kindred

i just adore this new kindred site that i have discovered. it is a great Australian based natural parenting magazine and site that contains some very informative articles from international sources. i cannot seem educate myself enough about the different methods of parenting and there are so many useful pieces on the website. 


there really is an article about anything for both parents with some difficult topics as well. and there is a new website to come soon. 

images: kindred

earth

this is the most wonderful book that i have picked up in a long time. it contains so many useful ways to create a peaceful and rhythmic family home and is based on the waldorf philosophy. author sharifa oppenheimer also has a website with more information and reviews about the book.

my favorite part of the book so far are evening meal blessings to say with your children, it is a simple ritual that i have overlooked because i wasnt sure how to do it without it being based on a religious tradition.

it has also helped me with some more ideas with a bedtime routine. O has always gone to bed without too much fuss but i always hoped for something even calmer and very rhythmic. making a few minor adjustments is already making a difference and that will only get better when he has his new space in our new home. with all the changes that have gone on lately he has done so well with very few hiccups, children are resilient but i cannot help be a little amazed with my little guy.

image: amazon

early to bed, early to rise

i mentioned this blog before and i was reading this post which i really enjoyed. i have always attempted to put O to bed and it has worked until recently. he has boundless energy so even by bedtime he still wants to keep on going, i am sure that this is nothing new for most parents. there are so many parenting books that i want to get right now but i think this one may go on the list as well “The 7-o’ clock Bedtime: Early to bed, early to rise, makes a child healthy, playful and wise”  by Inda Schaenen. 

the portion of the post that i really enjoyed was that carrie tells of how her and the children put the house to bed and sometimes sing it a lullaby. that is just the sweetest thing that i have heard in awhile because i can imagine O as he is getting more and more chatty saying good night to things around the house. 

or maybe he just needs a new bedroom, one with things on the walls and furniture. perhaps i purged too soon.

images: ohdeedoh

world environment day

this article from the dalai lama was written many years ago and yet we still face the same problems through out the world. at times it seems like people are more aware and the green movement has be come more popular but we still have alot of work to do. the future is only borrowed from our children and future generations as they are the ones that will continue to live in it after we are gone.

An Ethical Approach to Environmental Protection

Peace and the survival of life on earth as we know it are threaten by human activities which lack a commitment to humanitarian values. Destruction of nature and nature resources results from ignorance, greed and lack of respect for the earth's living things.

This lack of respect extends even to earth's human descendants, the future generations who will inherit a vastly degraded planet if world peace does not become a reality, and destruction of the natural environment continues at the present rate.

Our ancestors viewed the' earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past also saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we now know is the case only if we care for it.

It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past, which resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to coming generations. Clearly this is a pivotal generation. Global communication is possible, yet confrontations take place more often than meaningful dialogues for peace.

Our marvels of science and technology are matched if not out-weighed by many current tragedies, including human starvation in some parts of the world, and extinction of other life forms.

Exploration of outer space takes place at the same time as the earth's own oceans, seas, and freshwater areas grow increasingly polluted, and their life forms are largely unknown or misunderstood.

Many of the earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects, and even microorganisms that we know of as rare or endangered, may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capacity, and the responsibility. We must act before it is too late.

This message, dated June 5, 1986, marks World Environment Day, and that year's theme, Peace and the Environment. Reprinted from Tree of Life: Buddhism and Protection of Nature, 1987

resources: world enviroment day website & more

image: istockphoto

how to catch a star

O loves his books, he has been flipping through board books for as long as i can remember. i came across this book that has been at my mums house and it is one of the few that is going to make the trip overseas with us. it is such a great story and i think O will really enjoy this as he gets older. 

it is a very lovely story about catching your dreams and what little boy doesnt need a star to play hide-and-go-seek with.

LMNOP mag

i dont even know where to start because i am so excited about this online mag that was brought to my attention by the lovely Gaelana at bygollybygosh and the post about her fav online mags.

Laugh, Make, Nurture, Organize, Play is a free quarterly magazine based out of Australia. they feature articles and shops from Oz, Canada, the US and more. the content is great and has already pointed me towards some great online childrens shops.

and they have a blog, that just tops it off for me.

come home mag

i am very inspired by japanese home and craft magazines this particular the magazine come home! is filled with some beautiful photographs that of course combine rustic with japanese simplicity. 

I'd love to get my hands on this issue because there are some great rooms with vintage furniture and interesting combinations of new and old.

image: the workroom via flickr

compassion

when i need a bit of insight or a reminder to live in the present, i tend to read words by the dalai lama. althought i consider myself spiritual i do not follow one system of beliefs but just look for words that inspire and are generally good. today i read the following article.

Compassion and the Individual

Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama

The purpose of life ONE GREAT QUESTION underlies our experience, whether we think about it consciously or not: What is the purpose of life? I have considered this question and would like to share my thoughts in the hope that they may be of direct, practical benefit to those who read them.

I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affect this. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. I don't know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.

How to achieve happiness

For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical. read more...

OM MANI PADME HUM mantra