Jessica Crino

11/03/2026

Join us for two great events run by Parousia at the Light of Christ Centre, Waitara next week!

1) Joelle Maryn
18th March 7.30-9.30pm
The Light of Christ Centre, Waitara

Actress and author, whose powerful conversion story and message of God’s healing love have reached over half a billion people worldwide.
Register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/joelle-maryn-our-lady-of-the-rosary-cathedral-waitara-tickets-1983519040846

2) Dr. Joanna Howe
20th March 7.30-9.30pm
The Light of Christ Centre, Waitara

Leading Australian pro-life speaker, Dr. Joanna Howe presenting "How do we make abortion unthinkable in Australia?"
Register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/how-do-we-make-abortion-unthinkable-in-australia-tickets-1983210139915

27/02/2026

I don’t think the hardest part of motherhood is the physical work.

It’s the constant mental juggling.

The invisible checklist running in the background at all times.

Who needs new shoes?
Who has sport tomorrow?
What’s for dinner?
Did I reply to that message? (Usually no, and I’m so sorry about that!)
Is the washing done?
What time is that appointment?

It’s the open tabs.

And when too many tabs are open, presence suffers.

We rush.
We react.
We move from one thing to the next without really being present with any of it… or anyone in those moments with us.

Connection requires presence.
Presence requires mental space.

That’s why I care so much about systems.

Not because I love structure for its own sake. (Although, I do love a good excel spreadsheet!)

But because good systems hold the tabs for me.

Clear expectations.
Visible routines.
Predictable rhythms.

They reduce what I have to carry in my head, which frees me to actually be with my kids.

The purpose of systems isn’t the system.

It’s connection.

If you’re looking for practical ways to reduce mental load in your home, one of the systems I have is here (also in bio):�

www.ourconnectedfamily.org/stressfreechoresystem

27/02/2026

I didn’t find God in motherhood because I was doing it well.
I found Him because I wasn’t.
Because motherhood has a way of exposing everything.

The impatience.
The pride.
The control.
The constant worry of “I’m not good enough.”
All.the.triggers.

And if we’re honest, Lent brings that to the surface too.
Not good enough.
Not holy enough.
Not disciplined enough.
Not doing enough.

But what if that ache is the doorway?
Not because Jesus waits for usbehind our failures.
But because weakness is usually the first time we finally stop fooling ourselves into thinking we can do it alone.

Motherhood has been one of the biggest invitations to surrender and humility in my life.

Lent is not a season to perform better.
It is a season to lean harder.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

26/02/2026

25/02/2026

This took me a while to understand.

I didn’t need to try harder.
I didn’t need to love my kids more.
I didn’t need to “be better.”

I needed less living in my head.

Because when mum is the system,
when she’s remembering everything, reminding everyone, holding all the expectations,
she becomes the manager of the whole house.

And managers get tired.

Tired mums don’t parent the way they want to.

Not because they don’t care.
Because they’re overloaded.

Structure doesn’t make a home rigid.

It makes it lighter.

When expectations are clear and responsibility is shared, I’m not chasing all day. I’m not carrying it alone.

And when I’m not carrying it alone… I’m calmer.

And when I’m calmer… I’m more present, we connect more deeply. Everything shifts.

That’s exactly why I created our Chore System.

Not to make a spotless house but to reduce mental load so you can parent from calm instead of overwhelm.

If you’re constantly reacting instead of responding, it might not be a patience thing, it might just be a structure thing.

🔗 Link in bio.
https://www.ourconnectedfamily.org/stressfreechoresystem

24/02/2026

One of the lies we believe as mothers is:

“If I just had more time to pray then I would grow closer to God.”

But the truth is, God sanctifies us through our vocation.

The hardships of parenting aren’t proof that God is distant. They are the exact place we come to realise our need for Him- where we finally reach the end of our own strength.

Lent is about repentance, surrender, humility, and dependence.

And motherhood gives us daily opportunities for all of those.

When we fail and apologise.
When we choose patience over pride.
When we surrender control.
When we admit, “Lord, I cannot do this without You.”

That is Lent.

Not separate, but woven into the ordinary sacrifices of your day.

Your vocation is not competing with your spiritual life.

It is the path of it.

Where is God inviting you to surrender inside your motherhood?

He is closer than you think.

16/02/2026

Yep, this is what our walls look like
(and the pantry cupboards… and the freezer 😛).
Not because they’re pretty.
But because they’re useful.

These posters are part of how we support emotional regulation, healthy mindset, relationships, and faith in our home.
When emotions run high, the tools are visible.
When someone is stuck in a thought spiral, the language is right there.
When relationships need repair, we have shared reference points.

Over time, these conversations have become part of our family culture.
Not perfect. Not forced. Just practised.

Formation doesn’t only happen in lessons.
It happens in what surrounds us every day.��

www.etsy.com/shop/OurConnectedFamily�www.ourconnectedfamily.org/calmkids

16/02/2026

Each month, I try to focus on one area of growth in my parenting and interior life.

Not ten things. Just one. (I used to be the ‘I have to attend to everything at once kind of girl, but realised it’s completely impossible!)

So, it’s just one thing at a time. This month, it’s attention.

Presence.

I’ve notice how easily I can rush. How quickly I move to the next task while someone is still talking. How often my mind is somewhere else.

So this month, I’m slowing down.

More eye contact.
More listening to the end of the story.
More being fully here.

Presence isn’t just a spiritual practice of meeting God in the moment- it’s a pretty powerful parenting practice.

14/02/2026

He loves birds and his afternoons look like this:

Birdwatching.
Collecting feathers.
Reading all kinds of bird books.
Measuring wingspan.
Sketching birds.
Skating around the park waiting for birds.

We absolutely have planned lessons, do all the subjects and follow a planned rhythm but one of the gifts of homeschooling, is the extra space it creates for a child to take ownership of their own learning.

Time to notice, wonder and go deeper than a worksheet.

When he dives into something that fascinates him, it rarely stays surface level. One question leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to pulling out the tape measure and rushing to the library.

I’ve realised this kind of depth doesn’t happen when we’re constantly rushing to the next thing.

Sometimes it just needs space.

14/02/2026

One of the biggest lessons I can say l've learned is that our interior life not only affects all other aspects of life but needs to be formed well.
Academics matter and we take learning seriously in our home, but what shapes our children long term is how they respond when they feel frustrated, overwhelmed, disappointed, the list goes on...
Those moments reveal what has been formed underneath the surface.
That's why faith, virtue, mindset and emotional regulation are at the centre of our homeschool and our family life. Not instead of academics, but alongside them.
This focus has changed the atmosphere of our home and the way our kids move through challenges, relationships, and their learning.

www.etsy.com/shop/OurConnectedFamily
https://www.ourconnectedfamily.org/calmkids

12/02/2026

I’m a big believer in reading good books (both living and direct) that intentionally shape character, virtue, and the inner life.

My oldest two start the day reading something good.
Here’s what they’re reading at the moment