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When Kids Ask The Tough Questions

I was in 5th grade. I went to the movie theater with my mom. We watched Step Mom with Susan Sarandon. I don’t remember much of the movie except that she died from cancer. I remember leaving the theater in tears. “Mom, are you going to die? I don’t want you to die!” I was in 6th grade. The news …

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How To Encourage Language And Communication

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most empowering skills a child will learn. We all know the passionate and demonstrative frustration a toddler feels as they are learning how to impact the world around them. Many meltdowns occur as a result of our children trying to learn how to communicate their needs and desires. All too often …

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Let Them Go At Their Own Pace

What’s the best approach?… To let children go at their own pace? OR To encourage, even push, them a little? My gut tells me that our kids know best. They are pretty good at knowing what they can handle and when they can handle it. So far in our parenting journey we have witnessed two very different responses from our …

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Celebrating Autumn: A New Season is Here

Autumn arrives today in North America; the Autumnal Equinox. Leaves are changing, temperatures changing, daylight and darkness are changing. So much change happening. I love it! I love the briskness of the air, at least here in the Pacific Northwest, the bright leaves, the mix of rain and Sun, the smell of nature wafting through the atmosphere. With these changes, …

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You Know You’re a Sleep Deprived Parent When…

The experts, family, and well-meaning strangers often tell soon-to-be parents to “sleep while you can.” What they forget is that it is impossible to sleep while you can when you are hugely pregnant, or better (worse?), when you are hugely pregnant and chasing a toddler or three. Once baby arrives, regardless if it is your first or fifth, sleep evades you, …

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Why Babywearing is a Lifesaver!

When I had my first child, I honestly had no idea that babywearing existed. I’m not sure what rock I lived under, but it’s the truth. I saw my sister attempt a moby wrap once and she was drowning in a 50 foot long piece of fabric. She never figured it out and I definitely did not want to take …

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How to Get a Break When You Have No Help

Do you ever have those days where you have a toddler pulling on your shirt, a preschooler begging you to feed him his food, put on his shoes, put on his clothes, a sink full of dishes, a to-do list a mile long, and no one to lean on but yourself? What you desperately want right this very second is …

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How to Make Your Home a Yes Environment

“Don’t pull on those cords!” “Please stop taking all of the pots and pans out of the cupboard.” “That vase is glass and will break if it falls off that shelf that is exactly your height.” “Be careful with all of those framed photos, they are very special.” “It’s not safe to drink that toilet bowl cleaner, little one. Stay …

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Nature Hike: An Unschooling Day With Sam

  Hi lovely community! We are starting a new weekly post series; peeking into the lives of our writers. We always enjoy seeing glimpses of other mamas living their day-to-day, so we want to share what our life is like without a bunch of bells and whistles. Sure, some posts and activities may be more extravagant than other days, but …

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Back to school? When homeschooling doubt strikes

It’s the MOST wonderful tiiiiiime of the year. Nope, it isn’t Christmas. It’s back to school season. For many families, this is the time of year that feels magical. There is excitement in the air. There are shopping trips. There is preparation. There is buzz and hope and possibility. It begins with the lure of the school supplies. You see …