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.

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The day my partner adopted our daughter

My partner recently adopted our daughter — the one she has parented since birth — and simultaneously everything and nothing about our family changed .

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Should we wait to travel until our kid is old enough to remember it?

Remember that time your parents took you to Mexico? What about the trip to Spain? Oh, no? That’s probably because you were too young.

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The hazy magic of night nursing

“…Now pull baby close. Her eyes are still closed. My eyes are starting to strain because I’ve only allowed one to open this whole time. Mustn’t cross over to the waking world. Must return to slumber.”

This family could be models, but they’re just keeping it real

The family featured in this session from Ana Paul Photographers are the most non-supermodels-but-totally-supermodel-esque people ever. Ever.

If the baby co-sleeps in bed with you, where do you have sex?

Ok, co-sleepers: riddle us this! How do you co-sleep and keep your sex lives active in your bed?

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Fighting with your teenage daughter can really suck

Meadow doesn’t seem to know how deeply I am affected by these fights… but maybe I don’t realize how they affect her.

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Debunking the myth of a “natural birth”

Does it take a vaginal delivery or medication-free labor to have a “natural” birth? We don’t think so.

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Do and Dye: basic DIY fabric art tips for funky rooms

Want a fun art project to do with your kid(s)? Try tye-dying with fabric paint!