My unplanned emergency C-section renegotiated my parenting ideals
Before I had my baby, I had a lot of plans and expectations based around an unmedicated birth and high hopes for a water birth. This didn’t seem unfeasible as the pregnancy had been entirely uncomplicated. I hadn’t bought a pram, preferring a Kari Me sling. I was planning to wear the baby all the time, breastfeed all the time (after all it’s free and if you’re on limited finances that’s pretty important) and was overall looking forward to it.
Board game hack: turn Connect 4 into a reading activity
Did you know Connect 4 can be hacked to be a reading game! It’s easy!
Who’s going to Dragon*Con in Atlanta?
“Hello! Surely there are lots of Offbeat readers going to Dragon*Con. I’m going just for Saturday, and would love nothing more than to get together with our crowd and at least take a photo!”
Petitioning fate while you’re expecting: 9 lessons for those planning unmedicated deliveries
Childbirth can feel like it’s going to be a train coming through your body. If you’re a parent-to-be, you already know you’re getting ready for what some consider one of life’s big journeys — as in childbirth first, motherhood second. That’s the order you think in if you’re like me and didn’t grow up around a lot of kids. The real journey is being a parent, but you don’t realize it. At least I didn’t, at first.
Our gender neutral tie-dye baby shower and 3 tie-dye styles to try
We decided to completely frustrate our friends and families: we decided to wait until our baby is born to find out if we are having a boy or a girl. Several people have had a hard time with this, but as a not very “girly girl” and a boy whose favorite color was pink growing up, we just weren’t that pressed to find out. Not to mention, we were really looking forward to the surprise. To have a fun baby shower with our friends we decided what could be more fun and gender neutral than tie-dye!
Dana & Sheldon: From BBQ fountain to house fires and big changes
You might remember Dana and Sheldon as the librarian couple with the BBQ fountain at their wedding. Let’s check in with them now that three years have gone by, and they’re rebuilding their home after a house fire!
5 tips for talking to young children about sex, body exploration, and avoiding shame
The A-Z explanation of human sexuality is far too much for young children to grasp and would certainly be overwhelming, but I wholly believe that it is empowering for kids to know about their bodies — real, accurate information delivered in small doses adding layer upon layer of detail as their questions prompt further answers. I think this is one of our most important jobs as parents. It falls to us to be our children’s most reliable, honest source of information because if those answers don’t come from us, they will come from somewhere else and you can be sure that other sources will serve them up in ways that will anger/upset/terrify you.
How do I talk to potential roomies about living with me and my kid?
My soon-to-be ex-husband and I have shared custody of our son, which means he is with me about half of the month. In addition to being a mother, I work full time and am studying full time as well. (Read: I’m poor.) I’m living with a family member at the moment but I’m trying to relocate closer to school and work.