Photo by Paul AloeWith each new sunrise, we are given a fresh new day. With this renewal comes fresh opportunities to savor ourselves, our loved ones, and the world around house. Morning is a sacred time, as we awaken and ground ourselves in the new day. As such, we can set the tone for the... Continue Reading →
Phot by Florin GorganLife is like a book. They can come in all manner of sizes and colors. Each day is like a new page, inviting us not only to participate in those things written out beforehand but to embrace the ideas and contemplate the meaning behind them. Some books are packed so full of... Continue Reading →
Friday night comes and families are ready to unwind after a long week of work or running the kids to and from one activity or another. Many families choose to unwind with family movie night. My own family is known to enjoy a good movie, especially if its one based off of a book we've recently... Continue Reading →
You've heard about those people who homeschool their children...the ones who keep their children locked up in the basement at all hours of the day, removed from the dangers of other people and radical thoughts. You can tell these kids from the normal ones, the ones who attend public school, be their great lack of social... Continue Reading →
American parents are running their children to and fro, frazzled themselves by the never-ending car pools and activities. The children, not knowing anything else, long for a simpler lifestyle, one in which they get to be children. It's true that our children benefit from varied experiences. Learning about how other people live and think gives... Continue Reading →
Behavioral training uses punishments and rewards in order to extract desired behaviors from the subject in question. Numerous studies support that the use of punishment in children, regardless of whether or not the punishment is physical in nature, has detrimental effects. Besides dissolving the connection between parent and child, punishments do not help the child to do better... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the April Carnival of Natural Parenting: Compassionate Advocacy This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how they advocate for healthy, gentle parenting choices compassionately. Please read to the end to find a list... Continue Reading →
I watched at the park as my eight year old, clad in sandals, a green polo, and khaki, charcoal, and white plaid shorts, took a soaring leap onto an oversized log. I was struck with his resemblance to Peter Pan as he flew through the air in his green. Childhood is as limitless as we... Continue Reading →
Jennifer Hallisy, a pediatric occupational therapist, has written a wonderful resource for parents and early childhood educators entitled The Write Start. In an age of e-mail and texting, the focus on writing has shifted. However, encouraging our children to write gives them a freedom of expression not found elsewhere. I wasn't certain what to expect... Continue Reading →
I am a stay at home mom. For many people, that simple statement conjures up their own vision of who I am and what I do. Generally speaking, the idea of a 1950's housewife pops into their head. I know this based on comments made by some of my husband's coworkers and relatives over the... Continue Reading →
living peacefully with children 