Carnival of Natural Mothering: Call for Submissions for the Topic of Movement
Greetings Natural Mothering Community!We hope you had a wonderful holiday season with your family. After a short holiday break, we rolled up our sleeves and began planning some exciting things for the new year. We can’t wait to connect with you!Today, we are gearing up for our February Carnival, and we’d love to have you join us! Our topic is movement! It is so important for us moms to be physically active and to cultivate that in our kids. Important but not easy! How do you make time for movement or exercise? How do you encourage it for your kids? We want to learn from you!The Carnival of Natural Mothering goes live the first Tuesday of each month.Sign up here by Friday, January 31st to join us for the February Carnival. We’ll send complete participation instructions out a few days before the carnival, but please plan to have your post up on February 4th.Upcoming Carnivals:SiblingsThere is no relationship quite like the sibling relationship! Tell us how you prepared your family for the addition of a new baby. We'd love to hear how you foster a strong bond between your kids. Or, maybe you'd like to write about lessons learned from your own sibling relationships. Let's talk about ways we can foster love and connection between our children this month.What You Wish You KnewRemember when you got your first positive pregnancy test? What do you wish that woman knew? Write a letter of love and encouragement to that awesome mama just starting her journey.FoodThere's a ton of talk about what not to eat! This month, we want to hear what you (and your kids) do eat! Share your favorite meal or snack recipe. Tell us about your family's mealtime rituals. We want to hear all the good food stories!OutdoorsTime in Mother Nature is critical for our well being. Whether you live in an urban jungle or the woods, we want to hear how you make time in nature happen for your family.Routines and RitualsThere is real comfort in the predictability of a ritual.Maybe you have a rhythm to bedtime that works. Or, perhaps mornings in your house are blissful. We'd love to hear about the routines that are serving your family's well.ArtHow do you cultivate a love of the arts in your children? Maybe your family is very musical. Perhaps you have a favorite art project. Do your kids love going to museums? Tell us about your artistic ways.Success SecretsEvery mother has a few tricks in her bag. Some secret that she pulls out when the waters get rough! What's hiding in your bag? Do you have the secret to grocery shopping with kids? Maybe you have an awesome tip for staying calm when your kids meltdown. Spill the beans! We wanna know your success secrets.Extended FamilyThe more people to love our kids the better, right? But, not everyone parents the same way and that can make for some awkward situations and hurt feelings. We'd love to hear about how you foster connections with your extended family (or friends that are like family!), while living out your values.Funny Parenting Moments Laughter is so good for the soul. Let's get our giggle on this month and share our funniest parenting moments.Brag BookMost moms have no trouble bragging about their kids. But, we find it more challenging to celebrate our own accomplishments. This month, we want to hear about YOUR successes. Tell us what you are proud of!Newborn decisionsWhen having a baby there is a long list of very important decisions to make before-hand. How did you make these? Were you are research buff mom or did you follow your intuition? Did you need to convince your partner or spouse on anything like avoiding vaccinations, circumcision, or even just delaying cord clamping?Gender neutral parentingGender neutral parenting is gaining more and more support as parents scour the shelves for appropriate toys and search the channels for anti-gender-stereotyped shows. How does gender neutral parenting look in your household? Do you make a conscious effort to keep things neutral, or not bother at all? What do you do when your daughter wants everything pink!!!?Previous Carnivals:December 3, 2013: Natural New Year's ResolutionsWe will all soon hear people around us resolving to change in the new year. But, one of the keys to natural living is to appreciate that we don't need a new year for a fresh start. Each day, we have the chance to make better choice and form healthier habits. In December, we want to hear about your natural resolutions, regardless of the time of year you decided to change. Tell us your success stories (e.g., you reduced your family's exposure to GMO's), your future plans (e.g., you are going to work to stop yelling) or even about how you embrace each day's potential for building new habits.November 5, 2013: Incorporating Natural Into the HolidaysAs we approach the holiday season, it is easy to get swept up in preparations and anticipation. How do you bring your natural lifestyle into the holidays with you? Whether it's eco-friendly party prep, special treats that are also healthy, traditions that involve aspects of nature, or the natural techniques you use to stay calm and focused during the busy months ahead, we would love to read your stories and suggestions that focus on all that relates to a natural lifestyle during the hustle and bustle of the holidays.October 2013: Natural Birth ChoicesAfter the recent rumored natural birth of the future King of England, lots of people have been talking about the reasons a mother may pursue this type of birth. What does a "natural birth" mean to you? Why did (or do) you want a natural birth? What "natural" choices were you able to have, even in a birth that required medical intervention?
