Library and Literacy

Ever since Rowan learned to talk, he has been deliberately and literally surrounded by the alphabet. We got foam alphabet tiles for his play area, have sung the alphabet song to him, and he has read numerous books about the ABCs. He loves to play and asks for "the apple-ball game" which is a set of letter flashcards, complete with images (Can you guess? A is for apple and B is for ball.).

We have been taking weekly trips to the library and getting a dozen or so new books weekly for bedtime and other story times. This week, we started attending toddler story time at the library, and he was pretty good! He was "too shy" to sing along with everyone and wanted to be held when everyone stood and sang. But he paid attention to the stories and was very engaged in them. It helped that they were all about elephants (and other animals). He was delighted with the puppet storytelling, too.

Our goal is simple. As homeschooling parents, we know the veritable the keys to the kingdom are literacy and comprehension. And we spend a lot of time building on his knowledge to develop this skill. Luckily, Rowan is very motivated. He loves books and stories and cannot wait to read by himself. That makes this mama thrilled.

We are ready for the next step: phonics. Mama has gotten some phonics flashcard games and we started watching Sesame Street together (Rowan gets limited screen time- and we watch together, so as parents we can filter and help process information with him.). He knows that A is for apple, but he doesn't understand why yet. So we are working on the sounds the letters make.
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What We are Working On Now

 As many of you know, Rowan is being homeschooled/unschooled, even at this early age. I have considered sending him to preschool a couple days a week (for mainly social reasons), but the one that I would prefer has a huge waiting list. I will not send him to a traditional elementary, though- his father and I are united in that.

Currently, Rowan is 32 months (or a little over 2.5 years old, for all of you non-parents out there). He is precocious and whip-smart. I have a loose plan on what comes next, based on his age and abilities, as well as his interests. Our strategy is to explose him to as much as we can, see what piques his interest as well as making steady progress on some key areas (below):

The three Rs:
He already knows his alphabet, so we are starting phonics this fall. Once he can recognize the sounds that letters make, he can't be far from reading. I read at age three, and I think he will be able to as well. He loves stories, and we get new books from the library all the time. He is motivated to read, because he is always asking what printed things say and memorizing the books he has already read. We have told him that once he learns what sounds the letters make, he'll be able to read soon after that. He's excited and we are thrilled!

He knows his numbers, zero-nine. Now we are working on counting things. He understands that the symbols are the numbers, but he has not yet made the leap that four fish on a page are "four" yet. So he has memorized the symbol but not the meaning, much like his take on the alphabet.

Art:
He draws, paints, or plays with playdough every day. I think he's actually best at making identifiable things with the dough. I can recognize when he is shaping an animal- whereas when he draws, it's all a scribbly mess still. He is surrounded by art all the time, especially having the neighbors that we do. (They run a local art group.) He loves music and is looking forward to taking music lessons this fall. We found a kindermusik program within walking distance! He asks for music in the car and at home all the time, and we hope to give piano lessons after he turns 3. There are Suzuki method teachers that will start him that young here.

Life Skills (the important stuff they don't often teach in school):
He knows forwards and backwards, so now we are working on left, right, and the cardinal directions. Once he understands the directions and how they work with the sun and moon, he will be closer to participating in esbats.

He can express himself eloquently (sometimes much too eloquently!), but we are working on manners (such as interrupting people when they are speaking and yelling to get noticed or get what he wants- oy, toddlerhood!).

He is an intense kid who loves touch and being close to his family and friends and sometimes overwhelms other kids. We are teaching him that some kids need space, and he should back up when asked.

Delayed gratification is a basic life skill that so many fail to master. So we have a sticker chart. When Rowan makes a good decision, he gets a sticker. This could be following instructions or something he initiates himself. But when we notice (or he points it out, clever child), he gets a sticker. Once his sticker chart is filled, he gets "something special". He gets to choose between several things we offer, like eating at a restaurant, getting some ice cream, seeing a movie, or getting a new toy.

He is learning how to build towers with his blocks, which is teaching him about gravity, spatial relationships, and developing his hand-eye coordination. It is also a wonderful way he uses his imagination. He builds "towers" and "castles"  and "see saws" and "zoos". And of course, my little Shiva LOVES to knock his creations down.

He is required to pick up his own toys. He has friends that are in constant struggles with their parents over cleaning, and I am happy to say that Ro is not like that. He always has a job to do when we are cleaning and is expected to contribute to the household as a condition of living here. We may decide to give him allowance one day, but I have to think about what I want to teach about the philosophy of money before that happens. I personally hate capitalism and don't want to encourage that model- but he also needs to learn about money, too- so he can survive under a capitalist model.

Speaking of money, Rowan has a bank and we give him our loose change and he squirrels it away. The bank has become too stuffed, so this week when we got o the credit union, he is excited to bring his bank and start his own savings account. Now Rowan will be able to accept checks, LOL!

We are also teaching him about the passage of time. He understands that the clock tells time and often guesses what time it is ("7:30 'o clock, mommy?"). He knows that daddy gets picked up from work at 5 PM. He knows that breakfast comes before dinner, and that naps happen before he plays outside or goes on an outing. Right now, I give him a run down of his entire day, starting when he wakes up:

"OK, Booper. Today we are gonna get dressed, take daddy to work, come home, eat breakfast and let the girls (my parrots) out, then we'll play a little bit before your nap." Doing an item and crossing it off the list means reviewing the list and adding to it. "OK, Rowan after you play, you are going to take a nap, then when you wake up, we'll have lunch and then you can play outside with your friends (or go to the library/zoo/science museum)!"

I find that he transitions really gracefully if he is given a map of the day and countdowns to things he fights, like naps. Maybe not all kids need this, but Rowan thrives on routine and knowing what comes next.

Chill Out jar

Another thing about time, since it is so abstraact and relative is the passage of time, esp. when waiting for something fun or while in a time out. I have started to use cheap kitchen timers for countdowns and this chill out jar for time outs.

He is also learning about the calendar. "Can I go to Halloween, mommy?" is an opportunity to start counting down and show him how a calendar works. He has decided to be a lightening bug for Halloween this year and he cannot wait!

Cooking is also something we show him and he participates in. It is not only a life skill, but counting and measuring, chemistry, and creativity all rolled into one!

Another thing he will learn in this category next year, after he is three is swimming. Everyone should know how to swim!

Science:
He is enchanted with animals and plants, so we are starting plant identification, insect identification, and learning about zoo animals he is fond of with books from the library and the internet. I want to get him this awesome board game called Wildcraft! which will help him identify medicinal plants. Once he starts showing interest in other science, we will start learning about that, too.

Peia.

To help with his love of animals up close, we go to the zoo almost weekly and he has a pet of his own (mama has two parrots, which he loves, too)- his is a toad named Peia (short for Cassiopeia) and soon Peia will have a buddy, whom he's decided to name Dromeda (short for Andromeda). He watches his toad hunt for crickets several times a week. I always show him how his animals need care- he watches me feed Peia (when he had a fish, he fed the fish. But live crickets are hard for a toddler to catch!), turn on and off his light, and clean his enclosure. We shop for crickets together.

I have been accumulating links and tips for homeschooling on my Pinterest boards. What skills are you working on with your kids, whether they are homeschooled or not? How do you work on them?

What's New on Pinterest?

For those of you that do not know, I have pretty comprehensive Pinterest boards on many topics:

Making a besom, from my "Witchcraft DIY" board.

Witchcraft, Magick, and the Occult:
Witchcraft: a general board of images that pertain to Witchcraft. Gorgeous!
Witchraft DIY: A how-to board of quality links. Make mead, make cords and garlands, and more!
Kitchy Witchy: Retro and silly Witchcraft images I find.
The Occult: Links to Magick and ceremonial stuff.
Gods/Goddesses/Spirits/Beings: images and links to non-corporeal beings.
Melissae: All about bees and being a bee priest/ess
Pagan Parenting: resources and articles
Greater Pagan Community: links of interest to pagans in general.

Finger Knitting, from my "DIY for the Kids" board.

DIY boards:
DIY I wanna do Inside: indoor house and furniture projects
DIY I wanna do Outside: outdoor garden, building, and landscaping projects
DIY Remedies: herbalism for all of us
DIY Toiletries: chuck the toxins and make your own!
DIY Craft: all manner of crafty projects, links to how-to.
DIY for the Kids: fun things to do with kids
Homesteading/Sustainability/Frugal Living: gardening, canning, old-timey things we all should know.
DIY Home Care and Cleaning: how to care for you home in a non-toxic way.
DIY Apparel and Accessories: clothing and handbags, mainly.
Embroidery and Cross Stitch: lots of inspiration for things to make patterns out of, as well as tutorials.
Crochet and Knitting: tutorials and gorgeous patterns
Tricks and Tips: things you wish you knew when there is something to fix!
Emergency Kits: everybody needs them!

Date-with-a-parent box, from my
"New Family Traditions" board.

Resource Boards:
Natural Parenting: non-toxic attachment style.
Tricks and Tips: (see above)
Building Community: Where to start?
New Family Traditions: Things that please me so much, we are making them happen in our home.
Customs Worth Resurrecting: old timey customs that never should have went out of style.

Recipe and Food boards:
Recipes to Try: general board of things that don't fit into specific categories below
Beverages
Veggies
Baking and Candies
Crock Pot
Freezer and Make Ahead (includes Canning)
Condiments and Larder (includes Canning)
Carcuterie and Pescuterie: make your own salumi and preserved fish!
Entertaining and Gift Edibles
Slow Food and Sustainability
Outdoor Cooking
High Tea
Homesteading/Sustainability/Frugal Living (see above)

Hellen Keller, from my "Important People" curriculum board.

Homeschooling Boards:
Resources (General)
Math
Science
Reading and Literacy Development
Health and Life Skills
Art
Music
Printables
Religious and Multi-Cultural Curriculum
Social Studies
Physical Education
Politics and People's History
Important People Curriculum

April Fools Day Cupcakes (they are really
meatloaf) from the "April Fools Day" board.

Holiday Boards:
Advent and Other Countdowns
Thanksgiving
Cinco de Mayo
Yule
Earth Day
Valentine's Day
Halloween
Hannukah
Beltaine
Oestara
Midsummer
Lughnasadh
Mabon

Valentine's Day for the Birds!

Samhain
Imbolg
MLK Day
Christmas
Mardi Gras
Tu B'Shvat

Purim
Pesach
Easter
Dia de los Muertos
Sukkot


Groundhog Day
Mother's Day

Make Beloved Dead ornaments
"Samhain" board

April Fool's Day
Norooz
Krampusnacht

Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr
Yom Kippur
Rosh Hashanah
Shavuot

Plantable Paper for Earth Day

...and believe it or not, there are more than that! And I participate in several group boards on organic gardening, food and more. Click on the link above to check out my boards. I will be adding more pins and boards each week.

Inspiration for my Unschooling

I sway back and forth in my head between homeschooling and unschooling Rowan. I love the idea of unschooling, and how it give a child more autonomy over their learning process. I tend to think that my predeliction to choose homeschooling instead of unschooling is a controlling instinct. So I waiver- assuming that I will unschool unless I see obvious deficits that need to be addressed. Anyone who has experience with either model and has something to say, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

On top of that conundrum, I am considering part time preschool. My son is so social and gregarious that I wonder if I should start homeschool AFTER a preschool experience. He loves seeing other kids so much and talks about all his friends incessantly. A good preschool would give him the social time that he needs while freeing his father and I to get stuff done (without worrying about Rowan not learning anything).

Why am I not giving my son the experience that I had, in a decent public school? After all, I was a public school teacher... Frankly, my experience does not exist any more- even in the school that I attended. I am often horrified by stories coming out of public and private schools these days. The bullying, the metal detectors and locker inspections, the teaching to standardized tests, the inequality of schools within a state based on class and race, and the drilled forced compliance and obedience that often is the focus more than exploration and inquiry. And that makes me confident that homeschooling or unscholing is a better option for my son.

So I know what I do not want, but what do I want? Recently, I read a great article that talks about the positive reasons to homeschool, instead of focusing on the negatives. And it got me to setting goals for my education of Rowan.

There are so many things that I want for him. I want him to be a free thinker and to love learning. I want him to get the best education, regardless of current politics that affect the currricula du jour. I want him to challenge and question everything. I want him to love to read- for pleasure as well as learning (and to see the two as intertwined), and not dismiss it as a "girly thing". Indeed, I don't want him hyper-indoctrinated into the "boys do/wear/act like this and girls do/wear/act like (the "opposite"). I want him to be creative and expressive without being ridiculed for it. I would love for him to play music, to dance, to take martial arts, to be a visual artist, to love science and the natural world, to understand people's history and the world around him, to value diversity and experience it every day, to travel, and to love life. I want him to be happy, healthy, and wise. A school room just seems so restrictive, given that tall order! I want the world to be his classroom- so I want to travel the world with him.

Every once in a while, I read about an awesome kid and think, "I hope that Rowan does something like that one day." Like this boy, who loves history and isn't afraid to challenge authority. He is a great role model for my son.

What are your educational dreams for your child? How are you working towards them?

Big Dreams

So as followers here or on Facebook may know, I have launched an Etsy store, and I have dreams of having it become so much more- a sustainable way of life, a brick and mortar store and community center, and a way to teach my son the Craft. Boline is the culmination of many years of cultivating myriad interconnected interests and crafting it into a way of life.

What interests? Magick, the land and its plants, rocks, and animals, and healing modalities. I have always been interested in nature, and became a self-identified Witch waaaay back in 1989 (I am dating myself here!). I studied with so many different groups- Gnostics, Masons, the OTO and ceremonialists of many stripes, and Witches, always Witches- all kinds of Witches (we are actually quite a diverse group, you know).

I have been talking to animals, plants, and nature spirits since early childhood (much to my parents' chagrin- I would release animals from suffering, such as live traps in our neighbors garden. I would take all our carrots and celery and place them in front of where I knew the rabbits lived. I would beat the crap out of neighbor boys who stomped on ant piles and smeared lightening bugs on their jeans to make them glow. And if you deigned to abuse a larger animal like a dog or cat and I saw you- woe unto you.). I knew earth spirits and talked to animals and they would tell me their secrets. I am just getting familiar with Columbus and its spirits, but they are already talking to me.

I have been interested in spell work, conjure, whatever you want to call it for decades as well. I have been making spells and building altars long before I knew that they were called that- and when I learned that there were others doing this "odd behavior" and that they had knowledge than me to make them more effective, you could bet that I went to learn from them! I have had so many teachers since I learned Witchcraft had a name.

And healing- I have been interested in all kinds of healing for quite some time- and in particular natural forms of healing such as herbalism and energy work. I became a Reiki master a few years back, and my patron has bestowed on me a form of energy healing that works differently than Reiki and is quite powerful. I used to work on Cora Anderson and another of my elder teachers often- they would allow me to experiment with this new gift and benefit from it. Lilth wants me to heal in her name in myroad ways, that is quite clear from her communications to me.

She urged me towards herb school and I learned a lot there. I would like to return to a school nearby, as there is always an elder who can impart wisdom! And now that I am in a different part of the world from where I learned (I trained in California)- there are be local plants that I need to meet.

As the world become more and more crazy and contentious, I yearn for sustainability and connection- connection to a tribe, connection to the land. That is happening as I build my homestead. My neighbor and I share a yard (we are in one of the ubiquitous duplexes in Clintonville) and we have plan together to remove decorative plants to make way for food and medicine, build raised beds, and raise bees (well, OK that's just me- she's allergic to bees- but she is fine with them being placed in the back yard for me to work with).

I have a large front porch, a huge box in the front (shrubs are being removed for other plants), a small patch of a front yard (where I will build a widdershins herb spiral for flying ointment herbs), a place upstairs for more window boxes, and places on the side yard and back for raised beds. I am planting an elder tree. I started a worm composter. I have medicinal mushrooms in the basement (where I have a workbench and storage ready for my medicine making!).

Last night, I dreamt of medicine making all night long. I made herb infused oils, tinctures, and balms. I boiled syrups and dried teas. I am yearning to start this new life. Of course building such a dream takes time. Plants need time to grow, and I need to time to connect to this land. But I also need money.

The move across the country and setting up a new home was expensive and we used student loans and tax returns to make that happen. We are not wealthy (at least not in money) and are asking our community to help us get started. We need beekeeping equipment, plants, containers, soil testing and possible amelioration, and supplies. We left so much behind in Califormia that could have been useful, but we could not afford to move it all. And so now I turn to you, my friends whom I know and whom I do not know personally to help me make our dream come true.

Below you see a "Chip In" widget. I have set a modest sum of $2000 that will get us the basics of what we need for now. If we are able to get a start on this growing season with what we need, it should sustain us through the winter and allow me to make medicines, toiletries, and remedies for Columbus (we plan to sell at the farmer's market) and worldwide (through Etsy).

If you have a few dollars (or more) to spare, my family and I would be most grateful. Once things are grown and made, I plan on sending tokens of appreciation to those that give as well. Thanks fpr reading my story from the bottom of my heart, whether you give or not!

Welcome Home!

Plant Spirit Ally

When you read this post, I will be in my new home, likely unpacking and getting settled in. I am terribly excited to finally start the new life I have dreamed of in Ohio. I have been in limbo for almost 6 months after my cross-country move from Oakland, California- setting down temporarily in Appalachian Ohio with my partner's relatives until we found the right place in Columbus. While I met some wonderful people and did some fun things (mainly through the UU church in Marietta), I am excited for this new chapter of urban homesteading, art making, and settling down into homeschooling.

And find our dream we did! While we had a tall order of what we sought in a place, this place satisfies all of them, albiet differently than we expected (magick manifestation often works that way- you get what you seek, but not as your limited brain thinks to ask for them). We have awesome neighbors who are artists, activists, and organizers- so we have lots in common. They also have small children, and that is great for Rowan.

In our new place, Rowan will be growing up. He will be getting his own room, his own bed, and a pet fishy! He will start potty learning, going on weekly trips to the library, the zoo, and the community garden (as well as working in our yard). He will start homeschooling in earnest.

We will be rebuilding our temple and finding other traditional Witches to circle with. We have friends in our small tradition in Tennessee and West Virginia, but my partner and I are the only initiates in Ohio. There are other traditional Witches in the area, and perhaps some of them have things in common with us (we are not Wiccan). I am hoping to meet them as well as folks from the ADF (Columbus has a large druid population and the local ADF grove hosts public sabbats).

Mine and Yours!

I will be starting up a new version of my parrot business (I work with parrots, corvids, and other birds professionally).

I will be developing our Etsy store and local business for Boline. I plan on making remedies with the herbs and mushrooms and bees I raise. I have 4 types of medicinal mushrooms coming and will be making herbal syrups, herbal honeys, sachets, tinctures, balms, salves, and lotions. Our magickal offerings will be amulets, charms, candle spells, talismans, divination, and poppets.

We will be doing mostly custom work, based on the needs of our clients- although I will offer some basic spells like blessings, protection, love, and abundance spells. These are all done according to the principles of our Craft: following lunar cycles and other portents, using our Contacts for reinforcement of the work, following the principles that make our tradition so unique (being an American Craft tradition, we have influences form all the populations that are on this continent- indigenous and immigrant. Our tradition has brujo, Appalachian, southern conjure, European, Ho O'mana, and Voudou influences. That gives us a lot of power to draw upon!).

Where are you, Ohio Rad Fae?!

I am excited to start homesteading, both in our yard with our neighbors and in the neighborhood community garden. I am hoping to raise chickens at the community garden, since our yard does not work for such an endeavor. It is in walking distance! I am thrilled to start living sustainably again- no more throwing away so much! (In the part of the world that I stayed in for 6 months, no one recycles- there is no curbside service, no centers to take items to, and everyone just throws everything away. The house I stayed in did not garden or compost, either. They used toxic cleaning products that hurt my throat and it was very squicky experience for me.)

I have already bought a worm composter and will be using my coffee grounds to raise oyster mushrooms. If I get the chickens I want, they will be getting scrap greens and eggshells, too. My neighbor and I will be building a large container to hold our recyclables and take turns driving them to the center.

We will be building our tribe. My partner and I have talked about having regular gatherings- Radical Faery brunches, crafternoons, game nights, backyard movie and fire pit nights, and so much more. We will be making art, writing poetry, organizing events, getting hooked into causes, and becoming part of these communities. We want to find our people and create community here in our chosen city. Part of the tribe-building will include starting Pagan Playdate Columbus and maybe even a homeschool outing group and spiral scouts troop.

Boline

My partner and I have been thinking about offering certain Witchcraft goods and services for a while now, but have been hesitant. We are not the "we make big bucks off of the Craft" kind of people. We don't associate with those folks nor do we want to become those folks. We value our gifts, our relationships with the gods and ancestors, and consider this kind of work a blessing and duty. We are often turned off by the opportunists making money off of the Craft and paganism in general.

In the past, we were content to do quiet work for friends (and friends of friends). But we still had the incessant nagging feeling to reach out to more people. Now that we are in a new place with very few traditional Witches in our area, we felt perhaps that time has come to offer our gifts to our new community. The nagging has only gotten stronger since returning to my partner's place of origin- Appalachia. The land spirits are poking him to follow the Wyrd. I too have been dreaming, almost every night, of a life that involves tangible work with my hands and heart that serves others.

Witch bottle from 17th century.

While we are making some of these offerings available on Etsy to the global village, we are offering far more to our local geographic community. (Witchery is more of a village affair, after all.) And while Etsy can only do basic cash exchange type commerce, here at home in our new community we value and encourage barter, the gift economy, and fair trade.

My partner is incredibly gifted at divination- both tarot and runes. I am a creative and powerful spellstress- I can make charms, talismans, witch bottles, candle spells, and more that pack quite a wallop (if I do say so myself).

I am so excited to grow my own magical and medicinal herbs and create my own remedies and toiletries. Excited to become more tied to a piece of land (and its cycles) and how it can give to me (and I to it). I am going to be making tinctures, balms, oils, lotions, sachets, poppets, wreaths, and much more with all kinds of plants, curios, and such. Making blessing soaps, floor washes, wards for folks' homes, candle spells, and the like sounds like a fabulous way to spend some time each week. Growing Reishi and other medicinal mushrooms, mugwort, and henbane.

I will also be using the Etsy store (and this blog) to share my homeschool curriculum. I start writing units this semester and will be selling .pdfs of units as they happen.

While the Boline Etsy store won't be fully operational until after our move next month we are offering a limited number of services until we are up and running at full speed.

New 2012 Schedule for Witch Mom

With a new life in Columbus comes a new rhythm for everything- including blogging! I have decided to make regular features on days of the week. This does not mean that there will be a blog post every day, but rather, if a blog post appears, it will have a certain theme because of the day.

Mondays are Natural Living Mondays! 
A post on Monday will include sustainability, eco-conscious frugal living, natural parenting, DIY and reclamation, homesteading and putting things by, and much more!

Mondays will be part of a blog hop hosted by the Natural Parenting Group, of which I am a member (on the forum and among the writers of articles). So a Monday post would be part of this blog hop.

Wednesdays are Witchy Wednesdays!
This day will be dedicated to articles about Witchcraft theology, Craft work (divination, spellwork, oracular work, herbalism and green Witchery), gods and goddesses, devotional work, ancestor work, sabbats and esbats- and all things Witchy.

Fridays are Homeschooling Fridays! This is where I not only talk about Rowan and I learning together but also the multi-religious, multi-cultural, social justice focused curriculum that I am developing for my master's degree.

The other days of the week will have random and occasional posts including guest posts and interviews (including my upcoming series on pagans/polytheists/pantheists of color), blog carnival submissions including the Carnival of Natural Parenting, links to things I deem important, politics, events, and timely issues as they occur. Hope you enjoy!

Watching My Son Grow: Our Progress and Plans

Helping mama bake cookies for Sunday School.

Rowan is closing in on two years old- I cannot believe it! He has grown and developed at such breakneck speed that this mama is gasping to catch her breath. Before my very eyes, Rowan has become a little boy and less of a baby. He is stringing together sentences, he knows his colors, he can count to eight, and is learning the names of letters. He surprises me every day with a new word or concept that he has picked up. He remembers EVERYTHING.

In his current home, he has watched a little too much TV for my liking (a consequence of living in a home that is not your own and having a TV in the majority of the downstairs rooms), and now knows the names of TV characters like Elmo (from Sesame Street), Muno and Plex (from Yo Gabba Gabba), and "Backpack" (which is the character from that show that he likes better than Dora the Explorer!). I am looking forward to a TV free existence soon. While my son has a great imagination and loves books, I don't like how he stops what he is doing at times to stare at the screen at times. Eventually, that viewing will turn into crass commercialism, something I wish to avoid. So soon (thankfully!) we will be back to our selective-viewing-on-a-laptop kind of life.

Nanny giving Ro a bath.

He has had the good fortune of living with his "Nanny and Pap Pap" for a few months, and has developed quite a close relationship with each of them. We will be moving in February into our own place, but expect that they will visit quite often. I am a firm believer in tribe and extended family. In our new place, we will soon be living with close friends who also have a toddler (Rowan's best friend, who is a week younger than he is- we all met in birth class). We are all relocating from the Bay Area to Columbus- a long trek and one that was designed with the kids in mind.

Columbus has amazing parks, libraries, museums, a zoo, and much more. The cost of living is easier here than the Bay, which means stability and opportunity to homeschool the way that I want- with music and dance lessons, martial arts, and art in Rowan's life. I anticipate using our homesteading efforts to help school him in math, life skills, reading, and science. Regular outings will supplement our lessons, and classes will give him focused skill sets.

Trick or Treating for the first time.

As a child I was reading at age three, and I anticipate that Rowan will read early as well. He loves books, remembers what is on each page already, and is interested in letters now. Ohio's homeschool laws ask for more documentation than California, but I don't expect that to be a problem for us. When he reaches school age, I need to give a principal our curriculum for the year and have them sign off on it. I am using my master's degree to develop a curricula on religion, social justice, and the world's cultures. I am also accumulating help on the main school subjects (math, science, reading, social studies) on my Pinterest boards. Feel free to subscribe!

My Master's Degree

Many of you know that I am in seminary, getting an M.Div from Starr King School for the Ministry. Many people who go through this program become ministers or chaplains. What am I going to do with my degree? I have decided to once again work with children* and help others who do so.

I am slowly but surely creating a homeschooling curriculum for people that want their children to have a multi-religious, multi-cultural, social justice-focused, child-driven curriculum. Next semester, I will begin actually writing the units that will serve as the examples of what the rest of the book (yes, I hope to be published!) will look like.

The world's religions, countries, and inspiring activists and artists will be studied. Issues like civil liberties and volunteerism will be critical in this curriculum, which will teach children and youth to read, write, think critically, analyze issues, and learn the scientific method.

Yes, indeed my son will learn math and science, too**. I am writing units on those subjects as well. The evolution unit will discuss Darwin (and how his theories were misused by those in power in the eugenics movement and in capitalism) as well as Kropotkin- another biologist in Darwin's time who discusses evolution not in terms of competition but cooperation. The unit will lead into a civil librties and critical thinking exercise about how some people use their religion as a reason to not learn about things like evolution and do not want others to learn it, either.

Do you homeschool? Why or why not? Did you create the curriculum, unschool, or use someone else's? Why?

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*I have been a public school teacher, a mentor and tutor, and Girl Scout leader, and a Sunday school teacher. I continue to volunteer at my local UU church in the religious education department.

**This curriculum will serve me as well- as I intend on homeschooling my son.

"Back to School"

It's that time of year again, when many young people (and old grad students like me) start classes once more. September and the beginning of fall will always be imprinted in my mind as "Back to School Time" time. I was a public school kid, in a decent school system in an affluent suburb of Chicago (that my parents barely afforded and sacrificed to move into). I remember waiting for the school bus to pick up across the street from my house, and having my wet hair freeze in the crisp winter air. I remember picking out which of my new clothes were going to be that special "first day of school" outfit. My birthday fell during the school year, so I always got birthday wishes at school as well as a birthday party, unlike those sad summer-born kids. I had a gaggle of friends and we clung to one another as we navigated through the world of public education. I have fond memories of some things about going to school.


And part of me is wistful that Rowan might not have those kind of memories. I plan on homeschooling/ unschooling him unless he states a preference otherwise. I am hoping to be able to find a group of like-minded parents with which to do a group school, actually- so he will have peers. He will be missing something, a common experience that many of his peers will experience- and I know that in order to deprive him of that, I need to provide something much better. And I think that I can do that.

It's the other memories of going to school that helped me make up my mind about whether or not to send my son off to school. Bullies, teachers that crush your dreams, teachers that are overworked and cannot function, cliques and social hierarchies that do not matter but mean the world to a child or teen, and feeling like the tiny little world they inhabit was indeed the entire world and it was always going to be like "this way". I hated the desperation that I felt at the hands of wealthy popular kids and their priorities. I hated the reverence demanded for authority without them having to earn it, or asking me whether I bought into the hierarchy in the first place. I hated being treated like property, or a criminal, or stupid simply because of my age.

He can get social peers in music, art, or dance class...

I want my son to be educated in the world. I want him to experience a diversity of people, opinions, and experiences. I want him to learn to question everything, analyze and think critically. I want him to be able to follow his passions and learn what he desires to learn, not just an agenda set by other people- including the arts, the religions of the world, accurate history that is not just about conquest and militarism, and the humanities in all its glory. I want him to be respected as an individual with rights.

And frankly, I can only think of one type of school that may be able to fulfill this tall order (and sadly, there aren't any in Ohio). But even at this awesome school, I still would be working to expose him to lots of things as his parent if he attended this school anyway. So why not try and start on my own? I have taught school myself in the Oakland public schools, mentored and tutored youth, volunteered with kids of many ages at UU churches and Girl Scouts. I know how to create curricula that is child driven, age appropriate, and most of all, fun. So I am working hard to build a life where I can be the main educator in my son's life.


Does it scare me? A little. I know it is an awesome responsibility to take on the education of another human being. I need to have my house in order. And while I normally don't care what others think of me, I know that Rowan will go through the phase where he will. More and more parents are homeschooling these days, so the stereotype of the religiously fanatical homeschooling family (or the socially stunted homeschooled kid) is becoming more of a relic. But he may run into judgmental  people who think how they do things is better and will try and make him feel less than for being homeschooled. I will have to prepare him for that.

While he isn't even old enough to enter preschool yet, I am working with him- teaching him a little every day. He has learned basic vocabulary for his day, animals, colors, foods, counting up to three, ASL, and how to take a deep breath (we are working on calming skills right now). He is a little sponge and wants to know everything! I am beginning to accumulate curricula and lessons in all kind of areas on Pinterest: general homeschooling info and printables, religious curriculum, art, music, science, maths, literacy, and reading, social studies, health and life skills.

I am looking forward to exploring the world with my special little Boop.

I'm Now on Pinterest

An example of some religious curriculum:
Moon phases using Oreos!

As I gather ideas for not only for making my life better (DIY and sustainability tips) but also for writing a book (on educating pagan children in a homeschool or unschooling setting), I needed a place to store all of these resources and ideas. One of the tools that I am using for this is Pinterest.

What is Pinterest? It is a new social networking site for the visually minded. Think of it as digital cork boards on whatever topics you choose (your interests) and then you pin the items to your board (hence the name "Pinterest"). You pin a picture that links to a site or article. You can also pin just a photo and write a description under it. I have been pinning items on the following boards of my own creation:

Homeschooling Resources (Printables, articles, tips, curriculum and units)

Religious Curriculum (Articles, images on all religions that I find are good for kids)

Homesteading/Sustainability

Witchcraft (Articles and images that evoke what I mean by Witchcraft)

Witchcraft DIY (Great ways to make things for Craft purposes!)

DIY for the Kids

DIY Inside (Home improvement)

DIY Outside (Home improvement)

DIY Toiletries and Home Care (Recipes for toiletries, cleaners, etc.)

DIY Apparel and Accessories (Sewing, knitting, crochet and more)

Tricks and Tips (Amazing shortcuts and ways of doing things I must remember!)

Building Community (Very important and as I find things to help do that, they go here.)

New Family Traditions (Things Rowan & I can remember fondly and look forward to)

Recipes to Try

Embroidery (I love to embroider, and these are potential projects)

Kitchy Witchy (I have a sentimental place for "witchy" things made by muggles.)

DIY Craft (All kinds of fun projects!)

Pinterest is new, so I expect that they will roll out new features to help people organize their boards better soon. In the meantime, I am happily pinning things I plan to use and be inspired by in creating my book, my son's education, and my new home!

I have added a new button here on the blog for folks to follow me on Pinterest if they so choose. Look to the right to check it out!

Pagan Playdate!

I have been involved in the beginning stages of a pagan playgroup with local folks here for a few months now. Our group gets together every Wednesday to get our kids together and to give us pagan parents a place to commune.

Sometimes, we just meet a member's home- toys are shared, snacks are eaten, and songs are sung. Other times, we go to free museum days or play cafes or events. We also try and invite one another to kid friendly events that happen at other times during the week.

Although Rowan is just now excited to be with other kids (although he is still a little small to actively play with anyone yet), I started going months ago. Why? To find a community of like-minded parents for support and tribe-building, of course! The playgroup is as much for me as it is for Rowan, and hence, we have a win-win on our hands!

Besides having fun, I have other aspirations for my/Rowan's participation as well:

• I hope to group school Rowan and I hope to meet like-minded pagan parents who wish to do the same. I like the idea of homeschooling, but I worry that I will do a less than adequate job of teaching my son if I am the sole person responsible for curriculum. After all, we all have our weak points, and mine happens to be math. Having a group of parents contributing to the education of our children makes sense and will mean a better education, to my mind. I also want Rowan to have the main advantage of a school environment- that is, exposure to other kids and the ability to learn social skills. So while homeschooling is appealing, group schooling is even more so. So I hope to meet parents that want this for their kids, too.
• I want to start a spiral scouts chapter for my area.
• I want to start a co-op child care group so that we can go on dates, go to adult rituals, and other things without breaking the bank.

 Anyone out there part of a pagan playgroup? A spiral scouts hearth or circle? A co-op childcare group? A group schooler or part of a co-op school? Tell me about it!

What is This Blog About?

Witch mom? Yes. I don't expect that I'll get as many readers as mainstream mom blogs, but I did want to write about the experience of being a mom, a priestess, and a religious minority in the US.

Being a witch (some people are more comfortable with the term "pagan"- but that is an umbrella term for lots of different types of religions, and I am trying to be specific here) and a parent has its own set of built-in challenges.

Many people fear what they don't understand, thinking we abuse children or are somehow "bad people" for our religious beliefs. Still others think that if a religion doesn't have one (male) god and a building attached to it, that is not a "real religion", or it is laughable. Still others do not understand what we mean when we speak of "magick" and they envision scenes from Harry Potter (which is a book series I like, by the way- so cute!)

This blog is about respecting religious traditions of all stripes. It is about respecting and fighting for the planet we call home. It is about raising a child with a set of strong personal ethics, rather than a fundamentalist set of morals. It is about the amazing journey of parenthood, through the eyes of a religious minority.

Things that will be discussed here:

• conception, pregnancy, and birth
• baby , toddler, and child milestones
• brain and social development
• how our family deals with the outside world and its culture
• preschool, homeschool, unschool, or co-op group school?
• morality and ethics
• genital integrity of boys and girls
• attachment parenting versus other styles of parenting
• daily struggles of life balance
• fostering compassion and empathy in our children
• developing a curriculum for pagan families
• environmentalism and social justice
• things that I discover that I recommend and want to share as a pagan and a parent

And probably oodles more that will come up along the journey that I cannot think of right now. I hope that you join me (and join in on the conversation, too!)