Magazine

animal learningchildhoodearly developmentmillennial dadnature learningoutdoor safety
A small wild wild infant rabbit sitting in a garden nest of grass and fur

Finding a Nest in the Garden: A Warning About Infant Rabbits

Dear Tom from exactly six months ago. Right now, you're standing in the middle of the back garden holding a half-eaten Hobnob, wearing only one wellington boot, while your two-year-old twin daughters scream with a terrifying mixture of joy and...

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animal learningboundarieschildhoodmillennial momnature learningtoddler behavior
Toddler hands holding a clear plastic food container with dirt and leaves inside.

Put That Tupperware Down: The Reality Of Backyard Reptiles

My four-year-old marched into the kitchen yesterday looking like he had just won the lottery. His hands were cupped so tightly together his knuckles were white, and he had that wild, unblinking stare kids get when they're holding something they...

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11-month-oldbabyfatherhoodinternet safetynature learning
Marcus holding an 11-month-old baby looking at an oak tree in a backyard.

My confusing search for a talented baby squirrel in Portland

My 11-month-old was actively attempting to ingest a handful of premium Portland moss when my phone vibrated in my pocket. We were doing our mandatory morning yard time, which mostly consists of me following him around like a poorly programmed...

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baby behaviorbaby birdsnature learningoutdoorparenting anxietysummer
Anxious dad holding a cardboard box with a tiny rescued bird while looking at his phone

What to Feed a Baby Bird: A Panic-Googling Dad's Rescue Guide

Dear Marcus from last May. You're currently standing in your damp NE Portland yard by the rhododendron bush. Your eleven-month-old son is strapped to your chest, actively chewing on the zipper of your jacket, and you're staring down at a...

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baby foxesmillennialnature learningorganic baby clothesparenting humor
A mom looking out a window at her backyard while holding a coffee mug

The Absolute Panic Of Finding Cute Baby Foxes In Your Backyard

I was standing on our back patio in my husband's hideous oversized college sweatpants, holding a lukewarm mug of French roast that I had literally just microwaved for the third time, when seven-year-old Maya started screaming bloody murder. She was...

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12-month-oldinfant healthmotherhoodnature learningorganic cottonparenting anxiety
Toddler sitting in the grass wearing an organic cotton romper covered in mild dirt

From Sterile Nurse to Farm Baby Mama: Why I Let My Kid Eat Dirt

I'm sitting on a slightly damp bench in Lincoln Park watching my fourteen-month-old son actively consume a handful of topsoil. He pauses to chew, looks thoughtfully at a passing golden retriever, and goes back for seconds. A year ago, I'd...

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baby birdsnature learningoutdoorparenting humor
A cardboard box on a kitchen counter prepared with a warm towel for a rescued backyard bird.

Finding A Baby Pigeon In Your Backyard (And What To Do Next)

"I need you to put the coffee down," my husband Dave said at exactly 7:14 AM on a Tuesday, wearing only one sock and looking like he'd seen an actual ghost in our hydrangeas. He was holding our seven-year-old, Leo,...

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london dadnature learningoutdoorparenting humourspringtoddlers
A tiny infant bird sitting in the damp garden grass next to a toddler's shoe

Dear past Tom: So your toddler found a bird in the garden

Dear Tom from last May. You're currently standing on the patio in your dressing gown, holding a lukewarm mug of instant coffee while watching Maya and Lily enthusiastically poke at a pulsating lump of grey fluff on the lawn, so...

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animal learningbaby safetynature learningoutdoorparenting humor
A toddler pointing at a patch of grass in a backyard

The Truth About Baby Bunnies and Toddlers (A Survival Story)

I was knee-deep in packing tape, desperately trying to get three Etsy orders boxed up before the mail carrier arrived, while balancing my sweaty four-month-old on my hip. That's exactly when my oldest, Jackson, came sprinting through the back screen...

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