Your husband is the chaplain for the Auburn Men’s Basketball team, and you are in law school. How do you two juggle having three young boys yet striving to fulfill all your personal commitments?
Sharon: Someone once gave me a coffee cup that says “Jesus and Coffee,” and that is honestly how I’ve made it through the past three years. Jeremy and I would not have made it this far without lots of prayer and God’s daily provision of wisdom, strength, and endurance. We have had to rely on each other a lot, and we’ve also been blessed with great neighbors and friends who have helped us through this busy season.
How do you and your spouse keep the romance alive while juggling kids, work, school, and family life?
Sharon: Since our schedules are very busy, we like to stay in and have a movie night when we can. After the kids have gone to bed, we pick a movie and snack and just hang out together.
You moved to Auburn only three years ago. What do you love most about the area? What is your best piece of advice for families moving to this community?
Sharon: Auburn is a great place to raise a family. We love the Southern culture, the great weather, and all of the activities surrounding the university. The people of Auburn are wonderful. We see God working in and through the lives of people here. Our biggest piece of advice for families moving to Auburn is to find a church community to get involved with.
With kids so close in age, what are the dynamics of their relationships? How do you handle conflict resolution?
Sharon: I did not plan to have three kids in three years, but God had other plans. The boys are very close, and people often ask if they are triplets. I am always amazed that three boys raised in the same household can have such different personalities and interests. Let’s just say that our house is rarely quiet. There is lots of shouting (because we are still working on indoor voices), yelling, crying, singing and laughing, sometimes all within the span of five minutes! Every day is an adventure. When the boys have conflicts, we try to teach them to “use their words” to express how they feel, to apologize, and to forgive because that’s what Jesus teaches us to do.
How do you handle criticism or negative feedback about your parenting?
Sharon: I’m pretty hard on myself as a mom and think I’m my biggest critic. When I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself and feeling “mom guilt,” I just try to remind myself that there are no perfect moms. My kids don’t need a perfect mom; they just need a mom who follows Christ. When I feel like there is an area of my parenting that can improve, I pray about it and ask for God’s help to change in that area.
What values do you hope to instill in your children?
Sharon: I want my kids to love God and love people.
If you had a dollar for every time you said a certain phrase to your kids, what would you be rich from saying?
Sharon: With three boys, I’d probably say, “Sit down” and “Be quiet” are things I say often. When we are in public, we often play “Mousie Mousie,” which we’ve changed to “Tiger Tiger.” It goes, “Tiger Tiger 123. See how quiet and still we can be.” They love it, and it gives Mom and Dad at least two minutes of peace and quiet!
Rapid Fire Questions
Inside or outside? Outdoors
Beach or Pool? Beach
What would be your superpower of choice? Speak any language Stay in or go out? Staying in
One word to describe yourself. Multifaceted
Sharon Napier, originally from St. Louis, MO, and her husband Jeremy, originally from Huntington, WV, have lived in Auburn for three years. They have three boys — Josiah (7), Judah (5) and Joshuah (4). The family loves to read together, attend sporting events, make music, go to the gym, and travel. Sharon believes it’s important to always be learning something new, and it is a core value in their family.
Author: Staff
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