Easter...To Celebrate or No?

I was wandering through Fred Meyers the other day, thinking about what to buy Caelin for Easter. They had some really cute bunny books, chocolate rabbits, marshmallow chicks, candy eggs. Huge, premade baskets could be bought tailored to boy or girl, cars or princesses. Flowers and balloons promised to give my son a special surprise on Easter morning, and cute little outfits begged parents to dress up their adorable babies for their very first Easter egg hunt. All the fun, exciting presents stirred up longing for when I myself was a child, when I would wake up with my brothers and sisters and baskets would be magically placed on the table, waiting for us to gorge on the sweets tucked inside the fake grass and plastic eggs. We would go to church, and a huge Easter egg hunt would ensue at the town park. Afterward, we would all compare prizes, we would count eggs. Who did the best? Who won the most?

As I stared at this plethora of presents demanding that I pay for them in order to make my son happy, I began to wonder....where's Jesus in all of this? What is the real meaning to this holiday, if not our savior?

After all, isn't Jesus why we celebrate on this day? Don't we celebrate Him rising from the dead, triumphing over death so that we might live? Where did Jesus go? We celebrate Easter, and we go to church to hear the good news. But where in Easter is there good news?

Bunny rabbits and Easter eggs and baby chicks are all fertility symbols. Candy is bad for us, and is one of our favorite things to eat on ANY holiday. The term Easter was derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Eostre,' the name of the goddess of spring. We christians have had a long history with adopted pagan holidays as our own, in an effort to integrate better with this "newer" religion. Christmas is a good example. This difference with Christmas, I think, is some peopel do seem to remember what it is about, and can choose to go secular, pagan, or christian in their celebrations. Not true with Easter. No one seems to remember that this is about God, only that it is about candy.

I have come to what I think is a logical conclusion. I will not celebrate Easter, nor allow my children to. We will take time to remember Christ and his sacrifice, but all the cutsey, stupid traditions that spit in the face of God, we will not participate in. What about you guys? Do you have anything you choose to abstain from, believing it to be unhealthy or detrimental?

John 10:30 "I and my Father are one."

Top Attractions in Salem Oregon Series

There are lots of things lots of people do, stay at home and do crafts, go to the park, just enjoy each other. Sometimes, though, you want to have something new to do. Maybe you homeschool and want to take your little ones to do something fun and educational. Maybe you want a break from the same old routine. Maybe you're from out of town, and are looking for fun things to do while you're here. No matter the reason or desire, I have put together a great little list of fun things to do in Salem, Oregon, and each one is little kid freindly, while being bigger kid fun!

A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village

Salem Saturday Market

What To Feed an Infant

Before a baby is born, it is easy to feed a baby, They eat what you eat, and you expel their waste for them. After a baby is born, it can be harder to knw what to feed them. Most parents give bottles of formula at some point or another, few breastfeed the entire time. How can you know what road to take? Or when do you switch paths?

This is something you will need to research well before your baby is born to know the true benefits of a natural diet for your infant.

Siblings

Brothers and sisters, such a joy, right? Not if you have been an only child and are going to have to share your beloved parents. The worst thing a parent could do at this point is ignore the older child's feelings. A younger sibling is great learning tool and can be amazing for company. Children learn together how to get along with others, and the more kids you have, the more they learn. But kids need parents, too.

A parent's job is to hang out and protect their children. I think that is the most important job that a parent has. Children can teach themselves, or each other, very well. Another (maybe equal) job is to love your children, and make sure they know it. Kids who are not loved unconditionally by their parents grow up to have problems. They are not as smart, they are not as good of parents themselves, and they are more depressed.

Now parents of siblings have a hard job, they need to provide safety, security , and love for ALL of their children. It is vitally important that each child has his or her needs met, and important that each adult is meeting the children's needs in such a way so the parents can also meet each other and their own needs, as well.

Some tips and hints for making the transition to a larger family as smooth and painless as possible:

1: Wear your new baby. This will keep him happy and content, provide for easier nursing, and keep your hands free to spend quality time with your older child(ren) or to clean.

2: Keep your older children's routine as stable as possible. This will help them feel that the new little one isn't taking over their lives quite as much.

3: Every day, devote a certain time and activity which is just for the parents and the older child. Put the little baby down (or in a carrier) and read, or color, or anything, just that it's done regularily.

Newborn Essentials

As I am getting ready for my baby to arrive, I am faced with the dilemma of what to buy in prepration of the baby's birth. Here are a list of things I REALLY used with my last baby.

#1 Onsies or Kimono style teeshirts
#2 Recieving Blankets (my daughter hated these, my son loved them)
#3 Sling of some sort (not the ones you buy with all the little buckles, the straps are too narrow to be comfy)
#4 Diapers (I like cloth)
#5 Socks
#6 Nighties with open bottoms

That's pretty much it. Of course, you'll also want a carseat if your baby is going into the car. And maybe a few pairs of pants, if you have to strap the baby into anything. I always just used a purse or backpack to throw a few diapers into it.

Homeschooling Conversation From The Future

Two women meet at a playground, where their children are swinging and playing ball. The women are sitting on a bench watching. Eventually, they begin to talk. …



Woman #1: Hi. My name is Maggie. My kids are the three in red shirts — helps me keep track of them.

Woman #2: (Smiles) I’m Terri. Mine are in the pink and yellow shirts. Do you come here a lot?

W1: Usually two or three times a week, after we go to the library.

W2: Wow. Where do you find the time?

W1:: We home school, so we do it during the day most of the time.

W2: Some of my neighbors home school, but I send my kids to public school.

W1:: Wow – how do you do it?

W2: It’s not easy. I go to all the PTO meetings and work with the kids every day after school and stay real involved.

W1: But what about socialization? Aren’t you worried about them being cooped up all day with kids their own ages, never getting the opportunity for natural relationships?

W2: Well, yes. But I work hard to balance that. They have some friends who’re home schooled, and we visit their grandparents almost every month.

W1: Sounds like you’re a very dedicated mom. But don’t you worry about all the opportunities they’re missing out on? I mean they’re so isolated from real life — how will they know what the world is like — what people do to make a living — how to get along with all different kinds of people?

W2: Oh, we discussed that at PTO, and we started a fund to bring real people into the classrooms. Last month, we had a policeman and a doctor come in to talk to every class. And next month, we’re having a woman from Japan and a man from Kenya come to speak.

W1: Oh, we met a man from Japan in the grocery store the other week, and he got to talking about his childhood in Tokyo. My kids were absolutely fascinated. We invited him to dinner and got to meet his wife and their three children.

W2: That’s nice. Hmm. Maybe we should plan some Japanese food for the lunchroom on Multicultural Day.

W1: Maybe your Japanese guest could eat with the children.

W2: Oh, no. She’s on a very tight schedule. She has two other schools to visit that day. It’s a system-wide thing we’re doing.

W1: Oh, I’m sorry. Well, maybe you’ll meet someone interesting in the grocery store sometime and you’ll end up having them over for dinner.

W2: I don’t think so. I never talk to people in the store – certainly not people who might not even speak my language. What if that Japanese man hadn’t spoken English?

W1: To tell you the truth, I never had time to think about it. Before I even saw him, my six-year-old had asked him what he was going to do with all the oranges he was buying.

W2: Your child talks to strangers?

W1: I was right there with him. He knows that as long as he’s with me, he can talk to anyone he wishes.

W2: My children never talk to strangers.

W1: Not even when they’re with you?

W2: They’re never with me, except at home after school. So you see why it’s so important for them to understand that talking to strangers is a big no-no.

W1: Yes, I do. But if they were with you, they could get to meet interesting people and still be safe. They’d get a taste of the real world, in real settings. They’d also get a real feel for how to tell when a situation is dangerous or suspicious.

W2: They’ll get that in the third and fifth grades in their health courses.

W1: Well, I can tell you’re a very caring mom. Let me give you my number — if you ever want to talk, give me call. It was good to meet you.

Ideas About Birth

When I think of my birth, when I dream of my baby being born, it is calm and quiet. I am kneeling on the floor, and reach down to touch my baby's head. I am always amazed that the head is there, coming so quickly. It never hurts too bad, and I am amazed by this. I am always alone, or Scott is sitting on the couch, acting oblivious.

When I think of it "logically", I think that something could go wrong. I realize that the baby could be hurt somehow...and yet I know it won't be. The thought of giving birth alone is surprising, amazing. I think of the shock of people, and the inevitable defence of my actions. I think of the calm after, being able to sleep soon after the birth. Seeing my baby, and not worrying about having to go home. Taking a shower when I want to, and not being followed, unless I ask for it. Or being allowed to stay in the tub as long as I want. Or getting out. The thrill of enjoying my baby with no one else to take it from me. Not that the midwives did, but they sure bothered me alot. I remember being so irritated that they wouldn't just leave me alone. Birthing at home would eliminate that. Birthing alone.

Picture is of Caelin, my waterbirth at Bella Vie Birthing Center.

Living With the Land

Lately, I have been longing to go back to my roots...back to human roots. Scott and I have been talking, and we are thinking the way to be is self sufficiant. I think we very well may pack up and leave it all behind. I would love to raise my son and any other children I have in the natural beauty of God's earth. I also realize that if everyone were to move to the "wilds" in order to raise their children to be in love with the earth, the wilds would completely dissapear and we would all be left with nothing. I am torn in half.

Do you have specific ways you teach your children stewardship of the earth? Lesson plans or maybe just lifestyle choices? I would love to hear of them....in the end I may just try to buy a small property in town or just outside, and learn to do the whole urban homesteading lifestyle. I just really want to learn these things....

Don't Cry It Out

A great blog, Primal Mommies has posted a link to an article that I think everyone should read. The article is ten reasons to not "cry it out". Here it is.

Detox For Kiddos

So, there are tons of detoxes out there for the adults, but what about are kiddos? Our little people who are assaulted daily? They can have mercury contamination from vaccines, pesticides, cigarette poisons, formaldehyde, and countless other horrible things that we can't protect them from, and they're bodies are so small and helpless that they can't possibly stay away from or handle it all.

An easy (and safe) way to help their little bodies detox is to feed them pure, whole, organic foods. We can't all afford organics, but you can find the list of the worst and best things to buy conventionally, and make whole food meals for your child, they will slowly excrete the poisons. If you are breastfeeding or pregnant, you can also eat a whole, organic diet to minimize risk and exposure to your baby. Not only will they be getting the best possible diet, but their moods and health will increase dramatically. Plus, it's totally safe!

More to come! stay tuned!

Unschooling

Today in the workplace we need thinkers. People who can see a problem for what it is and solve it, people who think outside of the box and don't need to be hand led the whole way. John Holt and John Taylor Gatto address how in the beginning of our public school system, the whole idea was to create little drones to work and never ask questions, we needed people to work in the factories and not complain about it. Now we are needing something else. We need to raise free thinking children, children who can solve a problem on their own and know how to teach themselves. We need adults who are competent individuals.

Public schools were not created to function this way, and they aren't going to start anytime soon. The only way we can create free-thinking kids is to take our children back! We need to teach ourselves to trust and remind our kids that they can learn. They can learn whatever they want!

Sacred Conception

Conception is an amazing thing. You take two people, totally different beings, and you mix their DNA, and a new person is created. A person who is totally separate and unique, and yet is a part of both their mother and their father. So is it any surprise that many people view conception as sacred?

Many people want children-lots of children. Some of them are what's known as "quiverful". A good example of this is Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. In their forties, they have discovered they are expecting their nineteenth baby. Their most recent daughter is eight months old, and their oldest, a boy, is expecting a little girl in December. This is quite the accomplishment, but they are not alone in the world. They firmly believe that each child is a gift from God, and that if they were to use birth control they might be preventing a child from being born that God had willed into existence, or even killing a baby that the Lord had caused to be conceived. I am in this camp, and struggle with unexplained miscarraiges. This hurts me, as I am acutely aware that each pregnancy loss is more, the loss of a person, a baby.

Some people believe that because a child is so precious, each one should be planned and cherished, not concieved on accident. I have always liked this idea, but think that it is not as true in some ways.

Some people don't believe a pregnancy is sacred, or even human, prefering to think that pregnancies can be ended, and no one would be affected, or at least not for the worse. I couldn't disagree more.

Cloth Diapering

We have been partially ECing now for a good while now, maybe 9 months, give or take a month or two. He does really well, and loves to go potty. We taught him to sign "potty" recently, and he lets us know quite often (sometimes he signs, but only wants his diaper off, lol). We do need to use diapers sometimes, though. We use some disposables, but I hate them, and so does Caelin.

The best option for us if we NEED to use something are cloth diapers. They are soft, multi-purpose and reusable. They also allow children to remain aware of being wet and soiled.

In my experience, cloth diapers are very good at keeping in mess, and very simple to use. There is a learning curve, but a small one, not really much more than disposables.

They are healthier for the earth, and healthier for our children.

Caelin's Birth

Circumcision

I believe that circumcision is an electitive surgery that is almost totally useless. Here are a couple facts to learn about before your baby is born...




Precautions
Circumcision should not be performed on infants with certain deformities of the penis that may require a portion of the foreskin for repair. The most common
condition for surgery using the foreskin is hypospadias, a congenital deformity of the penis where the urinary tract opening is not at the tip of the glans. Also, infants with a large hydrocoele or hernia may suffer important complications through circumcision. Premature infants and infants with serious infections are also poor candidates to be circumcised, as are infants with hemophilia, other bleeding disorders, or whose mothers had taken anticoagulant drugs. In older boys or men, circumcision is a minor procedure. Therefore, it can be performed in virtually anyone without a serious illness or unusual deformity.


Description
The foreskin of the penis protects the sensitivity of the glans and shields it from irritation by urine, feces, and foreign materials. It also protects the urinary opening against infection and incidental injury.
In circumcision of infants, the foreskin is pulled tightly into a specially designed clamp, and the foreskin pulls away from the broadened tip of the penis. Pressure from the clamp stops bleeding from blood vessels that supplied the foreskin. In older boys or adults, an incision is made around the base of the foreskin, the foreskin is pulled back, and then it is cut away from the tip of the penis. Stitches are usually used to close the skin edges.


Preparation
Despite a long-standing belief that infants do not experience serious pain from circumcision, most authorities now believe that some form of local anesthesia is necessary. The physician injects local anesthesia at the base of the penis or under the skin around the penis (subcutaneous ring block). Both anesthetics block key nerves. EMLA cream, a topical formula of several anesthetics can also be used.


Aftercare
After circumcision, the wound should be washed daily. An antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly may be applied to the site. If there is an incision, a wound dressing will be present and should be changed each time the diaper is changed. Sometimes a plastic ring is used instead of a bandage. The ring will usually fall off in five to eight days. The penis will heal in seven to 10 days.
Infants who undergo circumcision may be fussy for some hours afterward, so parents should be prepared for crying, feeding problems, and sleep problems. Generally these go away within a day. In older boys, the penis may be painful, but this will go away gradually. A topical anesthetic ointment or spray may be used to relieve this temporary discomfort. There may also be a "bruise" on the penis, which typically goes away with no particular attention.


Risks
Complications following newborn circumcision appear in one out of every 500 procedures. Most complications are minor. Bleeding occurs in half of the complications and is usually easy to control. Infections are rare and present with fever and signs of inflammation.

Natural Parenting, the Real Story

Natural Parenting is great in theory. It sounds good, feels good, shoot, the name even LOOKS good. But what is it? Is it some mystical set of acts that set some apart? Is it some new-fangled new religion? What exactly is this "new" movement?


Dictionary.com describes "Natural" as being:

–adjective
1. existing in or formed by nature (opposed to artificial ): a natural bridge.
2. based on the state of things in nature; constituted by nature: Growth is a natural process.
3. of or pertaining to nature or the universe: natural beauty.
4. of, pertaining to, or occupied with the study of natural science: conducting natural experiments.
5. in a state of nature; uncultivated, as land.
6. growing spontaneously, without being planted or tended by human hand, as vegetation.
7. having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives: natural food; natural ingredients. Compare organic (def. 11).

"Parenting" is decribed as:

1. the rearing of children: The schedule allows her very little time for parenting.
2. the methods, techniques, etc., used or required in the rearing of children: a course in parenting.
3. the state of being a parent; parenthood.

So I think we can safely say that "natural parenting" is parenting as you would in nature, unsullied by cultural perversion and disgust. Parenting in a way that you would were you a wild animal, free of chemicals.