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 do we pick a preschool that’s right for us?

How did you find the preschool that was right for your family? Is there a super secret password that I need to know?

Keeping our Offbeatlings upbeat in the face of gender judgement

The world is a difficult place for children… how can a sensitive child feel free to express himself differently from others in a world where “different” is “bad?”

Notes to baby: a pregnancy documented in photos

Rachel documented her pregnancy in photos each week and managed to look totally stunning every time — check out that week 30 sassy stance!

Why getting judgey about parenting is ok

This tweet showed up in my reader the other day: Realised something about myself today: I am not non-judgey enough to read Offbeat Families. I don’t even have kids! WTF do I know? But here’s the thing: For me, the key for reading this site isn’t to avoid all judgement, but to recognize when it’s happening.

What can I say to people who tell me I’ll get pregnant if I “just relax?”

“Oh, just CHILL OUT and you’ll be pregnant in no time!” Right? Right? Wrong.

Was it Moctezuma’s revenge? Nope: I was just in labor.

Molly recently published a post on Offbeat Mama about ditching the U.S. health care system in favor of Mexico’s to have her second child — here’s how it went!

A not quite co-sleeping, non-Montessori floor bed for a toddler

We didn’t want to co-sleep but weren’t comfortable with a crib, and VOILA! Our toddler floor bed was born.

My kids are my great kitchen apprentices

Cooking is a total sensory and educational experience — my kids have learned fractions and enhanced math skills with the measuring of ingredients — just by hanging with me in the kitchen.