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.

How libraries shaped my motherhood

When my baby was born, he and I became library story time regulars. In a little room with a disfigured Hungry Caterpillar mural and stained carpet, I learned the Portuguese lullaby I still sing my boys at night and at least six ways my knees could be horses.

Libraries: the new go-to destination for maternity photos

Tenley Clark took her maternity session to the happiest place on the planet…and it’s not Disney.

What can we do to get our pets ready for a new kid in the house?

So, you’ve got a baby or new child coming into your home — how do you get your pets ready?

Get your teen back into reading (and get to know them better in the process!)

So, apparently something happens when kids hit thirteen: they no longer like reading. In 2007, the National Endowment for the Arts published a report on reading that found, among other things, “Teens and young adults read less often and for shorter amounts of time when compared with other age groups and with Americans of the past” and “reading is declining as an activity among teenagers.”

A homebirth accompanied by birds

Everyone that came to the house the day of Miren’s birth remarked on the birds. I know that, in and of themselves, they have no meaning. But in my mind, they became a symbol of all that I had gained… and all that I now stood to lose.

Painting your son’s toenails and other crimes against society

Thanks to Meg for emailing us about the media debate currently raging over a J. Crew ad showing a designer painting her five-year-old son’s toenails pink.

Libraries are for everyone — even babies

Our local libraries are a treasure trove of community and fun. My daughter has found in our library a place filled with music, stories, games, crafts, puzzles, child-size furniture, picture-books, and other kids.

Is a rocking chair really that big of a deal?

Jaime’s got a question about rocking chairs — do you need one when you have a baby, or can you use a different kind of chair?