Mindful Nurturing's Essential Parenting Collection is
ENDING TOMORROW!
And…we've reduced the price big-time,
from $49.97 all the way down to $32 for the full bundle.
It's also your last chance to grab any of the topical mini-bundles ($19.97) on
Pregnancy and Birth, Parenting the Early Years, Child Development, Mindful Guidance, and
Resources for Parents.
For a
full overview of ALL the 35 e-resources,
read my introductory post.
For a
mini-review of several resources that have meant something to me, visit
this post.
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 May 2014! (Check out
April,
March,
February,
January,
December 2013,
November,
October,
September,
August,
July,
June,
May,
April,
March,
January, and a summary of all our
2012 posts and
2011 posts if you missed any.)
Your co-hosts are
Lauren at Hobo Mama and
Dionna at Code Name: Mama.
Here are the submission details for May 2014:
Theme: Ages and Stages: Pick one age or developmental stage of your kids and tell us something about it. Maybe you'll hand out teething advice, or newborn sleep suggestions. Maybe you'll reminisce about the terrific twos or look forward to the burgeoning tweens. Tell us something about an age or stage, either past, present, or future!
Deadline:
Tuesday, May 6. 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
Carnival date: Tuesday, May 13. Before you post, we will send you an email with a little blurb in html to paste into your submission that will introduce the carnival. You will publish your post on May 13 and email us the link if you haven't done so already. Once everyone's posts are published by noon Eastern time, we will send out a finalized list of all the participants' links to generate lots of link love for your site! We'll include full instructions in the email we send before the posting date.
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Goofing around with my sweet dude at the Apple Store |
Lately Mikko, 6 and a half years old, has been gifting me goodies as a surprise. One time he went with his dad to the grocery store to pick up flowers and a two-liter of soda for me (I'd been craving!), and several other occasions since he's stolen away my smartphone to let his dad help him unlock the next episode of Candy Crush,
spending 99 cents of his own allowance each time.
His reaction every time is to wait for mine — so I try not to disappoint! I'm not much of a gusher, but I give it my all. It's
hilarious and heartwarming that he shows me his love through these frequent little gifts.
I've been thinking a lot, not coincidentally, about love languages (you can read more at
this affiliate link). Clearly he has a tendency toward two in particular:
physical affection (the boy's a cuddler!) and gift giving and receiving. Indeed, every time he gives me a gift, he asks me,
"Now what are you going to get me?" Ha! I'm not sure he quite understands the concept of a
gift, but I will say he understands clearly
what he needs to feel loved (probably more aware and certainly more outspoken about it than most adults). He shows me by doing those same things to show
me love.
I have a post today at Natural Parents Network with "10 Easy Ways to Go Reusable at Home."
In the spirit of Earth Day this month, I'm sharing
10 simple changes you can make to create a more eco-friendly environment in your home. Some of you might have done all these and then some, but for those of us who need a nudge in a new direction, here are some baby steps to pick and choose from, according to where you are on your environmental journey.
1. Replace paper towels with cloth dish towels, sponges, and rags.
It can seem daunting to discontinue paper towel use when you're accustomed to grabbing one several times a day for all manner of cleaning projects. If the idea of going cold turkey scares you, keep a roll at hand but gradually increase the number of reusable options you have as well.
Here's what we use in place of paper towels.
Continue reading at Natural Parents Network ››
Photo credits:
Dish towels: Becky F
Bento box: Maki
Wool dryer balls & cloth diapers: Hobo Mama
Sorry to be so thoroughly unwordless on a Wordless Wednesday, but
today is the day you can hear me speak at the Nourished Living Summit about long-term breastfeeding and tandem nursing!
It is FREE to listen to my talk, and you have 48 hours to listen.
Head over RIGHT NOW to register — for FREE — in order to listen to my presentation (or any of the others on natural family living still to come through April 29!).
Today is also the day you can
start buying lifetime access to the FULL Nourished Living Summit. If you want to hear
any of the 69 incredible speakers (including Dr. Jay Gordon and Elizabeth Pantley), today's the day to purchase your lifetime access.
Because…
TODAY ONLY, it's $20 off. It's a 24-hour sale that will go away tomorrow, so April 9 only, the full summit is $127.
You can also
purchase individual tracks if you're interested in certain topics particularly.
Welcome to the April 2014 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Pastimes
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 stories and wisdom about family pastimes.
We all need time as families to reconnect. Many of our families have parents who are working opposite schedules, or with one out on the job and the other at home. Many of us have kids in school or activities that keep us separated many days of the week.
Our family decided to become intentional about having
one day a week we spend solely on each other: Family Day. Does your household have a Family Day?
Sam and I have an unusual lifestyle in that
we're both self-employed, and we both unschool (homeschool) our two (
soon to be three!) kids. To make that balance, we each need dedicated time to work as well as plenty of opportunity to spend time with our children.
We've decided on this schedule, and it's been working for us for awhile now: Sam takes care of the kids Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday while I work. I take the kids Monday, Thursday, and Saturday while he works. (Sometimes the person working leaves the house for a different location, and sometimes the person taking the kids does, and sometimes the person working just hides upstairs!) This does mean our work days can sometimes be quite long since we get only three of them a week, but it's working out well at this point, and I love that we have this flexibility.
That leaves Wednesday as the best day of the week: Family Day!
I realize for a lot of people, it's probably a weekend day (or days) that ends up being Family Day, but we're happy that most things are open but not crowded mid-week. Might as well take advantage of our unique situation, right?
A
ring sling is a highly useful carrier since it’s
easy to learn to use (just pop your baby in and tighten the fabric through the rings) and can be used
from newborn days (in front carries) up
through toddler years (in a hip carry). Plus, it’s a
poppable carrier, easy to let children in and out of without a lot of bother.
A ring sling is a
length of woven cloth that loops over the wearer's shoulder and is adjusted by the overlapping rings worn near the shoulder, with the baby sitting in the pocket created by the fabric. Ring slings
work for any caregiver because they can be sized big or small and made plain or fancy, with different colors, patterns, and fabric choices — often cotton but also blends, linen, very lightweight mesh or solar-protective fabrics for water and summer use, and brocade and silk for dressier occasions.
Using a ring sling can seem daunting at first, but with a little practice and guidance,
you’ll soon find it becomes second nature. I'll share some pictures here my husband took of my 2-year-old and me showing how it's done. Front carries work well with any age baby or toddler, and the hip carry is better attempted once a baby has good head and neck support.
I’d like to remind you of a
few safety pointers to keep in mind when learning any new carry or carrier:
- Keep your baby supported with your arms until you’re sure the carrier is secure.
- If your baby or you are not feeling well, try again later.
- Enlist another trusted adult. Ask the other adult to keep hands on the baby, or to help you secure the carrier, and be clear about who’s doing what.
- Use a mirror. If you’re out, any reflective surface (building windows, car windows) will help.
- Start low. Sit on the floor as you begin a wrap so you both can have less fear of falling. Later on, try starting from a sofa or bed or the seat or trunk of a car.
- Ensure airways are clear and babies don't slip deeply into the pocket of fabric.
- Keep young babies tummy to tummy and upright against you. Support unstable heads with fabric behind the head.
- If you need help, request it! If you want someone to confirm that your baby’s in safely, ask away. If you feel uncomfortable with certain carries, that’s totally fine — find what works for you and your little one, and enjoy your own brand of babywearing!
Front Carry in a Ring Sling
Carrying a baby tummy to tummy in a ring sling is perfect for snuggly newborn days on up. It’s most comfortable with lighter loads and makes for convenient breastfeeding.
Loosen the ring sling and place over one arm and then over your head.
I thought I'd give some glimpses into our homeschooling / unschooling,
natural-learning process. Here's how we do math around here.