How to be a Working Homemaker w/ Charity Gibson
Motherhood Series
Equipping parents during their child’s academic years to bring learning to daily moments.
The Parenting IQ Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual resources to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit www.christianparenting.org
On today’s episode…
In this episode, Dr. Kelly Cagle sits down with professor and mom of four, Charity Gibson, to unpack what it really means to be a homemaker in today’s world. Spoiler: it’s not about whether you work outside the home. It’s about the heart and rhythm you bring into it.
Insights
Redefining Homemaking: A Working Mom's Guide to Creating a Life-Giving Home
What comes to mind when you hear the word homemaker? For many, it’s a dated image: someone who stays home, keeps a tidy house, and has dinner ready when her husband walks in the door. But in a recent Parenting IQ Podcast episode, Dr. Kelly Cagle and guest Charity Gibson challenge that narrative—and offer a refreshing new perspective for modern mothers.
Charity, a college professor, wife, and mother of four, shares insights from her book The Working Homemaker: Employed Christian Moms Desiring a Thriving Home Life. Her message is simple yet profound: homemaking isn’t about job status—it’s about heart and intention.
Homemaking Isn’t a Role—It’s a Rhythm
In today's world, many women juggle demanding careers and motherhood. Charity reminds us that homemaking isn’t about checking domestic boxes—it's about creating a life-giving environment at home. Whether you're in a corporate office or running your own business from the kitchen table, homemaking is about where your focus and priorities lie.
“It’s not about what women are doing from 8 to 5,” Charity says, “It’s about the orientation of priorities—creating a home atmosphere that’s life-giving.”
The Myth of Supermom & the Power of Partnership
In the episode, both Kelly and Charity push back against the “supermom” mentality. Instead of trying to do it all, they encourage moms to lean into their strengths, communicate openly with their spouses, and embrace help without guilt.
Kelly shares a vulnerable story about letting go of the idealized image of a homemaker—specifically around cooking—and how communicating her limits helped her and her husband find a joyful rhythm in the kitchen together.
“Just because I’m physically home doesn’t mean I’m not working,” Kelly explains. “Once I communicated that, things shifted.”
Simplifying Life to Make Space for What Matters
Another highlight from the conversation was the idea of simplification as self-care. Charity encourages families to evaluate not just how much time they’re spending together, but what kind of moments they’re creating. Meal times, bedtime routines, and unstructured play are opportunities for connection that don’t require adding more to the calendar.
“Real self-care is creating a life you don’t have to escape from,” Charity shares.
From setting healthy boundaries to resisting the pressure of overscheduling, this episode offers grounded encouragement for moms who want to lead their homes with both purpose and peace.
Want more from Charity?
Visit charitygibson.com or grab a copy of The Working Homemaker on Amazon (also available as an audiobook).
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the Parenting IQ Podcast—because thriving at home is possible, even in busy seasons.
About Charity Gibson
Charity Gibson is a wife and mother of four children as well as an English professor with a PhD in literature. She has been a working homemaker throughout her entire mothering journey. She is also a Bible-believing Christian who is passionate about incorporating faith into home and work-life.
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HEY THERE! I’M DR. CAGLE… DO YOU NEED HELP WITH CREATING GREAT HABITS???
Parenting is hard work. It requires tons of boundaries, daily consistency, so much awareness, as well as lots of patience, grace, wisdom, and filters. Combine that hefty list with all of life’s demands and others’ voice may become louder than yours in your child’s life, increasing their anxiety, fears, and doubts.
Healthy parenting is about seeing yourself as your child’s #1 teacher, saying the right words (or nothing at all) at the right time, and having the right tools to be intentional and impactful. Guessing your way through life, which is what most parents do, is a recipe for failure, but following the lead of someone who has two decades of research-based information and fully understands the demands of parenthood is a recipe for a full life— for you and your child.
With a PhD in education, I’m here to teach you how to use daily moments are learning opportunities so you raise confident and competent lifelong learners that thrive in an ever-changing world.
Additionally, I offer workshops and keynotes on various topics to parents, educators, students, and business leaders— because the need to understand, support, and empower learners is everywhere..
