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.

Simple ways to make your own art supplies

The idea of making your own chalk had me scratching my head and wondering: if you can make chalk, what other kind of art supplies can you make? I love the idea of creating the means of another creation — that is, constructing the materials you and your kiddos will then use to create art. Here are a few of my favorite arty recipes, starting with the chalk.

The rewards of spending your early twenties as a child caregiver

The kids I work with are constantly teaching me love — their wordless dependence on me reminds me of a life I knew years ago. My relationship with each of them reminds me of the one I had with my oldest sister. Though the situation was certainly different, her yearning to fulfill me is much like the way I feel for these children whose lives are so intertwined with mine.

How I decided to become a mom

We’re starting our own photography business. Baby Fever had me in its crazy-making hold. I was one of those women… the women who linger in the infant section of any store. The women who read birth stories and mommy blogs every week. The women who stare at every baby and pregnant lady they see.

A pink-haired Mama and two sassy, mohawk-and-skull bedecked kidlets

Lisa is a pink-haired Mama who comes with two equally awesome kiddos, all wrapped up in one fantastically punk family photo session.

Tips for taking a nature walk with your kids — anywhere

Luckily, you don’t have to live in the middle of nowhere to appreciate a good nature walk — you just have to pay attention to the nature around you. Taking your kid on a nature walk is a great way for both of you to learn more about the place where you live, and it also encourages a sense of curiosity that’s going to serve your tyke well later in life. And if you’re a stay-at-home-mom like mine was, nature walks beat the pants off of sitting around the house.

How do you manage the monthly highs and lows of trying to conceive?

I know the only way to get pregnant is to have sex, and I love boffing my husband, but making a baby is always in the back of my mind. It’s hard to hit the end of the month (begining of my cycle) without a week of hoping I’m pregnant followed by depression because I’m not.

My gay best friend is the greatest “Gunkle” you’ll ever meet

I am eternally grateful that at the time of my greatest need in life, the universe delivered me a red-haired, freckled, go-go dancing guy with fabulous hair and blue sparkly sneakers to love me and my boy.

Why having our family living in 730 square feet is our ideal scenario

“Well you’ll have to move, of course” a close friend said to me the other day when I brought up our next adoption. She said it so confidently that I hated to disagree. This is easily the number one thing that people who know us bring up when the conversation turns to kids. I’m not surprised, because when we were in the middle of our first adoption process people said the same thing, or something similar.