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.

Using cabbage to make weaning less painful

While researching, I kept reading over and over again that cabbage can help you wean, but didn’t take it entirely seriously. However, at time of writing it’s been sixteen hours since Jasper last nursed, and the pain drove me from our friend’s house to my local grocery store to pick up a head of GREEN cabbage.

What silly songs do you make up for your kids?

Making up songs for babies is FUN! Making up songs for babies is FUN! But for real, have you tried it?

Raising a mixed-race child

After the session, a kind old lady came up to me and said, “Now who does this little sweetheart belong to?”
“Oh…she’s mine,” I replied.
“Oh…”

Reducing amount of kid-detritus

Like the alcoholic who will always be recovering and never recovered, my problem isn’t in the amount of crap I have but the heavy, painful WANTING I sometimes experience.

What the hell is wrong with me? Probably a combination of the marketing of the “Baby Industrial Complex,” and too much of that quasi-free time I have, in which my body is doing something like nursing a baby, but my mind is free to wander through an imaginary toy aisle.

Books for DILFS

Books are basically the very best gift ever, except for maybe an authentic (read: made out of blades of energy) lightsaber or a real Ewok (just me?). Or a Jedi Robe. Um, too many Star Wars references?

Proactive communication: a toddler who doesn’t say “no.”

Addie’s 18 month old son, Conan, doesn’t say “no.” Like, ever. THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING, people. Or parenting.

Ninja of time management: How to be a work-at-home mom without losing your shit

I got an email recently from an mama looking for advice on how to manage the challenges of being a work-at-home mom. Every work at home mother’s situation and experience will be different, but here are a few things I’ve learned along the way…

The story of how Princess Lasertron birthed her babytron

Meg of Princess Lasertron makes beautiful felt bouquets loved by Offbeat Brides … and this spring she gave birth to her daughter!