I'm 40 and I Still Kiss My Parents On The Lips

6:59 PM Unknown 0 Comments

Why oh why do I read the stir? I'm hoping it was because someone linked it to me.

The post in question is called Stop Kissing Your Kids On The Lips. Lo and behold it is from 2010. I found this out because, just now when I went to find it I see it is far from the only time the stir has stirred this particular pot.

This article takes a stab at Harry Connick Jr. but previous ones targeted Will Smith and this month it was Jessica Alba who admitted to kissing her (gasp!) 5 and 3 year old daughters.

I'm kind of gobsmacked that this is a controversy. I've known for a while that my family was in the minority. I was in college the first time someone asked me why I kissed my sister on the lips. I didn't even know. That's just how my family greets each other. I kiss my immediate family on the lips and extended family on the cheek.

Yes, I'm 38 years old and I kiss my mother, father, and sister ON THE LIPS everytime I see them. Usually twice - once for hello and once for goodbye.

I kiss my kids on the lips every night before bed.

I have kissed my sister on the lips in greeting in public places. I guess that could be shocking because there is no reason to assume we are related and (gasp!) girls kissing girls?? Perish the thought!

This article prompted me to respond because they quote a child and educational psychologist, and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at UCLA, named Dr. Charlotte Reznick. The minute I saw a professional chiming in I became worried. With good cause;

She gives the example of a 6-year-old girl kissed on the lips by her father. It's completely innocent on both sides, but when the girl goes to school and tries to kiss her classmates on the lips -- equally innocently -- she's placed in the role of "sexual harasser."

Yes, this was a huge problem. I was constantly kissing everyone I met on the mouth. (that was sarcasm). By the time I was in school I was old enough to have experienced thousands of interactions with other family members and friends. It was easily clear to me without explicit instructions that this was a kiss for immediate family only. If for some reason I hadn't picked up on that (impossible) then I'm sure my mother could have simply pointed it out.

Besides, shouldn't we be teaching our kids that the amount of physical touch we give should be dependent on the receiver's comfort level? My daughter is a hugger. I don't want to train that out of her because it is a beautiful thing, a hug. What I have told her is that everyone has different levels of personal space and some people don't like to be hugged. That doesn't mean they don't like you or that they are mean, it just means you should show them affection in another way - smile, greeting, etc.

Teaching them about appropriate touch is important so that they know their comfort level is also important. They never have to touch, kiss, or be touched or kissed without their consent. So, discussing who/when/where kissing on the lips is appropriate isn't something to be afraid of.

She goes on;

"As a child gets to 4 or 5 or 6 and their sexual awareness comes about (and some kids have an awareness earlier -- as when we notice they start masturbating at 2 or 3 sometimes -- they just discover their private parts and it feels good), the kiss on the lips can be stimulating to them," Reznick explains.

"Even if that never occurs to a child, it´s just too confusing! If mommy kisses daddy on the mouth and vice versa, what does that mean when I, a little girl or boy, kiss my parent on the mouth?

Ugh. This is just gross. Yes, at some point I realized that there are different types of lip kisses. Just like there are different types of hugs (lingering, back slap hug, side hug, etc.). I called the kisses I saw on TV "twisty kisses." One time I tried to give my dad a twisty kiss. He didn't freak out and yell at me and then stop kissing me.

Can you imagine the emotional damage that would have done? I didn't fully understand the gravity of twisty kisses between a dad and daughter. I would have just known that I did something wrong and now my dad refuses to kiss me. I would have been confused and devastated. It would almost certainly affected my ability to kiss others for years if not decades.

What my mom and dad did, thank goodness, was explain what husband/wife kisses were (excuse the heteronormativity, it was the 70s) and how those were different from family kisses and cheek kisses. No big deal.

Dr. Resznik's broad comments are also culturally insensitive (and clueless). Kissing varies greatly from region to region. In parts of the Sudan, kissing is not done because they see the mouth as the portal to the soul and kissing invites death or soul stealing. In some Muslim countries kissing between non-married man and woman is punishable by death.

For the most part, however, kissing is a very common form of human communication that dates back centuries. Even in Europe, home of the cheek kisses, mouth kisses were near universal until the Black Plague made the cheek kiss the norm.

Among the Manchu people kissing a child would be scandalous! According to Davis, Martha.Anthropological Perspectives of Movement. Arno Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-405-06201-8;

Manchu kissing is purely a private sexual act, and though husband and wife or lovers might kiss each other, they would do it stealthily since it is shameful to do ... yet Manchu mothers have the pattern of putting the penis of the baby boy into their mouths, a practice which probably shocks Westerners even more than kissing in public shocks the Manchu.

Very shocking! I don't think we should adopt this extreme but it is clear that the meaning of physical contact is a cultural construct. One person's hug is another person's...well fellatio! The point is to teach our kids cultural literacy - that everyone is different - and consent - that touch should, first and foremost, be consensual to both parties.

Am I saying everyone should run out and start kissing everyone on the lips? Not at all. It never bothered me that other people didn't kiss their families that way. It also didn't make me judge them or rethink my rituals. I love that my family is physically affectionate. I know there is research that suggests the lack of parental affection in teens (particularly boys) can cause huge and unidentified emotional distress. And, never, forget the horror of the Romanian orphanages where children literally withered and died without human affection.

Humans literally need touch to live.

Maybe lip kissing isn't your thing. That's fine. But don't let our culture start to vilify the act of kissing children on the lips. We want to encourage a strong cultural awareness in our kids of the power of touch and the importance of consent and comfort for themselves and others. We can and must do so without resorting to erasing healthy, loving touch out of fear for unhealthy touch.

 

Healing Cavities

8:05 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Did you know cavities don't need to be drilled and filled? They can actually heal. For some reason, despite research (just one source: Mellanby M, Pattison CL. The Influence of a Cereal-Free Diet Rich in Vitamin D And Calcium on Dental Caries in Children. British Medical Journal 1932; 1(37): 507-510.) that supports the healing of cavities, almost no one knows this and it is nearly impossible to find a dentist that will admit it.

Well Aellyn has a cavity and I'm so reluctant to go to the dentist because I don't feel like arguing with a doctor. Do you know they now use general anesthesia on little kids to fill cavities? Did you know the sealants they use are BPA (or just as harmful BPS if it says "BPA-free") and flouride? I'm sure to have to argue about flouride to someone who doesn't know or won't admit its link to cancer, lower IQ, and infertility.

Sometimes I just don't want to argue.

So my options are to drive 3 hours to a holistic dentist (who probably won't take my insurance) or heal Aellyn's teeth naturally. I'm going to give the latter a go.

Here's what we're going to try:

1. Daily cod liver oil/butter oil blend


2. Buy only grass-fed, raw butter (as soon as I can find a source)


3. Add a high-dose vitamin D supplement


4. Add calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous to her diet


5. Limit grains (this one's hard!) and sugars

Wish me luck and I'll keep you posted.

If I Ran the Schools...

6:17 PM Unknown 0 Comments

If I ran the public school system...

Oh the fun I'd have. First I'd start "school" at 10 not 5. That's ages not time. If we had to have a place to house children from the age of 5 on it would be pure play with lots of outdoor time.


Classes would be optional and the primary purpose of the whole kit and kaboodle would be to learn about anything you want. The school would be more library than school. Access to tools, gym equipment, labs, etc. Experts in different fields available to share their passions. Books, the fastest internet available, and scores of student-organized field trips/internships/shadowing.

There would be work to do. Actual work. Maybe not at the school but if you wanted to learn about fixing cars you would get to actually fix cars and get paid. There would be limits to ensure it doesn't become "child labor" but trust me, kids want to labor on something productive instead of times tables and standardized tests.

There would be governance - self-governance where the children and the adults are complete equals in decision making for the school. From hiring to building maintenance, children who were interested would be able to lead.

Their would be no division based on ages or level of knowledge. Younger kids would benefit from the knowledge of older kids and vice versa. Children would be encouraged to teach what they know to others.

There would be seminar series that are optional but interesting. Like TEDx talks.

There would be lots of resources and opportunities on social justice and problem solving. For example,

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• Learning from History (not just "about" history written by the conquering race)


• Causes of poverty and inequality (not just "economics" to further entrench us in capitalist thinking)


• Systems theory and Holism (learning a discipline is nice but only if you understand the whole)


• Survival skills (no Bear Grylls stuff but anymore basics like gardening, canning, basic carpentry, etc. are nostalgic memories)

[/list]

 

Debate, Discourse, Logic, and Rhetoric would be encouraged. Skills like brainstorming, executive cognition, and transformative learning would be emphasized.

Even at 10-16 there would still be lots of play. If Google has taught us anything it is that play is a human need. Sports could be organized if desired but just as likely to be a simple pick up game or an elaborate new game invented by the students.

16 you say? Yep. At 16, children would be granted full citizenship (we say they have it now but they don't). You would simultaneously be able to drive, drink, vote, rent a car, etc. (not at the same time but...you know what I mean). No prolonging of childhood by being greedy with rights and privileges.

Obviously, a change this huge is difficult in such a huge and entrenched system. That's why I'm homeschooling. I'm raising my kids for the future I hope to see not the one cynicism says we are going to get. Because if you prepare for the status quo you'll always have the status quo. To mix things up you have to dream and reach beyond what you can see.

What would your "school" look like?

How Do You Afford Living On The Road?

9:29 AM Unknown 1 Comments

This is the question I'm most often asked. There is a huge assumption that only retired people or "DINKS" (dual income no kids) or trust-fund babies can afford the luxurious "RV lifestyle."

Here's the thing: There is NO "typical" cost of living on the road just like there is no typical cost of living in S&B (sticks and bricks). 

You probably know people who rent tiny appartments and people with 80k houses in the city or 1.5 million dollar houses on the lake. Even in houses of the same price range one family might have a $400 budget for groceries while another spends $500 just on eating out. Some people have expensive shoes but drive an old car while others drive a Lexus but buy their shoes at the discount store.

Budgets are less about "cost" and more about priorities. I know people who own homes, love owning their home, and prioritize their home. They put capital into landscaping, redecorating, fencing, pools, additions, new kitchens, etc. To do so they may or may not need to be frugal elsewhere - maybe they never vacation. Another family might take extravagant vacations but choose to have a modest yard. They prioritize vacations.

If you live on the road the same applies. The budget needed to live on the road will depend on what you need, what you have, and what you want. If it is important to you to always have full-hook-ups your monthly camping fees will be higher than if you don't mind dry camping/boondocking.

If you want your RV to have all the luxuries of a S&B you will probably buy a big rig with slides so on rainy days you hardly know you're in an RV! RVs can come with leather furniture, granite countertops, fireplaces, big screen tvs, etc. Some RVs have washer/dryer, dishwasher, and 2.5 bathrooms.

Other RVs have the basics to function - beds, shelter, water, toilet, maybe a refrigerator. Some people live in vans and don't have water, toilet, or a refrigerator.

Why Live On The Road?

This range means you have to make decisions by answering 3 key questions:

1. Why do I want to live on the road?


2. What do I need to make that happen?


3. If I want something that I don't need to make that happen does it provide enough pleasure to warrant spending resources on.

For example, our reasons for living on the road are here. We make decisions based on that. Do we need a washer/dryer in our rig? It would be convenient but it is expensive enough to possibly limit our travel, it requires more expensive hook ups, and it deprives us of the chance to meet people at laundromats. So, we decided to go without.

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When we were first looking for RVs I actually became frightened that we would make this change but still fall into the same bad habits. I knew I DIDN'T want an RV that was so comfortable inside that staying inside would be comfy. I wanted my RV to be a shelter. I wanted to live our lives OUTSIDE the camper. I was so worried about it I actually thought about doing this instead:

[caption id="attachment_8614" align="aligncenter" width="300"] rooftop tent[/caption]

.(I still think that would be super fun)

There is nothing wrong with wanting your RV to be comfy. Maybe you are living on the road to see different cities and museums. Maybe mosquito bites and poison ivy are deal breakers. Maybe the time you'd waste at a laundromat would deprive you of enough pleasure to take away from your life. That's ok! But, knowing this deeply is necessary before you can even tackle the question of budgets.

Our Life On The Road

Given our purpose, we could then budget how we wanted to live. Since we hope to slowly decrease our dependence on capitalism and consumerism we kept that in mind. Our overall goal with money is to make as little as humanly possible to live the life we want. The life we want is less work and more life. So how little can we live on? This is what we hope to explore on this journey.

Here's our monthly budget for May:

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Fuel: (includes gas for Pete to go to work and propane and firewood) $100
Campsite with full hook-ups: $280/month (this rate is lowered by paying for the season in advance: $1450 May-Oct)
WiFi: $25
Electric (metered): $50
Groceries: $400
Insurance (Car/RV and registrations): $80
Phones: $135
TV (netflix/Amazon prime/hulu): $30
RV and Tow Vehicle Maintenance: $50
Laundry: $30

Monthly Total: $1180
Annualized: $14,160

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Now there are some expenses that are MUSTS: Groceries, Insurance, and Phones. The others we plan to be flexible.

Hook ups and Electric can be lowered by boondocking and staying in state/ntl parks instead of "rv parks". By workamping we can also put this at zero sometimes. For example, this fall Pete will be working at Amazon who is paying for a full hook-ups campsite.

Fuel will depend on how much we use and/or where pete is working. Travel will affect this cost as well. This month it is low because we aren't leaving north east Ohio. When we head west there will be a month where we'll need MUCH more gas for the tow vehicle.

WiFi is a must for us be we are willing to use public wifi at libraries and coffee shops when needed or if it is unavailable. This is less about money and more about location. We don't want to be limited to places with decent wifi.

On the other end of the spectrum we might want to visit a place like San Francisco where RV campsites are $100 or more per night. Or the Florida Keys. On those months our campsite budget will soar and we'll have to adjust in other ways.

Debt Free

Note that we don't have an RV payment or car payment in there. If we did it would limit our freedom to go where we want. We would be more tied to a certain type of job and we didn't want that.

Our RV cost $5500. We paid cash. We know we'll need to upgrade eventually and we want to do so without debt.

Living on the road with debt is doable but you will need a higher income which might limit where you can stay and those places might be pricier. For us, being free of debt was important.

Other Money Savings

We have chosen to drop out of the 'rat race' in more than one way. We decided that what clothes we wore was not important. We shop at Goodwill (which perhaps has horrible employment practices but we won't shop at the Salvation Army due to their funding of marriage discrimination lobbying). We buy groceries at Aldi's. We buy organic when we can and for certain things.

We want to explore ways to be greener. Less showers, less clothes washing, less water use. These things save money and the Earth.

Things we hope to explore outside of the monetary economy in the future: coops, barter, eco-workamping, woofing, and off-grid living. I'll be sharing all the gritty details as we go!

One Month As Fulltimers!

6:30 PM Unknown 1 Comments

[caption id="attachment_8606" align="alignleft" width="300"] Laetiporus or "chicken of the woods"[/caption]

We celebrated our first month as fulltimers by taking a long nature walk at Goodyear Heights Metropark Alder Pond trail. We saw a bunch of wildlife and cool bright orange mushrooms I think are Laetiporus also called sulphur shelf mushrooms or Chicken of the Woods because they apparently taste like chicken. I will try them one day when I become more knowledgeable on edible plants and fungi.

Life couldn't be better right now. We've made amazing friends who camp here on the weekends and the kids are just flourishing in nature. I was prepared to have some "adjustment pains" to life in a 24' RV but I haven't yet. That doesn't mean I won't - this could just be the "honeymoon" phase - but none yet.

Unschooling seems to just be fall-off-a-log easy in nature. Our walk today we discussed marshes, reeds, frogs, ducks vs. geese, trail etiquette, mushrooms, the lifecycle (how the dead, fallen trees rot and make nutrients for the new plants), and why people buy memorial benches.  All in 2 hours. I certainly didn't have all the answers and we left deciding we wanted to find a tree/plant/bird/animal/fungi identifying app for our phones so we can learn more when we hike.

[gallery link="file" ids="8605,8604,8602,8601,8600,8599,8598,8597,8611"]

The Stannard5 In Stick Figures

6:45 PM Unknown 0 Comments

We have officially marked our camper with a ubiquitous stick figure family. Ours has a cool Star Wars twist. Pete is Boba Fett. I am Oola (aka the twilek that dances for Jabba). Aellyn is Leia. Asher is a Jawa. Boston is an Ewok. Cute!

Toaster Oven Coconut Muffins

9:12 AM Unknown 0 Comments

I am on a huge coconut kick right now. I mean, I use the oil for everything from food, hair, and face but lately I want coconut flavor! I found this recipe for coconut muffins and made some changes.

I substituted a banana for the egg because why not? I think it is cool that this has yogurt in it which makes it creamy and delicious but also adds that extra fat. I used coconut extract because I had some and I didn't want them to taste too banana-y. I mixed the wet ingredients in my Vitamix because it would be difficult by hand.

The batter is more like a dough. Very thick and sticky and difficult to get off the spoon. I sprinkled the coconut on and mushed it down a bit because the muffin batter had created points that I didn't want to burn.

THESE SMELL SO GOOD BAKING!!! So tropical. I bet you could put pineapple in these and they'd be delish.

They are soft and not too sweet. Perfect for breakfast. 

Toaster Oven Coconut Muffins

1 Banana (as egg replacement)
1/2 cup coconut oil, liquid (warm under hot water)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 cup coconut flavor full-fat yogurt (I used Greek)
1 tsp coconut extract (or use vanilla)
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup shredded coconut, divided (don't buy toasted or they'll burn)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and move rack to center position. Mix first 5 ingredients in a blender or mixer. Fold in dry ingredients. Fill muffin tin and sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Makes 24 mini muffins.

Toaster Oven Drop Biscuits

9:01 AM Unknown 0 Comments

[caption id="attachment_8565" align="alignleft" width="300"] yes, my counter space is that small.[/caption]

I am a biscuit fanatic! My grandmother made a biscuit like this one from a flavor perspective but she had to roll them out and cut them. I figured that was too much work in my tiny (non-counter-space-having) camper. I also found that most drop biscuit recipes require a food processor to incorporate cold butter with the flour. This is an absolutely delicious way to get tender, flaky biscuits. However, a food processor did not make the cut in our tiny space (I do have a Vitamix that will do the trick but I left it at my sisters). I knew there had to be a way to make biscuits easy - one bowl, one measuring cup, one spoon, etc. These are so yummy! Note, that I don't like sweet biscuits and that includes buttermilk biscuits. I like a really baking-powder kind of flavor. I'll put changes/additions if you want a sweeter biscuit like you'd get at Bob Evans.

Toaster Oven Drop Biscuits (Sweeter Version in parenthesis)

2 cups flour 1 Tbls baking powder 1/4 tsp salt (2 Tbls sugar) 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup milk (or 1 cup buttermilk)

[caption id="attachment_8567" align="alignleft" width="150"] center rack[/caption]

Preheat oven to 450. Move the rack to the center (see pic) - this helps ensure that your biscuits won't burn on the bottom. If your toaster oven doesn't have a moving rack, reduce the temp to 400. Mil flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a 2 cup measuring cup. Pour milk on top of melted butter until the measuring cup reads 1 1/2 cups. Dump into the dry mixture. Combine gently with a folding over motion. Batter will be lumpy. Drop spoonfuls onto your baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tips just start to get brown.

[caption id="attachment_8568" align="alignright" width="150"] combined dough[/caption]

These are so tender and crispy on the outside but they actually stay together. If you want to split them and add butter you should make them a little larger. I make them the size of 2 bites and don't even need butter. Enjoy!

Toaster Oven Chocolate Chip Muffins

5:32 PM Unknown 0 Comments

I want to share my adventures in RV Living and what it means for cooking. Things like toaster oven and campfire cooking. Our RV doesn't have an oven so we bought a toaster oven and I'm loving it! I can take it outside and bake cookies while the kids play.

One caveat: I am NOT. A food blogger. I'm not a baking expert and I'm not going to start doing food photography so please enjoy my humble RV kitchen experiments and iPhone photos.

Toaster Oven Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 ripe banana
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
Chocolate chips at your preferred amount. I used 1/2 a bag of semi-sweet morsels

Turn your oven on to 400 degrees and put the rack in the middle. If you can't move your rack and it is fixed on the lower level then reduce. Temp to 375 so the bottoms don't burn. Put dry ingredients in a bowl. Add wet stuff right on top (because who has time for that separate crap?). Mix. Add chips. Spoon into mini-muffin tin that fits in your toaster oven. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Makes 24 mini muffins.

These are really cinnamon-y which I love. We make them for a quick breakfast.

A note on ingredients. You can use a milk alternative like almond or rice milk (don't use soy, that stuff is poison). I use whole wheat flour which probably makes them less yummy, lol. I haven't tried it but if you don't eat egg you could probably add more banana instead. In my version you can't taste the banana but it would be tasty with banana flavor. You can also use carob if you don't eat chocolate. If you can afford it buy ethical chocolate.

Add ins could include flax, oats, nuts, or dried berries.

Enjoy!

Birds and Fish

8:21 AM Unknown 1 Comments

We have neighbors with exotic birds. Here are some pictures that Pete took of them:

[ait-gridgallery count="15" height="auto" descheight="50" category="188" cols="5" display="fancybox" showfilter="1" order="chronological" description="0"]

Aellyn is obsessed with them! She really wants a bird and we've had some great discussions about why we don't believe in owning wild animals (I think our neighbors would agree given that they are parrot rescuers).

[caption id="attachment_8544" align="alignleft" width="150"] baking cookies in a toaster oven[/caption]

We enjoyed our first rainy-all-day inside day. We baked cookies together and made a huge mess of our non-existent counter space. We watched movies and popped popcorn. Not as fun as being outside, of course, but once in a while makes it a novelty.

Aellyn got to go fishing for the first time and caught TWO fish!

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On Living "Counter" Culture

8:19 AM Unknown 3 Comments

In the months leading up to our departure as Fulltime RVers we had many naysayers. Most were worried about the unknown while others were just sure we'd taken leave of our senses. That's ok. Living in a counter culture way can cause people to feel uncomfortable.

I've said before that I think people get upset about the choices of others because they see them as reflecting poorly on their own life choices. This is false and comes from guilt and shame that society trains us to carry. My choices and my path are mine and not a comment on on your choices or your path. No, really.

Like I said in my article about WOHM vs SAHMs we are all really the best people when we are authentic and fulfilled. The journey we should all be on is to find that authentic self inside of us and live it OUT LOUD. Finding yours has nothing to do with what others are living.

Anyways. I did have one person who lashed out and called our lifestyle "child abuse." I think this is a term we need to stop throwing around. Like using "rape" in sports, throwing the term child abuse around belittles actual child abuse and I think reflects more on the insulter's personal problems than on the insultee's. To that person I'd like to respectfully snarkily present this:

[ait-gridgallery count="15" height="auto" descheight="50" category="186" cols="3" display="detail" showfilter="1" order="chronological" description="0"]

Don't they look sad? ha!

They are flourishing like all kids do in nature. Fishing, hiking, playing at the park and around the campfire - it's just been perfect.

I didn't realize how much I took on other peoples' negativity about us living in an RV. I spent many tears and sleepless nights on the opinions of these people. It was draining to say the least and hard to counter when we didn't have first hand experience at our chosen lifestyle.

Now that we've lived this for a while I feel like a reptile that has shed that heavy skin of negativity. Our daily life is now aligned with our inner passions and the extreme RIGHTNESS of it makes all the worry about the naysayers seem silly.

I never imagined myself as "counter culture." I'm just a regular girl from middle America. If you know me in person I'm pretty normal, right? Ok, eccentric...but normal. We're just trying to take our one life and the one childhood of our children and use it most wisely - in a way that aligns with our ethics. I don't want to tell my kids "live like this" I'd rather just live it and let them live it.

I don't think that is counter to our culture but a product of it - of the freedom to choose how we live. Calling it "counter" implies it is "against" what others ("culture") are doing.

Calling us eccentric. A hippie. "Alternative." Counter culture. It just disconnects us from each other. It makes an Us and a Them. It creates Other. I've really come to believe that "other" is the concept at the root of all violence and hate in this world. When we realize there is no "other" it is impossible to hate or do violence.

When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. Do you see why it is violent? Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind. When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition, it breeds violence. So a man who is seeking to understand violence does not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of mankind. ~Jiddu Krishnamurti

So, just call us The Stannard5.

One Week As Fulltimers!

7:37 AM Unknown 0 Comments

Well, we survived our first week living in an RV! Actually, I'd say we thrived! It definitely feels so right. We had a few mishaps.

For example we lost both a side panel and a skylight cover on the trip to the campground. We've easily made some DIY repair and it doesn't look like it will be too expensive to fix.

For the most part it has been realizing new family traditions and rhythms. We hike every morning either to the lake or through an abandoned Halloween trail. I wanted to start a new tradition and also bring Buddhism to my kids. So we transplanted my altar to a beautiful wooden box. Each morning we take out a brass Buddha bell and take turns ringing it nd saying what we are thankful for. It has been a hoot! Aellyn is old enough to have such thoughtful responses and the boys are hysterical! Ash said two days in a row that he was thankful for snakes. Boston says the nearest object next to him like "fan" and "pancake".

Everyone is so nice and thrilled to have tiny kids around. We lower the median age by at least 30 years. (For now at least. When school gets out there will be more families).

We are different than most seasonal campers in that we can't acquire things that don't fit in the rv. People keep trying to give us stuff. Out of kindness and maybe a little pity at the family of five in the tiny, slide-less rv? We keep saying no thanks we have all we need.

Right now I'm sitting at the playground with the setting sun at my back listening to birds chirp while the kids play with the owners' kids.

Life is good.

[caption id="attachment_8256" align="alignnone" width="300"] Our humble abode[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8257" align="alignnone" width="300"] Bean in a tree[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8258" align="alignnone" width="300"] Skipping rocks[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_8259" align="alignnone" width="300"] Walking along the lake[/caption]

A Healthier Lifestyle

7:02 AM Unknown 0 Comments

In my post about 7 Reasons to Live in an RV Fulltime I didn't mention a healthier lifestyle. We are doing this for a healthier planet and healthier relationships but an off-shoot will be living healthier too.

[caption id="attachment_8004" align="alignleft" width="150"] Day 2 - blogging in the RV[/caption]

I woke up this morning and could hardly move! The lifting, pulling, hiking, etc. is new to my body. Before Aellyn was born Pete and I were hiking up to 9 miles a day in training for doing the Grand Canyon. Now my life is so sedentary.

You don't have to uproot your whole life to get healthy but there is nothing like having an ACTIVE LIFESTYLE rather than adding activity, like exercise, to an actually sedentary lifestyle, which is what most westerners do. Like homesteading, farming, etc., living in an RV fulltime is just going to REQUIRE activity. I'm really excited about this aspect!

We're Fulltime RVers!

6:52 AM Unknown 0 Comments

It is friday morning and I'm typing this from the dinette table in our camper. The kids and Pete are exploring the woods behind our site while I clean up a traditional camp breakfast.

I'm in heaven!

Yesterday was not easy. It is beyond muddy here - like Ohio right now makes Dagoba look like paradise. The truck we hired to move the RV (because we haven't upgraded our minivan to a truck yet) got stuck in my sister's yard. We had to ask a neighbor with a tractor (god bless the country!) to get it out. In all it took 3 hours!!



Here are some more outrageous pics of getting the RV out of the yard.

But, we finally made it! We also had an easy time with the kids sleeping in their own beds. My kids have slept in our bed since birth so I was concerned it might be an issue but...really, we're like 10 ft. away from them!

The covers on one of the skylights blew off at some point in the trip yesterday. So, last night, IN THE DARK I climbed on top of the van and used a long stick to position a tarp over the opening and hold it down with rocks. Yay for DIY!

Here's our official launch video!

7 Reasons To Live Fulltime In an RV

9:09 PM Unknown 2 Comments

On May 1 we finally move into our new 192 square feet of RV! We'll be local and Pete will keep his same job through the summer. So, we'll be staying at a beautiful park near the Mogadore Resevoir.

People, of course, think we're nuts. Unfortuantely when you make decisions outside of the mainstream it can be judged as an indictment of their (more mainstream) life choices.

I think the important thing here is to remember that my decisions are made from my values, goals, and dreams and my weaknesses, fears, and circumstances. They have absolutely nothing to do with anyone else. When I say I want out of the capitalist economy it doesn't mean I think you are evil for staying in it. Everyone makes the world a better place as best they can at the time. You're doing your best and I'm doing mine.

With that in mind - here are 10 reasons we are becoming Nomads:

1. Find a New Human Dream.

We played the "American Dream" game well. I had a job at NASA and a mortgage and 2 cars and a bunch of debt. I worked to pay my debt and went into further debt to survive the monotony of my life. Since leaving my job I've become a so much happier person. I'm healthier, sleep better, and just feel JOY. All. The. Time. When I was working so much and then spending my non working hours working on my "stuff" I didn't have any free time to grow as a person or contribute to the world meaningfully.

That's the problem with the American Dream, in my opinion. It keeps us navel gazing and blind or helpless to the reality of the world around us. We wanted to find a way to acheive our dreams that made us better citizens of the Earth. (This reason is #1 because it guides all of our other reasons.)

2. See New Places.

The most amazing experiences in my life have been visiting new places. I've been fortunate to live many places and visit some wonderful and beautiful things. This reason also falls into the "stop living for your next vacation" things. If you are lucky enough to be one of the few people making enough money to travel on your vacation...are you working so hard to afford a vacation?

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain

3. Meet Virtual Friends.

One of the best parts of living in the age of social media is that I have truly wonderful friends all over this globe! How wonderful to get to share a s'more with them around our campfire? Oh, btw, internet friends...prepare, lol.

4. Meet New People.

I am a white woman married to a white man living in just about the whitest small town imaginable. That's ok. I was raised here and learned to respect and love all people. I don't think living in a mono-culture precludes soemone from being a social justice advocate but it sure is easier when you experience cultural differences in a relationship instead of in a book.

Now, RVing is a predominately white past-time so, that's not what I mean. I mean by going out into the community where we are staying and getting to know the locals - local people, local food, local customs, local problems and successess. In my "homeschool" the number one most important curricululm is what I call "Poverty, Inequality, and Money: Causes and Solutions." My kids will get to experience this in living color.

5. Meet the Earth.

If the poverty and inequality lessons are the number one goal of my parenting then the second is "Amazing Earth: Plants, Animals, and Symbiosis. (lol, I'm loving my course titles. Of course, in case you don't know, I'm a "un"schooler so there won't be any curriculum at all). You simply can't ignore the needs of our planet when you strongly realize that WE ARE OUR PLANET. We aren't separate. We are one. The love of one is the love of the other. The health of one is the health of the other.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. – Henry David Thoreau

When you think of environmentally-friendly living the word "RV" probably doesn't come to mind. And yes, RV's are gas guzzling hogs. Especially if you use one on vacation to travel 3000 miles in two weeks! There are fulltime RVers that live very "on the grid" and may have an equal or larger carbon footprint than someone living in a traditional home. But, there are others that live a decidedly "off grid" life in an RV. I'll write more about the "Green RVing" life we'll be persuing!

6. Escape the Monetary Economy.

This is not the space to get into this in detail but we believe that the current monetary economy/capitalism is incompatible with human-honoring goals. We hope to experience things like communes, ecovillages, barter/borrow economy, and cooperative living. Check out the resources on this post for more info.

In our rich consumers’ civilization we spin cocoons around ourselves and get possessed by our possessions.
- Max Lerner
7. Family Centered Living

I've always been fascinated by the Amish. (Right, Zoe?). It isn't the religious aspects I like but the family-centeredness of everything they do. We see them work so hard to make food without modern conveniences like tractors or washing machines and think "yuck!". What I love about the life of the Amish though is every task they do is in service to their family and community. They (rarely) wake up and leave all day to work for someone else. They wake and work hard with and for their family. I want this for my family.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is not safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. – Helen Keller

I could think of more but this sums up the primary philosphy that's guiding our path right now. It is our path for our family. Yours may be different and that's ok! That's better than ok. It's what makes our world so rich: diversity.

A Body Positive Doll

12:20 PM Unknown 0 Comments

Do you remember this picture floating around?

It is a mock up of what Barbie would look like if she had the average American woman's measurements.

Aparently the artist wan inundated with requests to buy one. So, he is starting a project to make it a reality!

http://youtu.be/OfQu8pq0kok

His doll prototype is actually cuter than the original and I just love it! I would buy this doll for all of my kids. I hope they make some diverse versions too.

This is completely grassroots so, if you can, donate to his Kickstarter project to help make this a reality!

THE Everything Parenting eBook Bundle by Mindful Nurturing

12:01 AM Unknown 1 Comments

I was so excited to be asked to include my book, Gender Neutral Parenting, in an upcoming parenting bundle planned by Mindful Nurturing. Well, today the sale goes live and I can't even believe what they've brought together. To say this is the "must have" parenting collection for 2014 is a gross understatement. They've put together over 30 different items (ebooks, ecourses, even a coloring book) by the top parenting experts. The retail value is $750! But they're selling the whole package for only $49.97.

Even better, they've also divided it into mini bundles so you can pick your favorite one. Those are only $19.97.

This is the best gift you could give to a new parent. It is such a cornucopia of resources that there is something for every parent and every stage of parenting. You don't want to miss this one. PLUS, Parenting Gently will get a percentage of sales if you buy here through this page. I am so very thankful for your support of Parenting Gently's mission to bring joy to parents everywhere. Happy Reading!

(this page is long because it has information about ALL 35+ resources. If you're already in click this button)

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Welcome to the Essential Parenting Collection, the biggest online collection of Mindful Parenting products! This digital bundle offers a wide array of eProducts, including eBooks, audiobooks, eCourses, workbooks, audio, coloring pages.

The Essential Parenting Collection is offered at $49.97, fractions of the retail value of $751.48.

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We have divided the products into 5 categories. Scroll down the page to learn more about ALL of these wonderful resources.

Each mini bundle is available for $19.97.

• Pregnancy and Birth


• The Early Years


• Child Development


• Resources for Parents


• Mindful Guidance


• Free Gifts with purchase of the Full Collection

Dig into these amazing resources!

 

Pregnancy and Birth

From Maiden to Motherhood

 Stephanie Brandt Cornais, Mama and Baby Love, 46 pages, retail value $6.99

It's everything I know about conception, pregnancy, and postpartum. And I know a lot! I mentored hundreds of parents in childbirth classes when I was a Birthing From Within Mentor and in labor as a Certified Doula. I have also been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 14 years, specializing in pre-conception, pregnancy, and postpartum. And of course, my sweet Penelope, my oh so wanted, but oh so difficult baby (now almost 4!) has taught me a thing or two as well.

This ebook is just good, fast, easy-to-understand information about everything you absolutely must know as you begin your journey to motherhood. I am giving you all the juicy tidbits and lessons I have learned from working with pregnant couples for the past decade as well as my own experiences with being pregnant and a new mom.

It's everything I have ever told friends or clients, plus some things I wish I had known before getting pregnant with my daughter and other things I will do differently if I am blessed with another baby.

I have also included advice from my team of writers at Mama and Baby Love and some from other bloggers that I love, like The Pregnant Chicken, Code Name: Mama, Mother Rising, Dou-la-la, The Homeopathic Pregnancy, Naturally Knocked Up, Mommypotamus, and more.

As usual around here, I tell it straight, no beating around the bush or sugar coating things, which of course means there are a few curse words, but it’s a funny read. You will laugh out loud, I promise."

The Postpartum Herbal Guide

Laura Schuerwegen, Authentic Parenting, 18 pages, retail value $2.99

The Postpartum Herbal Guide is an introductory booklet to herbs for new mothers.

Topics include: how to make a herbal infusion, herbs for the postpartum time, traditional chinese postpartum bone broth recipe, herbs and breastfeeding and how to make your own sitz bath mix.

Learn how to use herbs to support and strengthen your postpartum body and to heal minor ailments. Make your postpartum time a nourishing one.

 

The Business of Baby: What Doctors Don't Tell You, What Corporations Try To Sell You, And How to Put Your Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Before Their Bottom Line.

Jennifer Margulis, audiobook, retail value $20

Why does the USA have among the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the industrialized world? Why do pregnant women who plan to breastfeed receive “free” samples of infant formula from American obstetricians? Why are American newborns given a vaccine at birth against hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted disease? This eye-opening work of investigative journalism exposes how our current cultural practices during pregnancy, childbirth, and the first year of a baby’s life are not based on the best evidence or the most modern science, revealing how American moms and their babies are being undermined by corporate interests.

Birth Relaxation Kit

Jeremy Dyen and Mavi Gupta, Birth Relaxation Kit, audio and booklet, retail value $79

The only hypnobirthing program by Board Certified Doctor; hypnosis mp3s, scripts, nutrition guide, birth music; less than half the price of most hypnobirth programs.

With all three Birth Relaxation Kitâ„¢ hypnobirthing programs you will overcome anxiety and fear so you can give birth confidently, feeling empowered and relaxed. You can enjoy a shorter, more comfortable and even pain-free birth!

Why Hypnosis For Pregnancy and Childbirth?

We are dedicated to serving moms and moms-to-be seeking an empowered, safe and more comfortable childbirth experience.  We Are On A Mission to empower you with real tools to birth confidently and without fear...And the movement is rapidly growing as thousands and thousands of women are successfully using hypnobirthing and self-hypnosis for birth, pregnancy and motherhood.

Simply Natural Pregnancy

Megan Kimmelshue, The Boho Mama, 40 pages, retail value $5.99

Simply Natural Pregnancy is a back-to-basics eBook for mothers who want to "go green" but are overwhelmed and stressed by all the alternatives available. Using concise information, actionable but powerful baby steps, and resources for digging deeper, Simply Natural Pregnancy is a transformative tool for every expectant mother.

Stay at Home Yoga

Jennifer Hoffman, Stay at Home Yoga, Every Breath I Take, 3-Month Premium Membership, retail value $23.97

Bundle purchasers will receive three months of unlimited access to four types of yoga classes and all membership bonuses! Your physical alignment plays a vital role in your pregnancy, labor and delivery, but very few prenatal exercise programs teach moms to restore healthy alignment. Each Stay-at-Home Yoga class is designed to provide you with both information and exercises to restore natural alignment, reduce pregnancy aches and pains and prepare you for a natural birth.

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Parenting the Early Years

The Colic Solution

Nicolette Roux, Powerful Mothering, 29 pages, value $9.95

The colic solution is an ebook to help new mothers with colic symptoms in their babies. I have detailed my experience with colic three times over, and given examples for what to look out for and how to start applying some tried and tested relief methods.

Every baby is different, unique, not one solution will work for every baby. That is why my ebook has many suggestions, angles of approach and views. One WILL work for your baby!

You will sleep again and you will be able to finely drink that cup of HOT tea or coffee that has been eluding you for weeks! There is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Twin Manibreasto: A Success Story of Milk and Multiples

Mercedes R. Donis, Project Procrastinot, 54 pages, retail value $6.99

A first time mom reflects on her journey of breastfeeding twins. “Don’t judge your entire experience based on the first three months,” she cautions, as she shares the challenges faced during the ‘fourth trimester’ and beyond. Part memoir, part manual, Mercedes shares her story as well as suggestions on what gear to buy (and what to skip), recipes, links for further reading and a printable feeding log. Topics include: positions for tandem feeding twins, pumping and milk supply, and scheduling feeds vs. feeding on-demand.

 

Oxytocin Parenting — Womb through the Terrible Twos.

Susan Kuchinskas and Bryan Post, The Post Institute, retail value $0.99

Did you know that a child's ability to love and connect is shaped after birth? The way you parent your child actually influences the way her brain cells wire together to form the circuits she’ll use in social situations throughout her life.

A key to forming healthy relationships is the oxytocin response. Oxytocin is naturally released inside the brain when we feel safe and can open to intimacy and connection. The oxytocin response probably begins to develop in the womb, is influenced by the birthing process and then continues to develop in the first three years of life. It’s shaped by the love and care a baby gets in this period.

This book is valuable reading no matter how old your child is. Parenting understanding of oxytocin and advice for all ages (works with spouses too!).

The Natural Parent's Guide to Babywearing.

Lauren Wayne, Hobo Mama, 154 pages, retail value $11.97

Babywearing gives you a convenient way to carry along a little one, keeping your child engaged while allowing you as the parent or caregiver to continue with the routines of life — walking, using your hands for tasks, and even breastfeeding — while keeping your child secure.

This book is a Babywearing 101 class, giving an introductory overview of babywearing, along with troubleshooting ideas for special circumstances. We'll talk about the benefits of babywearing, types of common carriers, how to babywear safely, pictorial how-tos for how to tie and wrap the most popular carriers, tutorials for making your own carrier, and a list of helpful resources for information and support on your babywearing journey.

What Not to Say - Tools for Talking with Young Children

Sarah MacLaughlin, Sarah MacLaughlin, LSW, 96 pages, value $12

Whether parent, teacher, grandparent, or nanny, this book will help you see the importance of not only your role as parent or caregiver, but the relationship, too. Changes in your approach, words, and tone can have lasting beneficial effects in your relationship with a child and on that child’s behavior as well.

JUNO Magazine

Juno Magazine (e-magazine), 1-year subscription: 4 issues, retail value $24.74

JUNO promotes a natural approach to family life that inspires and supports parents as they journey through the challenges of parenting. We have an ethos based on conscious parenting, sustainability, social justice, non-violence and a commitment to personal growth and spiritual awareness and share fresh perspectives in this fast-paced technological world, creating a non-judgemental community for those who are keen to follow "a natural approach to family life."

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Child Development

Reaching for the Moon

Lucy Pearce, The Happy Womb, 82 pages, value $3.99

Written for girls aged 9-14 introducing them to the menstrual cycle in simple, soulful language, taking the form of a gentle, meaningful initiation into womanhood.

Reaching for the Moon incorporates stories, real womens' experiences of their first periods, and answers girls' most burning practical questions about periods and their bodies in a loving, age-appropriate way. This is the guide that empowered and caring mothers, aunts and godmothers want for the girls in their lives.

How Children's Emotions Work

Hand in Hand Parenting, retail value $7

Your child has a vital need to connect with you. This booklet helps you understand your child's emotional life, and how you can best fill his needs.

 

Why Does He Do That? A Parent's Guide to ASD

Stella Waterhouse, stellawaterhouse.com, 32 pages, retail value $3.23

This book looks at the difficulties children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have including lesser known problems such as sensory problems to anxiety and explores the effects these can have.

Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers

 Dr. Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté, Post Hypnotic Press, audiobook (13 hrs 42 mins), retail value $26

A psychologist with a reputation for penetrating to the heart of complex parenting issues joins forces with a physician and bestselling author to tackle one of the most disturbing and misunderstood trends of our time -- peers replacing parents in the lives of our children. A phenomenon they term peer orientation, it refers to the tendency of children and youth to look to their peers for direction: for a sense of right and wrong, for values, identity and codes of behaviour. Peer orientation undermines family cohesion, poisons the school atmosphere, and fosters an aggressively hostile and sexualized youth culture. It provides a powerful explanation for schoolyard bullying and youth violence; its effects are painfully evident in the context of teenage gangs and criminal activity, in tragedies such as in Littleton, Colorado; Tabor, Alberta and Victoria, B.C. It is an escalating trend that has never been adequately described or contested until Hold On to Your Kids. Once understood, it becomes self-evident - as do the solutions, none of which are impossible or even costly to undertake.

The Drama Years: Real Girls Talk About Surviving Middle School - Bullies, Brands, Body Image, and More

Haley Kilpatrick, Post Hypnotic Press, audiobook, retail value $16; 6 hrs 39 mins

"The Drama Years is a great overall primer for anyone with a young teen girl in there life. And the girls will love it too! I will highly recommend it to the parents, teachers, and girls I work with." (Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabes)

The Drama Years is the definitive guide to the pressures that middle school girls experience every day. Speaking to parents of both middle school girls and high school girls alike (and the girls themselves), it is packed with the voices of middle school girls, who share their experiences, anecdotes and thoughts on everything from stress to body image, from frenemies to getting along with parents. Throughout the book, high school mentors share their own similar experiences—and offer parents advice for how to help their girls survive this tricky time.

Gender Neutral Parenting: Raising kids with the freedom to be themselves

Paige Lucas Stannard, Parenting Gently, 134 pages, retail value $9.99

Our culture has strict rules for acceptable behavior for men and women. But what about kids who fall outside the boundaries of prescribed roles? This book is a guide for parents in the practical application of Gender Neutral Parenting - a parenting style based on respect for a child's self-identity and providing latitude in exploring their own version of gender and gender expressions.

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Mindful Guidance

Positive Parenting in Action

Rebecca Eanes & Laura Ling, Positive Parents, 180 pages, value $7.49

There is an abundance of resources available which tell parents why traditional parenting practices are not optimal, but few help parents learn what to do in place of traditional practices. In this book, we'll discuss the principles of positive parenting, and then we will go through more than 40 scenarios to show you what it looks like when these principles are put into action.

Setting Limits with Young Children

Hand in Hand Parenting, 26 pages, retail value $7

What do you do when your child acts out? How do you tell a child "No" without triggering a power struggle? This booklet teaches you to set healthy boundaries, interact with both warmth and authority and create cooperation and closeness.

The ABCs of Conscious Parenting

Lori Petro, TEACH through Love, 47 pages + audio download, retail value $68

Create a stronger relationship with your kids by changing the way you speak. Lori Petro will show you how to create peace in your home without sacrificing your influence.

Raising Mindful Kids

Yvonne Woloszanskyj, Mindful Parenting Skills, 13 pages, retail value $27

Discover The Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Needs Your Child Has And How To Quench Their Thirst In Today's Society, A Guide To Developing And Nurturing Mindfulness In Children

Parenting Softly

Bryan Post, Post Institute, 44 pages, retail value: $9.95

Simple guidance for developing healthy attachments with your child from conception to age two, for raising a child who laughs lots, loves big, and learns exceptionally.

Taking a look at raising your baby from a neurological point of view, Bryan Post’s latest book will help by providing parents with what he calls "seven gifts of parenting softly." It is guaranteed to provide insights you may have never considered.  A perfect gift for new or expecting parents!

 

A Survival Guide. Positive Parenting for Children with ASD

Stella Waterhouse, stellawaterhouse.com, 35 pages, retail value $4.16

Following on from 'Why Does He Do That?', A Survival Guide suggests relatively simple ideas that, although they do not offer a 'quick fix' or a miracle cure, are easily implemented and can be very effective.

 

Keep Your Cool - How to Stop Yelling, Spanking and Punishing: What to Do Instead

Flo Gascon, 157 pages, retail value $25

Your kids are your pride and joy, but sometimes conflict arises and it can be overwhelming. You lose your temper when you don’t mean to. In this guide, I break down an interaction into 5 manageable pieces, making your issues easier to define and act upon effectively. There is not a one-fits-all solution, so you have opportunity to customize your Cool Down and Help Strategy. This is about knowing your individual triggers and your individual child and getting on a path to a strong and peaceful relationship.

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Resources for Parents

The Sane Parenting Challenge

Amy Phoenix, Presence Parenting, 6-week eCourse, retail value $50

Parenting kind of crazy? The Sane Parenting Challenge is a six week journey to transform how you respond when parenting feels intense. Each week you are invited to incorporate a simple, yet effective practice into your life to gradually begin choosing your response when parenting feels crazy so you can experience more ease - and still keep the joyful crazy parts that only parents can understand.

 

The Transgender Child

Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper, Post Hypnotic Press, audiobook: 8 hrs 11 mins, narrated by Michael Puttonen, retail value $20

"This beautifully written, meticulously well-researched book is a godsend for parents and professionals in search of clear, reliable, and up-to-date information about all facets of parenting and caring for transgender children. Combining real life experience with the latest research, Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper have written an indispensable guide that will save lives and empower families to ensure that transgender children receive the love and support they need to thrive." — Shannon Price Minter, Legal Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights

 

Liberation Parenting Program

Teresa Graham Brett, Parenting for Social Change, 131 pages plus 2+ hours of audio, retail value $47

The Liberation Parenting Program is a multimedia e-course that helps parents to do the inner work needed to move through blocks that keep them from sustaining relationships with children that are grounded in trust, respect, and freedom. Using tools for transformative learning, parents will experience greater wholeness and connection for themselves and support the children in their lives to do the same.

 

Calm Authority for Fathers

Marcy Axness, Parenting for Peace, audio coaching session, retail value $19.95

Parenting can blindside us when it pushes our buttons from how we were treated as a child. "Calm Authority for Fathers" is an easy, relaxing way to harness the latest scientific finding: the more you can make sense of your own past, the healthier and more successful you child will be! The bonus: It cultivates an inner calm and self-possession that’s essential for effective parenting, and that makes most discipline issues evaporate before they ever appear.

 

Embracing a Child-Centered Divorce: Because You Love Your Children

Rosalind Sedacca, Child-Centered Divorce, retail value $9.99

As a Divorce and Parenting Coach and Founder of the Child-Centered Divorce Network, Rosalind Sedacca shares valuable advice, tips and insights for divorced parents on helping children cope with divorce and transition after divorce with the best possible outcome. She helps parents understand the emotional effects of divorce on children and how to protect their children from hurt, anxiety and long-term damaging consequences. Learn how to co-parent more effectively and become aware of your child’s needs at differing ages and stages during and after divorce.

 

12 Steps To A More Natural Family Home

Emma Weatherall, So Natural Baby, 15 pages, retail value $8.17

Many of the materials used in household items can leach chemicals into the air that we breathe and onto our children's delicate skin, causing problems and health issues that can affect your family's quality of life. This eBook will help you identify the 'nasties' in your home and give you ideas on what you can easily do to replace them or reduce their effects.

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Free gifts with purchase - exclusive to the Full Essential Parenting Collection

Gentle Parenting Coloring Pages

Hugo Smits, retail value $2.99

Conscious Communication

Lori Petro, TEACH through Love, 17 pages, retail value $20

Mindful Mondays: A collection of language examples exploring everyday parenting challenges using the process of compassionate communication

HighSelfEsteemKids

Dr. Joe Rubino, highselfesteemkids, audio, retail value $147

Learn the tools to champion children to build soaring self-esteem as a Certified Coach in Self-Esteem Elevation for Children.

Mama is Having a Baby - A Journey to Tandem Breastfeeding

Joni Rae Latham, Tales of a Kitchen Witch, coloring book, 15 pages, retail value $3.99

This is a 15-page coloring book with line drawings by Joni Rae Latham. The drawings depict a story done in coloring pictures of a nursing toddler who still spends much of his/her day breastfeeding, and the new baby that is suddenly in the house.

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