SPOILERS: there’s an awesome Doctor Who-themed family session headed your way
I realize that if you’re not a fan of Doctor Who then this post doesn’t mean much to you, which is why I made the subject line as blatantly obvious as I could — feel free to skip on over it. But FYI Whovians in the house: we have a treat for you today!
Book you might wanna read: Four Homeless Millionaires
In 2009 my wife and I sold our house in Winnipeg, Manitoba so we could spend a year traveling around the world with our kids. When we returned to Canada, we relocated to Vancouver Island and moved into a community house with another family and a few university students. (12 in total) We’re currently in our third year.
Why we “volunteer travel” as a family
There is no denying that traveling as a family is a bonding experience. Slow travel is another way to experience the world, allowing each family member to immerse themselves into a new culture. But volunteering as a family together adds a whole other dimension to that experience, with countless rewards and growth opportunities.
A full-size C-3PO costume and 5 other wonders kids can create from empty paper towel rolls
Environmentalism, for me, is less about recycle and far more about reuse. “Recycle” smacks of some propaganda feel-good program for using too much crap in the first place. As a parent, I naturally impart my opinionated views on my offspring. They’re all about reusing things — from junk mail to paper towel rolls.
I’m not sure I’m comfortable breastfeeding around my 7-year-old: help?
I have a seven-year-old daughter and am pregnant with my second child. I plan on breastfeeding this baby as I did with my first — but I like to keep breastfeeding private. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with breastfeeding in front of others, but I’m just not personally comfortable doing it. How do I deal with my need for privacy while breastfeeding when my older child is around?
Instituting The Dibbs Proclamation ended the bickering between my two kids
I was inevitably drawn into the disagreement. Were they really fighting over who got to use the bathroom first when they got home? Yes. Yes, they were. And they were dragging me into it. Serves me right for only having a home with one bathroom. “Well,” I said. “Who called DIBBS?” Stunned silence momentarily followed.
My tips for keeping life with three autistic kids simply scheduled
Having three children with high-functioning autism requires daily structure on my part. I am an organizational freak to a fault, but even I love me some “organized chaos” from time to time. My kids, however, aren’t so fond of not knowing what’s coming up or what’s going on. So I made them this scheduling area by the front door to not only keep them in the loop, but make it easy enough for me to not feel committed to some intricate details that I usually give up on after a week.
A sweet batch of sassy and colorful mom-and-me photos
Maddie wasn’t expecting Augie to come along the way but she’s told me more times than I can count that Augie was the best thing to happen in her life. Maddie’s life is different than most of the people her age but you know what’s rad? Maddie and Augie make the damn best of what they have and go on in life with nothing but smiles on their faces and in their hearts.