If you’re already a cloth diaper user, than the concept of using a resuable swim diaper is probably not a far stretch. But if you use disposables or ’sposies, then you might be glad to know that reusable swim diapers are a fantastic budget conscious choice, particularly since disposable swim diapers are super expensive.

Truth be told, disposable swim diapers are more for easing our minds and less about containing bodily fluids and bowel movements. Basically, they just don’t contain all the chemicals that regular disposables do, therefore keeping them trim and less saggy when they hit water. But, they certainly don’t hold urine well. And, while they might hold a bowel movement for a good five minutes, you do not want your kid swimming around with a swim diaper full of poop.

So, a logical consideration would be a reusable swim diaper, particularly if you’ve got an older child with more predictable bowel movements. And quite frankly, you probably don’t want your newborn and infant in the pool for very long anyway, so it’s perfectly feasible to try reusables with them as well.

As far as choices go, you’ll be glad to know there are a plethora of reusable swim diaper options, all of which are generally under $15. Considering you’ll spend around $8-10 on a pack of regular disposable swim diapers, it’s a great deal. And if you frequent the pool or beach, like we do, it’s practically a must have. Here are some options that I’ve found (and used) that might work well for your kids:

- The Baby Swim Pack (pictured) from Konfidence USA (reviewed at Cool Mom Picks) includes a reusable diaper, changing pad, and an essential wet bag (which is great for the used diapers AND wet swim suits). ($29.99)

- The Imse Vimse Swim Diaper seems to be a popular recommendation on various Cloth Diaper and EC review sites and message boards ($14).

- Well-known cloth diaper maker Bummi also has a swim diaper called the “Swimmi” which uses velcro instead of the typical snaps. ($14).

You can also find a few different kinds at your local Whole Foods Market as well. I purchased one (pull-on style) and it works well!

Depending on the age of your child, make sure to snag a couple of diapers to last you for the season, and don’t forget to add a wet bag to your arsenal. You can find them in various places, or even make your own, but my personal favorites are the wet bags from Happy Tushies. Wash and care of reusable swim diapers is simple; for best results, follow the manufacturer’s directions, but know that nothing special need be done to keep them working the whole summer long.

It’s nice to know that even if you don’t feel able to cloth diaper full time, you can make a bit of greener difference this summer! Who knows? Maybe it will make the transition into regular cloth diapering a lot easier.

If you’re a cloth swim diaper user, share your favorites! Have a happy, healthy, and green Fourth of July!

When I began Eco Child’s Play over a year and a half ago, I pledged to make Kiva loans on behalf of our blog. After making several Kiva loans, I’ve decided it is time to donate to and highlight different organizations helping families and/or the environment around the world. This month, I have made a donation to Women for Women International on behalf of Eco Child’s Play.

Women for Women International helps women move from “victim to survivor…to active citizen”:

Women for Women International mobilizes women to change their lives by bringing a holistic approach to addressing the unique needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments.

We begin by working with women who may have lost everything in conflict and often have nowhere else to turn. Participation in our one-year program launches women on a journey from victim to survivor to active citizen. We identify services to support graduates of the program as they continue to strive for greater social, economic and political participation in their communities.

As each woman engages in a multi-phase process of recovery and rehabilitation, she opens a window of opportunity presented by the end of conflict to help improve the rights, freedoms and status of women in her country. As women who go through our program assume leadership positions in their villages, actively participate in the reconstruction of their communities, build civil society, start businesses, train other women and serve as role models, they become active citizens who can help to establish lasting peace and stability.

Related posts on Eco Child’s Play donations:

• Empower Children with Charity Donation Choices
  

• Our First Kiva Loan from Eco Child’s Play

• Our Second Eco Child’s Play Kiva Loan

• Another Eco Child’s Play Kiva Loan

The MobileHome is made from recycled cardboard, is biodegradable, five percent of profits are donated to UNICEF, and is made in China.  It has eight secret rooms and is easy to take with you to the park, on vacation, or around the house.  My children immediately integrated their other toys, including their children’s yoga mat,  into dramatic play with our MobileHome.

Large wooden dollhouses can be very expensive, yet both boys and girls love to play with with little houses.  The MobileHome offers a semi-affordable solution; however, $32 seems like a little much for cardboard box.  I do like the MobileHome, but I also think that children learn a lot by creating their own cardboard box homes.  Recently my daughter created one from our new washing machine box, complete with curtains.  Whether you provide your child with a MobileHome or simply a cardboard box, their creativity will flourish as they decorate and play!

Related posts on eco-friendly toys:

• USA Made Toys: Lunastix Juggling Sticks From Down to Earth Toys

• Green, Eco Wooden Toys: Anamalz Organic Maple Poseable Animals

• European Toys: Old Fashioned Block Play Develops Intellect

More than four million acres of American farmland have already been dedicated to organic farming, helping our health and our future. That’s four million acres farmed without the use of toxic pesticides or other toxic chemicals; four million acres nurtured with both ancient and modern techniques that are in balance with nature, helping to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses and reduce the threat of global warming.

Growing our foods organically has proven to be one of the hottest, fastest-growing movements of the twenty-first century. When Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act in 1990, there were fewer than one million acres of organic farmland. In just twelve years, by 2002, that figure had doubled. Then the pace of progress picked up. Within just three more years, the amount of organic farmland doubled again. In 2005, we saw, for the first time, certified organic farmland in all fifty states. There has been exceptional progress, but we need to do more.

If organic cropland continues to double—and it can!—we can expect to see a revitalization and renewal of our streams and our soil as we build a smart, sustainable future. I can remember drinking stream water in our national parks when I was a child. I can remember catching and eating fish from our local streams. Today, all of the streams surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey and more than 90 percent of fish tested in farming regions are polluted with pesticides.

By eating strategically we can reclaim our streams, our food, and our future. Here’s my take on the top five organic food choices a pregnant woman can make for the sake of her baby and the health of the planet:

Beef. If you eat beef during pregnancy, I strongly suggest choosing organic beef. The meat from grass-fed, organically raised cattle tends to be leaner overall and has about five times the omega-3s of its conventional counterpart. In contrast, a 2007 study published in the Oxford journal Human Reproduction linked mothers who ate beef from conventionally raised cattle during pregnancy with lower sperm counts years later in their adult sons. The men in the study whose mothers ate conventional beef most frequently had sperm counts that averaged 24 percent lower than their counterparts, and they were three times more likely to be infertile. The authors of the study believe the added hormones were the culprit.

Milk. If you drink milk, opt for organic. Milk from organic, pasturefed cows is produced without antibiotics, artificial hormones, and pesticides, and can also provide extra omega-3s and beta-carotene. I find that when women start making organic choices for themselves and for their families, they often intuitively start at the top of the food chain with organic milk. They understand that the foods they eat and the medicines they take will often get into their breast milk, so they easily make the connection that the medicines and foods given to dairy cows may affect their family’s health. They prefer avoiding the routine use of antibiotics, artificial hormones, pesticides, and genetically modified feed. And I agree. Recent USDA monitoring data found that 27 percent of the conventional milk samples contained synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. By contrast, lower levels of the pesticide showed up in just 5 percent of the organic samples. There will be much more about milk in Chapter Four: “The Kitchen.”

Potatoes. When making the switch to organic vegetables, be sure to put potatoes on your shopping list. As the number one consumed vegetable in the United States, conventionally farmed white potatoes also have one of the highest levels of pesticide contamination. So by switching to organic, you can make a big difference in two important ways: by lowering your own exposure to chemical pesticides and by using your consumer clout to create a bigger market for the organic version of this popular veggie. And be sure to eat the peels! That way you will get all the available nutrients, including high levels of potassium and Vitamin C.

Apples. Among fruits, I would start with apples. Based on head-to-head, controlled studies, organic apples tend to have higher nutrient levels and taste better than the conventional variety. And sadly, conventionally grown apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits tested by the USDA. They are a major source of exposure to organophosphate pesticide, a chemical linked to decreased intelligence and increased attention problems in kids and hormone problems in adults.

Soy. Products made from organic whole soy beans can be a wonderfully nutritious food. Unfortunately only a tiny fraction of the nation’s soy crop is currently organic. And to make matters worse, 87 percent of the conventionally grown soy I the United States is genetically modified-and most of the domestic crop. What’s more, in recent years, soy has been the domestic crop most contaminated with organophosphate pesticides. Yes it’s hard to avoid soy- it’s found in virtually any processed food you eat these days, from soup to nuts. The only way out of this situation is to make sure that the processed foods you purchase are organic. That way you’ll know that any soy you’re eating wasn’t genetically altered, and wasn’t grown with pesticides. So be sure to check the label before you buy.

The Environmental Working Group listed these important provisions for the bill, all aimed at making products safer for our kids.

The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act:

“*requires that industrial chemicals be safe for infants, kids and other vulnerable groups;

*requires that new chemicals be safety tested before they are sold;

*requires chemical manufacturers to test and prove that the 62,000 chemicals already on the market that have never been tested are safe in order for them to remain in commerce;

*requires EPA to review “priority” chemicals, those which are found in people, on an expedited schedule;

*requires regular biomonitoring to determine what chemicals are in people and in what amounts;

*requires regular updates of health and safety data and provides EPA with clear authority to request additional information and tests;

*provides incentives for manufacturers to further reduce health hazards;

*requires EPA to promote safer alternatives and alternatives to animal testing;
protects state and local rights; and

*requires that this information be publicly available.”

You can support this legislation by visiting the Organic Consumer’s website and sending a message to your Congressperson. This is a quick, easy way to support this bill. The Kid-Safe Chemicals Act would finally help our country shift in its mentality from protecting mega-corporations and manufacturers, to looking out for its most vulnerable population– its children.

photo: jspace3 at Flickr under a Creative Commons license

But nothing puts a hurting on a budget than a new car and an eco-friendly one at that.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we need to buy a brand new car. I’m just saying that we’re going to need to invest in something big enough to fit two car seats and a booster. Well, legally anyway, because no matter how much my daughter begs me to ride on the roof, I just don’t foresee that in her future.

And we’re trying as hard as we can not to have kiss our freedom from car payments good-bye. It certainly helps when we’re paying $4/gallon for gas.

Thanks to the folks at GM and Volvo, I’ve had the opportunity to try out a few different cars, including GM’s Acadia and Tahoe Hybrid, and Volvo’s V-70 Wagon. But even those fairly reasonably priced cars (okay, except the Hybird — WHOA!), may not be feasible. Then add in the fact that my husband and I really want something that’s eco-friendly and doesn’t have the word “VAN” in it and we’ve got ourselves quite a dilemma.

Of course, doing less driving is always a fantastic option, but considering we live in a suburb of a city where you do really have to drive to get anywhere, it’s not the greatest one, at least for a mom with three kids under four (wow, that’s still really hard for me to get my own mind around!).

So aside from continuing to research all our options, I’ve invited Jody DeVere, the Founder/CEO of Ask Patty, to join me on my parenting podcast Wednesday, July 2 from 9-9:30pm EST to discuss eco and family friendly cars. Her website offers fantastic resources specific to women and cars, and I’m sure she’ll offer a myriad of helpful suggestions.

I’d love to hear from eco-conscious families of five plus — what car are you driving and what do you think about it? Leave your answer in the comments or share them on the Motherhood Uncensored podcast from 9-9:30pm EST by calling in (646-915-8634) or chatting at Blog Talk Radio.

More Related Posts on Cars:

Pimpin’ Your Ride: The Green Way

Company Turns Familiar Gas Cars into Electric Vehicles

How Many Hours Do You Have to Work to Fill Your Gas Tank?

Three winners have been randomly selected for our Labor of Love Week Giveaway from our Eco Child’s Play forum.

• Candu won a pair of IsaBooties!  Candu lives in Hanoi and suffered wounds from his wife’s grip:

All day the contractions got more painful and intense. She had to wait for 40 second long contractions and we had been waiting all day for it. I should have got her to cut her nails earlier, for now I have open wounds on my back and hands. Girls got some grip! She would lean right into me and hold on tight when she got another wave. She shook in pain and her eyes squeezed tight. Wave after wave after wave… Now I know why they call it labour!

• LaMamaNaturale won an Envirosax!  She had an unassisted home birth, as her midwife was driving to her house when her child was born.

My husband called my mom to let her know what was going on. She then raced over to the house, and thank goodness she did because within 15 minutes of her arrival I started to contract harder and I could REALLY feel my uterus expand and release…it was the weirdest feeling ever but empowering at the same time. I was yelling at this point, that the baby was coming and that my hubby needed to get the water in the tub. Well everything happened so fast that it didn’t get done in time because before I knew it- hubby was back on the phone with the midwife telling them that my contractions were right on target and that I felt the urge to push. All in a matter of a phone call, my mom looked back down at me and yelled out she saw Tristan’s head. The midwife announced that I could continue pushing and that she was going to guide us through the phone. She was about 15 minutes from the house. My husband was scrambling to put her on speaker so she could assist me but before I could even hear her voice and as soon as she said prepare (all at the same time)…in 2 pushes Tristan William was born @ 9:44 AM. My mom and husband caught Tristan and laid him into my arms. I was so shocked that he had come so swift and fast. He nursed within the hour while we were still attached and we cut the cord an hour after birth. Looking back, I realize that so many things could have gone wrong and that we were lucky.

• mamakerribell won a pair of IsaBooties.  Her baby was late, and she tried acupuncture to get things going.

That afternoon I had an electro-acupuncture session with my acupuncturist, Jalashree at Blooma (my yoga studio) to help stimulate labor. Basically, they place the acupuncture needles in specific places on your body (ankles, lower back, hands, etc.) and attach electrodes to the needles which transmit a low electrical current to stimulate the acupoints. Jalashree started the session with a little backrub and then she put oil on my belly. That was heavenly! Just like my previous acupuncture sessions, the baby responded to the placement of the needles and when the electrical stimulation began, I could feel contractions. Acupuncture is very relaxing and I remember almost falling asleep during the session. I was very ready for labor and wanted it begin more than anything. After the session, the contractions continued for an hour or so but then subsided. However, that night they returned and were quite regular for over two hours. We began timing them and they stopped before we went to bed. I was so disappointed when I woke up the next day.

Thank you to everyone who shared their personal stories!  We hope to have more series like this in the future, perhaps one on breastfeeding experiences. If you have a suggestion for a natural parenting series, please leave a comment to this post.

Image:  David Paul Ohmer on Flickr under a Creative Commons license

I am a closet Chick-lit lover. Although I love reading the classics such as Doesteovsky, Maugham, and Hesse (my favorite writer); sometimes I need an easy and light reading that doesn’t need a dictionary as a companion. So it’s no surprise that I would totally take to the From the Hips: A Comprehensive, Open-Minded, Uncensored, Totally Honest Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, and Becoming a Parent by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morrisis. Although pregnancy is a serious subject matter; I didn’t want to read the pregnancy bible, What to Expect When You are Expecting. I really had hard time making it past the first chapter. It seemed a bit too authoritative; I pictured a nagging mother instead of your best friend. But From the Hips is definitely your best girl friend talking you through the trials of pregnancy with wit and a bit of sass. Who doesn’t need a bit of humor when you are carrying around a baby 24/7?

According to Publisher’s Weekly:

Their approach is to consider the authorities with a mere grain of salt, while seeking a supportive environment in which to nurture one’s pregnancy and child-rearing. And while sorting through the opinions along the way, from choosing a health-care provider, coping with loss, birthing strategies, breastfeeding and sex, and baby-care basics, among other topics, the authors provide on most pages plentiful belly-shaped bubbles containing lively quotes from “anonymoms.”

Hear the mothers from the trenches express what they really feel, from one mom who enthuses, “The belly—I loved everything about it, and it makes people—strangers, even—feel enthralled with you”) to the sadly modern refrain of another, “Sometimes I bury myself in work so I don’t feel the sadness, fatigue and stress of having the baby waiting for me at home.”

Gosh, Publishers Weekly said it so succinctly and perfectly, that I really don’t have any more to add here. I LOVED this book. I felt as if motherhood was going to be a fun roller coaster ride of adventure rather than a marker of adulthood and serious undertaking of responsibility that can be overwhelming at times. Which of course it really is… but who needs to be reminded of that constantly? I would probably buy this book for all my newly pregnant friends. Well I have none at the moment but I know someone is going to try soon, right?

Even though it takes a lighthearted approach, there is a lot of research behind the book and consultation with many baby experts. So don’t feel as if this book is all fluff. It has the substantial wealth of information without cramming it down your throat. Like a nice soothing cocktail during Happy Hour (yeah, when can I get back to that?) It’s a nice respite from trials of pregnancy and beyond.

Related Posts about Pregnancy

Labor of Love: 3 Essential Books to Read When Planning a Natural Birth

Labor Of Love: Scheduled Induction and An Epidural Love

Essere Organics Showers Mom with Eco-Friendly Gift Registry

What makes a pregnancy book essential reading for natural birth?  I think a natural birth book should support all women’s choices, both home and hospital births, as well as carefully explain all of the interventions that could happen if medically needed.  The book should support women, as well as realistically discuss how each labor is unique.

Essential Books for a Natural Birth

• Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin:  This book can be hard to find, but it is well worth the hunt.  This book prepares you for all aspects of a home or hospital birth, and we read many times to be prepared in case we didn’t make it town in time during my labors.  My first child was a breech baby, but she turned thanks to this book!  Rahima explains an exercise where mother’s lay with on their backs, knees bent, and pelvis highly elevated.  When followed precisely, this method turns babies 85% of the time.  It worked for my daughter, and I have this book to thank!
• Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin:  This was the very first book given to me when I was pregnant. I could not get enough of the birth stories, although I highly doubted I would have a psychedelic, orgasmic experience in a labor.  From this book, I learned about nipple stimulation to bring on labor, a much more natural approach than pitocin but slightly embarrassing in front of your mother!  As the title implies, birth should be a spiritual experience. It is how we enter life in this body; it is a sacrament.  This often gets lost in the medical world.  Of course, this book is full of practical advice as well.
• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth:  I think this is absolutely the best book on childbirth!  I give it to everyone I know who is pregnant, whether they are planning a natural birth or not. This book is obviously pro-home birth, but it explains labor and complications in such a manner that educates.  It is important to know what sort of complications can occur and what interventions are necessary, optional, or how to avoid them.  Ina May’s statistics are amazing and truly demonstrate how natural birth really is.   Reading this book helped me learn to trust my body (and my baby’s) and not focus on the pain of labor.

This list is far from extensive, as I wanted to just highlight a few books I found particularly useful.  Obviously, I love Ina May, so her books dominate this list.  I would love it if our readers and writers left suggestions for other great pregnancy books as a comment to this post.

More Labor of Love posts and birth stories:

• Labor of Love: Julian’s Birth Story
• Labor of Love: Home Birth is a Choice that the AMA Wants to Outlaw
• Labor of Love: All Things in Their Own “Sweet” Time
• Labor of Love: My Daughter’s Home Birth, Hemorrhage Story
• Labor of Love: Bypassing a Scheduled Cesarean - Natural VBAC
• Labor of Love: My Son’s Water Home Birth and Congenital Heart Defect
• Labor of Love: Positive Natural Birthing Experience After Posterior Labor

Comic Relief is a Natural Pain Killer

I don’t remember exactly what time my first son was born or how much he weighed. In fact, I didn’t even see his face till 12 hours later.

My pregnancy was pleasant for the duration. Besides a bit of morning sickness, everything was going fine and I wasn’t looking much different weight-wise, save for the belly. As 2 weeks past my due date approached, despite trying everything in the book, there wasn’t even the slightest hint of impending labor. I went into the hospital at 5 a.m. on a Monday morning, and began a Pitocin drip at 6. The contractions started around noon. I kept a zen-like focus on being kind to those around me, taking walks, and sitting on a yoga ball to bounce out the pain. My water broke early that evening. I played a lot of Mario Bros. on my Gameboy between moments of writhing in agony. My husband was sleeping on a cot at the foot of my bed with a pillow over his head. I have to admit, my shrieking chant of “ow.ow.ow.ow.ow!” was a tad annoying. Once in awhile, a doc would come in to check my progress. By sunrise I had achieved one whole centimeter!

“Are my contractions whimpy?” I asked a nurse that morning. “Nope, full strength.” she answered. Now, this hospital was full of women in labor. They had a poor girl across the hall sitting on an easy chair in what looked like a broom closet. I figured no matter how bad it got, I should be pleasant to the staff, and even my husband. However, when my mother-in-law strutted through the door toting a Fisher Price tape player and an ocean waves relaxation cassette, insisting it would help, I considered throwing my pillows at her. As Tuesday night approached, I had dilated to 2 centimeters, and lost my battle against begging for drugs. They gave me Demoral. If you want the experience of feeling like you just polished off two pints of vodka through a beer bong, but can’t pass out or puke, and still endure your contractions, I highly recommend trying it.

Wednesday morning the Demoral wore off. I think they felt sorry for me, and proclaimed I was at 2 and a half centimeters! The doc approved an epidural…which I didn’t receive till 4 hours later. By the time that kicked in, I was relaxed, but starved. An IV isn’t all that filling. The same nurse I had on Monday poked her head in the room smiling, “I asked if I could take care of you again…you’re such a sweetheart”! She was actually the sweetheart, because under very hush-hush conditions, and against the doctors orders, she snuck me in a hamburger with a side of baked beans. It was the most delicious thing I’d ever eaten.

This was an ideal time to make a phone call to my unsympathetic mother in Florida. She was getting ready for a trip to Alaska to meet her internet boyfriend.

Friends came and went, I watched The Matrix and played more Game Boy. I tried to take a nap, but the pressure of the contractions was distracting. As the sun set on Wednesday, we reached 3 centimeters.

Late Wednesday night exhaustion was setting in. I was incredibly thirsty, and savored every gulp of melted ice chips I could stand to wait for. Eventually, I enlisted husband to sneak my cup into the bathroom and fill it with water. After a nice long chug, I puked up every bit of it. Then, I hit 4 centimeters. Hmm. Let’s try that again. Five centimeters.

I told my nice nurse about the upchuck phenomenom. She jumped on board. Wednesday turned into Thursday, and I was getting very weak, I think it was around 3 a.m. when my doc told me our pulses were slowing down, and I had to have an emergency c-section. You may be thinking, “Well, it’s about time”! However, I was still trying to champion this vomiting = dilation theory.

I don’t remember much about the surgery. Just feeling the pressure of all those hands pulling on my stomach, and hearing “whoa, this one’s beanpole!” as they delivered him. At that moment I passed out into a very deep sleep.

My husband would later tell me that after they closed me up, I began farting like a freight train. Him and the nurses were laughing hysterically. He even made a few phone calls amidst the flatulence, but those baked beans were WORTH IT.

I woke up around 4 p.m. in a strange room next to a strange woman, and couldn’t wait to see Jack. It was very odd when they brought him in a few minutes later… not the bonding experience I had anticipated. It actually took me a little bit to convince myself that I this was my kid. He was blonde with blue eyes like his daddy, and very, very long. I breast fed for a couple weeks, but it seemed like my spigots wouldn’t shut off, so I had to stop the messy affair if I had any hopes of ever leaving my house. Jack was incredibly content, observant baby, and remains that way. Today I have a 4 ‘2 inch 7 year old that has dismantled and reassembled 1 computer CPU. 2 VCRs, 2 DVD players, 3 sets of speakers, amongst other varied electronic equipment. He draws schematics and builds robots. Out of a unique birth experience, I got a unique and patient child.

Six weeks after that lovely ordeal, I became pregnant with Max. VBAC? Over my dead body. I’ve been in enough labor to count for all the children I will ever have. The coolest thing about having a planned C-section is getting to choose the day. Since Jack was born on 2/22, I chose 1/11 for Max’s birthday, and those dates are exactly 6 weeks apart. During this pregnancy, I wanted to listen to nothing but metal music, and ran up a credit card from my very expensive craving for filet mignon. During my second C-section, they hit a nerve while administering the spinal, and it felt like a bolt of lightning went down my right leg. It hurt, but I was more fascinated than anything, and continued to talk about it while they were delivering him. I really disliked the sound of my guts squishing around, and didn’t remember hearing that the last time. Max was appropriately named. He certainly is a wild thing, and about a head shorter than Jack. So, people don’t really bring up that they must be close in age. That’s OK. I got really bored with all the “irish twins” references when they were babies.

Yes, I’m a little unsentimental about child birth. There was much dismay when I refused to buy the utterly overpriced hospital portraits. I didn’t have baby showers. I followed my instincts and co-slept. I don’t let anyone, any book, or any tradition dictate how I raise my kids. I encourage their interests no matter how unconventional, and I’m so lucky I get to be their mommy.

Photo Credit: Jack Wiggins