crunchy parenting

After reading several popular pregnancy books, including the “What to Expect” books and the “Girlfriend’s Guide” books, I stumbled on the various Sears’ books. I bought The Baby Book first and quickly ordered The Pregnancy Book. I really wish I’d just started with these books first, and here’s why.

Many pregnancy guide/books/advice I’ve found in the mainstream has been so profoundly negative, I’ve been turned off talking about it to many friends, or reading popular culture books or magazines on the subject. Sure, maybe being pregnant and delivery is going to be the worst 9 months of my life, or maybe, I can make it my own experience entirely. Without being prejudiced by tales of horror and pain and fat suffering, I can make my own choices on how to be pregnant (ie. choosing to make sure I don’t eat everything in sight just because I’m “eating for two”, but eating nutrient-rich choices in moderate amounts, etc).

The Sears’ provide clear guidelines and outlines for 9 months of pregnancy, month-by-month. (Skip around; they acknowledge no one’s going to have their textbook pregnancy in chapter order!) The tone is sensitive, warm and caring, like talking with an elderly aunt or old family doctor. The advice is natural and simple with out being “natural childbirth”-elitist and failing to acknowledge the common sense of modern medical guidelines and talking with your doctor. Neat topics through the book include general health (including oodles on morning sickness), detailed nutritional information, handling work & family, what to get to prepare for baby, nursing, etc.

Both books are now part of my standard gift bundle to expecting family and friends.

Photo by Jude Doyland

I’ve recently been reconsidering homeschool as an option for my family. The spouse-unit and I have always been open to the idea, and felt it was best decided by the temperament of our children.

We’ve always been fans of Waldorf education, and have always planned to send our kids to a Waldorf school. Recently, we were figuring out when Spice would go to preschool or kindergarden, prices, etc. and were flabbergasted to see that the starting price for 3 days per week of nursery school at our local Waldorf school was about $9K/year! We knew a full K-12 Waldorf would average out to about $12K/year, but I didn’t realize the prices would run so high before first grade.

Photo by wmshc_kiwi

So *I’ve started to reconsider homeschooling*, in spite of my fears that I wouldn’t be a good teacher, would burn-out being around the kids all the time for the next 15 years, etc. It’s just hard to ignore all the benefits, not to mention what we could teach our children on our own with all that cashola!

Here are the potential advantages for us:

• Travel flexibility: We already travel a LOT, so having the option to travel outside of traditional school vacation times would be great.
• Richness of curriculum: I love the idea of kids learning hands-on, or from real experience. Studying tropical fish and corals by snorkeling? Visiting historical civil war monuments for U.S. history lessons? You just can’t get that experience in a traditional classroom.
• Peers / influences: We’re picky about what we expose our children to, and when. One of the reasons I refuse to put Spice in daycare that I don’t like her being exposed to toddler television icons, cookies in lunchboxes, etc. Ideally, I’d like more control over this during my kids’ schooling years than traditional school would offer.
• Spend more time with our children: We all hear it – “they grow up so fast”. Why not get more of that time in while they’re young?

Potential challenges for us:

• Socialization: Yes, it’s the red herring of homeschooling, but it’s still something that I don’t know enough about and therefore, am still worried about. I know there are support groups, co-op classes and other ways to get the social experience in, but I need to find more of these in our local area.
• My sanity at home w/ kids 24-7: I worry a little about my own need for space and time-off. If the kids are with me five days a week plus weekends, when would I get time off for myself? Would it drive me crazy? How do other homeschooling moms manage this?

So, there you have it. My recent dilemma. Do you homeschool, or have you considered it? If you’re a homeschooling mama, when/how do you get your own space? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!!

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! I’m running around trying to catch a fly in the house and catch up with all my FlyLady tasks (there’s a good joke in there somewhere), so here’s some link love for y’all in the meantime..

• You’re Not A Real Writer // Los Angelista’s excellent post on what makes a “real” writer. I kept thinking of parallels to what makes a “real” mother and found it spot on.
• Little White Lies // Crayon Wrangler asks “what little white lie have you told your kids?” Don’t forget to read the comments; they’re hilarious!
  

  Photo by Tim & Selena Middleton

• 10 top tips for breastfeeding in public // “Adriel, from the Mommyhood Memos, offers some great practical advice to help even the most modest mamas.
• You Capture – Everyday things // Beth, of I Should Be Folding Laundry, has an awesome challenge/assignment going, in which you take photograph certain topics, or subjects. More deets can be had here.
• DIY Homemade Trail Mix // Absolutely drool-worthy, and looks like a breeze to make. Courtesy of Green Earth Bazaar.

Now, where did that dratted fly go…

So many carriers out there, so little time to research! Here’s the cliff notes version for busy parents-to-be. Most slings fit into one of three categories: pouch slings, wraps, and soft-structured carriers (SSCs).

Pouch sling (Mamma's Milk)

Pouch slings

These are often the easiest for new parents to get the hang of. Imagine a strip of cloth sewn together to form a circle. You drape the circle across your body (from one shoulder to the opposite hip). The circle is crafted in such a way that now there is a pouch across your chest/belly. This is where the baby goes.

The ones without buckles or adjustors are usually sized-to-fit, which means that different caregivers may need separate ones. But the downside to the adjustable ones is that they may be uncomfortable. The same goes for padded slings – some people like the padding, others find it bulky and unnecessary.

Pros: easy to use, compact, great for newborns, quick for hip-carrying toddlers, often no buckles to adjust or get in the way, can be breastfeeding-friendly

Cons: some babies outgrow these FAST, may be uncomfortable if sized wrong, badly placed buckles or fasteners, hard to use for middle-aged babies (not newborns, not toddlers), rarely “one-size fits all”

Some well-known pouch slings: Hotslings, Mamma’s Milk

Woven wrap (Vatanai)

Wraps

A wrap is basically a piece of cloth, usually ranging from 2-5 meters. You can wrap the cloth around your body in various ways to create a variety of ways to carry your baby (on your chest, on your back, on your hip, etc.)

The materials can vary greatly, from thick cottons that are great for cold weather, to breezy gauze for carrying your baby in hot, humid climates.

Pros: no buckles to dig in, infinite uses, newborn to toddler, breastfeeding-friendly, longer wraps can fit many caregivers, long-lasting, many have high resale value

Cons: challenging learning curve

Some well-known wraps: Moby Wrap, Girasol, Didymos, Storchenwiege

Soft-structured carrier (Angelpack)

Soft-structured carriers (SSCs)

SSCs come in all shapes and sizes, the basic idea being that of a square cloth, with varying kinds of straps. The baby/child sits in the square portion, and you can tie/strap them to your front or back. (Some variations that use simple straps without buckles make it possible to wear your child on your hip, too!) Mei tais and pod egis are other forms of SSCs, called “asian baby carriers” (or ABCs).

SSCs can also come with buckles, pockets, padded straps and more bells and whistles. Picking the right one is entirely a matter of personal preference, both yours and your child’s.

Pros: quick learning curve, can be easy to use, often adjustable, often very comfortable for older babies & toddlers

Cons: sometimes limited ways to carry, buckles/straps may be uncomfortable, can be bulky, maybe be tricky with newborns, not usually breastfeeding-friendly

Some well-known SSCs: Angelpack, Beco Butterfly, BabyHawk, Pikkolo, Ergo

Look for local baby-wearing groups or clubs in your area. Your local La Leche League (however you feel about them) might have more information on local babywearing groups or stores in your hometown. (If you’re in Los Angeles, be sure to check out Koala LA!)

For those curious about what I have stashed in my closet, I’ll happily tell. I’m the proud owner of a lovely 4.6m Green Tea Girasol woven wrap, a 4.6 Vatanai Maruyama woven wrap, and a wonderful organic Lotus AngelPack SSC. They’ve been around the world with me & Spice, and I can’t wait to use them with the new baby this winter!

Grab a cup of tea, set your timer for a 15-minute break and enjoy some linky goodness below. (Cookies optional.)

* “*Set a Course*”:http://www.chrisbrogan.com/set-a-course/ // Chris Brogan’s excellent post on making sure you know where you’re going in life.
* “*Homemade Liquid Hand Soap*”:http://tipnut.com/homemade-liquid-soap/ // An easy-peasy recipe for making your own. As soon as I get some glycerin, which is also handy in “making your bubble solution”:http://www.creativekidsathome.com/activities/activity_5a.html.
* “*When Pro-life is Anti-family*”:http://www.bella-kai.com/christian-parenting-toddlers/ // An insightful article on Florida’s “Choose Life” license plate fund and how funding is skewed towards would-be mothers who choose adoption over parenting.
* “*What to search when you’re expecting*”:http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-to-search-when-youre-expecting.html // Hilarious Google-produced clip on a new parent-to-be researching their future life with a baby. [1 min.]
* “*The Occasional Dad-O-Graphic*”:http://dadographic.blogspot.com/ // Simple yet entertaining graphics of one father’s summary of the highlights of parenthood.
* “*Five Myths About Drinking Water*”:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89323934 // Do you really need 8 glasses of water a day? How about “more water = less toxins”? Answers here.