The hardest and best thing I ever did when it comes to little ones and sleep? Adjust my expectations.
It's when I'm most stuck in my ideas that I should have a set number of uninterrupted hours of sleep in a particular environment at a particular time that I lose the most sleep! And the sleep that I do get isn't as refreshing or appreciated.
When I can let go of my need for "perfect" sleep, I can enjoy and optimize the sleep opportunities I have as an attachment mother of young children.
…
Here are a few tips as you transition to a new way of thinking about sleep.
Want to read more? Of course, you do!
Every month the
joint newsletter from Hobo Mama, Code Name: Mama, and Natural Parents Network wings its way to inboxes all around the world, bringing compelling content like the article I wrote for the June newsletter on Safe Sleep.
So
subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter:
original articles, linked resources around the month's theme, newsletter-exclusive giveaways and deals, fun polls, and more — all delivered right to your inbox!
Subscribe now to get the June 1 issue with the article above on sleep expectations!
We continue to be delighted with the inspiration and wisdom our Carnival of Natural Parenting participants share, and we hope you'll join us for the next carnival in June 2013! (Check out
May,
April,
March,
January,
December,
November,
October,
August,
July,
June,
May,
April,
March,
February,
January, and a summary of all our
2011 posts if you missed any.)
Your co-hosts are
Dionna at Code Name: Mama and
Lauren at Hobo Mama.
Here are the submission details for June 2013:
Theme: Parenting in Theory vs. in Reality: Before you were a parent, there were probably several ideas you had about children or how to raise them that have changed now that you have your own. How did your beliefs about parenting and/or children change? Pick a narrow topic or write about it generally.
Deadline:
Tuesday, June 4. Fill out the
webform (at the link or at the bottom) and email your submission to us by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: CarNatPar {at} NaturalParentsNetwork.com
Sales through the links in this post go to support the work of my website and toward the incredible contributors to this bundle! Thank you so much.
And … we're live!
Welcome to the Mindful Parenting eBundle Sale, organized by Jennifer from Hybrid Rasta Mama, Laura from Authentic Parenting, and me!
The Mindful Parenting eBundle is now 22 titles by esteemed parenting authors (we had a fine last-minute addition from Attachment Parenting International and the Dr. Sears folks!).
This is a handpicked selection of e-books, workshops, e-magazines, and audio, with themes such as creativity and play, peaceful guidance, mindfulness for mothers, children and food, self-care and relaxation, and more.
That's an updated total value of $274 USD for the incredible price of $24.95 USD!
I am so thrilled to be offering this bundle to all of you! Our contributors read like a who's-who of conscious-parenting authors, and the resources will help you so much as you seek to parent more mindfully or encourage you on the path you've already taken.
Welcome to the Sunday Surf, a tour of the
best blogposts I've read throughout the week.
But first, random adora-pictures:
 |
| Safety first! |
 |
| Splash! |
I've needed to take a little time off, but I have some good links to share!
I recently outed myself on facebook, saying that my husband and I are wanting to add an addition to our family and will soon begin trying to conceive. I have been telling people for months that I want another child, and overwhelmingly, peoples first response is “WHY???”
I’m a little confused when I am asked this. You’d think I had just expressed my deepest desire to undergo an unmedicated root canal - or contract a sexually transmitted disease.
It’s one of the most difficult parts of parenting - shedding that rough sweater of negative childhood experience in order that you don’t pass that insufferable legacy along to your kids.
I'm very exited to let you know about the upcoming
Mindful Parenting eBundle Sale, organized by Jennifer from
Hybrid Rasta Mama, Laura from
Authentic Parenting, and (me) Lauren from
Hobo Mama.
The bundle is 21 titles by esteemed parenting authors. I'm an organizer, contributor, and affiliate of the bundle (nothing like multitasking!), so I'm really excited about this upcoming sale. It starts May 28 and lasts for only 12 days.
If you were wondering why I've been taking a wee vacation from blogging, this is why! Organizing this bundle sale has been a ton of really rewarding work, and I'm so pleased to introduce you to this incredible group of resources.
This bundle is a conscious parent's bonanza: a handpicked selection of e-books, workshops, e-magazines, and audio, with themes such as creativity and play, peaceful guidance, mindfulness for mothers, children and food, self-care and relaxation, and more.
Among the resources is my own e-book, Poetry of a Hobo Mama, a collection of poems inspired by my first three years of parenting Mikko. You can read reviews and excerpts for my book here.
These 21 resources are a total value of $236 but will be available for the incredible price of $24.95!
Are you as excited as I am?
Let me share the list of contributors:
And now you know why Sam & I have trouble finding a place to sleep…
Welcome to the May 2013 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Emergency Preparedness
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared their plans to keep their families safe. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
 |
| If you prepare for the just-in-case car scenarios, you can all rest easier. |
Even if you think you're out just running errands or taking a leisurely drive through scenic views, it's prudent to have a
just-in-case kit stashed in your car for emergencies. Just a small selection of basic but very useful supplies will help tide you over if your car breaks down somewhere remote, if you get lost or stranded in bad weather, or even if you're fleeing from a natural disaster or other urgent scenario where you have to rely on just what's in your car as you evacuate.
Your car safety kit isn't necessarily supposed to have
everything you might want or need in any situation, but it will contain the most likely helpmeets. Except in the most dire circumstances, it should you see you through until you can reach safety and replenish your supplies.
This list is in no particular order, as items popped into my head. That makes it fresh and engaging. Yes, let's go with that.
{Amazon links are affiliate and are provided for your shopping/foraging convenience in finding similar products for your safety stash.}
Flashlight:
Because emergencies don't always happen in daylight or well-lit areas! Include a pack of backup batteries, or invest in a hand-cranking or solar-powered model. If it's solar-powered, be sure to periodically charge it in the sun.
Blanket:
I'd go for fleece or wool so it will be warm (even if wet) but durable. Fleece folds up pretty small, which is nice if you have a compact car. Have at least one full-size one on hand and potentially more if you have a lot of family members to cover in an impromptu car-camping situation. Blankets come in handy for more than just emergencies, though: They're great partners at picnics and outdoor concerts, they can shield small passengers from the sun (or is it just my vampire kids that demand that?), and they can cover up conspicuous shopping bags or backpacks that might attract thieves peering in your windows.
Jumper cables:
In case you need a boost. And here's another tip: Replace your car's battery regularly, about every three to four years. If you're in the U.S. and are not sure if your battery's heading to the auto-parts graveyard, you can take it to AutoZone for free testing (and to get a replacement). Ask me how I know this. We have certain children who like to do "pretend driving" with all the lights and the radio and windshield wipers on — and wouldn't you know it? — our car wouldn't start after the latest round. When we took our battery in, the reader said — I kid you not — "Bad Battery." Ha ha! It calls it like it sees it. After that experience (and two days of waiting around at home for helpers to visit us for a jump and a ride), we also purchased a Jump-N-Carry starter that promises to jump start cars without a second vehicle being needed. We haven't used it yet to vouch for, but I like the extra peace of mind that we're that much more self-sufficient … assuming we don't have a Bad Battery!
We're sharing our final poems from the Weekly Parenting Poetry Workshop:
Week 5:
Enjoy
This week — I can't believe it's our last! — we're embracing the camaraderie of parenthood and reveling in our children's joy and creativity.
If you have a poem or poems posted on your blog,
link up below, or paste your poem(s) in the comments!
Have you joined
NPN's new Flickr group yet? Over 1,100 beautiful, inspiring, and hilarious photos have already been added to our Flickr pool, and all 150 (and counting!) of our group's members have been
faithfully "starring" their favorite photographs of what natural parenting really looks like, propelling their top picks closer to winning some of the
nearly $1,100 in photography-related prizes offered in our Flickr contest.
Now through
May 15,
visit the Natural Parents Network Flickr Pool — join, if you haven't yet! — and peruse the pics for the ones that speak to you.
Vote for as many as you like by clicking on the star marked "favorite" that appears above the lefthand corner of each photo.
I'm Lauren Wayne, writer and natural parent. I embrace attached parenting with an emphasis toward green living. 
