Purposeful family living - with a French twist
Bonjour! I'm Michele Cherie: francophile, teacher, writer, runner, wife, and mama to five children. I'm a non-native French speaker from the West Coast, USA. My husband and I recently relocated our family to Alsace, France. IntentionalMama shares our bilingual journey and resources for a culturally-rich family life.
C'est novembre! We're officially into the month of giving thanks, although my son already managed to break a glass Christmas ornament at the grocery store on Halloween. I'll partially blame the store for attempting to skip Thanksgiving altogether. Here are my interesting links for this weekend:
Read MoreWhether you are currently hosting an exchange student or are simply curious about what activities are highly American in nature, this list is worth reading.
Read MoreAs a counselor to addicted, co-dependent, and emotionally exhausted people, Jeff VanVonderen recognizes the need for a grace-oriented message. While he writes for those of all religious backgrounds, his pastoral experience has given him a sobering view of how spiritual misconceptions can result in families struggling with guilt, exhaustion, and manipulation. In contrast, Families Where Grace is In Place offers hope by clarifying psychological truths and principles of grace, acceptance, and support.
Read MoreSince launching Intentional Mama two months ago, I sometimes get questions from friends and acquaintances who want to know how, exactly, to follow a blog. I'm happy to explain . . . but first let me convince you why you should follow several blogs!
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L'Halloween is nearly upon us! Do you have a Halloween-related event to attend this weekend? We might take our children to a local Boo Bash. Then again, a restful weekend at home sounds nice, and my daughter and I want to plant the tulip bulbs she picked out. In the meantime, here is this weekend's menu of links to enjoy.
Read MoreI am a bibliophile, and we treasure books in our home. I am also very goal-oriented. Yet when asked about our homeschool curriculum, I have only basic activities to list rather than workbooks or academic agendas. We read a lot of books together. We go to library storytimes weekly and play outside daily. We paint and listen to music. After all, our oldest child is only preschool-age. Here are the main reasons why I don't specifically try to teach my four-year-old daughter to read:
Read MoreIf I were a child, Alfie Kohn's Unconditional Parenting is the book I would want my parents to read. I was raised in a household where rewards and punishments were meted out with love and consistency, and I have tremendous respect for my parents. But this book showed me that there is another way to parent that can also produce loving, empathetic, and responsible adults--and it doesn't require punishment, threats, bribes, or rewards.
Read MoreThis last weekend I was able to attend a seminar at the Alliance Francaise de Portland entitled Bilingualism for Children: Benefits and Expectations. Jane Fabulet-Roberts, head of the Alliance's Children's Program, spoke from her experience both as a bilingual educator and as a parent. I found the seminar very encouraging. Here are five points from the seminar that I found the most informative:
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