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.

Our genderqueer family has a lesbian Dad

Many genderqueer parents pick alternative names for their parental role — nothing felt right for my partner, so we’re using Dad.

DIY handmade felt hats for birthdays (and other days, too)

Princess Lasertron is at it again — this time she’s making super cute felt birthday hats and sharing the how-to with us!

Do you cuss around your kids?

Emi doesn’t want to censor herself or her future kids, but also doesn’t want to just piss people off — how do you talk about cussing with your kids?

How will my grandchildren shock me?

I think about the stuff that SO outraged my now-deceased paternal grandmother and am baffled at about how old fashioned she seemed.

Stop wasting your time arguing with other mothers

Emma Donoghue, author of the book Room (which I found uplifiting, despite its darkness), has written a wonderful piece for the Guardian about how mothers need to back off from bitching at each other about EVERYTHING.

Becoming a mom motivated me to learn to ride a bike

I wouldn’t say bike riding was a phobia, but I was 22 and I didn’t know how to ride. There was definitely a psychological part to it, but mostly I was just embarrassed. When you’re five, you’re fearless! When you’re 22, not so much.

Postpartum depression: it’s not just a woman’s disease

Like a werewolf under the light of a full moon, women with “hysteria” were transformed by the powerful force of their uterus, causing an excess of emotion. Interchange that moon for a baby, and you’ve got postpartum depression — a woman’s disease

Non-mall summer job ideas for teens

For every kid that likes folding clothes at a local big box establishment, there’s another who really… doesn’t. If your offbeat teen is looking for a summer gig that he or she might actually like, here are a few suggestions.