Hobo Mama

Can You Even Help Your Kids Gain Independence Today? on BlogHer

2015-04-24T08:41:00.001-07:00

I'm happy and proud to have a post today on the BlogHer home page: "Can You Even Help Your Kids Gain Independence Today?"

They've syndicated my post from the other day on how I'm a would-be free-range parent who feels hemmed in by today's safety expectations. BlogHer has made me some lovely Pinterest imagery as well:

That's totally what I wanted to do with those quotes and didn't! Procrastination pays off! And looks so much prettier than I would have done!

I'll be hanging out over yonder to field comments and spark some chatter on the topic of free-range kids. Come join me!

Even if you've already read the post and let me know what you think, I'd love for your clicks on and shares of the BlogHer page so they know I'm sending my peeps over to give it a look!

And if you haven't commented or shared it yet, I'd really appreciate your voice added to the conversation. Why is it so hard to grant kids independence today?

Continue reading at BlogHer ››

Natural Parents Network wishes you a Happy, Crunchy, All-Inclusive December Holiday Season

2014-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate the Winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere and the Summer Solstice in the Southern, the Natural Parent Network volunteers would like to wish you and your family Happy Holidays, whatever holiday(s) you may celebrate. As such, we have put together our own rendition of a classic for you. We hope you can take an opportunity to relax and spend time with your loved ones amidst the chaos of the season.

Please enjoy
The Twelve Days of Crunchy, All-Inclusive December Holiday Season.
May you have a wonderful New Year!

Photo credit: Elena Roussakis

Crunchy love & St. Nicholas' Day

2014-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday is St. Nicholas' Day, so Momma Jorje published my post on the German celebration of Nikolaustag to remind us all to put out our boots tonight!

Every year, Hobo Mama posts about her family's St Nicholas Day celebations after the fact. I kept suggesting it would be better if she could remind us all beforehand so we could join in! Last year she did it, just for me!! We didn't get much notice, but we got a little. This year, I'm republishing her post (with permission) as a guest post and with more notice!

So: Let this be your reminder! Put your boots out December 5th and Saint Nicholas might just stop by to tuck some shiny little goodies inside!

(Unless you've been naughty, of course. Then all bets are off.)

Since we speak some German at home, we like to learn about the culture as well. That's why we celebrate Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day, each year.

Because the feast day of Saint Nicholas is December 6, empty boots (Nikolausstiefel) generally go outside the door the night of December 5, the eve of Nikolaustag (Nikolausabend).

Read the rest at Momma Jorje for ideas of how to celebrate!

I also have a lovely bloggy friend who posted a list of her favorite posts to give my blog some love during my babymoon.

Crunchy Con Mommy posted "Why I love Hobo Mama and you should too!" — one of the sweetest baby gifts I received! It went live on Karsten's birthday. That's good timing right there!

She discusses her secretly curly hair, her love of side-lying nursing, and her sharing of my mei tai tutorial. Click on over to read her take and discover some posts you might like as well!

10 Easy Ways to Go Reusable at Home at Natural Parents Network

2014-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

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

Nourished Living Summit: Hear me speak on long-term breastfeeding!

2014-03-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Want to hear me speak about long-term breastfeeding along with 61 other presentations on natural family living from 68 other (amazing) speakers? And want to hear it all for free?

I'm a presenter and happy affiliate of the Nourished Living Summit, which brings together natural health, wellness, and parenting professionals who are dedicated to helping parents care for their family naturally. These experts know that this parenting gig is not easy and as such are equipping you with the information you need to either begin, continue, or expand your journey as a natural-minded parent.

The Nourished Living Summit is a FREE online event
that runs March 24 through April 29.

About the summit

It won't be like those other Summits, the ones where you have 24 hours to listen to 10 hour-long presentations. No - the Nourished Living Summit wants to give you as much information as you can absorb via an improved summit model. A model where you will have time on your side so you can take advantage of all the incredible information these speakers are handing you. The Nourished Living Summit is showcasing 62 presentations divided into 8 thematic tracks including:

Pre-Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth
Breastfeeding
Health and Development for Children Ages 0-18
Natural Health and Wellness for the Whole Family
Care and Nurturing For Mothers
Education for Natural Minded Parents

You will have 48 hours to listen to 3-5 presentations. Each track is divided over the course of two 48-hour periods. Presentations will stream live Monday-Saturday with Sundays off.

You MUST be registered in order to listen to the presentations. You can register on the home page of the official Nourished Living Summit website.

About the speakers

Want to learn more about the Nourished Living Summit lineup? Check it out!

I'll be speaking April 9 on breastfeeding beyond the age of 2. Other names on the speaker list include Elizabeth Pantley, Dr. Jay Gordon, and Dr. Laura Markham — whoa — plus some of my favorite natural parenting bloggers, like Dionna Ford, Guggie Daly, Emma Kwasnica, Jessika Bailey, and a bunch of my NPN friends. I'm tempted to name them all, but maybe you should just see the full speaker & presentation list yourself (I'm tucked into Ages 3-6):

Infertility and Preconception Health
Donielle Baker
Natural Fertility and Wellness

Natural Family Planning and Ecological Breastfeeding
John and Sheila Kippley
Natural Family Planning

Birth Choices
Nicole Deggins, CNM, MSN, MPH
Sista Midwife Productions

Carrying and Parenting Multiples
Trisha Gilkerson
Breastfeeding Place

Preventing Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies Before Conception
Jill Baumann, BS, NC
Guided Path To Health

Herbs and Oils for Pregnancy and Birth
Jessica Aveni
Natural Health and Prevention

Eating For Two
Courtney Hillis
THRIVE: Natural Family Living

Family Oriented Bonding
Guggie Daly
The Guggie Daly

Supporting and Boosting Milk Supply Naturally
Diana West, BA, IBCLC
Low Milk Supply and Mahala Lactation and Perinatal Services, LLC

Building Blocks To A Healthy Breastfeeding Relationship
Dionna Ford
Code Name Mama

Back to Work Breastfeeding
Renee Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC
The Second Nine Months

Breastfeeding As A Source of Joy
Christine Poirier-Brotchie
Momzelle Nursing Wear

Donor Milk
Emma Kwasnica
Human Milk 4 Human Babies

Nutrition and Breastfeeding
Becky Webb, NTP, CD (DONA)
Rooted Blessings

Inducing Lactation – One Mother’s Story
Millie Copper
Real Food For Less Money

Tongue Tie
Jennifer Tow, B.F.A., IBCLC
Intuitive Parenting Network

The Vaccine Decision – What Parents Need To Know
Jessika Bailey
Natural Mother Magazine

Gentle Sleep Solutions
Elizabeth Pantley
The No-Cry Solutions

Baby Led Weaning and Starting Solids
Kate Tieje
Modern Alternative Mama

Co-Sleeping
Laura Schuerwegen
Authentic Parenting

Newborn Decisions/Newborn Care
Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D
Author of The Business of Baby

Proper Care of Your Intact Son
Jennifer Andersen
Our Muddy Boots
and
Larissa Black
The WHOLE Network

Cloth Diapering
Miriam J. Katz
Author of The Other Baby Book and Intuitive Life Coach
and
Megan McGrory Massaro
Author of The Other Baby Book

Elimination Communication
Marija Mikolajczak
EC Wear

Babywearing
Jennifer Wenzel
True Confessions of a Real Mommy
and
Julie Mangan
A Little Bit of All of It
and
Shannon Riley
The Artful Mama

Autism
Dr. Jay Gordon, MD FAAP
Dr. Jay Gordon

Childhood Development Disorders
Dr. Jamie Oskin, N.D.
Arizona Natural Health Center

Chiropractic For Children and In Pregnancy
Dr. Staci Borkhuis, D.C.
Cornerstone Chiropractic

Children’s Dental Health
Will and Susan Revak
OraWellness

Extended Breastfeeding and Tandem Nursing
Lauren Wayne
Hobo Mama

Potty Training/Learning
Robert Edwards
Squatty Potty
and
Moorea Malatt
Savvy Parenting Support

Fostering Healthy Independence
Ariadne Brill
Positive Parenting Connection

Children and Reading
Elaine Krishnan
Usborne Books and More
and
Jana Kemp
Jana M. Kemp

Puberty
Dr. Sherrill Sellman, N.D
What Women Must Know with Dr. Sellmen

Adrenal Health For Children
Michael Smith, N.D. BHSC
Planet Naturopath

Teen Health
Lydia Shatney
Divine Health From The Inside Out

Posture Makes Perfect: The Benefits of a Physically Balanced Life
Elizabeth Eckert
Word Cures

Parenting Without Stereotypes
Paige Lucas-Stannard
Parenting Gently

Raising Your Children To Know Where Their Food Comes From
Abbie Walston
Farmer’s Daughter

Common Childhood Illnesses
Dr. Mary Bove, ND
Brattleboro Naturopathic Clinic

Skincare for Families
Jennifer Saleem
Hybrid Rasta Mama

Food Allergies
KerryAnn Foster
Intentionally Domestic

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Joy Moeller, BS, RDH
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist

What Every Parent Needs To Know About Gluten
Joe Rigola
Wellness Punks

How Candida and Parasites May Be Harming Your Children’s Health
Amy Love, NTP, CGP, CILC
Real Food Whole Health

Environmental Toxins
Andrea Fabry
moms AWARE

Kombucha for Families
Hannah Crum
Kombucha Kamp

Preventing Postpartum Depression
Amanda Rose
Rebuild From Depression

Herbal Support for New and Overwhelmed Mothers
Carol Little
Studio Botanica

Self Care For Moms
Lauren Luquin
Spiral Elixir

Healing from Trauma and the Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation
Stephanie Brandt Cornais
Mama and Baby Love

Getting Centered
Amy Phoenix
Presence Parenting

Mommy Tummy and Diastasis Recti
Bethany Learn
Fit2Be Studio

The Babywearing Workout
Kelly Stewart
The Babywearing Workout

Managing Anger and Overwhelm as a Parent
Dr. Laura Markham
Aha Parenting

Attachment Parenting: Creating a Foundation for Healthy Child Development
Kelly Bartlett
Author of Encouraging Words for Kids

Becoming Aware of Possible Toxins Around your Children; Choosing Safe Products for Your Children
Dawn Lorenz
Raising Natural Kids

Holistic Fathers – Engaging and Including Dad
Billy Bradley
Holistic Dad

Creating a Natural Medicine Cabinet
Rosalee de la Foret
Herbal Remedies Advice

Sneaky Nutrition
Lisa Herndon
Lisa’s Counter Culture

Real Food For Families
Kimi Harris
The Nourishing Gourmet

Finding Community
Chara Shopp
Stitching Hearts Together
and
Judy Tyler
Living Healthy ‘n’ Happy

About my presentation

You can hear me speak on April 9 on long-term breastfeeding, the day you can also hear incredible speakers on potty learning, fostering independence, and learning to read.

I was very happy to have a telephone conversation about one of my favorite subjects: breastfeeding! I was even happier to shed some light on the more culturally unique subtopics of long-term breastfeeding (also called extended breastfeeding, full-term breastfeeding, or breastfeeding past infancy) and tandem breastfeeding (nursing more than one child at a time, though not necessarily simultaneously).

I discuss five years of breastfeeding Mikko, including his gentle weaning, and two and a half years (so far) of breastfeeding Alrik.
I talk very honestly about my own experiences, challenging as they were, with breastfeeding through pregnancy and tandeming.
I give pragmatic advice about how to encourage a mutually respectful and beneficial breastfeeding relationship with toddlers on up.
I'm able to point to some of the research and resources available about the effects and benefits of long-term breastfeeding.
I touch on topics such as
- health benefits to the mother,
- the safety of breastfeeding through pregnancy,
- legal ramifications of breastfeeding older children,
- anthropological and historical evidence of long-term breastfeeding,
- and more!

So join me over at the Nourished Living Summit starting now and especially on April 9 — I look forward to hearing what you think!

Once you register with an email address, you'll receive an email every two days with the next speaker presentations available, and you'll have 48 hours to listen on your own schedule. After the presentations air live, there will be an option to purchase lifetime access to the presentations, but don't delay while it's still free!

What are you waiting for? Go register now for the Nourished Living Summit!

And this has nothing to do with anything, but: It's the LAST DAY for the the NPN Learning Through Play giveaway extravaganza! Enter to win a Kinderfeets balance bike or one of eight other fun & educational prizes, from online piano lessons to OgoBILD toys to a My Chickadee children's doll carrier and more!

Disclosure: Nourished Living Summit links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Hear me speak on long-term breastfeeding today!

2013-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Please head over to the Healthy Child Summit today to hear me talk about breastfeeding beyond infancy and tandem nursing!

The Healthy Child Summit is FREE and is in sneak-peek mode right now, and my interview was selected for inclusion in this preview. The full summit will be available in February, but for now you can hear me speak today only!

Hop over with my affiliate link to register and listen for free!

About the Healthy Child Summit

The Healthy Child Summit is an online resource where parents can be educated, inspired, and empowered to care for their family naturally. It provides concise, easily digestible information on a wide range of topics from pre-conception all the way through the teen years.

And it's FREE!

All you need to do is register with your email address, and you'll be signed up for notifications on and access to all the presentations, including MINE today. Woo!

There's also a giveaway a week through December 20! Enter to win fabulous packages of healthy and eco-friendly prizes from sponsors like Naturepedic, Rocky Mountain Oils, and Tropical Traditions.

The full summit will be available in February. Go enjoy the preview presentations available now for FREE!

About my presentation

I was very happy to have a telephone conversation about one of my favorite subjects: breastfeeding! I was even happier to shed some light on the more culturally unique subtopics of long-term breastfeeding (also called extended breastfeeding, full-term breastfeeding, or breastfeeding past infancy) and tandem breastfeeding (nursing more than one child at a time, though not necessarily simultaneously).

I discuss five years of breastfeeding Mikko, including his gentle weaning, and two and a half years (so far) of breastfeeding Alrik.
I talk very honestly about my own experiences, challenging as they were, with breastfeeding through pregnancy and tandeming.
I give pragmatic advice about how to encourage a mutually respectful and beneficial breastfeeding relationship with toddlers on up.
I'm able to point to some of the research and resources available about the effects and benefits of long-term breastfeeding.
I touch on topics such as
- health benefits to the mother,
- the safety of breastfeeding through pregnancy,
- legal ramifications of breastfeeding older children,
- anthropological and historical evidence of long-term breastfeeding,
- and more!

So join me over at the Healthy Child Summit today — I look forward to hearing what you think!

Disclosure: Healthy Child Summit links are affiliate links. I try to seek out only products I think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you. See my full disclosure policy here.

What brings you joy?

2013-11-21T07:00:00.001-08:00

I'm happy to contribute to a joyful post today at Raising Loveliness.

Becky Lyter McCleery has put together a collaborative e-book called Nurturing Joy: Illuminating Everyday Enchantment, featuring interviews with mothers and writers about what brings them joy, and I am delighted to be a part of it.

In my chapter, I share about what brought me joy as a child, how our family celebrates special occasions (and how that's changed since having kids), how motherhood and my children daily bring me joy, and my advice for other mamas seeking joy in their lives.

Here's a brief excerpt:

What amazes you about your children?

I am fascinated daily by how much themselves my children are. It's even clearer with two how very much apart from me they are, how very much they have their own souls and dreams and characters and plans. It's liberating, because it reminds me it's not on me to make them develop; they are doing that on their own. We can prepare the soil and water and fertilize, but no one can force a seed to grow, or change its nature to some other plant.

It's also a delight to watch, because I get to be surprised at every turn by what my children will say and do next, and how they will change in the next year, month, minute. I love watching the process unfold.

Read more about the book at the book's page on Raising Loveliness, and you can sign up for the community there to receive it — for FREE. Becky says she approached this project because "I wanted to learn how other mothers were recharging and reconnecting with joy and celebration, in the midst of the many duties of mothering."

Head over to Becky's blog today as well for a group post in sharing our current joyful moments. And feel free to share your own current joys, here or there!

My contribution for today begins like this:

My six-year-old is losing baby teeth faster than we can count them. He says I'm not allowed to wiggle them anymore, because I squeal too loudly. (It's true.)

Continue reading at Raising Loveliness ››

Disclosure: I'm receiving no compensation
for being part of this free e-book beyond the pleasure
of being part of a community of joy-seeking mamas.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Where Is Our Red Tent? at ourfeministplayschool

2013-09-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to have a guest post today at ourfeministplayschool about my longing for a red tent. It's part of her series on {menstruation. Period} that looks at menstruation from a variety of perspectives.

I think it was when I read The Red Tent several years ago that it first occurred to me that being confined to home or a certain location (aka a Red Tent) during one's period might be not a punishment but a release. Ever since getting my first period at age 12, I have sought to dissemble, to conceal, to pretend nothing was happening once a month that was out of the ordinary. Even when cramps were threatening to bend me double and I felt my intestines roiling with a sure certainty that they would be pushing something out soon, I tried to sit primly in social studies class, not letting on that anything was amiss — especially not to the boys.

Because women were supposed to be strong. Because one of the reasons given throughout the ages for why women couldn't be in leadership was that their "special time of the month" might at best alter their concentration and judgment, and at worst incapacitate them. I had to be a model of strong feminist womanhood and show I was not affected by the stickiness between my thighs, by the pitchfork tossing my innards, by the chemicals coursing through my bloodstream.

In The Red Tent, the women have cycles that swell in time with each other, as is often the case when feminine hormones adjust to each other in close quarters. And once each moon is a time to withdraw, to relax — for there to be no obligation, no guilt or pressure, no need to please the men or to work for a living. It is a time of renewal and release, of the young learning from the old, and the beauty of the cycles bringing the women close to each other.

I began to be quite envious I had no red tent of my own.

Continue reading at ourfeministplayschool ››

Evocative photo titled menstrual cramps courtesy 欠我兩千塊

Interview about working from home + chub rub in the UK!

2013-08-11T14:41:00.000-07:00

Cousins. I know it's out of focus, but: Aw!

In lieu of our regular Sunday Surf, I thought I'd catch you up a little on Things That Happened While I Was Away. I promise, they're pretty exciting!

For the past two weeks, our family's been tootling around the Midwest from the BlogHer 2013 conference and on through four states and multiple family gatherings.

We had a great time, but I'll tell you, I am so glad to be back home — and I could really use a vacation from my vacation now! Does someone want to come unpack for me? Thanks.

Interview with Hobo Mama at tooMODmama

First of all, I'm so pleased to have had tooMODmama interview me all about how to balance working from home with parenting. If you have ever considered working from home or are interested in learning more about it, here's your FAQ for how it works for our family and how it might work for yours.

I admire Lauren’s candid writing about motherhood while juggling all of the other challenges of life brings. With this interview we dive a little deeper into her day-to-day routine running a business from home as well as her take on natural parenting.

As a mother and successful family business owner – What does a typical day look like for you? Can you share how you balance your desire to spend time with your family while growing your business?

It can definitely be a challenge if you want to work from home and care for your kids, so we’ve had to think hard about our options and how we could make this lifestyle work. My husband, Sam, and I both knew we wanted to raise our kids yet continue working and pursuing our passions. Since having two kids — Mikko’s 6, and Alrik’s 2 — we’ve had to work out more intentionally who’s working when. Sam gets up really early for some pre-kids writing time. Then the rest of us roll out of bed for breakfast and waking up. (We’re not morning people, so that takes awhile!) Previously, we had a routine where I took the kids most afternoons and evenings while Sam worked in the family business (selling DVDs online), and then I did my own writing work late into the night while he put the kids to bed. Lately, we’ve been trying out a different schedule that allows for more socializing during daylight hours with other parents and at kid activities, which tend to be in the mornings. So now we alternate days, so we each have three “working” days a week and three “kids” days, plus one family day to do something fun all together.

{Continue reading my answer there!}

I also get to delve a little into what natural parenting is (or isn't) and what "hobo parenting" might be.

Do you have any tips for moms-to-be who feel intimidated by “natural parenting”. And what does "natural parenting" mean to you?

I’m sure natural parenting really can sound intimidating to the uninitiated! I know I was intimidated by crunchy types as I first dipped my toes in the water. Certainly there are some gatekeepers in the natural parenting world who think they own and enforce some sort of rulebook, but there are many more natural parents who are welcoming and accepting of wherever you are along your journey. I try to be one of those types and let criticisms from the other type roll off me.

My definition of natural parenting is attachment parenting combined with green living. However, that can be whatever it means for you. I fully encourage people to take the elements of natural parenting that resonate with them and leave the rest, and not feel like they have to live up to some crunchy ideal before they can seek out the community and inspiration of other natural parents. Pretty much none of us are that ideal, anyway, and most choices we’ve made have happened over time and with a lot of encouragement.

{Continue reading my answer there!}

I'd love to chat with you in the comments over at tooMODmama! Ask your questions about how working from home might work for you, tell me your own definitions of natural parenting, or let me know your own experiences of either.

Chub rub making headlines in the UK

I was standing in line for a roller coaster when I decided to check my email on my phone. An alert came up that my blog had been mentioned in the online UK tabloid The Daily Mail. "A cure for 'chub rub'? New product promises to help women who suffer from 'embarrassing' inner-thigh chafing." Excellent! The fact that my chubby thighs are being discussed across the pond was pretty much just as thrilling as the roller coaster ended up being. (P.S. Do not read the comments.)

Naturally, they just lifted straight from my sponsored Bandelettes review:

A new 'wonder' product has hit the market for women who suffer from painful inner-thigh chafing.

Bandelettes are six-inch thick, garter-like lace bands that fit around the upper thigh to stop skin-to-skin rubbing under dresses, skirts or shorts.

Similarly Lauren Wayne, a mother-of-two from Seattle who runs the parenting blog Hobo Mama, gave 'bandelettes' a big thumbs up.

'They covered amply all the areas that would normally swish together when I walk,' she explained.

'They covered amply all the areas that would normally swish together when I walk - I had no irritation, no heat rash'

'I had no irritation, no heat rash, no little bumps. In short, I was comfortable and carefree all day long! I was so pleased, I even wore them indoors with just a long shirt on while I was doing sweat-intensive home improvement projects.'

She also said that as soon as she slipped them on she felt 'kinda pert [and] saucy.'

For some reason, it sounds more scandalous on a news site than just me nattering away on my blog.

Remember, you have a chance to win one of THREE pairs of Bandelettes thigh bands! If you're like me and a thigh gap is beyond your dreams (or desires) but you still want to enjoy your summer skirts and shorts without irritating thigh rub, this is your elegant solution. Enter to win before August 22! There's also a coupon code — enter Hobomama for a 15% discount off the $15 price — if you want to just buy some now now now.

Raising daughters by The Mahogany Way

I'd also like to highlight a gracious guest post that made its appearance in my absence. Darcel of The Mahogany Way told us what it's like to raise daughters to be who they are:

My oldest daughter started watching iCarly just before the show went off the air. Now it's on Netflix, and she can watch from beginning to end. Her new favorite shows for the tween age group are A.N.T Farm, Jessie, Austin and Ally, and Good Luck Charlie. I watch all of these shows with her, and one thing that really bothers me about all of them is the female lead is tall and thin. Austin and Ally and Good Luck Charlie really throw me because their best friend is ethnic and on the curvy side. I've kept these thoughts to myself. I mean, I should be happy that there are any people of color, right? My girls need to see someone who looks like them, so why am I complaining? I have nothing against women who are on the thinner side, but what would be wrong with a show for our young girls where the main characters were a size 10+ and not a size 2?

Again, I'm not relying on the girls in these shows to be role models for my girls, but it is more likely for them to choose a human being over a doll to model themselves after. I do my best to let them know that women come in all shapes and sizes and real beauty comes from within. I don't mention my strong dislikes to them because I don't want to push the way I feel about these characters off on them. I think that right now they are watching strictly for entertainment purposes, and it's so sweet and innocent.

Read more at Darcel's guest post, and leave a comment to let her know you were there!

So to sum up, visit tooMODmama for my interview about blogging, writing, owning a home business, and yet still managing somehow to produce and raise kids (how do I do it? Oh, right — by never cleaning). Soak in Darcel's thoughts on raising daughters authentically in a sometimes inauthentic world. And visit my Bandelettes review to enter the giveaway!

Surf with us:

We love following along with fellow Sunday Surfers. If you have your own post of reading links to share, please link up your post on Hobo Mama or on Authentic Parenting. The linky will go live every Sunday, and you can link up any day that week. You only need to add your post to one of the sites, and the linky will automatically show up on both sites.

You can get the Sunday Surf button by Jenna Designs and some code to add to your post from my Sunday Surf page.

Check out previous editions for good reading, and you can find more shared items during the week at my Tumblr blog, Hobo Mama's Shared Items.

Side-lying nursing at African Babies Don't Cry + #6IngredientChallenge shout-out

2013-02-26T04:50:00.000-08:00

I'm so chuffed to have a guest post at African Babies Don't Cry about how to manage the tricky but needful art of side-lying nursing. It lets you breastfeed but sleep at the same time! How cool is that?

I'd love to chat with you in the comments over there!

As long as you're going places, I'm also pleased that Reduce Footprints picked up our Six Ingredient Challenge as their Change the World Wednesday Challenge this past week! Glad we were inspirational. How's the challenge going for you?

Back to my breastfeeding tutorial:

I want to put a tutorial out there for how to breastfeed lying down, because it makes such a significant difference to how enjoyable cosleeping and breastfeeding will be for most mamas. If you want to get the best sleep while breastfeeding, I recommend cosleeping. And if you want to get the best sleep while cosleeping and breastfeeding, I highly recommend learning side-lying nursing early on! It can take a little time to get the hang of it, but once you've got it down, you can pull your baby in for a feed and then both of you can drowse, safely, back to sleep.

Read more at African Babies Don't Cry »

Easy ways to make your blog Pinterest-friendly on LaurenWayne.com

2013-01-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

If you're a blogger who's a beginner or a wannabe or hopelessly clueless about Pinterest, I'm giving out three simple tips on making your blog pinnable at LaurenWayne.com today.

Make just a couple of these changes in minutes (seconds!) the next time you write a post, and your posts' pins and repins will take off.

The pinners are everywhere, and they want to pin your post!

Here are my top three ways to get pinned and repinned on Pinterest!

We're all mom enough at BlogHer

2012-05-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

I've posted my response to the TIME Magazine attachment parenting cover story controversy at BlogHer.

Dionna of Code Name: Mama and my cofounder at Natural Parents Network is luminous model #3 in the TIME story (that's her behind the scenes at right). I was up for being one of the extended breastfeeding families photographed for TIME, and I'm alternately jealous and relieved I wasn't chosen, because — hoo, boy, what a firestorm the media like to create.

I comment on the narrow focus (thin, white women) and sensationalistic slant of the article and advocate for a call to community:

My general take on The Mommy Wars, the beautiful AP families who modeled for the magazine, the unfortunate slant of the TIME article, and the horrific comments some people have made on various sites is this: We're all parenting the best we know how. We're doing what works for us and our families. We don't need to set up barriers that don't exist between parents who are all doing what we can to raise healthy, happy children.

Condoms & poetry

2012-04-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

There — that got your attention.

Things going on elsewhere:

A Recommendation For The Humble Condom at Diary of a First Child

Luschka's presenting a series on Contraceptive Options, and she's let me wax eloquent about, yup, condoms.

I would like to present to you … the condom.

Not any particular condoms, either, just male condoms in general.

I’d like to recommend them to you for their consideration as a birth-control method for male-female sexual couples interested in preventing pregnancy, due to their many benefits:

Economical — in my own comparisons with other birth-control methods, condoms are a frugal choice.
Compatible — since they’re non-hormonal, you can use them while breastfeeding or in preparation for trying to conceive, and they won’t interfere with tracking your cycle.
Convenient — less mess. Don’t make me over-explain that.
Easy — less chance of user error than remembering to take a pill every day at the same time or schedule an appointment for a shot or other procedure. I mean, yes, some prep is needed, but that’s what practice is for.
Effective — somewhere around 90-98%. More on that later, but suffice it to say — no “oops” babies here so far!
Reversible — want another baby? You got it.

Read more at Diary of a First Child, and I'll chat with you in the comments over there.

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV — 2 WINNERS! {5.14; Worldwide} at Natural Parents Network

Touching review from Amy of Anktangle:

I’ve been a fan of Lauren’s writing since well before I knew her personally, because her writing is just so incredibly easy to relate to. There’s no pretending and no putting on airs or avoiding the touchy and controversial subjects, only the reality of her life as a wife, mother, and woman. She reveals her true self through her words: the humor and wit, the wisdom and growth, even the taboo and painful parts.

…

This is a beautiful, funny, truth-filled collection that I believe would resonate with any mother. The focus on Lauren’s experiences as an attachment-focused parent gives it a unique perspective which any parent on the natural parenting spectrum could appreciate. But it’s not just for the “crunchy” mama in your life; it’s truly about the human experience: about life and love, about laughter and loss. It’s about the joyfully heart-wrenching reality of loving someone as deeply and fully as a parent loves her child.

I love hearing Amy's words and connection, and she shares one of my favorite poems in the post.

Read more and enter to win one of two copies at NPN.

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV {5.5; Worldwide} at Hybrid Rasta Mama

Love Jennifer's honest take:

Lauren Wayne of Hobo Mama fame, one of the two lovely mamas who founded and run the Natural Parents Network, is both an author and a poet in her own right. I had known for some time that she had a collection of poetry but had kind of ignored it. I always felt bad because I love supporting other mamas in their creative endeavors but truth be told, I was worried if I read it I would not like it. This would not be a function of Lauren or her poetic skills, but instead a function of my indifference to poetry.

Did you know that April is Poetry Month? Well it is and I decided what better way to support Lauren than to sit down, read Poetry of a Hobo Mama from start to finish, then share my impressions with you. I took off my “aversion to poetry glasses” and put on my “let’s see what Hobo Mama brings to the table glasses.” You know what? I am really, really glad that I did.

…

Lauren’s book of poetry will grab you. It grabbed me hard. She writes from a place so deep inside that you almost get lost there at times. She bares her soul. She lets you into her happiness, her sadness, her joy, and her pain.

…

If you like poetry, you will adore this collection from Lauren. If you hate poetry, you will adore this collection from Lauren. If you are on the fence about poetry, this collection will make you take notice of the beauty in poetic expression. It will also make you feel a whole lot better about your own experiences and feelings in this journey of life and motherhood.

Seriously, what better endorsement could there be?

Read more and enter to win a copy at Hybrid Rasta Mama.

Keep in mind you can still enter the giveaway for one of SEVEN copies that ends Monday, April 30. I won't let you win more than once, so feel free to enter all three giveaways to improve your chances.

Here again are the reviews and giveaway links from all the bloggers participating in the group giveaway, so you can read their thoughts and pick your favorite one to enter from!

Authentic Parenting

Code Name: Mama

I Thought I Knew Mama

Up, Down & Natural

Positive Parenting Connection

Living Peacefully With Children

All right, remember: Safe sex + poems = win win win!

Holding My Child's Hand at SortaCrunchy

2012-04-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Dionna of Code Name: Mama has written a touching post at SortaCrunchy about empathizing and offering comfort to our children, at every age.

Bonus? You can sample another poem from my book, Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years: "How to love one whose heart is breaking."

Please go to SortaCrunchy to share in Dionna's post about honoring a child's newfound fear of the dark, and then head over to my giveaway post to win one of SEVEN copies of my poetry book!

When you are a young man
and your heart is first broken,
…

Will we cut you off
from our exalted positions?
We who know of all the greater heartache
that is to come.

Starting Seedlings on the Cheap at Anktangle

2012-03-23T07:00:00.002-07:00

I'm happy to have a guest post on frugal ways to kickstart your garden at Anktangle.

I love gardening, and I love that it's possible to garden frugally. If you've been curious about what kind of setup is necessary for starting plants indoors, here are some practical tips to get you and your family growing.

It's the perfect time to start some seedlings for your summer garden (if you live in the northern hemisphere, at any rate). And you can do it successfully with little fuss and expense and not much in the way of special equipment and supplies.

Making the Switch to Reusable Menstrual Products at Natural Parents Network

2012-01-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to have a guest post over at Natural Parents Network today about swapping disposable menstrual products for sustainable

I love me some reusable menstrual items, so I've rounded up the arguments for switching (health, cost, comfort, eco-friendliness), as well as the reusable options available (cups, pads, tampons, and nothing at all). I describe each option and discuss the pros and cons of each.

When I first got my period at age 12, all I knew about was the standard disposable pads and tampons, and I experimented with an assortment of them into my adulthood. I was never thrilled with them — the pads were goopy and crinkly and sometimes leaked around the edges; the tampons dried me out and trickled down the string and got painful to pull out toward the end of my cycle — but that was all there was. Right?

The first time I heard about alternative menstrual products that were reusable, I was intrigued but also a little icked out. Wouldn't it be gross to have to rinse out a cup or launder cloth pads?

Then I gave them a try, and there's no going back. Not just because reusable menstrual products are more sustainable — but because they're awesome!

Here's an overview of why to switch to reusables and what's available. I encourage you to give one or more a try, choosing the style that's right for you. Care for them is simpler than you think, and the increase in comfort is unbeatable.

Think Ahead To The Baby at Up, Down & Natural

2011-12-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to have a guest post on preparing for a new baby at Up, Down & Natural.

Arpita writes about her journey trying to conceive, but she's thinking positive and planning ahead:

I sheepishly have to admit that for quite a long time I was in that blissful unaware stage of not having any idea what comes after the birth other than the soft sweet warm bundle of joy that we'll call our baby, I mean what else matters right? Well, ensuring that little life is respected and treated with no harm would be good too I thought. This is why I love Lauren's guest post on the real what to know!

This was so true for me, too. For a long time before we started TTC, I planned out my maternity wardrobe and toyed around with name ideas. But this post (a reprint from Hobo Mama) will talk you through postpartum interventions, circumcision, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, sleep, and what to expect of a newborn and yourself. Think of it as a checklist to start researching those topics and making some decisions beforehand.

… The mother-to-be might know precisely how to time intercourse in her cycle for the best chance at conception; she might have a handy pocket chart of foods to avoid during pregnancy; she might have toured a half-dozen birth suites and booked the coziest; but when the conversation turns to what to do with the child who will soon come forth, there's a blank look.

I get it, I do. Pregnancy is fun (depending on circumstances). Getting pregnant can be (also depending on circumstances). Whereas raising a child?

Well, it's all a little murky when you're getting into it for the first time.

So I'm going to just put together a little checklist of suggestions for parents-to-be, a few things to think about and make decisions on as you sail into the uncharted waters of having your first baby.

Extra Wool Supplies for Cloth Diapering at That Mama Gretchen

2011-11-07T05:57:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to have a guest post on wool bonus items for cloth diapering over at That Mama Gretchen.

Gretchen has been hosting a full Wool Week on this wonderful cloth-diapering fabric, so check out all the articles from the week: Why Wool?, Building Your Wool Stash, Washing Wool, Lanolizing Wool, DIY Wool Covers, & more!

Plus, she has several amazing wool giveaways listed at the link above and on my parenting giveaway linky that end TODAY, so hurry to enter!

Read about my favorite supplies to have on hand that go beyond wool diaper covers!

I'm a huge fan of wool for cloth diaperinghttp://www.hobomama.com/2011/07/why-i-love-wool-for-cloth-diapering.html. My favorite diapering setup is a prefold with a cover, and my favorite covers are wool. But besides wool covers, there are other ways wool supplies can help with diapering! I also use wool dryer balls, wool puddle pads, wool clothing, and a fleece mattress pad.

Miscarriage Poetry at A Little Bit of All of It

2011-10-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to have the second part of my guest posting on pregnancy loss over at A Little Bit of All of It, a selection of my miscarriage poetry.

Julia is hosting a series of guest posts — some named and some anonymous — in honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. I really appreciate this series, because one thing that meant the most to me during the miscarriage of my first pregnancy was hearing the stories of others who understood my loss.

Writing about the experience and the emotions I went through was another important tool for helping me heal, and Julia has allowed me to share some of that work with you. If you'd like to read more of my parenting poetry, I have a whole book of it. Poetry of a Hobo Mama is available on Amazon (in various countries and for Kindle, which means you can download it to your computer or smartphone, too), or you can save 20% off the cover price at CreateSpace with coupon code SAP84AYJ — great idea for a holiday present for a new mama. (Just saying.)

Robin

Robin like the hope of spring
Robin like the blue of an egg, the peace of that blue filtering through me and healing

We buried you, Robin,
or maybe it was umbilical cord or placenta or blood (but let’s believe),
in the hardy mum that weathered
summer and winter, drought and flood,
one journey from East Coast to Midwest in the oppressive droopiness of summer,
and one from Midwest to West Coast in the blasting chills of winter,
and even my unmotherly indifference.
Will I one day be a Hardy Mum, Robin?
I feel more like a Bleeding Girl.

On Choosing a Natural Miscarriage at A Little Bit of All of It

2011-10-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm honored to have a guest post over at A Little Bit of All of It about choosing a natural miscarriage.

Julia is hosting a series of guest posts — some named and some anonymous — in honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. It's such an important and meaningful thing to share these stories with each other, for corporate healing and the hope of reaching others who need to know we understand their grief and longing.

My first pregnancy ended in a loss at 10 weeks gestation. I chose to miscarry naturally, a process that took five long months and a great leap in trusting my body. I felt the pain, bleeding, and labor at home was a fitting end to my small baby's life. This is my story.

At ten weeks, my husband, Sam, and I went on a short, last-time-before-babies trip to London. On the plane ride back, the spotting started up again, this time with cramps.

We had a cat-sitting business, so we had to jump right back into work when we returned, visiting people’s houses to care for their pets. I kept sitting down while Sam performed the tasks. I felt awful, like a terrible period was coming, and the anxiety was even worse.

Just before we left our last house for the day, I went to the bathroom, and there it was: bright red blood, copious amounts. I began weeping in the car. I knew what this meant.

Unschooling preschool at Natural Parents Network

2011-09-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to have a guest post over at Natural Parents Network today about "Unschooling Preschool."

Mikko hard at work unschooling himself.

I have a bit of an announcement to make: We've taken Mikko out of his preschool. But that's not what the article's about, so I'll get into all our reasons why another day.

The article at NPN today explores what you can do if you want to accomplish the same things a preschool education does — but in a home-based, non-curricular fashion.

Many people might say that preschool is unnecessary and little children can just learn as they go — and I do in fact believe that’s true! However, Sam and I have a tendency to be, um, what’s the word? Lazy, that’s it. So it’s good for us to have some goals in mind to scatter opportunities for learning in our children’s path. You can’t follow your child’s interests if you don’t offer anything interesting, right?

So, with our experience of what Mikko did in preschool, and our unschooling worldview, we can now see how the two mesh. Whether your kids are enrolled in preschool or not, you’ll certainly have plenty of time interacting with them in an educational capacity in these preschool years. And whether or not you intend to continue on to traditional schooling, the preschool time is perfect for following your child’s lead and being relaxed about learning. Here are our ideas to start out with for this year. Please feel free to add yours in the comments!

Reading & Writing —
This one’s pretty easy, assuming you like to read and write yourself. We’ll continue to read books with Mikko, and he loves learning letters. Try some hands-on and fun ways to practice reading and writing:

Copying Games: Draw a picture and leave space beside it for your little one to copy it. This builds hand-eye coordination and can be a lead-up to writing, or a drawing lesson in itself.

Magnet Letters: These work great on the fridge, as we all know, but also try arranging them on a …

Astronaut pregnancy poem at Touchstonez

2011-08-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

I am happy to have a guest post today over at TouchstoneZ — a pregnancy poem called "Astronaut."

Rotating with no axis,
unfurled tether
keeping you in place.

Read the rest at TouchstoneZ.

I wrote this poem during the April Poem-a-Day Challenge when I was pregnant with Alrik. I'll be sharing more of those poems in the future. In the meantime, you can read parenting poetry from my first three years of parenting in Poetry of a Hobo Mama, $11.99 at Amazon and $9.99 on Kindle.

While you're over at TouchstoneZ, read more from the blog's author, Zoie, who writes about the mindful parenting her meaningful yoga practice has inspired. As the mama to three boys on earth and one daughter who soars, Zoie has been one of my tandem-breastfeeding mentors, and she's written powerfully about postpartum depression and healing from abuse. She hosts a monthly Letters to Littles link-up as well as a quarterly Mindful Mamas carnival if you'd like to connect with her there. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

All right, go on over and be the first to comment on my poem! I'll chat with you over there.

Babywearing in Hot Weather at Natural Parents Network

2011-07-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am happy to have a guest post today over at Natural Parents Network on "Babywearing in Hot Weather."

It’s summer! Summer means beating the heat by wearing sandals and short sleeves and sunglasses and … a baby? This article will give you some ideas for how to tie on a baby when you’re already sweating buckets.

I bust some anti-babywearing myths that are nothing more than hot air, give some tips on how to handle the heat, and suggest some wraps, slings, and other carriers that will cruise you through the summer months.

There are already some great comments over at Natural Parents Network with further tips on how to be a hot mama (or papa) in only one sense. Stop on by, and I'll chat with you in the comments over there about summer babies in slings!

Preparing an older sibling for a new birth at PhD in Parenting

2011-03-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

I am happy to have a guest post today over at PhD in Parenting on "Preparing an older sibling for a new birth."

I talk about some of the aspects of birthing we've gone over with Mikko, along with lists of resources that have helped our family prepare: children's books, helpful DVDs, and online birth videos. If you're adding to your family now or in the future, it's a post I hope you'll consider bookmarking so you can check back for information on the books and videos as you need them.

I cover talking about pregnancy and conception, going over the birthing process in both humans and other mammals, telling your older children their own birth stories, and figuring how to arrange your birth plan to include your other children — whether that means having them present or giving them trusted caregivers to take care of them elsewhere.

Mikko has made me numerous signs lately, with cryptically written but pointed messages. "This one say 'Baby stay in,'" he says, pointing to a random scribble. Well, OK, then.

Given his resistance at the whole idea of seeing a birth, we're honoring his requests not to be present. This means setting up a series of childcare and backup plans, starting with family and moving on to those friends who might not mind being woken up in the wee hours of the morning.

If you're having birth in a different location and don't expect to have your other children present, you'll need to arrange childcare, as well as some backup possibilities, at your home or your sitters' home.

If you're having a home birth, as we are, you'll need to talk over with your children (if old enough to have an opinion) whether or not they wish to be present — and then create backup plans that will allow the opposite to happen if they have a change of heart.

Thank you to all the readers and commenters on my post on what to do with an older sibling at a birth for your wisdom in working through our own conundrum! And thank you to the commenters on my post on big-sibling books for your further reading suggestions.

And thanks so much to PhD in Parenting for suggesting a guest spot! Please drop on by there today, and I'll chat with you in the comments over there if you'd like to share the ways you and your family prepared for another birth (or wish to).

Photos courtesy Paul Hart on flickr and Jeff Moore on flickr

Unschooling is How Adults Naturally Learn at The Mahogany Way

2011-01-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

I have a guest post today over at The Mahogany Way on "Unschooling is how adults naturally learn."

It was a concept that occurred to me when I first started hearing about unschooling. See, I'd originally moved to Seattle with a stated intention of attending a graduate school/seminary program out here — and the more I didn't go back to school, the less I wanted to. I was having too much fun learning to be educated!

Sam went off to try West African drumming and draw cartoons. I took a hatmaking course where I blocked four hats in the traditional style and spent way too much on watercolor supplies for my painting class. Every quarter, a new catalog [of adult-education classes] would come, and we would dog-ear the pages, marking up what looked interesting and trying to prioritize based on the time and money we had available.

I had been considering continuing on to grad school, but it was almost as if these new classes helped convince me not to go. I had been a very good student throughout my traditional-schooling years — teacher's pet, straight As, the whole deal — and what I loved about my adult education classes was that all the rules had changed. In fact, there was no game at all anymore, no rules to keep or break. It was just learning, for its own sake. I was not going to become a hatmaker, a painter, a ballerina, or an actress. But I could go to the classes and learn and absorb, research more on my own, and enter into that new world for as long as I wished.

I hope it's reassuring for you if unschooling seems tempting yet mysterious to realize that you already do unschooling every day in your adult life, so it's more just a matter of applying that philosophy to your time with children. I hope you'll click over and join me in the comments over there.

While you're at The Mahogany Way, take a look at the joyful unschooling Darcel does with her three children, like a recent child-led time at the bookstore and an acknowledgement that playing is necessary. I always enjoy seeing how she documents unschooling in action in a real-life family, and I appreciate her wisdom and experiences with attachment parenting as she writes about breastfeeding, babywearing, and her most recent homebirth.

If you're interested in guest posting for me or having me guest post for you, let me know.

Catch you at The Mahogany Way!

Photo courtesy simplifies on flickr (cc)

Hobo Mama

Can You Even Help Your Kids Gain Independence Today? on BlogHer

Natural Parents Network wishes you a Happy, Crunchy, All-Inclusive December Holiday Season

Please enjoy The Twelve Days of Crunchy, All-Inclusive December Holiday Season. May you have a wonderful New Year!

Crunchy love & St. Nicholas' Day

10 Easy Ways to Go Reusable at Home at Natural Parents Network

1. Replace paper towels with cloth dish towels, sponges, and rags.

Nourished Living Summit: Hear me speak on long-term breastfeeding!

The Nourished Living Summit is a FREE online event that runs March 24 through April 29.

About the summit

You MUST be registered in order to listen to the presentations. You can register on the home page of the official Nourished Living Summit website.

About the speakers

About my presentation

What are you waiting for? Go register now for the Nourished Living Summit!

Hear me speak on long-term breastfeeding today!

Please head over to the Healthy Child Summit today to hear me talk about breastfeeding beyond infancy and tandem nursing!

About the Healthy Child Summit

About my presentation

What brings you joy?

What amazes you about your children?

Where Is Our Red Tent? at ourfeministplayschool

Interview about working from home + chub rub in the UK!

Interview with Hobo Mama at tooMODmama

Chub rub making headlines in the UK

Raising daughters by The Mahogany Way

Surf with us:

Side-lying nursing at African Babies Don't Cry + #6IngredientChallenge shout-out

Easy ways to make your blog Pinterest-friendly on LaurenWayne.com

We're all mom enough at BlogHer

Condoms & poetry

A Recommendation For The Humble Condom at Diary of a First Child

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV — 2 WINNERS! {5.14; Worldwide} at Natural Parents Network

Giveaway: Poetry of a Hobo Mama Parenting Poetry — $12 ARV {5.5; Worldwide} at Hybrid Rasta Mama

Holding My Child's Hand at SortaCrunchy

Starting Seedlings on the Cheap at Anktangle

Making the Switch to Reusable Menstrual Products at Natural Parents Network

Think Ahead To The Baby at Up, Down & Natural

Extra Wool Supplies for Cloth Diapering at That Mama Gretchen

Miscarriage Poetry at A Little Bit of All of It

On Choosing a Natural Miscarriage at A Little Bit of All of It

Unschooling preschool at Natural Parents Network

Astronaut pregnancy poem at Touchstonez

Babywearing in Hot Weather at Natural Parents Network

Preparing an older sibling for a new birth at PhD in Parenting

Unschooling is How Adults Naturally Learn at The Mahogany Way

Please enjoy
The Twelve Days of Crunchy, All-Inclusive December Holiday Season.
May you have a wonderful New Year!

The Nourished Living Summit is a FREE online event
that runs March 24 through April 29.