My Mother Culture Plans: Summer 2025
Here’s a look at my mother culture plans for summer 2025. I absolutely love putting these plans together (and actually using them), and I hope you find some inspiration here, too.
What Is Mother Culture?
If you’re not already familiar with mother culture, let me give you a brief introduction. At its core, mother culture is the idea that mothers need to continue growing—spiritually, intellectually, creatively—for their own well-being and, by extension, for the well-being of their families.
The term “mother culture” originated in an article in the Parents Review and it’s often used within the Charlotte Mason homeschool community.
“Is there not need for “mother culture”? But how is the state of things to be altered? So many mothers say, “I simply have no time for myself!” “I never read a book!” Or else, “I don’t think it is right to think of myself!” They not only starve their minds, but they do it deliberately, and with a sense of self-sacrifice which seems to supply ample justification.”
The Parents’ Review: Mother Culture by A.
I first discovered the idea of mother culture almost four years ago, and it has deeply shaped how I approach lifelong learning and personal growth as a mom. I’m not sure the idea itself is very revolutionary, but I love the way that it gives mothers a shared language for their own continued learning.
In practice, mother culture typically looks like reading good books, learning new skills, and keeping various forms of journals. However, it’s a little different for every mother, and you can make of it what you will. There are no real guidelines here.
How I Do Mother Culture
For me, mother culture involves a mix of reading, learning, and handicrafts. Each season, I try to be intentional about planning at least a rough outline of what I want to include in my mother culture for the next few months. I’ll share more about this season’s plans below.
As for finding the time to actually do what I have planned – I just sort of… fit it in. I read in the evenings before bed for about 30 minutes to an hour. I do my Bible study either in the morning before the kids wake up or at some point during my work day. Anything else typically happens either in the evenings after dinner or after the kids go to bed.
I don’t follow a strict schedule and I don’t stress about completing anything within a certain timeframe. If I don’t finish a book that season, I can carry it over into the next. I want my mother culture plans to be a source of peace, not a source of stress or frustration.
Books I’m Reading
Each season, I try to vary the books I read. I like to have a mix of fiction and nonfiction and a mix of older and newer books. Typically, I’m reading at least one nonfiction, one classic novel, and one modern-day fiction.
Here is what I’m reading this summer:
- Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
- The Pioneers by David McCullough
- The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
- When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer
- The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 8 by Beth Brower
Other Forms of Mother Culture
Bible Study: I’m currently (very slowly) making my way through Tremper Longman’s Old Testament Essentials study. Longman was my Old Testament professor in college and the class was phenomenal. I learned sooo much but retained relatively little, so I’ve been loving going through this study as a refresh!
Commonplacing: As I read, I’ll sometimes stop and mark a passage that I found particularly helpful or interesting. Then I record it in my digital commonplace.
Time Outside: I’m sure many will say this isn’t really “mother culture”, but, for me in this season, spending more time outside is an intentional endeavor and a means of restful learning, so I’m including it here. This could and will look like many things – early morning walks, time in the evening with my kids, etc. The goal is simply to spend more time outside.
Knitting: Truth be told, I don’t know if I’ll get to this over the summer or if it will get pushed back to the fall. But, I started my second child’s Christmas stocking last fall and didn’t quite finish it in time for Christmas. I need to pick it up again and then also start on my third (and last) child’s stocking. This was a tradition my grandmother started when she knit stockings for her own kids. She continued to make them for everyone in the family until she passed away seven years ago. Now I’ve continued the tradition for my kids, and I really want them all to be done for Christmas this year.
One Last Note
When I begin to plan my mother culture for each season, I am always so tempted to go overboard. I want to learn alll the things and read alll the things and do alll the things. But then I have to come to terms with my own limitations. And I’ve learned over the years that keeping it simple enables me to accomplish more because I don’t get overwhelmed and give up entirely.
So far, I’m loving what I’ve planned and have actually finished two of the books listed already. I pray that the margins of your summer days are also filled with restful learning, and I’d love to hear what you’re including in your mother culture right now. Come find me over on Instagram and share your summer 2025 mother culture plans, too!
