Stephanie
Pressley
Mom,
Humorist, Homeschool Instructor and Advocate, Entrepreneur, Blogger
My
mom cred
(probably not much different from yours, I’m sure):
When
my two oldest boys were young, I found that supporting other mothers fueled my
fire to learn how to be a better mom. My relationship with MOPS started in 2000
as I listened to the moms' radio minute on my commute to law school after
dropping my one-year old at daycare. In 2002, I entered—and won!—the MOPS essay
contest. I co-founded another moms' support group in the Twin Cities in 2003,
which I coordinated for 2 ½ years. During that time, I continued building my
relationship with other moms and began speaking formally at various groups,
including MOPS. By 2006, I had two more boys, homeschooled the older ones, and
volunteered, thrift-stored, and play-grouped myself into full-fledged
Momminess. I started my blog in 2004, which launched into my speaking to groups
like yours.
My
goal
(and I do have one):
I
want to encourage at least one person every day to take a step forward, whether
it’s a step to smile at yourself, to not give up, to take a chance, to choose
to forgive, to apply anyway, to travel somewhere new, to do it afraid, to start
a business, to set a boundary, or to tear down a wall. We spend our lives telling
ourselves why we shouldn’t get out of the box and then we’re buried in it. No
fun.
But
it is fun to chat about our experiences—some easy, some hard—and find
humor in the reality. We’re not alone and we’re always growing if we’re taking
that step.
My
talks (or oral musings, if you will):
- Housekeeping
vs. Homemaking. Too often women get
frustrated and downright depressed with all the household chores that seem
to inherently come with marriage and motherhood. Learn the difference
between these two words and open up a whole new career for yourself right
in your own comfy, cozy home.
- Anger:
Storm-proofing Your Home. Anger is real and
it isn’t wrong. In this workshop, I’ll help you identify what pushes your
anger button. You’ll learn the types of storms that threaten your
relationships and how to protect your heart and your home from permanent
damage. With the proper safeguards, anger can build you, your children,
and your family.
- Are
You a Part of the Cloud? Teaching Your Children to Live by Faith.
We all teach our children to live by faith; the question is, faith in
what? We will challenge the faith we model for our children by assessing
the words and actions used in everyday parenting. Stemming from the Hall
of Faith in Hebrews 11, this talk invites you to become part of your
child’s personal “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12) to give them an
adulthood solidly rooted in a relationship with God.
- Becoming
a Praying Grandmother. What is it that those old faithful
women of the church have that we don’t have? It’s not a secret. Learn how
to exercise the power of prayer in a day and age when there’s just no time
to pray. If you want to be able to move mountains through prayer for your
children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, the time to start is
now.
- Patient
People Don’t Homeschool. Have you ever said,
thought, or heard, “I could never homeschool my kids. I just don’t have
the patience.” Guess what? Neither do homeschoolers! This interactive
workshop helps you find the “patient” response to your parenting challenges
using the tools of the homeschooling savant.
- Deciding
to Homeschool: A Realistic Approach. Homeschooling may
be right for you, but go into it with your eyes wide open. It is not an
easy decision, and definitely a decision that should be made with particular
variables in mind. This workshop does not advocate one homeschooling
method or curriculum. Rather, I aim to provide key questions that need
answers in order to make an evaluative decision of whether to homeschool
your child(ren). Bring pen and paper as the resource list is not
exhaustive.
My
stats (do
you really want to know?):
Residence:
Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Hometown:
Park Forest, Illinois
B.A.
in Rhetoric, University
of Illinois
Worked
for 10 years as an technical editor and graphic designer
1Y,
Hamline University,
School of Law,
St. Paul, Minnesota
Married
to an amazing meat-n-potatoes eating man, October 1998
Four
man-cubs, ranging from 3-10
I
would love to speak at your moms' group, church, or organization!
To
contact me, email info@stephaniepressley.com,
or
call: 952-873-6674.
www.stephaniepressley.com
