Category Archive

Families

Our sister site Offbeat Mama launched in 2009, became Offbeat Families in 2012, and was merged into Offbeat Home & Life in 2015. This archive contains all the posts ever published on those sites! We believe that while children change your life forever, being around kids doesn’t necessitate abandoning your identity. We believe in supporting and inspiring parents and caregivers who are moving beyond mainstream visions of parenting. We welcome anyone who’s interested in families, whether you’re pre-parental, in the process of becoming a parent, or choosing to live childfree.

Superman Adoption Shirt by sewwhimzy

I’m worried the daughter I placed in open adoption will resent my future kids

My partner and I are 18 days away from beginning to try to conceive — as happy as I am, I’m also scared out of my mind. I’m not worried about raising a child, but I’m worried about how my first daughter will react to my pregnancy after I placed her into adoption.

Yome 5

Yurt + Dome = My life in a yome

My 16-month-old daughter and I live on an herb farm (no, not that kind of herb farm, though we are in Northern California). I am a farm hand here, and in exchange for a certain amount of hours a week working the land, we get to live here and breathe the fresh air, learn about herbs, and watch everything bloom.

We live in a yome here. Yep, a yome — it’s a cross between a yurt and a geodesic dome. And wait until you see the triangular windows…

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My U.S. military hospital birth didn’t follow protocol

The U.S. military is regimented, strict, and follows a standard protocol, and their approach to delivering babies is no different. When I found out I was pregnant I was more or less told exactly how my pregnancy and birth would proceed… except it wasn’t what I was planning at all.

Photo by NW Corazon

How did your body REALLY change after giving birth?

I know that I can expect my body to change after giving birth — it’s kind of obvious to me that growing a human, gaining 30-60lbs, and then pushing a human out of my body will do that. But I want to know the nitty-gritty: how does your body REALLY change?

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7 ways you can entertain your kid with nothing but a few pieces of cardboard

Cardboard is kind of the greatest toy-you-might-not-realize-is-a-toy EVER: there are endless possibilities! It’s so easy to come by! I can almost promise you that at least one grocery store in your town or city has a few boxes just LYING around, waiting for a family to come along and swoop up to turn into beautiful creations. You can also craft your own cardboard furniture if you ever get a hankering… the stuff is practically magic!

empathy for parents

Has becoming a parent made you more empathetic or more judgmental of other parents?

I don’t have kids yet, but I’ve always wondered if being a parent creates a bond or sense of camaraderie with other parents. If you see a kid wildly misbehaving in public do you react — or do you take a “been there” kind of stance?

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A gigantic guide to bringing your young child(ren) to Bonnaroo

Two weeks ago I asked you guys how we could make our trip to Bonnaroo easier on our three-year-old, and I got a TON of awesome feedback. We recently completed our adventure, and I’m happy to report that everything went a TON better than I thought it would. In fact, I’d say that we had the best possible experience we could have — Bonnaroo and kids might be a great match after all.

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What can I build with my toddler that’s NOT a garden?

School is finally over for me and I’m realizing that summer for me and my two-year-old is going to be long and boring if I dont figure out some more activities! I’m really interested in building something with my daughter — something we can add to and grow all summer long. She already gardens with her Dad, so I need something just for us.