by emily on September 1, 2010
Every family has its rules. Some families do a better job of articulating and enforcing them than others, but every family has both implicit and explicit guidelines. Since my son is not yet four years old, our family rules mostly consist of how to continue on our path of living more simply and sustainably in [...]
by emily on August 11, 2010
Why homeschooling? If you research the topic for five minutes, you will find many reasons to homeschool. However, you may not have heard of perhaps the seven most compelling reasons of all. They come from John Taylor Gatto’s book Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. Actually, Gatto – who, back in the [...]
by emily on July 30, 2010
My husband and I – and a few parents before us – have discovered the best way to teach our son to ride a bike. Ready? The best way to teach a kid to ride a bike is…drum roll, please… Not to teach them! Instead, forget the tricycles and training wheels and allow them to [...]
by emily on July 14, 2010
Homeschooling a preschooler – even if you’re doing it the “life learning” way – definitely has its challenges. Especially when the child in question is an Only, and is constantly demanding attention from Mommy and Daddy. Here are five preschool activity suggestions that can help you fill those long days when you strive for that [...]
by emily on April 5, 2010
If you’re wondering how to discipline a child – your child – effectively, you are not alone. Contradictions and controversies rein in the Western world of discipline techniques. Spanking or positive discipline? Gentle discipline or rewards and punishment? While recently reading the book Healthy at 100 by John Robbins, the last thing I expected to [...]
by emily on January 15, 2010
Today I bring you guest author Stephanie Lehane, who touches on the three biggest components of attachment parenting and why they are important for not only the baby, but even the whole family. Attachment Parenting: Parenting in a Detached Society There is a modern-day debate surrounding a centuries old practice that has been coined “attachment [...]
by emily on January 8, 2010
That I would homeschool my son was a no-brainer decision for me, a former school teacher who grew early on in my career to despise the tragic limitations educational institutions place upon our children’s minds and gifts. That I would let Benjamin mostly lead the way in his learning (mixing the Charlotte Mason and unschooling [...]
by emily on January 8, 2010
Ah, winter. A time of gifts and carols. Of snowfalls and snowballs. Of ice-covered trees and frosted windowpanes. A time to curl up on the couch and lose precious brain cells while staring at a large, flickering screen filled with images that do absolutely nothing to help you improve your marriage, bond with your kids, [...]
by emily on December 18, 2009
Is natural childbirth something every pregnant woman should strive for? Today I bring to you a guest writer, Sheila Baskerville, to answer that question. Is Natural Childbirth Right For You? Author: Sheila Baskerville If you are pregnant, it is important that you plan ahead regarding your expectations for the birth of your child. You may [...]