tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84847695560961999642011-11-08T19:02:40.799-08:00Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.comBlogger891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-71772054044686971912009-11-10T09:31:00.000-08:002009-11-10T09:31:29.431-08:00

I'm working on a new unschooling blog website, Unschooling Lifestyle.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-77074185505572223142009-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:002009-10-01T12:04:15.716-07:00

It’s the 20th anniversary of the Bioneers Conference. Attend this leading-edge forum on environment and social justice issues focuses on solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. It takes place October 16-18 (with intensives October 15 and 19) in San Rafael, California. Their goal is to turn education into action by connecting people with nature and each other. They provide

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-70466443530675425382009-09-28T13:34:00.000-07:002009-09-28T13:43:38.500-07:00

According to studies of the breathing patterns of trees in 90 U.S. forests, old forests absorb more carbon than they emit, for up to 800 years.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-27620961040250032512009-09-09T14:36:00.000-07:002009-11-05T22:22:52.277-08:00

The new edition of my unschooling book (formerly titled Jumping Into Unschooling) is now available in print and download versions through Lulu, Amazon, Kindle, and booksellers worldwide.Press Release: Unschooling handbook on learning without schoolThe term unschooling is somewhat of a misnomer inasmuch as people tend to associate schooling with learning or education. However, let’s be clear. We’

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-13912682390490531312009-06-12T18:16:00.000-07:002009-06-12T18:18:39.664-07:00

Seriously, they did, with threat of a fine and jail time. And yes, their mayor is a church pastor.THE SUN: Cheeky thong flashers banned

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-7757081203766165952009-06-05T18:35:00.000-07:002009-06-05T18:39:27.037-07:00

Awesome, inspiring commencement address by Paul Hawken to the University of Portland, Class of 2009.Hey, Class of 2009: you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation… but not one peer-reviewed paper published in the last thirty years can

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-20771098657099370932009-05-20T10:48:00.000-07:002009-05-20T10:50:50.902-07:00

This child's parents have chosen to listen to their child and let her be herself.Embedded video from CNN Video

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-62567299235071003212009-05-13T12:56:00.000-07:002009-05-13T13:00:23.257-07:00

Radical unschooling advocate, Dayna Martin, has announced the upcoming release of her new book.Radical Unschooling: A Revolution Has Begun

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-29745815057045329562009-04-24T12:34:00.000-07:002009-04-24T12:36:56.674-07:00

HUFFINGTON POST: The Judgment on Vaccines Is In?. . . a ruling against causation in three cases out of more than 5000 hardly proves that other children won't be adversely affected by the MMR, let alone that all vaccines are safe. This is a huge leap of logic by anyone's standards. Not everyone gets cancer from smoking, but cigarettes do cause cancer. After 100 years and many rulings in favor of

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-33967714928696992472009-04-22T15:33:00.000-07:002009-04-22T15:40:43.524-07:00

A letter from the Mid America CropLife Association to "Mrs. Barack Obama" (I guess they didn't know her name?) is circulating around the Net. I found it at La Vida Locavore. In short, the authors encourage Mrs. Barack to use crop protection products. After sending the letter, MACA forwarded it around along with the following message.Did you hear the news? The White House is planning to have an "

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-62960771807053687942009-04-15T08:29:00.000-07:002009-06-02T12:49:54.276-07:00

REACH: Masai Teaching: Adapted by Pat Hoertdoerfer from an excerpt of a speech by Rev. Dr. Patrick T. O'NeillAmong the most accomplished and fabled tribes of Africa, no tribe was considered to have warriors more fearsome or more intelligent than the mighty Masai. It is perhaps surprising, then, to learn the traditional greeting that passed between Masai warriors:"Kasserian Ingera," one would

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-75457410118990371062009-04-02T13:56:00.000-07:002009-05-05T20:03:29.681-07:00

Sort of like learning styles . . .Martha Beck's article, How to Be Wildly Successful, talks about instinctive styles of action that fall into general categories including Quick Start, Fact Finder, Implementer, and Follow-Thru. She goes on to explain that schools were created mainly by Follow-Thru types and how that can cause trouble for people who do things differently.My patterns of approaching

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-40690092809510971402009-03-27T10:13:00.000-07:002009-05-13T12:56:32.357-07:00

EXAMINER: Education ImprovementMemo: Top 10 Reasons to Criminalize HomeschoolingIn an effort to increase the public drumbeat for criminalizing homeschooling, a memo has been distributed containing the top 10 reasons why public schooling is better than homeschooling. Here is an excerpt from that memo:Most parents were educated in the under funded public school system, and so are not smart enough

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-13219485524256022872009-03-23T16:04:00.000-07:002009-03-23T16:19:28.218-07:00

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY: Minimally Invasive EducationScientists set up computers and watch children learn.Mitra and his colleagues describe the kind of education they were experimenting with as minimally invasive education, a descriptor borrowed from the medical world of surgery. It is education with the minimal amount of intrusion into children's lives. The experiments demonstrated that children

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-21575650209251458192009-03-23T14:41:00.000-07:002009-03-23T14:45:27.984-07:00

Dear Friend:A storm is brewing against breastfeeding with the publication of Hanna Rosin’s article "The Case Against Breast-Feeding" in the April 2009 issue of The Atlantic. Rosin was also featured on the Today show on March 16 with NBC News Chief Medical Editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Although their discussion deplorably misrepresented the medical research on breastfeeding, it also appropriately

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-7807550272332695902009-03-23T12:56:00.000-07:002009-03-23T13:15:38.007-07:00

I followed a link to this photo montage in celebration of the first year of breastfeeding. One of the captions read something about the act of breastfeeding helping the woman to heal from past sexual abuse. It immediately occurred to me that this was another great reason to breastfeed.I have heard women say that they chose not to breastfeed because it's gross or inappropriate or that their

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-79941141685851871342009-03-03T16:12:00.000-08:002009-03-03T16:22:20.835-08:00

NY Times: Cooperative breeding as root of social glueOur capacity to cooperate in groups, to empathize with others and to wonder what others are thinking and feeling — all these traits, Dr. Hrdy argues, probably arose in response to the selective pressures of being in a cooperatively breeding social group, and the need to trust and rely on others and be deemed trustworthy and reliable in turn.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-59968878063632851732009-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:002009-02-27T12:40:49.029-08:00

New Breastfeeding Campaign Turns Heads

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-24072832861913158442009-02-25T10:07:00.000-08:002009-03-01T22:14:45.658-08:00

Rice often is recommended as the first solid food for infants, but new findings by doctors in Australia confirm that rice can trigger a severe gut inflammation in infants. The reaction is known as 'food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome' (FPIES) and is characterized by vomiting and diarrhea within a few hours of eating.[Rice Can Trigger Severe Gut Reaction in Infants. Archives of Disease in

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-29912407114808815642009-02-23T11:31:00.000-08:002009-02-23T11:32:54.588-08:00

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-87348738821880941852009-02-22T13:36:00.000-08:002009-02-22T14:01:27.997-08:00

Rude, rude, rude.I agree that the human population growth is out of balance ("control"). I agree that we all share responsibility for the health of our planet.However, slapping "two is enough" on one's vehicle is hardly a step in the right direction.If I were to stick a message on my bicycle cart (I don't have a car), I would not attempt to shame or blame anyone in particular. I would write

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-31841499161051329942009-02-11T14:06:00.001-08:002009-02-11T14:06:03.969-08:00

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-56775499020177474392009-01-20T14:02:00.000-08:002009-01-20T14:03:42.791-08:00

In honor of today's Inauguration theme, "A New Birth of Freedom," we at The Big Push for Midwives are asking all of you to take a few minutes to send an email with the subject heading "A New Birth of Freedom" to our new president today. Click on the URL below and send a very simple but powerful message to the Obama administration:"Please be sure to include Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs),

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-28409258074154328262009-01-17T15:35:00.001-08:002009-01-17T15:35:14.084-08:00

5-year-old chef starts Portland TV cooking showBy age 3, Julian Kreusser was making "secret potions" out of food. He woke up early to scramble eggs while his parents slept. He invented "toasted olives" (green ones) for a neighborhood snack. For the record, they were a success.At age 4, he saw a cooking show on Oregon Public Broadcasting and thought, "I should be doing that."

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-19634279802006644812009-01-11T17:59:00.001-08:002009-01-11T17:59:57.703-08:00

Warning over 'third-hand smoke'Toxic particles in cigarette smoke can remain on nearby surfaces, as well as the hair and clothing of the smoker, long after the cigarette has been put out, and small children are susceptible because they are likely to breathe in close proximity, or even lick and suck them.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-90886871142901850892009-01-07T12:31:00.001-08:002009-01-07T12:31:57.450-08:00

With the financial industry, auto makers and more getting assistance from the federal government to stay afloat during the recession, the adult industry decided it would try to get something as well.Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis and “Hustler” magazine publisher Larry Flynt have said they will petition Congress for financial aid along the lines of what the Big Three auto makers are getting."

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-1956272343354181692009-01-06T15:14:00.000-08:002009-01-06T15:40:05.569-08:00

I've got a wiggly chirping baby on my lap, a big bandage on my hand, twigs and dirt in my hair, sweat drying on me, and I feel really good. I've been out repairing the laurels and cypress shrubs that fell on my neighbor's rose bushes during a recent snow storm. I tied my baby on my back for the clipper portion of the job and then set her up with her sisters while I used the saw.I decided to saw

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-14630839860926862812009-01-06T12:46:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:49:39.960-08:00

Youtube: Jane and the DragonI created this playlist-in-progress of Jane and the Dragon cartoons on Youtube.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-25080303104477053072008-12-29T20:33:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:50:33.936-08:00

Fun, short movie. Won lots of awards.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-39508643473672072062008-12-28T11:28:00.000-08:002008-12-30T10:20:23.206-08:00

Update: Home transcription paid for our Christmas! It can pay for yours, too.Learn More About Career StepMany pregnant women and new moms come face to face with the question of whether or not they should return to work after having a baby. For some, the decision is easy. For others, it can be very difficult. Your dilemma may be based on personal issues (you enjoy your career and don't want to

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-54851945294532094422008-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:002008-12-30T10:30:15.760-08:00

Greetings all,I know that this is off topic. But, I hope that the moderators will allow it. There is an environmental catastrophe that occurred in Tennessee that is getting almost no national attention. I need to get the word out and hopefully encourage you all to spread the word as well.We have just had an enormous environmental disaster in Tennessee and the media is keeping silent. I am not

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-48289169399140222672008-12-03T10:29:00.000-08:002008-12-03T10:30:35.090-08:00

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-25670634242362751032008-11-28T18:38:00.000-08:002008-11-28T18:55:32.814-08:00

National Handwriting Day - Letters of advice from America's childrenJoin thousands of children across the country and help us make history! All handwritten letters will be hand-delivered to the White House on January 23.Sounds like fun! My kids have been very interested in the new president. How exciting to write him a letter.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-15535757305342259912008-11-26T11:25:00.000-08:002008-11-28T21:14:01.706-08:00

Learn More About Career StepHow can you go green?How do you want to leave this world for the next generations? We only have one world. Protect it, conserve it, do your part to keep our earth clean. Choosing a green career is an important step in helping reduce the negative impact you have on the environment.What Makes Medical Transcription a Green Job?

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-32903788043964093762008-11-21T13:00:00.001-08:002008-11-21T13:00:55.266-08:00

The X Chromosome and the Case against MonogomyNew evidence shows that women pass along more genes to kids than men do—and that males historically fathered children with several women.Researchers examined DNA areas devoid of genes in each of 90 people, including 20 regions on the X chromosomes (present in both male and female mammals) and 20 on the autosomes (the other 22 chromosomes, which are

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-69797479185909789512008-11-17T09:56:00.001-08:002008-11-17T10:16:49.221-08:00

The Internet has never failed me. No matter how seemingly obscure my question, I find answers. Most recently, I noticed a funky odor when my baby peed, but only when she peed on hemp training pants. The training pants smelled clean coming out of the wash. The urine smelled clean in the potty bowl. Were the urine and hemp reacting to one another? I was worried about a urinary tract infection, but

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-90371278776997351612008-11-17T05:40:00.000-08:002008-11-17T10:10:59.158-08:00

Teflon and other non-stick pans kill birdsBird enthusiasts and veterinarians have known for decades that Teflon-coated and other non-stick cookware, if heated to high temperatures, is acutely toxic to birds.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-81528292852222413552008-11-05T08:24:00.001-08:002008-11-05T08:26:43.415-08:00

Running - tribe.netThis post about the preciousness of motherhood is definitely worth a read.Posted using ShareThis

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-67250003300639691742008-11-03T16:08:00.001-08:002008-11-03T16:08:48.396-08:00

JDRF funded study links 'hygiene hypothesis' to diabetes preventionThe study [funded by JDRF], reported this week in Nature Magazine, lends further support to the "hygiene hypothesis," that exposure to an appropriate amount and composition of bacteria may be important to living a healthy life, and that susceptibility to type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune disorders may actually be caused by a

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-42969249885654664062008-11-03T15:06:00.001-08:002008-11-03T15:10:58.799-08:00

NewsDaily: Even a little caffeineA recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that pregnant women who consume caffeine from coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, or some prescription drugs, etc., have babies with relatively slower fetal growth.A U.S. study found that pregnant women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are at twice the risk of having a miscarriage.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-71334514631539775622008-10-29T11:47:00.001-07:002008-10-29T11:58:11.187-07:00

PPD has become such a phenomenon that the post office lady asked after me and the baby and if I was feeling depressed. I'm utterly exhausted, my brain is only semi-functioning, and bathing is not high on my priority list, but as far as emotional well-being, I feel great. Of course, I have done this postpartum transition thing a couple of times before.I smile adoringly at my little baby in the

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-84288692145070408092008-10-29T00:01:00.001-07:002008-11-17T10:16:28.226-08:00

Contaminants in Human Milk: Risks Against BenefitsAmong the more fundamental disadvantages of not being breastfed is a loss of immunologic protection afforded by maternal colostrum, a "pre-milk" fluid secreted only during the first days after delivery, as well as numerous other bioactive factors that help protect the infant through the first two years of life, when the immune and nervous systems

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-55785333477128143922008-10-17T16:48:00.001-07:002008-10-17T16:48:38.762-07:00

Children Educate Themselves, says Peter GrayWe do not have to worry about curricula, lesson plans, motivating children to learn, testing them, and all the rest that comes under the rubric of pedagogy. Lets turn that energy, instead, toward creating decent environments in which children can play. Children's education is children's responsibility, not ours. Only they can do it. They are built to do

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-81470635948701913782008-10-16T14:01:00.000-07:002008-10-16T14:08:50.207-07:00

My daughters have this doll, but my husband and I interpreted the babble as "the blood is the life," like Dracula.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-9610020150401711262008-10-15T11:42:00.001-07:002008-10-15T11:49:39.392-07:00

Wild Animal Baby AdoptionWhat a great gift idea for kids! National Wildlife Federation's Wild Animal Baby Adoption Center has just launched.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-75886187463977954522008-10-14T11:38:00.000-07:002008-10-14T13:20:05.887-07:00

1. Print and cut out images (2x).2. Glue each 2 circles together to create 2-sided images.3. Tape string to center of each circle.4. Cross 2 pipe cleaners, twist in middle, attach strung circles to ends.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-2567271968497153172008-10-09T12:05:00.000-07:002008-10-14T13:21:15.039-07:00

Everything you ever wanted to know about baby poop.Or field guide to baby poop by color.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-27740352222532409872008-10-07T13:08:00.000-07:002008-10-07T13:21:58.958-07:00

In case anyone is wondering, it is considered safe for breastfeeding women to wear bullet-proof vests. Actually, I was looking for info on the safety of tattooing for lactating women when I found the bullet-proof vest bit. I had thought that it was not safe for breastfeeding women to get tattoos, but KellyMom and LLL both list it as safe, stating that ink doesn't pass into breast milk. I've been

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-12311788910137237052008-10-06T14:57:00.001-07:002008-10-06T15:17:17.502-07:00

How 18th-century nuns held clue to breast cancer cureAs early as 1700, Bernardino Ramazzini, the Italian founder of occupational medicine, recognised that there was one female occupation whose members were far more likely to die from breast cancer than any other - nuns.Experts are talking about developing a breast cancer vaccine or hormone treatment for women who don't breastfeed. Glad I

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-77776161355014228412008-10-03T15:52:00.001-07:002008-10-07T13:23:55.227-07:00

In the Dr. Joyce Brothers column in seattlepi.com, a woman and her two grown daughters issued the following complaint about the woman's daughter-in-law.She refused to buy a crib, and wants to have the baby in bed with them. She has no strollers -- she says it is better to "wear" the baby wrapped on her body -- and no one is allowed to give her a bottle. There's more, but you get the idea. How can

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-44126834916859760172008-10-01T16:01:00.001-07:002008-10-01T16:03:37.449-07:00

Earth Share of WashingtonA new international report entitled State of the World’s Birds reveals precipitous declines in populations of many of the world’s most familiar birds, broadening the alarm first sounded in the U.S. by Audubon’s 2007 Common Birds in Decline analysis.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-88913920066252463342008-09-21T14:52:00.000-07:002008-09-22T16:40:22.232-07:00

You never forget how. I didn't remember how to tie the baby wrap this morning, but apparently my hands remembered. They remember how to do just about everything while holding my new baby. Yet, I'm presently a bit annoyed by how much more time and effort everything seems to take during the in-arms phase. I know I'll get my head back into it and probably not even think about it anymore. This is my

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-60622205681626028142008-09-18T09:37:00.000-07:002008-09-18T09:39:35.757-07:00

Snapfish Picture Me BooksPersonalized photo baby board books. Cute.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-55553634759581689532008-09-15T12:19:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:35:33.111-07:00

Coyote's Guide to Connecting With NatureFor kids of all ages and their mentors. New book by Jon Young, Ellen Haas & Evan McGown of Wilderness Awareness School. Forward by Richard Louv, author of the bestselling Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-47508854255134980842008-09-15T12:02:00.001-07:002008-09-22T16:30:59.686-07:00

Johann Hari: Children we abandon at our perilOf course, some of these ["home schooled"] kids are well-taught – but there is disturbing evidence they are a minority. When the investigative journalist Rob Blackhurst journeyed into the world of British home-schooling, he discovered 12-year-old children who had not been taught to read. The most detailed survey of British parents teaching their kids

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-64004965021473780972008-09-14T08:39:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:30:43.999-07:00

Both vaccines and the diseases they were created to suppress carry potentially disastrous and deadly risks. When we choose to vaccinate, as well as when we choose not to, we are making a decision that carries the risk of harm to our children. We must educate ourselves about these risks and weigh them carefully before making our decisions.read more | digg story

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-60953144631489870902008-09-03T07:14:00.001-07:002008-09-22T16:21:54.520-07:00

My first thought regarding all the news about Vitamin D deficiency rickets risk in breastfed babies was that this was more likely an issue of sunlight deficiency. So, I looked into it, found some research to support that, and wrote an article, Vitamin D Deficiency in Breastfed Babies.Some important points:Vitamin D is a steroid hormone, not a vitamin."Vitamin D" occurs naturally in very few foods

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-43245532604378183642008-09-02T11:43:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:35:46.080-07:00

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-8740274157928378322008-09-01T08:28:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:31:14.397-07:00

Diaper Free Baby is excited to provide online support for those interested in elimination communication. DiaperFreeBabyOnline is now organizing online chat meetings. These are virtual DiaperFreeBaby meetings that focus on answering questions about EC.When: Thursday September 4th Noon Eastern US - New York time See http://tinyurl.com/6rtl74 for your local time zone information.Where: In the

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-45387811818940464892008-08-30T10:15:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:35:55.255-07:00

FDA Finds Lead in VitaminsThe Food and Drug Administration has wrapped up testing of vitamins for women and babies, and found that almost all contain trace amounts of lead.See FDA Vitamin Research

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-53554973886495143832008-08-27T08:13:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.422-07:00

THE ONION: 6-Year-Old Stares Down Bottomless Abyss Of Formal SchoolingThe concept of wasting a majority of daylight hours sitting still in a classroom when he could be riding his bicycle, playing in his tree fort, or lying in the grass looking at bugs 'especially considering that he had already wasted two years of his life attending preschool and kindergarten' seemed impossibly unfair to Bolduc.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-58182180351115404862008-08-25T22:26:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.423-07:00

Education From the Free EyeAfter an unschooled childhood, a teen tries high school and reflects on the experience.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-83767855957205132022008-08-25T18:31:00.001-07:002008-08-27T08:18:08.478-07:00

A nice article on breastfeeding as a public health issue (preventing disease, conservation, higher cost of living, being more thrifty, protecting the environment, eating locally.)Michael Fink: Breastfeeding and Public HealthI LOOK AT THE PHOTOS of candidate Barack Obama and his family in People magazine, watch the interview with the children on television and all I can think of is "Did Michelle

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-22133943761007657362008-08-23T12:31:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.423-07:00

WASHINGTON POSTD.C. Schools Chancellor announced plans yesterday to boost dismal achievement at half the city's middle schools by offering students an unusual incentive: cash.Good behavior that earns points includes attendance and punctuality, turning in homework, displaying manners, and earning good grades. A max of $2.7 million has been set aside for the program. Another cash-incentive program

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-27926915727886782312008-08-13T06:37:00.000-07:002008-08-13T06:53:23.479-07:00

I've broken myself of this habit of demanding an explanation before comforting, partly owing to insights from The Continuum Concept, which describes the way Yequana mothers remain available to their distressed children should they choose to go to their mother, but mothers don't go running for the children.However, others in our family do the "What happened?!", and I notice a big difference in the

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-35605282847042191912008-08-12T10:48:00.001-07:002008-08-13T06:59:21.724-07:00

I tried this and it worked on most of the eggs.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-2003160729934763502008-08-11T12:11:00.001-07:002008-08-13T06:58:37.035-07:00

The following is one of my favorite Daily Grooves.THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle:: Rethinking Sociality ::We humans are social animals, and for the vast majority of humanity's time on Earth, human societies took the form of *tribes*.Modern civilization has undermined our innate sociality in many ways. For example, the "virtue" of self-sacrifice for the collective good defies our natural

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-33720516619304229022008-08-11T10:07:00.001-07:002008-08-11T10:09:55.398-07:00

To help educate the public about the law, KDHE and La Leche League of Kansas produced a breastfeeding informational card called Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work. The card was designed for nursing mothers to carry with them and share with the public or businesses that do not understand their right to breastfeed. [HB 2284, 2006 session] Read more...The card reads "A mother may breastfeed in

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-84470795593891341802008-08-11T09:55:00.001-07:002008-08-11T10:13:01.930-07:00

Despite not believing in a god, per se, I still agree with Ms. Ashitey. Choosing not to breastfeed is against God, Nature, the natural order, instinct, intuition, etc.The Deputy Minister of Health, Mrs Gladys Ashitey said findings indicate that there is a diverse mixture of bioactive components in breast milk that influence the immune status of infants by providing protection and facilitating

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-56671133085325895592008-08-10T09:37:00.000-07:002008-08-10T09:42:12.498-07:00

I'm posting this here because CareerStep is offering a Back-to-School discount. I trained through CareerStep Medical Transcription Training and have had good experience working in this field, medical and general transcription. It provides authentic home employment and earns a real income.The nation's top medical transcription and coding training school has announced special Back to School Savings

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-31563365338161663382008-08-01T15:23:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:36:19.235-07:00

My kids love Babar cartoons, but our library only has one. I spent entirely too much time this afternoon compiling 61 YouTube videos into a Babar Playlist that includes The Movie in eight parts and about 20 full episodes in two or 3 parts.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-30212058210091530642008-07-31T06:38:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.424-07:00

Update: Now down to $49.Homeschool Buyer's Co-op is currently offering Brainware Safari software for 83 percent off and it could go up to 86 percent. The program is normally $350, but it's only $59 at the current group buy level. Huge savings!Visit the Brainware Safari website to learn more about the award-winning learning software for 6 to 12 year olds.Join the BrainWare Safari! Come along, deep

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-73426432275079473152008-07-14T22:27:00.000-07:002008-07-16T09:09:32.562-07:00

Just passing this on for those interested in infant potty training aka elimination communication aka diaper-free baby care. Diaper Free Baby is excited to provide online support for those interested in elimination communication.DiaperFreeBabyOnline, is now organizing online chat meetings. These are virtual DiaperFreeBaby at focus on answering questions about EC.When: Tuesday July 15th 11 PM

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-2808122951254263782008-07-11T15:31:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:30:44.000-07:00

Wow! Saw this on Simple Things.Findings released Friday showed that infant monkeys given vaccines officially recommended by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) exhibited autism-like symptoms [Medical News Today].

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-34416416209336182562008-07-03T11:22:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:33:43.108-07:00

Sesame StreetI also remember seeing an episode of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood with breastfeeding.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-70273581813275108732008-07-03T11:00:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:33:15.090-07:00

I just found this article, How to Make Your Own T-Shirt for Breastfeeding. I plan to tuck the instructions into a t-shirt restyling book, Save This Shirt, which I picked up a while back. I've done some "restyling" of my kids' t-shirts, but I haven't tried to alter any of my own t-shirts for breastfeeding. I've just worn an A-shirt (stretchy tank) under a t-shirt or zippered sweatshirt for a

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-32289376462530450192008-07-01T10:14:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.424-07:00

Unschooling and peaceful parenting advocate Dayna Martin has created an outreach organization called Unschooling United. It looks like a program of local groups with facilitators and members, a la La Leche League and Diaper Free Baby.The general purpose of Unschooling United is to help families on their paths to Unschooling and respectful, peaceful parenting, and to promote a better understanding

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-78414881216607851362008-06-30T12:59:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:30:44.000-07:00

Children reflect back to us everything we are displaying to the world: our love, our joy, our pain, our anger. They teach us and challenge us to grow and learn how to be our best. ~ Denice Evans, Satya Method Resource CenterI meditate for an hour every night after my kids go to sleep. I've done this for about a year now. I've kept up the practice primarily because I need some time in my life to

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-54787876063265653822008-06-26T17:02:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:30:44.001-07:00

I received a newsletter from the Washington Toxics Coalition, which contained the following sunscreen recommendations. I usually just put my kids in wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves, but with them wanting to go nude more often, sunscreen is something to think about. Look for sunscreens that contain zinc or titanium as the active ingredients. These provide broad protection against UV (

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-47280847095455789242008-06-25T11:10:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:33:57.034-07:00

People are collaborating to create readings of Daniel Quinn's Ishmaelon YouTube with the goal of reading the entire book.Links to sites about Daniel Quinn and Ishmael:The Ishmael CommunityIshThink

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-4945331907266957402008-06-23T01:04:00.000-07:002008-06-23T01:42:08.926-07:00

I'm presently enjoying a break from breastfeeding. My 3-year-old weaned herself, at least temporarily--she says she's waiting for the milk to come back. Strangely, however, I've been thinking about breastfeeding and breast milk a lot as I consider topics for articles (see my latest on Suite101). It seems that it's something I care deeply about regardless of how immediate it currently is in my

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-66216682852796447812008-06-22T12:05:00.000-07:002008-06-23T01:55:09.379-07:00

I like to see breastfeeding mothers get some positive press.Breast Milk Ensures Trapped Children's SurvivalTrapped miles from civilization in a snowbound car in subfreezing temperatures, Kati Kim had to ensure that her children survived until search parties rescued them. Experts say the episode suggests how mother's milk, in a disastrous pinch, can make the difference in whether a child

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-89857992694445587622008-06-21T09:46:00.001-07:002008-09-15T12:31:00.037-07:00

While scanning the latest news about the recent AMA versus homebirth issue, I came across the following article. The summary caught my attention because one of my main reasons for wanting a homebirth after having had a hospital birth was the way the hospital staff's treatment of me, their direct disregard for my wishes, triggered my childhood sexual abuse issues.Medical Rape and the

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-62383228767682847842008-06-19T09:48:00.000-07:002008-06-19T10:59:03.616-07:00

I ran across this article today. It offered a few good alternatives to the blanket-over-the-baby method of discreet nursing, focusing on covering the mother rather than the baby.Breastfeeding - Should You Cover Up or Not?I agree with the idea that in order for public nursing to ever become accepted more moms need to just do it without acting as if it's offensive. I also don't feel comfortable

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-22415918197346018892008-06-13T20:03:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:32:59.425-07:00

My kids are gluten intolerant. Play dough is typically made from wheat flour, which contains gluten--not to mention all the dyes and who knows what else unless you make it yourself. I have long intended to make them some homemade play dough. Today we finally made it, and we made it gluten-free. Here's the recipe.Gluten-Free Play Dough1 cup rice flour1 cup corn starch1 cup salt4 teaspoons cream of

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-80673391034992440342008-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:29:59.100-07:00

I've always kind of liked Friday the 13th, but something unlucky did happen to me today.I bought a weed trimmer--a tool I've never had or used before--and an outdoor extension cord so I could "protect the investment" of my home and attempt to maintain human neighborhood harmony. Although I feel decidedly averse to cutting down plants for purposes other than eating or putting them to other

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-38710080020688424892008-06-09T23:51:00.000-07:002008-06-10T10:37:19.231-07:00

Breast Milk and It's Many Uses: Breast milk treats infections such as pink eye, plugged eye ducts, eye irritation, cracked nipples, mosquito and ant bites, acne, eczema, diaper rash, sore throat and mouth sores, stuffy nose, scratches, burns, gouges, and scrapes, chapped skin, chicken pox, leg ulcers, and much more.Can Adults Benefit from Breast MilkWhile there is no documented evidence

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-86966820520857588412008-06-09T15:18:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:28:26.925-07:00

I'm currently 31 years old and in my favorite decade of life so far.I have brown hair, green eyes, fair skin, freckles.My dad died a couple years ago at age 50.He and I didn't know he was my dad, for sure, until I was 7.My parents were teenage drug addicts when Mom gave birth to me.My parents were never a couple.My first step-father sexually abused me from birth to age 6.I spent my first 25 years

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8484769556096199964.post-31817747352738212252008-06-08T20:29:00.000-07:002008-09-15T12:28:26.926-07:00

After a two-month sabbatical from my former blog, I've begun this new one with a topical approach in mind. I intend to explore mothering and parenting including pregnancy and childbirth, attachment parenting and continuum concept, homeschooling and unschooling, nutrition, and rewilding.

Sara McGrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450064623832608958noreply@blogger.com0