Mom of the Moment: Brie Brown

Occupation: Pastor’s wife, part-time support at ScheelsAge: 36Mother of: Micah (10), Eli (8), Lydia (6)

What is the hardest part about being a mother?

When my kids were toddlers, I used to say that watching them was like looking in a tiny, distorted mirror. I’d hear them repeat things I said and wonder, “Do I really sound like that?” Sometimes it was funny, and sometimes it wasn’t. Being a mother means that my failures directly affect the children I’m raising. It’s a sobering reality that keeps me accountable, but I’m so grateful that God gives grace to cover my shortcomings.

What is the best part about being a mother?

The best part is getting to know these neat people that I’m raising. They each have such unique personalities and strengths, and it’s a joy to see them learn, develop, and grow. They are so much fun—they keep us laughing every day.

Tell us your favorite story about one of your kids.

One time, after I had made everyone eat leftovers for supper, Eli gave me what he thought was a genuine compliment. He said, “Thanks for supper, Mom. It was better than nothing.”

What is your favorite time-saver?

My kids take the same basic lunch to school every day. If I take a few minutes once a week to portion it all out, throwing lunches together each morning takes very little time.

What is your favorite sanity-saver?

Meal planning for a whole month at once saves me so much effort on a daily basis. We frequently host our small group and the college group from church for meals, and I’m not the kind of cook that can just throw together a meal out of what I have in the pantry. Writing out the plan and doing a big shopping trip at the beginning of the month ensures that I have what I need to feed our family and any extra people in our home, even if I don’t follow the plan exactly.

What is your philosophy on discipline?

I can’t name a specific method of discipline that we follow, but we try to lead our children with consistent, loving authority. We strive to communicate that although we expect them to listen to and obey us, our love for them doesn’t depend on their behavior. When they fail, it’s an opportunity to teach them, which often involves consequences. But we also want to find opportunities to show them grace, just as we have received grace from Jesus.

What is your favorite parenting must have?

A community! Being a pastor’s family comes with certain trials, but so many benefits. Dozens of awesome teenagers and college-age kids have played with and babysat our kids over the years, and the parenting support and encouragement from other moms in our small group and at church have helped me through the tougher seasons.

If you knew then what you know now, what would you do differently?

I think I would keep my advice and opinions to myself. In my early years of motherhood, I thought I had it all figured out, and I’m sure I inserted my “wisdom” where it was not needed. But the older I get, the more I realize that every family and every kid is different, and my successes are due to God’s grace rather than my stellar parenting skills. There’s a place for sharing what you’ve learned, but not when it comes out of pride.

What advice do you have for new parents?

Write things down, whether in a baby book, a simple notebook, or on Facebook or some other online platform. You will treasure being able to go back through memories of milestones and funny things your kids said or did.

Name a time when you felt like a parenting genius.

During a game of Skip-Bo, our younger two were having trouble holding their cards, I took a six-inch section of pool noodle, sliced part of it off to make a flat bottom, and cut a slit along the length of it to hold their cards. It’s a little thing, but it’s made family game night more smooth and therefore more fun.

I could have won the worst mother award when...

When my oldest was nine months old, my husband was the camp speaker at a tiny little camp in Kansas. Micah and I went along, and we were staying in a cabin that only had small, stand-up shower to bathe him. I decided I would just set him on the floor of the shower and try to wash him—but I didn’t think about letting the water warm up before I set him in there and turned it on. I’ll never forget the image of a naked baby crawling in circles as fast as he could to try to get away from the cold spray! BHW