My name is Cathy and I am an attached mama to two wonderful children born 16 months apart. Life here can be hectic at times, but I wouldn't trade a minute of it! This is a blog all about my adventures as a home maker and an attached parent. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Have a question for The Attached Mama?
This blog is organized into several main categories:
1) Playfully Learning - A highlight of some of the ideas and tools that we use to create a fun, exciting, and rich environment for my children. My main goal is to help foster an early love of learning in my children. To do this, we use a follow a very gentle learning path based mostly on rich literature, child-led activities, creative outlets, and lots and lots of sunshine and fresh air. I don't follow any particular method. However, I do draw ideas and inspiration from some of the teachings and writings of educators like Maria Montessori and Charlotte Mason.
2) Just for Mama - This is a section dedicated to all of my adventures (and misadventures!) homemaking. It contains articles specifically dedicated to things like meal planning, recipes, sewing, crafting, gardening, and all things in between.
3) Attachment Parenting - As co-leader of the Columbus Attachment Parents group, I discuss some of my experiences raising two children as an attached parent. I also discuss articles and research relating to attachment parenting that I find interesting.
4) Ask the Attached Mama - This is a fun weekly feature where you can talk directly to me. Got a question or want to hear my two cents? You can submit your questions here. All names and addresses will be kept strictly confidential.
Have a question for The Attached Mama?
This blog is organized into several main categories:
1) Playfully Learning - A highlight of some of the ideas and tools that we use to create a fun, exciting, and rich environment for my children. My main goal is to help foster an early love of learning in my children. To do this, we use a follow a very gentle learning path based mostly on rich literature, child-led activities, creative outlets, and lots and lots of sunshine and fresh air. I don't follow any particular method. However, I do draw ideas and inspiration from some of the teachings and writings of educators like Maria Montessori and Charlotte Mason.
2) Just for Mama - This is a section dedicated to all of my adventures (and misadventures!) homemaking. It contains articles specifically dedicated to things like meal planning, recipes, sewing, crafting, gardening, and all things in between.
3) Attachment Parenting - As co-leader of the Columbus Attachment Parents group, I discuss some of my experiences raising two children as an attached parent. I also discuss articles and research relating to attachment parenting that I find interesting.
4) Ask the Attached Mama - This is a fun weekly feature where you can talk directly to me. Got a question or want to hear my two cents? You can submit your questions here. All names and addresses will be kept strictly confidential.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does "Playfully Learning" mean?
I believe that for young children, playing and learning go hand in hand. In other words, it is impossible to do one without the other. I believe that the best thing I can do to encourage learning through play is to fill their environment with fun, engaging activities, books, and toys---And then step back and let them decide how they want to explore those tools. For that reasons, 99% of the activities you see described on this site are child led. When my children show an interest in something, I do my best to support and encourage their interest. If my children are not interested in an activity, I STOP. Nothing we do is ever forced.
How are the "Playfully Learning" activities organized on this site?
I have tried to organize our activities two different ways:
1) By Age- In order to help you find ideas that may be most appropriate for your child's skills and abilities, actives can be sorted by age. I stress, however, that all children are different and learn at their own unique pace. Do not fall into the trap of comparing your child to other children. What may be easy for your 2 year old, may be extremely difficult for my 2 year old. Some children excel in verbal communication while lagging behind in fine motor skills. Some children begin reading at 3 while others do not learn until 7 or 8. The age references given on this site are meant to serve as approximate guidelines only. They are certainly not an indicator of what your child should or should not be able to do.
2) By Skill Focus- This is a tricky category to organize activities into. Mainly because many of the activities my children enjoy cross over into multiple subject matters. True 'playful learning' activities will help build skills in multiple areas. For example, how could one categories the learning potential of playing in a sandbox? It could potentially teach a child so much depending on the direction they decide to go in. For this reason it is impossible to list all of the skills one particular activity might build. Still, I know that this would be a useful search tool for parents to have, so I will do my best to organize the activities in this way.
What is Attachment Parenting?
Attachment parenting is a term first used by pediatrician and author Dr. William Sears. It is based on the idea of using sensitivity and emotionally available parenting to help foster a strong bond or attachment with children early in life. It is his theory that a strong bond can help children develop the emotional intelligence they need empathize with others, connect with their peers, and succeed in life.
See also: The 7 Benefits of Attachment Parenting,
What is Attachment Parenting?
Attachment parenting is a term first used by pediatrician and author Dr. William Sears. It is based on the idea of using sensitivity and emotionally available parenting to help foster a strong bond or attachment with children early in life. It is his theory that a strong bond can help children develop the emotional intelligence they need empathize with others, connect with their peers, and succeed in life.
See also: The 7 Benefits of Attachment Parenting,
What regular posts can I expect?
For now, these are my regular features. I hope to add more in the future.
Tot School-A weekly wrap up of what we did that week playfully learning. Tot School is a weekly feature on the 1+1+1=1 blog. I highly recommend you check it out.
Ask The Attached Mama - Got a question about parenting, homemaking, sewing, or lesson planning? Ask it here. I will choose the best questions each week to answer.
