.
Yeah, she feels less pressurefor me.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I've never heard of hybrid, hybrid homeschooling,
hybrid schooling, I guess thatwasn't too familiar
Homeschooling in general, butyeah.
So how many days do your kidsgo to school and what does your
portion look like, let's say,for elementary school?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
So, yeah, a lot of this is not.
We are not not yet there, butfrom my understanding is it will
be.
Monday is an independent studyday, they call it, and so
they're at home with us andagain, we can be on vacation or
we can be traveling.
We don't have to be home, wecan take our school anywhere,
and but then tuesday, wednesday,thursday are school, normal
(25:19):
school day, eight to three.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
And they learn all the core things?
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yes, yeah, yep, yeah, all the normal things they do
have.
They have.
I like how intentional they arewith like this is what the
portrait of a student is goingto look like after you graduate.
This is what our school lookslike, and just, they're very
intentional with how they wantit to look like and and their
goals are right.
When you have a very specificend in mind, there's more
(25:44):
intention with building that.
Yeah, so Tuesday, wednesday,thursday are in school and then
Friday's home, which is nicebecause you have kind of those
long weekends to shift gears alittle bit again.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
You did a big move.
You were living in Colorado,moved to Michigan and a big part
of that was being around family.
But I guess, having gonethrough it, do you still feel
that it was the right decision,because I'm sure you still miss
Colorado and all the community.
(26:17):
Great things For someone that'sconsidering weighing pros and
cons of living far away fromfamily but really loving where
you're at, versus feeling likeyou're giving that up but being
family.
Now that you've had thehindsight and have explored both
options, what do you thinksomeone should keep in mind?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Yeah, I think that you have to choose your heart.
So it's going to be hard eitherway when you have a community.
For us, we had a community thatwe really loved and culture and
an outdoor culture that wereally loved, activities based.
We loved our lives.
But you have to choose yourheart of do you want to be near
(27:00):
family or do you want to loseand leave behind something that
you really love and that youtook a lot of pride in, and so I
think for somebody consideringa move like also could be
different.
You could be choosing to moveaway from your family or moving
towards your family.
But I think for us our movedidn't come without losses and I
(27:21):
probably regretted our move forthe first full year that we
were back and then some.
It really took a toll on mymental health and we had a lot
of change happening at the sametime.
I was pregnant with our second,we were moving across the
country, we changed our jobs andI was on my way to becoming a
stay-at-home mom, and we weremoving across the country.
We changed our jobs and I wason my way to becoming a
(27:41):
stay-at-home mom and we weremoving.
So for us it was verycompounding.
Yeah, a lot of change, but Ithink that I have people in my
life that are considering moving, and it's going to come with
losses and wins too.
So I would say that beprayerful and remember your why,
of why you're the biggerpicture, of why you want to do
(28:01):
it or why you don't want to doit.
I think that also it really askthose deep, big questions on
the front end and be prayerfulabout it.
And I think that a lot of myregret stems from feeling like
we made a rush decision, and soif I had known that we really
had been prayerful andintentional and slow in making
our decision, then maybe I wouldfeel more confidence during the
(28:24):
hard moments.
But because I felt like it wasa little bit rushed on our end,
then sometimes I feel like I hadmore regret.
So be prayerful, be in constantconversation with your husband
or wife or your community, andhave those people who are
reminding you of your why too.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
So that's what I would say, and you mentioned
having a small age gap, yourfirst two babies, and how that
was something that was reallydifficult.
Now that you look back on it,what do you think are some
things that a mom that is goingto be having a small age gap,
(29:01):
intentionally or notintentionally, that they can do
to ease that transition a littlebit, because I know that it can
be more challenging?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
yeah, I would say definitely make sure that you
have good health care, likecollective or like whole health
care.
In terms of therapy, yeah, interms of an ob exercise, like
physical therapist, because it'sa lot.
It takes a big toll on yourbody physically to have kids.
That close together and I don'tthink, I think that I
(29:31):
overlooked that.
So definitely make sure thatyou're getting holistic health
care, yeah, for every part ofyou, because it will it does
affect you hormones are that's alot on your body, yeah,
especially hormone wise.
and I also think that healthcarefor every part of you because
it will, it does affect youHormones are that's a lot on
your body, especially hormonewise.
And I also think that myhusband and I had to learn how
to do it as a team, because itdid take teamwork in that I
couldn't do it all by myself.
(29:51):
I essentially had two babies,and parents of twins will know
that too.
You have to work as a team andalso to get help and to know
that you do need help, and it'sokay to ask for help, and it's
okay to have seasons where youneed a house cleaner or a season
where you need a regularbabysitter.
There is no shame in that Aseason when you need to be able
(30:13):
to maybe have more walks thannormal.
And that's why I got intorunning was because I needed not
only personal health but justthat mental clarity.
It's a lot, and it's okay thatit's a lot, and it's okay that
it's hard, but there's joys init on the other end, for sure.
I feel like we're experiencingsome of those really fun joys,
but, yeah, I feel like havingthose moments of it's okay that
(30:35):
it's hard and now that you havethree, you have experienced a
bigger age gap and you also haveexperienced a 13 yes age gap.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Did you have to prepare the older siblings
differently with the age gap ordo you feel that it was the same
?
Speaker 2 (30:56):
yeah, I'm.
It was just night and daydifferent, I think, between the
two, because we my daughterwasn't really talking, she
wasn't super verbal.
She, I remember, had the videoof him coming home.
She was like baby, that was herfirst words.
But and so, yeah, this time wewere more intentional of
explaining what was going tohappen and how to treat babies
(31:18):
and we would practice with theirbaby dolls and all that and,
being older, they're helpful.
Yeah, I'm loving this.
It's been about two years.
So, yeah, they're very helpfuland they've been.
It's been super fun.
Yeah, it's been fun, both kinds, but I get what you're saying
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Another thing that you're really intentional on is
making time for God and makingtime to not let that
relationship just be on the side.
Again, how do you do it?
What are some habits that youhave cultivated to make that
(32:00):
happen?
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah, again, I am worried.
This is work in progress, athousand percent.
I am not at the place where Ifeel like I have arrived by any
means.
But one thing that I feel likehas helped me and this was
recommended by another mom was,instead of feeling like you're
going to have this time, thatyou're going to just go to your
secret place of God every dayand have time in your prayer
(32:23):
closet, just bring your Bibleout and just have it on the
counter so that while you'recooking dinner or while there's
two minutes of silence, to justhave it to look at and to
reference.
And I feel like that's helpfulin making scriptures the
authority of your home andmaking it really predominant in
(32:45):
your kids' lives too is seeingyou read it.
And a lot of times when I havemy Bible out and I'm reading it,
my kids will ask me what I'mreading.
So that's fun to be able toshare the scriptures with them
in that sense.
But that's one little habitthat I like to incorporate.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Are you like your mom a lot?
Do you feel that she?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
would yeah, I think we're similar.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
We get that a lot that we're similar, yes, and so
are some of the things that youhave incorporated, things that
you grew up with, that youremember.
Do you have?
Speaker 2 (33:15):
anything like that.
I just remember that my mom isa bible study teacher now and
she always has been ministryminded and focused and has
always been ministry.
She went to seminary and so Ijust I have memories of growing
up and having walking into herroom and she's surrounded by
books on her floor.
She's surrounded by books andshe's got her Bible out and
(33:38):
she's reading her Bible and Ijust feel like she always was
grounded by reading scripturesbecause she had four kids, and
so you need to have thosemoments with the Lord and him
refining you, and so I feel likeI am impacted by that to this
day of just I need to beparented by God as much as I'm
(33:58):
parenting my kids Do you havehabits like that with Scott that
you do together.
He actually just started, whichI really appreciate, because
after a busy day it's hard Againif you haven't read your Bible.
It's hard to not just want tocrash in your bed.
But he started reading just onechapter.
(34:18):
He just we picked 2 Corinthiansand he's I'm going to read this
every night before bed, nomatter how late it is.
We're reading this together andthat's been really helpful, and
so we'll read one chapter anight together at the end of the
day, and then I think justpraying over our kids together
is really powerful, and so wealways try to do that, because
somebody said that to me once ifyou're not praying for your
(34:40):
kids, who is praying for yourkids?
You have to hope other peopleare.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
But you don't know, yeah, and who's going to be
doing it with as muchconsistency as the parent?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
And specifically praying for their spouse,
praying for their salvation,praying for their safety,
praying for them to love thescriptures.
Yeah, who is praying for allthose things if not us.
And that was another thing inthe Habits of the Household that
they talked about is just everynight before bed praying over
your kid before you go to yourbed, because you always do the
checks before you go into sleep.
(35:09):
But having that is another timeof I'm already checking on them.
So how can I habit stack andsay a prayer a little bit before
bed?
Speaker 1 (35:17):
I don't know Singing all these songs.
That book is awesome.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm going to add it to my list.
Yeah, it's really great.
Okay, running you mentionedthat on top of all these things,
we're training for a marathon,and okay, so I'm also training
for a marathon.
Yeah, you are, but I want toknow how you've done it.
(35:40):
What are some habits that youhave incorporated?
You and Scott do such a goodjob, it seems like as a team, to
both get your runs in, and youstarted because you did a half
marathon already after Brooke.
After Brooke yeah, someone thathas never run before where?
Speaker 2 (36:00):
do they start?
I started simply because I wasagain in a poor mental state and
I needed something for myselfand something that was also
healthy and just me time.
Were you a runner before?
yes yeah I did cross country inhigh school.
I ran a half marathon before.
Oh, I always meant a thing forme.
So, yeah, that was easy.
(36:20):
But whatever it is, I feel asmothers we have a minimal time,
typically of alone time orwhatever, and you always feel
like you have to.
I am I gonna shower, am I gonnaread my body, gonna work out
what am I gonna do, and so, justagain, being intentional with
something you enjoy, that is metime.
So maybe it's not running, butmaybe it's yoga that you love or
(36:42):
barre class.
So, whatever it is, that's youtime and also healthy.
You're doing your multitasking,but yeah, so I started it as
just some me time.
That was good for my mentals,but yeah, I think it's fun to do
it with somebody who is a goodpartner.
So Scott's really generous inmaking sure that I get my run in
(37:05):
and doing what I need to do.
I think a schedule helps.
Of this is my training scheduleso we know every week I'm going
to be running.
On certain days there's aFriday, saturday and he can work
.
He works around that.
So, you do the same days everyweek, yeah, and then we'll throw
in a workout class in there,but I'll typically do the
mornings.
He likes to run at night.
I'll do mornings.
(37:25):
We take turns with it, and whenI signed up for this marathon,
I intentionally was like you gotto sign up for something too,
because I don't want this tojust be me.
You have to do all thesacrifice for me, like I want
this to be you do something foryou too.
I'll take some time, you takesome time, let's do it yeah and
so it's been fun in that sensewhere we're not maybe running
(37:45):
together, but we each have ourown thing and we can sacrifice
and let the other person havetheir moment and you did the
first one together too.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Yeah, did you do.
Is that something you did afterevery?
Speaker 2 (37:57):
baby.
Yes, so it's againgoal-oriented, correct, where
I'm like after every kid.
My goal was to run a halfmarathon after every baby, so I
never did one for emerson, soI've done one for brooks and
I've done one for jack, butemerson gets my marathon, so she
gets two oh, they're whole.
Yes, and that's amazing.
(38:18):
Hopefully we don't have twinsin the future, or something.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
You're not on social media.
But if someone wants to connectwith you, what is the best way
that they can connect with you?
You can give them my phonenumber.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
We can be friends in person because I feel like the
community of motherhood, of moms, is just so strong and so
needed across the board.
So I feel like friendships aresomething I will never, ever
neglect and would always love tobe more friends and be
encouraged by other moms.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Okay, any other final words of encouragement for moms
that want to be moreintentional in motherhood, home,
work-life balance.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I have a little passage that I this is from one
of my favorite.
This is the classical educationin me.
This was given to us by ourschool and it's called the
duties of parents by jc ryle,and it's a beautiful picture of
just the duties of parents and Iwas looking it over and I think
(39:24):
it sums up like classicaleducation, parenting, and
obviously like biblicalparenting.
This is I hope this isencouraging, but it says train
up a child in the way he shouldgo and that he never laid a
command on man which he wouldnot give man grace to perform.
And I know too that our duty isnot to stand still and dispute
but to go forward and obey.
It is just in the going forwardthat god will meet us.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
The path of obedience is the perfect example of just
how intentional you are infinding encouraging, and I
really hope that you find afriend that listens and could
use more current in their life.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
But this was sweet of you to have me on here and to
chat, so thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I have six episode takeaways that I want to share
with you today.
One career downshifting is bothemotional and freeing.
Corinne shared how she movedfrom a fast-paced corporate role
to working part-time andeventually to full-time at home,
and how it challenged heridentity and reshaped her values
.
Her high capacity skills arestill used to bless her
(40:44):
household.
Two small age gaps are intenseand survivable, with her first
two children born 13 monthsapart.
Curran offered encouragementfor navigating physical,
emotional and logistical demandsduring those early years,
including the importance ofteamwork with your spouse and
holistic postpartum care withyour spouse and holistic
postpartum care.
3.
(41:04):
Intentional rhythms transformmotherhood.
Inspired by the book's Habitsof the Household, corinne shared
the nighttime routine shedeveloped, pray, hope story and
song, and how a few intentionalmoments each day ground both her
kids and herself.
3.
Deleting Instagram can createmore presence and peace.
(41:26):
Corinne explained how steppingaway from social media helped
her reclaim time, avoidcomparison and become more
intentional about how sheconnects with God, her kids and
her community.
4.
Classical education and hybridhomeschooling can work
beautifully.
Corinne explained whatclassical education means, how
hybrid homeschooling supportsthe whole child and why it was a
(41:49):
surprising but meaningfulchoice for her family.
Five running is an excellentform of self-care.
Training for a marathon aftereach child has helped Corinne
find clarity, discipline and joy.
She offered insight into howshe and her husband make space
for each other's personal growthgoals, even in a full season,
(42:11):
and six faith shapes it all.
From moving across the countryto structuring her days.
Corinne shared how scripture,prayer and spiritual community
guide her decisions and how itsustains her through
motherhood's hardest and holiestwork.
That's it for today's episode.
Thank you for spending thistime with me.
I know how valuable your timeis and I hope you're walking
(42:33):
away feeling encouraged to dreama little bigger about what's
possible for your work andfamily life.
If this episode spoke to you,it would mean so much if you
shared it with another mom whoneeds this kind of encouragement
.
Make sure to subscribe so younever miss an episode, and if
you want to keep theconversation going, connect with
(42:54):
me on LinkedIn.
Just search Emilia Cotto.
That's E-M-I-L-I-A-C-O-T-O.
Until next time, remember,motherhood isn't the end of your
dreams, it's just the beginning.
Today I am joined by Corinne Lantis, a mother of
three, former corporateprofessional and woman committed
to intentional living.
After thriving career inmarketing, corinne chose to
downshift her work and reorienther life around motherhood, home
and faith.
She shares her journey oftransitioning from full-time
corporate work to very part-timehours, how her Enneagram 3
(00:25):
personality reshaped herapproach to parenting, and how
faith has grounded her throughseasons of change, including a
cross-country move,homeschooling and training for a
marathon.
This is a conversation aboutsurrendering control, embracing
small beginnings and discoveringdeep purpose in the everyday
work of motherhood.
Welcome to Little Hands, bigPlans the podcast for moms who
(00:48):
want to reimagine work afterkids and build a life where
family comes first, withoutgiving up your dreams.
I'm Emilia and I know firsthandhow much motherhood shifts our
careers, our priorities and ourpace.
But instead of seeing it as asetback, what if we saw it as an
invitation, an opportunity todesign a life with a little more
(01:10):
freedom, a little more presenceand a little more fulfillment?
Each week, we'll have honestconversations with moms who've
shaped their work and businessaround what truly matters.
Whether you're considering acareer pivot, dreaming of a
slower pace or just wonderingwhat's possible, you're in the
right place.
So grab a little something warm, settle in and let's explore
(01:32):
the possibilities together.
Hey Corinne, thanks for havingme.
I'm so excited to hear moreabout your journey, motherhood,
career, all the fun stuff.
Tell us a little bit about whatyour career was like before
(01:53):
kids.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, so I was actually a exercise science
major in college Me too.
Really, I didn't know thateither.
We'll have to definitely talkmore about that because, yes,
there's a lot.
So I took a after I graduated,I was applying to grad school
and just really I moved out toColorado pretty immediately to
(02:18):
go be with Scott, my thenboyfriend, soon to be fiance,
now husband but moved out toColorado from Michigan and was
okay, am I going to do gradschool?
What am I going to do with thismajor that I don't really like,
don't really enjoy?
And I was actually nannying andI heard about a job on the radio
(02:41):
, on the Christian radio station, and they were, like, apply for
this job.
And so I felt totallyunqualified.
But I had a career, a job incollege that like fulfilled all
my kind of creative needs anddesires and like the way that
God made me, and so, anyway, Iapplied for the job, got it, and
it was marketing for CalebRadio, which is a Christian
(03:03):
radio station, and it wasmarketing for Caleb Radio, which
is a Christian radio station,christian radio network, and so
I worked concerts eventspromotions for Caleb Radio in
the Denver office.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So it was a lot of fun.
That is amazing and I don'tthink I knew that.
Yeah, yeah, okay.
So before you had kids, whatwas your plan?
And then did it change?
Did it stay the same?
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I had always said that I would never be a
stay-at-home mom.
I was just naively.
I will never do that Becauseyou just didn't think it was for
you.
I feel God made me veryachievement-oriented.
The three on the Enneagram so Ijust I love goals.
Achievement oriented a thethree on the enneagram so I just
I love goals.
I love accomplishing things andhaving that feeling.
(03:48):
And so the corporate.
I loved working.
I loved working, I felt good atit, I loved managing people, I
felt accomplished, I had goodresults from the work that I did
, and so I just never, I neverreally felt like I wanted to be
a stay-at-home mom.
So then with Emerson, we hadmaternity leave and it was COVID
(04:09):
.
So it was weird and I also amgrateful to God for it, because
it was the work from homemovement started.
So I went back to work after Ihad my first daughter and I was
working from home after that.
So we had a babysitter come inand I would hear her play with
Emerson and would sit there andI started having these feelings
of what is God doing?
Do I want to do this?
This is really hard to hear mybaby in the other room and not
(04:32):
be in there and be sleeping.
So it was back full time, backfull time with Emerson.
And then we got pregnant prettyquickly with Brooks, our second
born, and that's when I feltlike God was totally calling me
to be a stay-at-home mom and Iimmediately just had a strong
gut feeling of I want to be theone to raise my kids and did you
quit right away?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
How did you handle that?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It was a tough transition because that's when I
got pregnant with my second.
It was again.
They were 13 months apart, soincredibly close age gap and
that's when we decided we'regonna go move to Michigan to be
near family and so my husband'sjob changed.
My job changed.
I did transition slowly, but wewere moving across the country
(05:14):
so I couldn't keep my job inDenver and they slowly trickled
it out to part-time and then iteventually fizzled out.
So it lasted the transition ofour move to Michigan, but then I
was pretty much done working bythe time we moved.
So Emerson was not yet one.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
How did you find that change of pace and do you think
that the way that you run yourhousehold or manage motherhood,
do you think you stillincorporate that part of your
personality?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yeah, I do, because I have been told before that I'm
like high capacity and so I justagain, with having three kids
or having two close in age, itfeels like I, just I can manage
it a little bit better.
And again, I think that goesall glory to God and how he made
me.
But just sometimes the chaosand the stress doesn't affect me
(06:11):
as quickly and I'm I'm okaymultitasking and I'm I'm always
laughing that one before we havepeople come over, I just go
into like turbo mode and I needto accomplish, watch the kids
clean the house, house, cook themeal and have it ready by the
time people come.
So I would agree.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I think sometimes, even when we're gonna get
together, you can do so manythings like make sourdough
bagels, oh, and so I report onyou too.
So how long did you go beforeyou decided that you were ready
again to take on a little bit ofwork?
How did you transition intosomething different?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah, I think that I honestly do think I was scared
for the full stay-at-home momconcept.
So even after I quit at K-Love,there was another job that was
marketing and it was part-timebut fully remote.
I hopped in with thatimmediately and so I was working
about 20 hours a week, yeah,and it felt like a lot, but I
(07:12):
was just.
I felt like I was clinging justwith all that I had onto I need
, I want to be a working mom.
This is what I've always.
I never said I was going to bea stay-at-home mom, so I, I'm
gonna white knuckle this untilit kills me.
And it was a lot, and I thinkit was a lot of pride, but yeah,
so I worked until my son wasborn and then I went on
(07:34):
maternity leave again.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So I, yeah, then worked for that next year
part-time, and so did you takeany time for maternity leave or
okay.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah, then I had about three months maternity
leave, okay.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Second time, okay, and then you downshifted a
little bit more.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Then I downshifted.
I was still part-time and againit was just getting harder and
harder and I again was justwhite knuckling, not being a
stay-at-home mom.
So I have to work and I thinkit was I probably hit.
I think my son Brooks wasprobably six months by the time
I said I can't do this anymore.
And I think it was I probablyhit.
I think my son Brooks wasprobably six months by the time
I said I can't do this anymoreand I just fully quit okay and
(08:11):
did you feel it was a sudden?
Speaker 1 (08:13):
it was okay, I had a hard day, or did you?
How do you come thinking aboutit for a while.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It was a couple months of hard.
My husband looking at me sayingwhy on earth are you doing this
?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
you don't need to do this and for child care.
Then you still had someonecoming to your house to help you
.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, okay, a babysitter, yeah what do you
have?
A flexible schedule, or was it?
Yeah, flexible schedule, butthey wanted a lot of
face-to-face, like clientmeetings.
Yeah, and again, as astay-at-home mom, I can't always
be face-to-face ready, and itwas.
So the hours were not regularand that was also.
What didn't work for me is Ineeded regular hours where I
(08:48):
could schedule a babysitter andso I couldn't take a client
meeting at the last minute andexpect to not have a screaming
child in the background.
So then I was done.
I was.
I think it was.
Yeah, maybe I the timeline isescaping me, but yes, then I was
done.
When I was done with thatsecond marketing job months
after my maternity leave, so itwas probably yeah.
(09:10):
Six months in then I was justdone and I was home with kids
full time.
Stay at home mom Amazing, yes.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
And then when I first met you, you had a very
flexible, not very many hours,still something.
Yeah, how for someone thatwants that type of job that
works with mostly being stay athome but not full-on, let's say,
20 hour a week job?
(09:37):
How did you find that and whattips do you have?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
I honestly feel like God has been very gracious in,
at the right time, giving methings that he knew that I
needed.
Yeah, just something, because,again, I do love working, I've
always loved working, itfulfills a part of me, and so
God was gracious in giving methose opportunities in the right
time, especially that one.
But a lot of it was networkingjust people I knew.
(10:05):
This most recent one was afriend that I met in Colorado
and it's a company in Coloradoand he basically was like hey,
any hours you can work, comework for me.
And he was.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
He is a great guy and you had mentioned that you
might be interested, or it justcame up in conversation, I think
it was out of the blue.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It was similar to the work.
So the work that I didpreviously was like a pretty
specific.
Again, my background ischristian marketing yeah, for
christian radio station, and alot of it is seo and working
with churches and grant writingand all that sort of thing um so
again it's like, yeah, veryspecific, very niche, random.
(10:46):
So these other companies areessentially marketing companies
that are like an outsourcedmarketing team for churches.
And I have a very stronghistory of working with churches
, Christian nonprofits orpersonnel.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Is there like a specific type of job board for
someone that's interested, thathas not had a job like that to
get, or I would say thecommunity?
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I would just say yeah , I would say it's a very small
network of people who are inChristian nonprofits or
ministries, because a lot ofthat is churches.
So I would say LinkedIn is areally great tool and even
church, just looking up churchmarketing personnel.
Online you can connect withsome people because, again, all
(11:32):
the comms people they're goingto generally know each other or
they'll know what they need interms of like marketing.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Okay, so any parting advice on that topic for working
very part-time hours?
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yeah, I would just say be very upfront and
transparent with your employerfrom the jump.
Just be very clear of andprotect that.
And also, when they don't staytrue to what they've promised,
you don't sacrifice on your kids.
That's not what you need to besacrificing.
You need to.
(12:06):
I should have been moredefensive at times of my
schedule and what I had said andwhat was promised to me and
what was ultimately given up wastime with my kids, and so make
sure that there's transparencyon your end of what works for
your family, and I do thinkthere are employers out there
that will work with you on thatabsolutely shifting gears a
(12:28):
little bit.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
one of the things that really stands out about
your journey is how intentionalyou are with, I think, the way
you live your life, the way thatyou seek faith, priority
household, and I would love tohear, if you were always that
way, how you became that way,because I think most people
(12:53):
would want to be intentionalwith the way we spend our time,
but it's very difficult toactually do it and to make
difficult decisions likedeleting Instagram, to be able
to be more present and to nothave a lot of distractions.
I really look up to you in thatsense and I would love to know
(13:17):
how that comes about, becauseyou make it seem easy, but I'm
sure that it wasn't always thatway maybe yeah, that is very
nice of you to say Really Thankyou, that's very kind.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
I do not know.
It was not that way and I stillstruggle with it and work very
hard on it, and I think that'swhy I have to work really hard
on it.
But my first year as astay-at-home mom, or right after
my son was born my second-bornson I felt like I was just
(13:51):
existing and just in that blackhole of day-to-day, there's no
routine, there's method or rhymeor reason and I'm just being
swallowed alive by motherhoodand it feels exhausting and
overwhelming and I have nobodyand it was just.
it was dark, honestly.
So I don't think it was reallyuntil I quit my job and I just
(14:20):
was in therapy and had communityin church and and that's when I
started God started working inme, saying I've created you for
this and this is what gets yourattention now and this is what
you need to be.
Do not grow weary of doing goodin motherhood and really
(14:40):
starting to be intentional aboutit.
And then, when I think ourthird born, jack, was born, I
really started to enjoy it interms of I can do this is still
hard, but I'm going to make themost of this, and this is by
calling, and I'm going to workwith everything that I have and
put all my energy and everythingthat God made me into this and
(15:02):
I think it it was just a slowdevelopment and everything that
God made me into this and Ithink it was just a slow
development, a slow boil overtime of God working in me a
thousand percent, but it was notalways like that and I think I
needed time to say that time andthose moments of this is
overwhelming.
I can't do this and to reallythen shift and say, nope, you're
going to do this, we're goingto work hard at this and this is
(15:24):
going to be intentional.
One of the books that you saidhad helped.
You is called Habits of theHousehold, do you?
Speaker 1 (15:30):
want to share one or two or three little things that
someone that might not have readthe book could try to implement
.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Yes, I cannot recommend it enough.
I think it's really good.
One of them, one of my favoriteones, is just the habit at
nighttime and it's just littlerituals of things that you can
say again, so that when you areoverwhelmed or it has been a
hard moment, you still aregrounded and you can go back to
saying the same thing that yousay every night to your kid yeah
(16:01):
, and he has one specificallythat he says.
But basically I startedimplementing what we call
praying hope story song, and soevery night before bed we do
pray and so we'll say a prayerand then we do hope, which is
our Bible verse.
So we memorize the Bible verseand the kids it's crazy how much
they love it and they know itand they will learn it and we'll
(16:23):
go through different verses andso they have a memory.
Verse One per week no, it's likeper year, no, we've done maybe
three or four.
And then story We'll tell thema story Kids love stories and
then song.
And so we'll sing a song tothem and I'll scratch each of
their backs and then, before Ileave, I just say to them and
(16:50):
this was taken from the book, aversion of it is I'll say,
emerson, there's nothing thatyou could do that can make me
love you more than I love youright now.
There's nothing that you coulddo that can make me love you
less than I love you right now.
And God loves you that way.
To rest in that love.
And then I go to Brooks and Isay that and those are just yeah
, just and again, all taken fromhim.
It's like I made it my own anddid my own version.
But those are just things thatlike, at the end of the day, I'm
grounded to remember that, nomatter how crazy this day was.
(17:14):
We went to this museum todayand you saw firsthand how crazy
it was and there's misbehaviors,but having those moments of
reminder of the bigger pictureand helps me and, I think, helps
them.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah, I really love that.
Yeah, great book.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
So Instagram, you deactivated it, deleted the app?
Yeah, how has that been?
What are some of the thingsthat you have noticed most, and
do you plan on having it deletedforever?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
I feel like right now , I don't miss it at all.
There was a moment when I feltlike I lived under a rock and I
realized how much of the worldnews I miss out on.
Yeah, and so it's justreshifting those things of.
Okay, I need to be getting thenews somehow.
Yeah, I need to be stayingupdated on that.
(18:10):
That's practical.
So I started subscribing to thePour Over, which is like a
Christian news source and youjust get daily emails every day.
So, again, it's reassessingwhat am I going to do to fill
this time, because I also easilyget.
Okay, I'm going to turn theshow on now, that's my new thing
.
Or I'm going to online shop.
So something's always going tobe pulling for your attention.
(18:32):
It may not be social media, butit's going to be a show or
something.
It's going to be a show orsomething, and so I have tried
to work in podcasts, audio books.
Let's be filling my mind withthese things that are going to
be giving me knowledge andwisdom from the Lord.
(18:54):
Am I reading my Bible more?
The point of this is to be moreintentional with the time that
I'm spending.
So I feel like those are thetwo observations I've made.
Is okay.
Now I have to be careful ofwhat I'm filling my time with,
and also something will alwaysbe wanting my attention.
So I still have to have momentswhere I'm putting my phone down
(19:15):
and I say I'm going to leavethis here for an hour and I'm
going gonna go play with my kids.
Doesn't always happen, butthat's the goal, have you
noticed?
Speaker 1 (19:23):
any loss of connection, because I love the
concept, but when I think aboutit, I think my biggest fear is
you have people that youwouldn't necessarily see as
often, but that you would loveto stay in touch with.
Social media feels like such aneasy way to do that.
(19:44):
Yeah it does, althoughsometimes I think it also is
more superficial, because thenyou feel like you're caught up,
but you are only caught up.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
And everyone's highlight reel.
Yep, no, totally.
What I started doing with myfriends who are long distance is
we'll do a monthly update andso we'll just send each other 10
photos.
Oh, I like that Of a month'supdate, of See.
You have such good ideas.
It was hard at first because Iwas.
We were saying I haven't seenyou, are you alive?
And I'm also a phone talker,which is scary to most people
(20:15):
that I'm talking on the phoneLike I would rather pick up the
phone and call you than text you.
So luckily, I have a lot offriends in Colorado.
That's how we will communicate.
Is we just talk on the phone?
Yeah, on the way over here Icalled three people.
Oh good, so again, you justhave to reevaluate that.
But yeah, it is hard.
You do feel like you're missingout.
But again, it's everyone'shighlight reel and I also didn't
(20:38):
want it to get to the pointwhere I'm not conjuring up this
life.
That's not really real.
You're seeing my highlight reel, but this is not my day-to-day
and I just I don't want to puttime and energy into something
that's not super authentic.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Yeah, If that makes sense.
So another thing that I knowwasn't necessarily in your plans
was to do any form ofhomeschooling.
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
And that has changed.
That was another thing I said Iwould.
I will never.
Okay, God, yeah, Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Before that I didn't.
I had never heard aboutclassical education before you,
even though now I hear all thetime and I know it's this big
way of educating.
Yes, so for someone that'snever heard of it, can you do
the high level of what classicaleducation is and then how it
ties into hybrid homeschooling?
Speaker 2 (21:32):
yeah, so I have to look at my notes for this one
because it's multifaceted.
My husband and I went to acollege that was a classical
education and it was reallyimpactful in what I want for my
kids, and when we moved back toMichigan I didn't know that it
was an option until we found theschool that they are now at.
(21:57):
So classical education thepurpose of classical education
is to cultivate wisdom andvirtue, and this happens by
nourishing the soul on truth,goodness and beauty, which is
often done through liberal artsand the four sciences, and then,
if you think about christianeducation, all that is so that
the student is able to knowChrist and glorify him forever.
(22:21):
So I think essentially the shortversion of it is that classical
education focuses on the wholeof the student and it's not just
we're not trying to throw somenumbers at you and just memorize
all this stuff so that you canpass the test, but it's really
cultivating the person as awhole and you do that through
means that have withstood thetest of time rhetoric, logic,
(22:43):
resuscitation, which issomething.
To have kids stand and memorizethings for lengthy, meaningful
passages is really neat and thenthe hybrid level that just
works alongside with the parent,so it is making sure that the
parent comes alongside inbuilding the child and building
(23:04):
the student.
And it's not just you ship yourkid off to school and it's the
school's job to throw a bunch ofnumbers in their head, but it's
, how are we collectively goingto form the soul of this student
?
Which seems like a lovely task.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
I agree.
Okay, so you did not want tohomeschool or you did not feel
called to homeschool.
So when you learned of theschool which assigned to your
church, why did you consider it,knowing that was not something
you were interested in?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
I think because of the purpose and the mission of
the school, it was verycompelling and we felt really
called to where God was leadingus in this direction and also it
didn't feel like that muchpressure of I have to be my
kid's teacher.
It is I am just helping workout and helping them rehearse
(23:56):
the things that they've alreadylearned and I'm just
reemphasizing that.
And again, that is how youlearn is through practice and
through the whole right.
And so when we now I get totake them out on nature walks
and we're saying, oh, youlearned about this animal, let's
go find it out in nature.
Or let's go talk about why thisis happening outside and the
(24:17):
leaves are changing.
What is the science behind it?
So it's just cool that it's all.
It all can work together.
Yeah, and so I feel like ittakes the pressure off too when
I'm just using simple logic tore-emphasize the things that
they've been taught in class,and it's not like I have to be
their teacher.
Yeah, she feels less pressurefor me.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
I've never heard of hybrid, hybrid homeschooling,
hybrid schooling, I guess thatwasn't too familiar
Homeschooling in general, butyeah.
So how many days do your kidsgo to school and what does your
portion look like, let's say,for elementary school?
Speaker 2 (24:55):
So, yeah, a lot of this is not.
We are not not yet there, butfrom my understanding is it will
be.
Monday is an independent studyday, they call it, and so
they're at home with us andagain, we can be on vacation or
we can be traveling.
We don't have to be home, wecan take our school anywhere,
and but then tuesday, wednesday,thursday are school, normal
(25:19):
school day, eight to three.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
And they learn all the core things?
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Yes, yeah, yep, yeah, all the normal things they do
have.
They have.
I like how intentional they arewith like this is what the
portrait of a student is goingto look like after you graduate.
This is what our school lookslike, and just, they're very
intentional with how they wantit to look like and and their
goals are right.
When you have a very specificend in mind, there's more
(25:44):
intention with building that.
Yeah, so Tuesday, wednesday,thursday are in school and then
Friday's home, which is nicebecause you have kind of those
long weekends to shift gears alittle bit again.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
You did a big move.
You were living in Colorado,moved to Michigan and a big part
of that was being around family.
But I guess, having gonethrough it, do you still feel
that it was the right decision,because I'm sure you still miss
Colorado and all the community.
(26:17):
Great things For someone that'sconsidering weighing pros and
cons of living far away fromfamily but really loving where
you're at, versus feeling likeyou're giving that up but being
family.
Now that you've had thehindsight and have explored both
options, what do you thinksomeone should keep in mind?
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Yeah, I think that you have to choose your heart.
So it's going to be hard eitherway when you have a community.
For us, we had a community thatwe really loved and culture and
an outdoor culture that wereally loved, activities based.
We loved our lives.
But you have to choose yourheart of do you want to be near
(27:00):
family or do you want to loseand leave behind something that
you really love and that youtook a lot of pride in, and so I
think for somebody consideringa move like also could be
different.
You could be choosing to moveaway from your family or moving
towards your family.
But I think for us our movedidn't come without losses and I
(27:21):
probably regretted our move forthe first full year that we
were back and then some.
It really took a toll on mymental health and we had a lot
of change happening at the sametime.
I was pregnant with our second,we were moving across the
country, we changed our jobs andI was on my way to becoming a
stay-at-home mom, and we weremoving across the country.
We changed our jobs and I wason my way to becoming a
(27:41):
stay-at-home mom and we weremoving.
So for us it was verycompounding.
Yeah, a lot of change, but Ithink that I have people in my
life that are considering moving, and it's going to come with
losses and wins too.
So I would say that beprayerful and remember your why,
of why you're the biggerpicture, of why you want to do
(28:01):
it or why you don't want to doit.
I think that also it really askthose deep, big questions on
the front end and be prayerfulabout it.
And I think that a lot of myregret stems from feeling like
we made a rush decision, and soif I had known that we really
had been prayerful andintentional and slow in making
our decision, then maybe I wouldfeel more confidence during the
(28:24):
hard moments.
But because I felt like it wasa little bit rushed on our end,
then sometimes I feel like I hadmore regret.
So be prayerful, be in constantconversation with your husband
or wife or your community, andhave those people who are
reminding you of your why too.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
So that's what I would say, and you mentioned
having a small age gap, yourfirst two babies, and how that
was something that was reallydifficult.
Now that you look back on it,what do you think are some
things that a mom that is goingto be having a small age gap,
(29:01):
intentionally or notintentionally, that they can do
to ease that transition a littlebit, because I know that it can
be more challenging?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
yeah, I would say definitely make sure that you
have good health care, likecollective or like whole health
care.
In terms of therapy, yeah, interms of an ob exercise, like
physical therapist, because it'sa lot.
It takes a big toll on yourbody physically to have kids.
That close together and I don'tthink, I think that I
(29:31):
overlooked that.
So definitely make sure thatyou're getting holistic health
care, yeah, for every part ofyou, because it will it does
affect you hormones are that's alot on your body, yeah,
especially hormone wise.
and I also think that healthcarefor every part of you because
it will, it does affect youHormones are that's a lot on
your body, especially hormonewise.
And I also think that myhusband and I had to learn how
to do it as a team, because itdid take teamwork in that I
couldn't do it all by myself.
(29:51):
I essentially had two babies,and parents of twins will know
that too.
You have to work as a team andalso to get help and to know
that you do need help, and it'sokay to ask for help, and it's
okay to have seasons where youneed a house cleaner or a season
where you need a regularbabysitter.
There is no shame in that Aseason when you need to be able
(30:13):
to maybe have more walks thannormal.
And that's why I got intorunning was because I needed not
only personal health but justthat mental clarity.
It's a lot, and it's okay thatit's a lot, and it's okay that
it's hard, but there's joys init on the other end, for sure.
I feel like we're experiencingsome of those really fun joys,
but, yeah, I feel like havingthose moments of it's okay that
(30:35):
it's hard and now that you havethree, you have experienced a
bigger age gap and you also haveexperienced a 13 yes age gap.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Did you have to prepare the older siblings
differently with the age gap ordo you feel that it was the same
?
Speaker 2 (30:56):
yeah, I'm.
It was just night and daydifferent, I think, between the
two, because we my daughterwasn't really talking, she
wasn't super verbal.
She, I remember, had the videoof him coming home.
She was like baby, that was herfirst words.
But and so, yeah, this time wewere more intentional of
explaining what was going tohappen and how to treat babies
(31:18):
and we would practice with theirbaby dolls and all that and,
being older, they're helpful.
Yeah, I'm loving this.
It's been about two years.
So, yeah, they're very helpfuland they've been.
It's been super fun.
Yeah, it's been fun, both kinds, but I get what you're saying
Okay.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Another thing that you're really intentional on is
making time for God and makingtime to not let that
relationship just be on the side.
Again, how do you do it?
What are some habits that youhave cultivated to make that
(32:00):
happen?
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah, again, I am worried.
This is work in progress, athousand percent.
I am not at the place where Ifeel like I have arrived by any
means.
But one thing that I feel likehas helped me and this was
recommended by another mom was,instead of feeling like you're
going to have this time, thatyou're going to just go to your
secret place of God every dayand have time in your prayer
(32:23):
closet, just bring your Bibleout and just have it on the
counter so that while you'recooking dinner or while there's
two minutes of silence, to justhave it to look at and to
reference.
And I feel like that's helpfulin making scriptures the
authority of your home andmaking it really predominant in
(32:45):
your kids' lives too is seeingyou read it.
And a lot of times when I havemy Bible out and I'm reading it,
my kids will ask me what I'mreading.
So that's fun to be able toshare the scriptures with them
in that sense.
But that's one little habitthat I like to incorporate.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Are you like your mom a lot?
Do you feel that she?
Speaker 2 (33:03):
would yeah, I think we're similar.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
We get that a lot that we're similar, yes, and so
are some of the things that youhave incorporated, things that
you grew up with, that youremember.
Do you have?
Speaker 2 (33:15):
anything like that.
I just remember that my mom isa bible study teacher now and
she always has been ministryminded and focused and has
always been ministry.
She went to seminary and so Ijust I have memories of growing
up and having walking into herroom and she's surrounded by
books on her floor.
She's surrounded by books andshe's got her Bible out and
(33:38):
she's reading her Bible and Ijust feel like she always was
grounded by reading scripturesbecause she had four kids, and
so you need to have thosemoments with the Lord and him
refining you, and so I feel likeI am impacted by that to this
day of just I need to beparented by God as much as I'm
(33:58):
parenting my kids Do you havehabits like that with Scott that
you do together.
He actually just started, whichI really appreciate, because
after a busy day it's hard Againif you haven't read your Bible.
It's hard to not just want tocrash in your bed.
But he started reading just onechapter.
(34:18):
He just we picked 2 Corinthiansand he's I'm going to read this
every night before bed, nomatter how late it is.
We're reading this together andthat's been really helpful, and
so we'll read one chapter anight together at the end of the
day, and then I think justpraying over our kids together
is really powerful, and so wealways try to do that, because
somebody said that to me once ifyou're not praying for your
(34:40):
kids, who is praying for yourkids?
You have to hope other peopleare.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
But you don't know, yeah, and who's going to be
doing it with as muchconsistency as the parent?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
And specifically praying for their spouse,
praying for their salvation,praying for their safety,
praying for them to love thescriptures.
Yeah, who is praying for allthose things if not us.
And that was another thing inthe Habits of the Household that
they talked about is just everynight before bed praying over
your kid before you go to yourbed, because you always do the
checks before you go into sleep.
(35:09):
But having that is another timeof I'm already checking on them.
So how can I habit stack andsay a prayer a little bit before
bed?
Speaker 1 (35:17):
I don't know Singing all these songs.
That book is awesome.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm going to add it to my list.
Yeah, it's really great.
Okay, running you mentionedthat on top of all these things,
we're training for a marathon,and okay, so I'm also training
for a marathon.
Yeah, you are, but I want toknow how you've done it.
(35:40):
What are some habits that youhave incorporated?
You and Scott do such a goodjob, it seems like as a team, to
both get your runs in, and youstarted because you did a half
marathon already after Brooke.
After Brooke yeah, someone thathas never run before where?
Speaker 2 (36:00):
do they start?
I started simply because I wasagain in a poor mental state and
I needed something for myselfand something that was also
healthy and just me time.
Were you a runner before?
yes yeah I did cross country inhigh school.
I ran a half marathon before.
Oh, I always meant a thing forme.
So, yeah, that was easy.
(36:20):
But whatever it is, I feel asmothers we have a minimal time,
typically of alone time orwhatever, and you always feel
like you have to.
I am I gonna shower, am I gonnaread my body, gonna work out
what am I gonna do, and so, justagain, being intentional with
something you enjoy, that is metime.
So maybe it's not running, butmaybe it's yoga that you love or
(36:42):
barre class.
So, whatever it is, that's youtime and also healthy.
You're doing your multitasking,but yeah, so I started it as
just some me time.
That was good for my mentals,but yeah, I think it's fun to do
it with somebody who is a goodpartner.
So Scott's really generous inmaking sure that I get my run in
(37:05):
and doing what I need to do.
I think a schedule helps.
Of this is my training scheduleso we know every week I'm going
to be running.
On certain days there's aFriday, saturday and he can work
.
He works around that.
So, you do the same days everyweek, yeah, and then we'll throw
in a workout class in there,but I'll typically do the
mornings.
He likes to run at night.
I'll do mornings.
(37:25):
We take turns with it, and whenI signed up for this marathon,
I intentionally was like you gotto sign up for something too,
because I don't want this tojust be me.
You have to do all thesacrifice for me, like I want
this to be you do something foryou too.
I'll take some time, you takesome time, let's do it yeah and
so it's been fun in that sensewhere we're not maybe running
(37:45):
together, but we each have ourown thing and we can sacrifice
and let the other person havetheir moment and you did the
first one together too.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Yeah, did you do.
Is that something you did afterevery?
Speaker 2 (37:57):
baby.
Yes, so it's againgoal-oriented, correct, where
I'm like after every kid.
My goal was to run a halfmarathon after every baby, so I
never did one for emerson, soI've done one for brooks and
I've done one for jack, butemerson gets my marathon, so she
gets two oh, they're whole.
Yes, and that's amazing.
(38:18):
Hopefully we don't have twinsin the future, or something.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
You're not on social media.
But if someone wants to connectwith you, what is the best way
that they can connect with you?
You can give them my phonenumber.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
We can be friends in person because I feel like the
community of motherhood, of moms, is just so strong and so
needed across the board.
So I feel like friendships aresomething I will never, ever
neglect and would always love tobe more friends and be
encouraged by other moms.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Okay, any other final words of encouragement for moms
that want to be moreintentional in motherhood, home,
work-life balance.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I have a little passage that I this is from one
of my favorite.
This is the classical educationin me.
This was given to us by ourschool and it's called the
duties of parents by jc ryle,and it's a beautiful picture of
just the duties of parents and Iwas looking it over and I think
(39:24):
it sums up like classicaleducation, parenting, and
obviously like biblicalparenting.
This is I hope this isencouraging, but it says train
up a child in the way he shouldgo and that he never laid a
command on man which he wouldnot give man grace to perform.
And I know too that our duty isnot to stand still and dispute
but to go forward and obey.
It is just in the going forwardthat god will meet us.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
The path of obedience is the perfect example of just
how intentional you are infinding encouraging, and I
really hope that you find afriend that listens and could
use more current in their life.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
But this was sweet of you to have me on here and to
chat, so thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I have six episode takeaways that I want to share
with you today.
One career downshifting is bothemotional and freeing.
Corinne shared how she movedfrom a fast-paced corporate role
to working part-time andeventually to full-time at home,
and how it challenged heridentity and reshaped her values
.
Her high capacity skills arestill used to bless her
(40:44):
household.
Two small age gaps are intenseand survivable, with her first
two children born 13 monthsapart.
Curran offered encouragementfor navigating physical,
emotional and logistical demandsduring those early years,
including the importance ofteamwork with your spouse and
holistic postpartum care withyour spouse and holistic
postpartum care.
3.
(41:04):
Intentional rhythms transformmotherhood.
Inspired by the book's Habitsof the Household, corinne shared
the nighttime routine shedeveloped, pray, hope story and
song, and how a few intentionalmoments each day ground both her
kids and herself.
3.
Deleting Instagram can createmore presence and peace.
(41:26):
Corinne explained how steppingaway from social media helped
her reclaim time, avoidcomparison and become more
intentional about how sheconnects with God, her kids and
her community.
4.
Classical education and hybridhomeschooling can work
beautifully.
Corinne explained whatclassical education means, how
hybrid homeschooling supportsthe whole child and why it was a
(41:49):
surprising but meaningfulchoice for her family.
Five running is an excellentform of self-care.
Training for a marathon aftereach child has helped Corinne
find clarity, discipline and joy.
She offered insight into howshe and her husband make space
for each other's personal growthgoals, even in a full season,
(42:11):
and six faith shapes it all.
From moving across the countryto structuring her days.
Corinne shared how scripture,prayer and spiritual community
guide her decisions and how itsustains her through
motherhood's hardest and holiestwork.
That's it for today's episode.
Thank you for spending thistime with me.
I know how valuable your timeis and I hope you're walking
(42:33):
away feeling encouraged to dreama little bigger about what's
possible for your work andfamily life.
If this episode spoke to you,it would mean so much if you
shared it with another mom whoneeds this kind of encouragement
.
Make sure to subscribe so younever miss an episode, and if
you want to keep theconversation going, connect with
(42:54):
me on LinkedIn.
Just search Emilia Cotto.
That's E-M-I-L-I-A-C-O-T-O.
Until next time, remember,motherhood isn't the end of your
dreams, it's just the beginning.
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