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.

A year of sleeping dangerously

We started tracking Tavi’s sleep the day after he was born, using a tool called Trixie Tracker. I knew I couldn’t control Tavi’s newborn sleep habits, but somehow keeping track of the awfulness was going to help me.

This 3-year-old knows more about gender than you do

Unlike many of us adults who stumble around trying to read cues from other people, stressing over using the wrong words, kids learn to just ask: “Should I use boy words, girl words, or something else to describe you?”

Make mealtimes fun with Crazy Plates

Need some help with creative ways to get your kids to eat at mealtime? Lalah’s “crazy plates” concept might just be up your alley!

Child’s Play lets you donate video games and films to kids

Child’s Play is a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 60 hospitals worldwide.

Santa Claus and age-appropriate truths

Jessica and her husband don’t plan on perpetuating the belief in Santa Claus (or the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny, for that matter) in their kids, and she’s looking to hear from other offbeat parents who haven’t told their kids the tale of St. Nick.

An ode to skinny jeans

Kayden, my step-son, seems to be following in the same footsteps as myself and his father. He’s relatively unfazed by the current wave of en vogue accoutrements for middle school boys. Skinny jeans, however, were just too powerful a force to overcome. He needed to have skinny jeans.

The gift of tantrums

Monica gives you an alternate way to think of and cope with those crazy little tantrums toddlers are so fond of throwing.

Repenting for parenting evangelism

Are you guilty of parenting evangelism? Brooke explores and repents for the times she may have lent an earful when all someone needed was an ear.