Babysitting and boundaries: my 5 rules for watching friends’ kids
Children are gifts, right? Sometimes they’re diamonds… or a gift bag of your favorite perfume… or a cheese tree. Other times they’re your great Aunt’s fruitcake. One way or the other, when you’re trying to plan an evening away, the rules of gift-giving apply.
My baby can’t leave the house and I’m going nuts: what low-key games do you play with your infant?
My son spent most of his first four months of life in a hospital. Because he is so recently post-transplant, he can’t be in most public spaces without either a wee baby-sized face mask or without being in his stroller under a rain cover to block out airborne germs. We’ve played the same five games over and over — what else can we do to keep one another entertained?
How I failed at making rainbow slime and ended up with ’80s-themed goop instead
I recently found what I believed would be a SUPER simple tutorial for making your own rainbow slime with glue, liquid starch, and food coloring. You may recall that I’m somewhat DIY challenged, so I must have still been riding the high I achieved last month with my shiny leaf art on Offbeat Home. I was all, “Rainbow slime? I’VE GOT THIS.”
Renee and Lois are having a baby and they’re so EXCITED!
Nothing says home like your actual home, and nothing says “We’re so happy we’re having a baby!” like huge smiles plastered on your faces. Lois and Renee are definitely stoked about their impending arrival of their firstborn!
Power bubbles and playing with worms: my 6 rules for raising a powerful girl
Who says a white dress isn’t made for playing in the mud? Imagine a world full of women — our daughters — who are strong enough to get dirty and climb high, brave enough to look closely at their surroundings, and smart enough to recognize just how awesome they really are.
Why I started “No Media Mondays” in my house
I’m shamefully addicted to my computer. I’d like to say it is mostly to stay in touch with the friends and family that I recently moved 1000 miles away from, but it started long before that. A few weeks ago I watched as my 20-month-old daughter “cooked” at her pretend kitchen while I was making dinner. She then proceeded to bring her baby doll to the rocking chair and “read” her a book, the exact same way that I do. She gave the baby a kiss, tucked her in, and said, “Night night!” I thought to myself, “My god, this child pays attention to everything I do.”
Are midwives status symbols?
Danielle Pergament recently published a piece in the New York Times about the trendiness of midwives — and whether or not opting for a midwife is becoming indicative of social status (at least in some pockets of society).
Watch this dad lull his baby to sleep with Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”
This baby was sleepy but still in the mood to sing, so when Dad pulled out the guitar for an acoustic sing-along to Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters it was the perfect bedtime remedy. Video after the jump!