I am an early childhood trained teacher, and a parent. Since becoming a parent I have been so grateful for my background, experience and the knowledge gained from my work. It hasn’t helped me out of every problem though! Like every other parent there have been more than enough challenges that my husband and I have had to muddle through by ourselves! I think we’ve come out all right. So here is a collection of articles and blog posts that I have written myself, or collected from friends, mentors and inspirational resources.
I share them willingly (and if I have not written them myself, I share them with permission from the author), however if you wish to use them for any reason please contact me. Do not change, reprint or publish these articles without my permission or the permission of the author. I welcome your submissions, if you have something you would like to share here please contact me.
Peaceful Parenting: Behaviour, Play, Home Life
- The Eighty/Twenty Principle
- Nurturing the Sense Impressions of the Child Under Seven
- What Is Your Journey?
- Working Through Power Struggles
- Three-Fold Behaviour Management Plans for Home Part One: Working with the Will
- Good vs Evil in Play – What do you do?
- Understanding the Needs of the Young Child: The Importance of Rhythm in Early Childhood
- Inventing the Good – caring positively for your family in a toxic world!
- Lessons from a 2-Year-Old – Rosella finds her own way of solving her problems – a strategy so joyful I plan to use it myself!
- A Three-Scratch Day – working with high-energy behaviour! A delightful morning of purposeful play at the creek.
- The Sacred Family – Parenting as a celebration of transformation – blog entry for Kindred Community
Understanding Children’s Development
- Development of the Sense of Touch
- Development of the Sense of Life
- Children’s Development in Drawings Part 1 : 2-3.5 years of age
- Children’s Development in Drawings Part 2 : 3.5 – 4.5 years of age
- Children’s Development in Drawings Part 3: Working with Imitation
- Children’s Development in Drawings Part 4: Talking to Children About Their Drawings
- Old Friends – taking children to the art gallery
Pregnancy and Birthing
- Lotus Birth
- Lotus Birth Blessing
- Musings on Miscarriage
- Music for Stars
- Home Birthing Mama Doll
- The Business of Being Rosella
- Almost Half Way (post about my first appointment with midwife)
- Half Way (poem written at 20 weeks)
- The Messy End of Birth – changing attitudes about birthing and midwifery
- Frequently Asked Questions … about Being Brave – must we be brave to home birth?
- Opening the Dark Passage of Grace in Birth and Parenting – blog for Kindred Community about working positively with painful experiences.
- It’s happening too quickly!
Storytelling
- Storytelling Part 1: Telling Simple Stories for the “Moment”
- The Science of Fairytales: Embryology and the Story of Three
- Rumpelstiltskin … And the Liver
Handmade Gifts for Children under 7
- Take-Along Felt Car Playmat, idea orginally discovered at: The Napping House
- Reversible Emergency Services Vest with Interchangeable Badges: Pirate, Police, Ambulance, Fire Rescue
- Simple Knight’s Tunic – Dress ups
- Crowns
Happy Home-Making
- #1 Making Compost
- #2 Making Butter
- #3 Fruit Jelly Cups
- Nourish Yourself – cooking and eating wholesome, life-giving foods
- Adventures in Cooking - Creamy Salmon and Baked Oatmeal
Personal Growth
- If this was good, what would it look like?
- My Nightingale song – hearing and speaking my truth
- The Crone’s Eyes … and My Tummy – listening to your intuition!
- It is Only Change
- Time for some Sacred Idleness!
- 24 Hours of Sacred Idleness – making time for self – the art of doing nothing.
- Nourishing, Nurturing Time
- It’s in the blood – finding belonging in my family history
Living a Creative Life – Dolls, Felting and other fun
Poetry
- Wanderers – by James Hebblethwaite
- The Reaping Queen – by Jennifer McCormack
- The Weaver – by Jennifer McCormack
- Half Way – by Jennifer McCormack (written at 20 weeks, third pregnancy)
- Blessings to you Little One – by Jennifer McCormack, for Jaiah Hazel, Feb 2007
- Slipping Away – Where the Muse Takes You – by Jennifer McCormack, June 2010
Seasonal Celebrations With Family
- A Lavendilly Easter – Celebrating Easter in Autumn
- How to Make Easter Egg Candles from blown eggs – really easy and fun to decorate!
- Tissue Paper Wrapped Easter Eggs – by Mama Moontime (Amber Greene)
- The Hare and the Rainbow Eggs – Easter Story for Children – by Mama Moontime (Amber Greene)
Writing for Kindred Community (The Sacred Family)
Kindred is a popular Australian journal that began life as a magazine in print, covering topics such as natural parenting, sustainability, culture and wellbeing. Now Kindred is on-line and I now one of the listed bloggers for the Kindred Community. My blogs explore different aspects of the the theme ‘The Sacred Family’ – celebrating the sacredness and beauty in every day family life.
- Parenting as a Sacred Celebration of Transformation (6 May 2010)
- Opening the Dark Passage of Grace in Birth and Parenting (1 June 2010)
- Surviving the Day with Over-Tired Children! (7 June 2010)
