Natural Parents Network

Giveaway: Captain No Beard Series – 3 winners, $90 ARV {6/8; US}

NPN Reviewers — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:01:20 +0000

This is a joint giveaway with Living Peacefully with Children and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

Carole P. Roman is offering three of our readers their own copies of the Captain No Beard series (Captain No Beard, Pepper Parrot’s Problem with Patience, and Stuck In the Doldrums) a value of $30 x 3 (combined total ARV $90).
Reviewer received a free sample for review purposes and consideration was given to NPN for hosting the review/giveaway. Links may be affiliate links.

Stuck in the Doldrums is a full color picture book for children about the continuing adventures of a young pirate named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and a menagerie of a crew. Follow their adventure and discover the important truth inherent to all parents and caregivers – with power comes responsibility. For more reading fun, check out the rest of the Captain No Beard seriees

From our reviewer, Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children:

About the Book:

Stuck in the Doldrums, by Carole P. Roman, continues the tale of a young pirate’s life. Alexander, the pirate captain extraordinaire, and his cousin and first mate, Hallie, are joined by a menagerie of a crew: Mongo, the “mast-climbing monkey,” Linus, the “loud-mouthed lion,” and Fribbit, the “floppy frog.” Together they travel on their ship called the Flying Dragon, whose name was chosen for its fear-inducing qualities.

Without a wind to lift their sails, Captain No Beard and his crew find themselves marooned on a desert island, or as he says, “stuck in the doldrums.” The crew decides to make the best of the situation and sets about enjoying their day. Cloud watching, beach playing, and sand castle building top their list of activities. Seeing his crew enjoying themselves, Captain No Beard tries to steal some of the fun for himself with orders until he finds that no one wants to be around him.

Off to the ship by himself, he declares he will do everything himself. However, when a giant squid attacks the boat, he quickly realizes that he can’t go it alone and calls for help from his trusty crew. The crew is met with indecision, due to the earlier treatment received from their captain, but compassion prevails, as they vow to help first and talk to him later. With the help of the fearless crew, the Flying Dragon is saved, and Captain No Beard apologizes for his earlier actions.

The story has merit for parents and children alike, but I have to disagree with the title “Stuck in the Doldrums: A Lesson in Sharing.” The book isn’t about sharing at all. It is about perversion of power and how we use and abuse the power and trust given to us by others. It is a reminder that others, including children, deserve to have a voice and choice in their lives. As Captian No Beard learns, “Just because you’re in charge doesn’t mean you know everything. A good captain must always consider everyone’s feelings . . . .” With less of the playful pirate lingo found in the first of the series and with drawings which are less crisp, Stuck in the Doldrums still provides an easy segue into discussing an important issue between parents and children.

About the Author:

Carole P. Roman is former teacher and current businesswoman. Her favorite job is that of grandmother, and she loves to snuggle up in a chair, reading stories to her loved ones. Carole is proud to be able to go on daily adventures with her grandchildren, traveling all over through books and always being home in time for dinner. As the dedication in the book reads, her grandchildren have “reminded [her] how much fun it was to go from the bottom of the sea to the most distant star. All in one day!”

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Stuck in the Doldrums, along with the other book sin the series at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or Create Space. The books sell for approximately $10 each and shipping ranges by site. Carole has another children’s book in which yoga is incorporated into every day life: I Want to Do Yoga, Too Her newest book series, If You Were Me, focuses on helping children learn about other culture and understand the global connection we all have.To stay connected with updates, Like her page on Facebook.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a copy of Captain No Beard from Carole P. Roman, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

Three winners will receive copies of the Captain No Beard series of books. Contest is open to residents of the United States only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Simply leave your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry form.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. When commenting for extra entries, please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries.

This is a joint giveaway with Living Peacefully with Children and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!
BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For entries that require a blog comment, please include your email address with the comment so we can match up entries. If on Blogger, you can write it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com
For actions like following and subscribing, if you already follow or subscribe, just tell us with your entry.
Tweets must be a minimum of 24 hours apart — you can return to update your Rafflecopter entry without losing any of your previous entries. Your Tweets must be unprotected (publicly viewable).
You don’t have to do any of the bonus entries, but you do have to complete the first mandatory one.

Rafflecopter will pick the winner through Random.org after the contest closes, and a representative from NPN will send an email notification. Leave a valid email address as you enter so we can contact you if you win. If we can’t reach a winner, we’ll draw a new name at random.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond by email; otherwise, NPN will select another winner.

No purchase necessary. Entrants must be age 18 or older and be residents of the countries listed at the giveaway post. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winner(s) agree to hold Natural Parents Network and the giveaway hosts harmless for any problem with receipt and/or use of prize. Winner must contact the product seller or manufacturer directly if there is any problem with the prize or prize delivery. Winners are responsible for any taxes or customs fees related to prize winnings. NPN and the giveaway hosts reserve the right to publicize the winner’s first name. Void where prohibited by law.

Contest closes June 8 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: Reviewer received a free sample for review purposes,
and consideration was given to NPN for hosting the review/giveaway.
Links may be affiliate links. Amazon links are affiliate links.
We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful
to your life as a natural parent. If we don’t like a product, we won’t be
recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.

_________________________

Information About Our Reviewer:

Mandy O’Brien is a WAHM to four fantastic unschooled children. You can read a bit about their lives at Living Peacefully with Children, where she writes about equality, learning, and life.

Photo Credits: Author (first picture) and then Crafting Connections

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Now through May 31, vote on the finalists for the What Does Natural Parenting Really Look Like? photo contest. Whether you have yet to join the Flickr party, or you’re an active member of the group who’s long been rooting for one of the finalists, here’s your last chance to propel your favorite photo to victory!

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300 Positive Words to Describe Your Children

Mandy — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:30:59 +0000

Many of the characteristics that are undervalued in children are the very characteristics valued in adults. The next time you find yourself thinking about your children, try to think of their characteristics in a positive light.

A positive attitude can make difference between conflict or connection.

Here are 300 words to get you started:

determined
encouraging
assured
credible
loving
delightful
intellectual
articulate
delightful
self-assured
assertive
fair
incredible
clever
daring
remarkable
unparalleled
resplendent
calm
intuitive
contemplative
supportive
astounding
benevolent
effervescent
venturous
deserving
mesmerizing
ingenious
respectful
bold
persistent
congenial
majestic
extraordinary
self-reliant
insightful
approachable
inspiring
humorous
energetic
powerful
handsome
articulate
compassionate
amiable
versatile
easy-going
diligent
dedicated
proactive
considerate
efficient
quirky
detailed
discreet
optimistic
uncompromising
fearless
courageous
resolute
cautious
dazzling
spunky
direct
exuberant
devoted
inquisitive
strong
methodical
steadfast
elated
alert
spirited
patient
tough
hard-working
open-minded
motivated
introspective
enthusiastic
opinionated
fascinating
joyous
fabulous
charming
industrious
magnetic
decorous
entertaining
captivating
independent
objective
tenacious
unbiased
rhetorical
reserved
bright
excited
intelligent
comfortable
talkative
unique
observant
talented
sensitive
aware
unconventional
tolerant
willing
knowledgeable
outspoken
adept
logical
confident
endearing
adventurous
sentimental
debonair
persuasive
steady
understanding
enterprising
courteous
analytical
warm
idealistic
eager
honest
proud
brilliant
amusing
caring
productive
curious
engaging
sympathetic
dependable
generous
reflective
modest
gutsy
instinctive
sensible
diplomatic
constructive
committed
responsible
enduring
protective
shrewd
trustworthy
thoughtful
dynamic
honorable
stimulating
secure
receptive
lovable
friendly
cheerful
enchanting
upbeat
frank
wise
electrifying
beautiful
selective
plucky
jovial
sincere
lively
loyal
kind
gentle
passionate
hilarious
patient
breathtaking
amazing
adorable
meticulous
zestful
impartial
forgiving
outgoing
creative
artistic
earnest
happy
alluring
unasssuming
consistent
particular
quick
vigorous
fiery
talented
leader
perceptive
free spirited
practical
fantastic
successful
witty
ambitious
brave
helpful
focused
chatty
authentic
succinct
reverent
boundless
fast
calm
unwavering
inventive
entreprenurial
selective
fashionable
balanced
skillful
spontaneous
active
charismatic
incredible
devoted
genuine
candid
attentive
serious
admirable
positive
endless
eloquent
vibrant
communicative
sociable
harmonious
affectionate
interesting
courageous
radical
vivacious
capable
reciprocating
flexible
gracious
original
wonderful
careful
valuable
philosophical
resourceful
coherent
powerful
imaginative
fierce
believable
polite
sensational
jocular
quintessential
terrific
natural
romantic
trustful
young
motivating
adaptable
conscientious
alluring
convivial
decisive
accomplished
gregarious
pioneering
straight forward
incomparable
poetic
stunning
detailed
fervent
nurturing
distinguished
awesome
mirthful
wondrous
worthy
magical
reliable
gifted
prodigious
animated
phenomenal
intense
compelling
enigmatic
loved

Photo Credit: Steve Evans (Flickr)

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VOTE Now through May 31, 2013 for the Finalists in NPN’s Flickr Contest

NPN_Admin — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:17 +0000

What Does Natural Parenting Really Look Like? Vote Now and Decide!

We created a place on Flickr for natural parents to share their favorite photos, and the amount of talent and beauty captured by your cameras and shared with our community has been amazing! Over 160 people have joined NPN’s Flickr group, contributing over 1100 photographs of everything from birth to big kids freeranging in the wilderness. We know it was hard to choose favorites, but choose you did. 27 pictures were chosen by a panel of judges (a group your devoted Natural Parents Network cofounders and editors) based on votes and adherence to our theme.

While there were hundreds of gorgeous photos to peruse, below are the pictures that truly exemplify our theme — “what natural parenting really looks like.” We have grouped the finalists into categories that show what natural parenting is all about. For complete contest rules and a look at the fabulous prize packages up for grabs, please see the original contest post and the sponsors post.

Whether you have yet to join the Flickr party, or you’re an active member of the group who’s long been rooting for one of the stunners below, here’s your last chance to propel your favorite photo to victory.

How to Vote:

Check out the 27 finalists below and select your FIVE top choices. Each photo has a number, a caption, and the photographer’s name.
Scroll down to the bottom of this post and vote by checking the boxes next to your favorite five. Each checkbox is numbered and named to correspond to the order of the photos. If for some reason the form below does not load, or if you’d like it to load in a different window, you can view the voting form in a different tab by clicking here.
We are using the honor entry and asking that you only vote one time during this round. Thank you!

Please limit yourself to ONE entry only.

Click on photos to view them larger!

Fertility, Pregnancy, and Birth:

1. Laboring in the Water by Fine and Fair

2. Almost Time, by m2themommy

3. Shiloh weighed by midwife, by denahuff

4. Fionn’s birth, by Vintage Doula

Green Living & Love of Nature:

5. There’s a Bug on My Head!, by Shawna

6. Flower Beau, by Amy Patterson

7. Visit to Local Orchard, by Amy Serotkin

Feeding Our Families With Love:

8. Helping Herself, by palmtreemama

9. How We Sleep, by MelissaFaith

10. Tandem, by Ashadore

11. My Big Girl, by Paxye

Playful Parenting:

12. Playfulness is the New Black, by Angeliina Lawson

13. This is How We Roll, by S. in the Midwest

Family Life

14. Great Grandma, Grandma, Mommy and Me!, by vraefrench

15. His Point of View, by Judi Dai

Babywearing:

16. Wrapped in Rainbow, by mamajaga

17. Babywearing Girasol, by Meghan Howard

18. Hey Mama, We’re So Close!, by That Mama Gretchen

Natural Learning:

19. Homemade Paint, by pwenzel

20. Outdoor Play Scape, by Kimberley @ The Single Crunch

21. Her Very First Painting, by Jennifer Lang

Striving for Balance:

22. Oooommmm, by TeamHendrix

Siblings:

23. Siblings Without Rivalry, by Luschka Van Onselen

24. Sharing Mama’s Love by MarnieandAndrew

Cosleeping & Respectful Nighttime Parenting:

25. Taking a Snooze on the Family Bed, by Cynthia Gilbert

26. Sleep, by TattooedMeegs

Potty Time & Elimination Communication:

27. Little Potty, by Anjanette Barr

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Winners of the over $1100 in awesome prizes will be announced in June. Thanks for participating, and keep adding to the Flickr pool! You never know when one of your photos might be highlighted in a Wordless Wednesday post!

Thanks for subscribing to the Natural Parents Network RSS Feed. Please share your thoughts and see what others have to say about this article, VOTE Now through May 31, 2013 for the Finalists in NPN’s Flickr Contest

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Wordless Wednesday: Pampering

NPN_Admin — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:01:19 +0000

This week we asked: What does pampering look like?

(Read more about striving for balance in family life on our resource page.)

Sometimes something as silly as a sparkly pair of shoes can make
Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy feel just a little bit better about the world.

The ultimate in luxury for a sleep deprived Mom of a recently weaned child, a night in a hotel room all by herself.

Shannon blogs at Pineapples & Artichokes.

Mama and Eva enjoyed hair braiding on holiday in Bali

Eva indulging in some of mama’s lipstick

Joella’s mother pampers her tired feet at her Mama Blessing

Joella blogs at Fine and Fair.

Julia from A Little Bit of All of It felt very pampered at her Mother Blessing before the birth of her son.
Here she is receiving an herbal foot bath.

In this picture, Julia is receiving an arm massage and her hair is being braided.

Abbie of Farmer’s Daughter enjoys a relaxing pedicure for her birthday.

Fresh hair color, freshly maintained dreadlocks (by a professional!), a “new” dress saved from a swap,
a crazy new “do,” and a party all about this birthday girl… pampering and attention for the win!

See more on dreadlocks and natural parenting at Momma Jorje.

Tell us: What does pampering look like in your family?

You can find our upcoming topics on our Wordless Wednesday page. Feel free to send in your own pictures on the themes listed and join the photo fun!

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday post? Please link up below! And find more Wordless Wednesday linkies here.

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At-Home Exercise: Using My Stairs for Strength

Amy — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:28 +0000

I’ve had five children in twelve years. While I may appear slim, my body is not what it used to be when I was a teenager, and I am working to make a few changes. Lately, I have been brainstorming simple, quick ways to build strength – cardio, core, muscle, emotional, mental, spiritual – overall strength. I have the emotional, mental, spiritual covered pretty well with relaxation meditation and awareness activities, although I am always open for further integration.

On the physical tip, I have purchased and practiced many DVDs in various forms of exercise – yoga, aerobic, muscle sculpting, post-natal, pre-natal, pelvic floor, core exercises, yoga with the family, and so on. I really enjoy working with all of these instructional workouts and bring much that I have learned into my everyday life.

At the same time, I don’t always (feel like I) have the time to pop in a 40-60 minute DVD. This reminds me of the lovely Rodney Yee AM DVD with five 20 minute workouts for every morning of the week – I really love waking up that way! Okay, I just don’t always want to pop in a DVD. Yet, I know I feel better when I exercise daily: I sleep more restfully, respond more lovingly to challenges, and overall feel better about myself and my life. Exercise helps me process emotions and tune into my body.

As I was walking up the stairs the other day in our bi-level home it occurred to me that the action of walking up and down the stairs (especially while packing a 16 pound baby) is quite the exercise in itself. In this everyday action I get to focus on proper posture, core strength, cardio strength, leg and arm strength, and overall intention (the stairs and landing are wood and sometimes slippery).

I wondered, why not use my stairs for overall strength through deliberately exercising on them?

I can do it with or without the baby, in the amount of time that I have, at a pace that works for me and my body, it can be done when the kids are awake or asleep, and I can do short sessions throughout the day by multiplying my regular use of the stairs (going up and down a few extra times when I need to use the stairs.

Below are some ways I am using my stairs for strength . . . maybe you can too if you’d like a challenge. Although I have a lot of interest in health and well being, I am not a certified physical fitness instructor, so please use your own judgment and intuition as you consider using stairs for strength.

Wear gripping shoes (like those I would use for running, climbing, or hiking) or go barefoot so I stay connected to the floor (socks can be way slippery on wood)
If I am wearing the baby, make sure she is in an ergonomically supportive carrier (like the Ergo), it is properly fastened so she’s snug but not tight, and comfortable for both of us.
Before beginning, spend a few moments or minutes grounding, feeling my body solid, rooted into the ground and earth, muscles strong supporting the bones, anchoring deeply into proper posture – at the top of the stairs if I would like.
Hold the railing initially and walk rather than go quickly.
If not holding the baby, make sure she is in a safe space (stair gate closed).
Focus on my breath and be aware of how I am holding my body, feeling in my body, noticing any tension while allowing it to release with the out breath.
Walk the stairs slowly at first – down, then up as set to gently stretch and warm the muscles. Repeat for a certain number of reps (10-20 to start) or for a specified amount of time (5-10 minutes to start), gradually working up to a faster pace or amount of reps/time as able.
Engage muscles, trust and listen to my body, step in place for a few seconds to rest.
Bring in mantras or favorite quotes, strengthen the mind and body at the same time. Write out a list of thoughts I am working to integrate/affirm and choose some to repeat as I walk the stairs. Create a sequence if desired.
Combine stair walking with household responsibilities that need to be completed on different levels of the home and alternate floors to increase stair walking (i.e. emptying trash, laundry, vacuuming on the stairs or on different floors).

How do you exercise in your home?

Photo Credit: Author

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When Teens Practice Consensual Values

Destany Fenton — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:30:36 +0000

One of the issues I had when I first began to consider parenting in a more consensual way was the idea that my children would be ill-prepared to handle real world challenges. Lets face it, much of what our kids are going to encounter in school, their future jobs, even being out and about will sometimes be different than the way they are treated home.

I am fortunate to have had good models to show me that consensual living is really identifying the needs of the parties involved and addressing them when coming up with solutions that work for everyone. But I was still unsure of how this would look for my kids outside of my household. What impact does consensual living truly have when my children are out in the world with adults who don’t consider their needs as I do?

Tim is my 15 year old in high school, and he started having problems with a teacher who I will call Mr. Frank. Mr. Frank is a very authoritative teacher. He is strict and commands absolute silence in his classroom at all times. According to my son, he is inflexible and will berate his students for what he perceives as impudence.

Tim had only a couple of encounters with this teacher before determining that he hated him. His thinly veiled contempt was something that Mr. Frank noticed, for he began (in my son’s opinion) to single Tim out for reprimand. According to Tim, Mr. Frank would shout at him for talking when others were talking as well. Tim admits that he would roll his eyes and huff at Mr. Frank when this would happen.

One day, Tim had enough. When Mr. Frank singled him out yet again for talking even though several others were, he snapped at him. Mr. Frank started shouting at Tim, and told him to stand in the corner. Tim refused. The teacher screamed at him to get out of the classroom. Tim threw his bag across the room and it hit the wall.

That afternoon, my husband received a phone call from Mr. Frank. He was very upset when he told my husband about the incident. It was clear that he wanted us to punish Tim to make him be compliant in the classroom.

Our first reaction was that it was very unlike Tim to speak disrespectfully to a teacher. We knew that there was more to the story than what Mr. Frank had told us. Rather than handing out a punishment and saying it was “just because; you have to listen to your elders, or else,” we asked Tim what happened. We put ourselves in his shoes and thought about how embarrassing it would have been to have to stand in the corner. Or how unfair it must have felt to be the one shouted at for the same thing others were doing. We didn’t blame him in the least for refusing to stand in the corner.

We did, however, let him know that regardless of the circumstances, it wasn’t appropriate to yell at his teacher or to throw his bag. Although we understood his anger, the behavior wasn’t acceptable. We then went on to explain that his teacher may seem tough, but inside he is experiencing the same intense emotions that Tim was. We did our best to describe what those might have been, and to ask Tim what he thought his teacher might have been thinking and feeling in that moment as well.

Mr. Frank probably felt embarrassed to be talked to like that in his classroom in front of others. He was probably afraid of students joining in and losing control of his class, or becoming a laughing stock around the school.

After helping Tim understand that his teacher’s actions were likely based on fear and insecurity, we asked him which of his behaviors may have contributed to those feelings. He responded, “Rolling my eyes, talking.”

We asked him what he might have done to stop the incident before it went so far as Mr. Frank trying to “save face” by putting him in the corner. He replied that he could have quieted down and went to work.

Finally, we asked him what he thought he could do to help make things better in class, both for himself and for Mr. Frank. He volunteered, “I think I should apologize.”

The following day, Tim went to Mr. Frank and offered a genuine, heartfelt apology. This wasn’t a begrudging, “My parents grounded me and are making me do this,” apology and I do believe Mr. Frank would have felt the difference. The latter would have done nothing to soften his teacher’s attitude towards him, and they were able to talk it out.

Since this incident, Mr. Frank still sometimes acts like a bully in the classroom. Tim is 15, so there are some moments of contention. But by teaching empathy, respect, and cooperation at home, we helped to lay the foundation for Tim to diffuse stressful situations with his teacher before they get out of hand.

Mr. Frank got what he wanted, which was for Tim to apologize and be more respectful. Tim also got what he wanted, which was to stop being treated unfairly and shouted at. This was achieved without punishment, and with very little fuss, simply by showing our son empathy and teaching him to use it towards others.

_________________________

Photo Credit: Moodboard

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Giveaway: Beauty Without Cruelty $50 ARV {6.1; US}

NPN Reviewers — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:05 +0000

This is a joint giveaway with True Confessions of a Real Mommy and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked “Win it!” for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

Reviewer received a free sample for review purposes, and consideration was given to NPN for hosting the review/giveaway. Links may be affiliate links.

Beauty Without Cruelty is offering our readers a giveaway of $50 worth of their products.

For over 40 years BWC has been a company with a mission — ethical, cruelty-free products that are made with natural, safe ingredients. All BWC color cosmetics are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and are fragrance-free. Their nail colors are free of toluene, formaldehyde, and pthalates.

If you win, you’ll have yours for the choosing, $50 to spend at www.beautywithoutcruelty.com.

From our reviewer, Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy:

I don’t use a lot of beauty products. I am generally a no ‘poo, no makeup, just go with the bright hair kinda gal. But a friend sent me just a sample of Beauty Without Cruelty, and I wanted to know more. Luckily, the opportunity arose to really check out the products and company when they sent me items for review.

In 1963, Beauty Without Cruelty was founded in England by the trustees of BWC Charitable Trust, an animal welfare organization. Its goal was to manufacture and distribute natural, color cosmetics that were NOT tested on animals and did NOT contain any animal ingredients.

I chose to try Beauty Without Cruelty Aromatherapy Hair Care Moisture Plus Shampoo, BWC Aromatherapy Hair Care Moisture Plus Conditioner, BWC Aromatherapy Skin Care Herbal Cream Facial Cleanser, and BWC Attitude Nail Colors in Summer Sky.

BWC Aromatherapy Hair Care

To start, I love how well the shampoo and conditioner deal with my poorly (over)treated hair. I have a penchant for abusing it with bleach and bright dyes that look fun but really fry my hair. BWC Aromatherapy Hair Care Moisture Plus Shampoo and Conditioner were excellent in putting moisture back in, leaving it so soft, with less frizz and fuzz. I even think it may help keep the color bright. The only downside to the product is I wasn’t big on the scent. It reminded me of that old baby lotion. Just not my thing. But, I do know their Lavender Highland and Rosemary Mint Tea Tree versions smell wonderful. With S.L.S.-, paraben-, animal-product-free ingredients, as well as no synthetic fragrances, it seems like a better alternative to typical products when I do choose to wash my hair.

BWC Aromatherapy Skin Care

I was a little wary of trying a facial cleanser. I have NEVER been good at regular face washing, and I have always had a problem with reacting when I tried a new one, but everyone keeps saying it is crucial to keeping a young-looking face. So, I gave it a shot. It was smooth, creamy, smelled nice, was gluten-free, and my face felt amazing after using it. I followed the instructions to apply with my fingertips with some concern: it seemed too creamy to wash without some exfoliant. No need to worry, my face felt fresh and clean. No oily residue. I can’t say it has helped my recurring blemishes any, but no major breakouts.

BWC Attitude Nail Colors

The Attitude Nail Colors in Summer Sky was just a bit of fun for me, and my children. I don’t often take the time to do the mani/pedi thing. (Really, I still have remnants from last summer’s pedi. Shhh!) But I thought it would be nice to make some time. That didn’t happen, of course.

My 3-year-old loves getting his nails painted. Have you painted a 3-year-old’s nails? They can’t sit still! And then my 15-month-old wanted in on it (just her toes), and I thought we were in trouble. Not to worry! The Attitude Nail Colors in Summer Sky went on easily, dried FAST, and one coat was enough (though I did a second coat on some of mine). The paint did chip after a day or two, even though they call it “Chip Proof,” but I have never had any nail polish last longer than that. Because it was toluene-, phthalate-, formaldehyde-, and GLUTEN-free, I was less worried about using it on them than traditional polishes.

The short of it: great stuff. Responsible practices, reputable company, and some great scents and colors. I would (and do) purchase from Beauty Without Cruelty.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own vegan beauty supplies at Beauty Without Cruelty.

And just for Natural Parents Network and True Confessions of a Real Mommy readers, Beauty Without Cruelty is giving a 20% discount on all orders from now through June 15, 2013. Enter code CMBNCXRB during the ordering process.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a $50 credit from Beauty Without Cruelty, enter by using our Rafflecopter system below.

The winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to use at Beauty Without Cruelty. Contest is open to the US only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Simply enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in any bonus comments so we can verify entries.

This is a joint giveaway with True Confessions of a Real Mommy and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we’ll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

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Contest closes June 1, 2013, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Information About Our Reviewer:

Jennifer is an HBAC-ing, geek-loving foodie, with aspirations of athleticism. Mom to two boys and a girl, Jennifer is a strong advocate of natural parenting and treating children with respect and kindness.

Photo Credits: BWC, BWC, Author

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8 Tips for Maintaining Sanity When Your Partner Is Away

Laura — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:37 +0000

Bye-bye!

Recently, my husband received a great compliment at work: a promotion! While this is wonderful recognition for his hard work, it came with a special “reward”: more travel. He now has to fly to various sites at least once a month. As I told my friend, he’s gone just long enough for it to be a pain but not long enough to get into a good routine.

It’s not easy to be the solo parent when I am used to having an extra pair of hands around (or feet on the gas petal!).

As a result, I’ve come up with eight tips and tricks to maintain my own balance and peace of mind while my husband is gone.

1. Adjust your calendar – If I don’t have to be somewhere, I don’t go. For some people, this can make the days longer and they pack the calendar with events and activities. Either one works; just know your limits.

2. invite friends over – A good friend and I trade off having dinner at each other’s houses when our husbands are out of town. This makes the long evenings go by faster, it gives us some adult conversation, and one of us doesn’t have to cook! Plus, it wears our children out and makes the solo-bedtime-routine easier!

3. Plan something special – Every time my husband leaves town, the kids know they can camp out in the master bedroom. I put the littles in bed with me, the big ones on the floor, and we all watch cartoons until we fall asleep. Maybe you can cook something that you love but your partner hates. What about a special project with the children, like a welcome-home banner? Special activities make the time fly a little faster!

4. Enlist help – Whether it’s a mother’s helper, babysitter, or Grandma coming to stay, another pair of hands can really help out.

5. Try to make the hardest part of the day easy – We all have times of the day when we need that extra pair of hands. In our house, it’s the evening, so when Engineer Husband is away, I need to make the evenings easy. That means that baths are done during the day, and dinner is prepped around lunchtime. When night rolls around, I can focus on homework, putting dinner in the oven, and getting everyone to bed.

6. Let housework go – Without your partner, it can be really hard to get even the most basic chores done. You may prefer to wake up to an empty and clean sink, but if night rolls around and all you want to do is go to bed — leave the dishes. Focus on feeding the children, pets, and yourself and maintaining a reasonable level of cleanliness. It will all be there later, when you have time and energy.

7.Connect – Do you like Facetime, chat, Skype, or a good old phone call? No matter what you use, try to connect with the traveling partner. The kids can say hello or good night and perhaps listen to a story. If you can’t connect over the internet or phone, write letters or notes to be read at a later date. Writing them can be therapeutic, and you won’t forget those important details when you partner arrives home!

8. Be honest with yourself – Even if your partner is only gone a few days, the upheaval in routine can be upsetting. Roll with it, and remember that your focus needs to be your family, not anything else.

What tips do you have to make life easier when your partner is away?

Photo Credit: Author

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Wordless Wednesday: Science

NPN_Admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:01:07 +0000

This week we asked: What does science look like?

(Read more about Natural Learing on our resource page.)

From Jennifer of True Confessions of a Real Mommy: “What 3 year old doesn’t have an affinity for paleontology? L2 was so excited to see his favorite at a museum we were visiting for the first time.”

From Shannon of Pineapples & Artichokes: “We love going to Science Museums, especially when Daddy can come with us. He gives much more detailed explanations of how the exhibits work and what they show than the museums usually provide.”

There’s nothing like the Museum of Science to help a child develop a love of science early on!

Charise blogs at I Thought I Knew Mama.

Learning about botany…

and Archimedes’ Principle.

George’s mom blogs at Very, Very Fine.

Little Man and his Dad listen to the keepers explain all about Beluga Whales at Mystic Aquarium on a family trip.

Little Man’s mom, Shannon, writes at The Artful Mama.

Joshua experiments with baking soda and colored vinegar in recycled bottles.

See more of his adventures at Farmer’s Daughter and Her Country Boys.

Darcel blogs at The Mahogany Way.

Which is toddler Mikko’s chubby hand, and which is the starfish?

Several years later, five-year-old Mikko investigates pulleys at the same science museum.

Mikko’s mom, Lauren, blogs at Hobo Mama.

Poppa helping young Tyler with some hands-on learning at a Science Museum.

Years later, Tyler learned all about polymers at a Girl Scout event hosted by a local college.

Tyler’s mom blogs at Momma Jorje.

Tell us: What does science look like in your family?

You can find our upcoming topics on our Wordless Wednesday page. Feel free to send in your own pictures on the themes listed and join the photo fun!

Do you have a Wordless Wednesday post? Please link up below! And find more Wordless Wednesday linkies here.

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Prepare to Expect a Safe and Beautiful Natural Birth

NPN Guest — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:39 +0000

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.

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When you are having a homebirth or attempting to birth unassisted, things need to be in place to ensure a safe birthing experience. It’s important to be prepared, not expecting that anything will happen, but more to make sure you know what needs to be done if the unexpected does happen. It’s also important that your birth partner knows as well — as he or she will be the one who has to act quickly on yours and the baby’s behalf.

I think of birth the way I think of life. It’s so beautiful and works so perfectly in most situations. Unfortunately in life, sometimes people get sick, and unfortunately in birth, sometimes things don’t go quite as planned. Like life, as in birth, often times these things cannot be predicted. During your pregnancy, it is so important to keep a positive frame of mind. It’s important to visualize your birth as a beautiful experience. However, I think it’s important to be well educated — especially when birthing unassisted.

Birth Emergencies

The first step is to educate yourself about the three or four things that actually constitute a real birthing emergency. You do that by reading … reading … reading … and more reading. It’s the first step in arming yourself.

Here are a few “real” emergencies I can think of. Just as a note, most of these are not unique to unassisted childbirth (UC) or homebirth. They can very well happen in the hospital or while on your way to the hospital. If you are at home, you need to make sure you are prepared to deal with any situation.

Cord prolapse
Excessive postpartum bleeding
Baby not breathing

Cord Prolapse

This is when the cord exits your vagina before the baby does. There is a higher incidence of this when there is a pre-rupture of membranes while your baby is still floating. If the cord prolapses and becomes pinched, it cuts off blood flow and oxygen to your baby.

What to do: Have your partner push the cord back in (I have seen stories of women waiting for ambulances upside down) and call 911. This is a situation where you would need immediate help. Call 911 immediately. The midwife can be contacted later.

Excessive Bleeding

There is a lot that can be done pre-labor to significantly reduce the likelihood of this occurring.

Start your pregnancy tea/red raspberry leaf at 18 weeks until the time of delivery.
Take alfalfa pills and liquid chlorophyll starting at 32 weeks.
Prepare the ingredients to mix placenta smoothies. Put them in the freezer so they are ready (this is good to have postpartum in general).
Have Shepherd’s Purse on hand.
Educate yourself on the benefits of consuming your own placenta, if necessary, to significantly slow bleeding and reduce the risk of shock.

Baby Not Breathing

An infant CPR course is a necessity. This is important for any expectant parent.
Lots of skin-to-skin contact while rubbing the baby’s back.
Perform CPR.
Look into the possibilities and directions of administering arnica and carbo veg.

Good prenatal health

Here are some things that any expectant mother should do in order to help prevent emergency situations:

Eat a healthy diet for you and the baby. A healthy baby grows from the inside out.
Remain active. Continue to exercise during pregnancy.
Drink tons of water.
Good prenatal care — whether you do it yourself (unassisted pregnancy) or go to a midwife or doctor.

Extra birthing supplies

Here are some things UCers and homebirthers need to have on hand (in addition to the regular homebirth supplies):

All records from prenatals in case of transfer. That would include blood pressure measurements (even if you went to CVS to get them, they should all be written down), urinalysis, blood tests, and a positive pregnancy test. Duh, you would think medical professionals would know that you were pregnant since you are now pushing a baby out — but whatever. They can give you problems, so just have it on hand.
Blood-pressure cuff for the birth (UC-specific)
Fetoscope or doppler (UC-specific)
Antimonium tartaricum for wet lung (baby) — I had this problem. I wanted it to be over, so I pushed him out too fast. It doesn’t give time for the water to be pushed out of the lungs. A surefire way to avoid this problem is to push slowly once the head is birthed.
Pulsitilla for malpresentation

This is not a scare post. I have had three beautiful home births. You don’t want to go into your birth scared about what’s going to go wrong. It’s about being prepared and educated so that you and your partner can have a safe and beautiful birth.

Best of luck!

Homeopathic info from www.sagemama.net

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About the Author:

Lisa is a three-time homebirther. You will most often find her homeschooling her children, blogging about different ways of strengthening the family unit, and hand dyeing and sewing wool and bamboo pants for babies. You can connect with Lisa at www.squishablebaby.com.

Photo Credits: Author

Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and/or information are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, are nursing, have a medical condition, or are taking any medication, please consult your physician. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis, or courses of treatment. NPN does not recommend or endorse any particular method of birthing and advises readers to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with their healthcare provider.

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

(This list will be updated by afternoon May 14 with all the carnival links.)

Be Prepared for Emergencies — Becky at Crafty Garden Mama is reviewing Angela England’s new ebook, The Untrained Housewife’s Guide to Getting Prepared. See what measures she is learning to adopt in her family.
Prepare to Expect a Safe and Beautiful Natural Birth — What do you need to have prepared so that you can have a nice and relaxing birth at home? Lisa at The Squishable Baby shares her list in a guest post at Natural Parents Network.
Fire Boxes for Emergency Preparedness — Jana of Jananas tells why she bought a fire box to store important documents and what is stored in the box.
Firefighter Training Homeschool Curriculum — Kellie at Our Mindful Life helped her homeschooled kids prepare for emergencies through a Firefighter Training unit.
3 Secrets to a Royal Emergency — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake, Half Asleep tells the secret to living like kings during a storm-induced power outage.
Is Your Family Prepared for an Emergency? — Chrystal at Happy Mothering shares an overview of what her family has done to become more prepared for emergencies.
What to Do in an Earthquake — Julia at A Little Bit of All of It gives instructions for staying safe in the event of an earthquake as well as tips for teaching your children to keep safe and where to find information online after an earthquake.
Spring Cleaning & Preparing, Part 2 — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger organizes and replenishes her emergency supply every spring and is learning to add to the food stockpile by preserving year-round.
15 Must-Haves For The Natural Minded Family When Disaster or Emergency Strikes — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares how she prepares for disaster or an emergency as a natural minded mama. Learn what 15 natural items you should consider having on hand!

Emergency Preparedness: Cosleeping, Cheezits, Chocolate — Kristine at All the Things in the World was happy to have cosleeping in her emergency tool kit during Hurricane Sandy.
Being Prepared For Personal Disasters — Luschka at Diary of a First Child draws on her own recent experiences and considers five things every parent should have in place to ease the burden when sudden disaster strikes.
The Natural Emergency Kit That I Always Carry in My Diaper Bag — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares the four green and natural items in her emergency kit that she can’t do without when she’s out and about with her little ones.
Prepared… or not? — Is it dangerous to not prepare? Jorje of Momma Jorje shares whether her family prepares…or not.
Pack a car safety kit: 25 must-have items for emergencies — Whether you’re out for a leisurely drive or fleeing a disaster, Lauren at Hobo Mama offers tips on stocking your car with emergency supplies that will tide you over if you’re stranded.
Teaching My Children About Tornados — Destany at They Are All of Me writes about preparing her children for tornado season.
Preparing our children for emergencies — Preparing for emergencies means preparing your children, and Robbie at Going Green Mama shares ways on how to empower kids when it comes to emergencies.
Emergency Preparedness in Sub-Saharan Africa — After living in Sub-Saharan Africa for 7 years, emergency preparedness is not just a concept any more to Laura from Authentic Parenting.
Five Ideas to Keep Babies and Toddlers Safe from Choking — Do you have a baby or toddler who likes to put everything (and I mean *everything*) in her mouth? Dionna at Code Name: Mama does, and today she’s sharing a story and some tips on how to keep your little ones safe from choking.

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