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.

Has becoming a parent changed your values?

Becoming a parent made author Jonathan Safran Foer become a vegetarian. Has parenthood changed you?

Walking through the Land of Birth: how our daughter came into the world

Throughout the preceding ten hours of labour, I had not moved, not spoken, not even opened my eyes or mouth to speak. I was meditating. I was CalmBirthing. I was the Birthing Buddha.

How should we plan baby showers for additional pregnancies?

We’re throwing a baby shower for a second pregnancy — how can we make it fun without stirring up drama?

My teen-dream cabin in the woods

When I was 11, my parents got a wild hair to build a one-room cabin on the far side of the lot occupied by their country home. I had no idea that a simple building would have such a big impact on my teen years.

How I “survived” my religious homeschooling upbringing

I have tattoos, I work in a library, I’m liberal, pro-choice, and try to eat local … and when I tell people I was homeschooled, I tend to get raised eyebrows.

Ariel’s urban warm whirling rainbow dream castle/condo

Our home has this weird mix of very urban (condo! modern stuff! bright colors!) and very granola (wood! prayer flags! plants!). And then there’s the part where my son sleeps in a closet…

A travel-themed family session

I love few things in Offbeat Mama life more than I love offbeat family portraits, and this one just about takes the cake.

Queer parenting decisions: choosing a known sperm donor

Queer families have many questions to consider when planing a family: adopt or conceive? Who will carry? Should we choose someone we know to donate an egg/sperm?