🎁 Why I Didn't Open Anything On Mother's Day

There was no gift for me to unwrap.

There never is.

It's not because Hope is ungrateful or that we haven't told her about Mother's Day.

Our aim is to have a genuine life, without guilty obligations and arbitrary expectations. This extends to holidays so our celebrations look a lot different than other families. Being Hope's Mother, everyday feels like Mother's Day. She is constantly sharing her best things with me. Her 2nd last blueberry. One of her favorite cookies. The last drink of water from our stash when we're out. She says the most beautiful, heartfelt things very frequently. Like that she chose me as the best mommy for her on earth. Also, she wants to eat my face because apparently, I'm so cute. We don't fight. Seriously. Sometimes, when there are hurt feelings, we talk, we cry, we hug. But it's so seldom and so healing afterward for both of us. Every day we spend tender moments together reveling in our mother daughter connection. It's magical beyond words.

With my first, our relationship was nothing like this. I fell in love with him, but I was so young and burdened by my childhood trauma that I was never able to meet all his needs and our connection suffered horribly. I attribute our peaceful/attachment parenting lifestyle to the bond I have with Hope. Her needs are met. She is respected fully. She is always listened to. She is a full member of our family, not a subordinate. All her feelings are valid. She is free and responsible for herself. She is loved beyond measure. (The only thing I got right the first time.) So no, there was no brightly coloured package for me this past Mother's Day. Because my gifts are opened every day I get to be Hope's Mom.

THIS WEEK

With organic, raw cream, Jaze made chocolate ice cream with 2 plastic bags, ice and salt. It was so delicious we will never crave store bought again! The weather has been lovely and we had to get our winter tires changed so we headed off to Craft Auto, the best garage ever, and while we waited for our car, we hit up a park in Barrie to play for a few hours. Hope discovered a bird's nest with babies in it, much to her delight. She excitedly snapped some photos. We started our organic seeds for this year's garden and watched our tomatoes sprout to life.

There was lots of chick play/care both inside and outside as the weather has been amazing for our little flock to get fresh air, greens, worms and bugs.

Speaking of bugs, the campsite was still free of them so we had an amazing dinner of Nicholyn Farms nitrate free hotdogs and organic homefries over the fire. Hope helped fold the laundry, watched Youtube and Tik Tok, played Minecraft and Pokemon and of course drew and roleplayed. Our besties Kevin and Sarah came over for dinner and Hope and Sarah even went on a bike ride/walk together.

SUBJECTS: Bonding, Respectful Relationships, Emotional Intelligence, Energy Regulation, Phys Ed, Socialization, Risk Assessment, Reading, Math, Retail, Time Management, Street Safety, Decision Making, Nature, Animal Studies, Nutrition, Navigation, Science, Weather, Gardening, Sustainable Living, Community, Homesteading, So Much More...

VIDEO

HOPE IN HER FAVORITE PLACE AT THE PARK - THE SWING!

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Much Love Always, Wendy BOOKS, CLOTHING & MORE

About the Author

Wendy Elizabeth Hart - Author, Illustrator, is a radical unschooling, homesteading Mom of 2 amazing kids and wife of more than 12 years to her bff, Jaze. Together with their daughter Hope, 10, they live a life of daily discovery in rural Ontario, Canada and share it with the world to connect with and support other families in the unschooling community.