A Little Birdie Begins
In my first post, you'll learn more about this newsletter, my history with bird-themed names, and a no-pressure approach to learning and play at home.
Notes from the Nest
It’s 10:25 at night, and this, of all times, is when the urge to write strikes. It’s that post-kids bedtime, pre-pass out from exhaustion section of the evening. If you’re a mom, you get it.
I feel a bit like I’m writing into the wind. I don’t have any subscribers as I write this. All I have are a bunch of ideas and a desire to share and write. I’d say that’s enough for now.
So who is Birdie anyway, and what is this newsletter? You can read more here on my about page, but here’s the fly-by: my name is Meagan and I am a mom to two boys (ages 4 and 2) and former journalist fascinated with learning, play, and perceptions of parenthood. I am launching the A Little Birdie Newsletter for parents looking for a fresh approach to learning and a community to discuss ideas.
What’s with all the bird references you ask? My husband’s nickname for me is bird. My thinking is also that I will become a trusted friend and resource for parents looking for a no-pressure approach to their family life and learning.. . “a little birdie told me…”
On another bird-related note, my nickname growing up was Magpie, and I also danced a ballet solo as a teenager dressed as a green peacock. I suppose it was fate. Okay, now I must find this photo. Coming soon…
So back to this idea of a fresh approach to learning… before becoming a mom, I thought learning looked a lot like it does in a classroom. You sit down, you complete worksheets or some other kind of task/craft, and you have completed your learning. Now you can go play! Boy was I wrong.
When my first son turned 1 and finally started sleeping like a normal human being, I began to read child development books (I’ll go over my favourites in a future article). As I began to learn more about how their fascinating little brains work, I became really curious watching my son play. “Hey, wait a minute. How did you learn that? I certainly didn’t teach you that.” This was a common theme.
I also read Peter Gray’s book,Free to Learn. His book is all about the important role free play has in a child’s life, and how our modern culture has, in many ways, forgotten this part of childhood. I’ll go into more detail another day (maybe even interview the author?! A mom can dream!) , but this book sparked my already simmering interest in preserving childhood and play. On a side note, I’m actually honestly leaning toward homeschooling now, especially after reading this book. You’re going to see that journey come up in this newsletter as well, I’m sure.
Combine this learning journey with the fact that I am pretty much the least crafty, un-Pinterest-worthy mom in the universe (even as a child, I loathed fancy crafts because I was too much of a perfectionist), and so begins my obsession with facilitating free play in my home in the most low-pressure, high-joy way possible.
So what kinds of content will you be getting from me? My Notes from the Nest, like this one, will be part reflective ramblings from yours truly (which may take the form of audio instead of written form on occasion). I will also mix in really practical ideas of how to spark free play in your home, what worked and what didn’t work in my home that week. I also hope that in sharing my journey towards imperfect parenthood, that I might help other parents take the pressure off and learn to enjoy the beauty of play, even as an adult.
As for this week, let’s get chatting. How have you thought about what learning looks like in childhood? Have your perceptions changed since having kids? Comment below! Then continue on into my other weekly sections below you’ll see in my newsletters as well. (I may separate Notes from the Nest from the other two sections going forward - but I wanted them in one email for the first newsletter)
My Top 5
This section will list 5 curated links about parenting/learning. My goal with this section is find the best content, so you don’t have to get overwhelmed in a sea of resources. Save it for the weekend, cherry pick those that catch your eye, or read them all in one sitting late-night in bed. You do you!
Playing with Children. Should you, and if so, how? - Peter Gray - 5 min read - If you find playing with your child boring, but feel guilty about it, read this. It also contains great ideas for how to play with your child in a way everyone can enjoy.
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World- Cal Newport - 304 pages (took me about a week, reading about 30 min a day) - This book focuses on how to foster a healthier relationship with technology, so we can use it simply as a tool for greater goals like connection, leisure, and health. It’s not directly about parenting, but I found it is transforming the relationship I have with my phone throughout the day as a parent.
Jerrica Sannes - Raising Wildflowers - ongoing content - Jerrica’s social media content and website focus on how to foster free play in order to be able to reduce, and eventually, eliminate screen time. Though we have not eliminated screens in our house, I have found her show reviews and her TV Detox programs to be very helpful in learning how best to use screens in our household.
Managing the Post-Holiday "Why Are My Kids Acting Like This?" Slump - Melinda Wenner Moyer - 8 min read - Very helpful and perspective-giving read if you’re noticing your kids are acting craaaazyyy after the holidays. You’ll see my comment on the bottom of her thread about what happened when my son was 3 years old last Christmas. Also, be sure to check out Melinda’s substack : Is My Kid the Asshole? . . . if not for amazing title alone.
Mothers feel conflicted: they want nothing, they want it all - Annie Ridout - 5 min read - You may have seen Annie’s viral note about the back-and-forth mind tornado that is motherhood. It’s in this post and worth a read, as I know I can totally relate. She also fleshes it out a little as well.
What We’re Reading
This section will be a quick look at what we’re reading in our family, and some reasons why I would or would not recommend.
This launch week, I’d like to celebrate Robert Munsch. My older child, who I will name here as G, is obsessed! I’m not kidding. I have read a R.M. book every night for the past 6 months. He can’t go to sleep without his favourite author now!
Why is Munsch so great? Here are my thoughts.
He puts kids in the drivers seat. His stories are so whimsical and silly. The child is often featured as the main character and drives the plot.
His books are great for exposure to different literary devices. He uses a lot of onomatopoeia (words that describe sounds, like ‘blam’"). He will often change fonts to make certain words more visible in patterns. I use those devices to help increase my son’s exposure to sight words.
Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. It’s fun, helps reinforce learning, and even is great memory practice (especially for those sight words again!)
Exposure to numbers and patterns! His books use numbers a lot in some really fun ways.
My son’s personal favourites: Aaron’s Hair, Up Up Down, Moira’s Birthday.
My personal favourites. Paper Bag Princess (of course), We Share Everything, Teamwork, Makeup Mess.
Do you have Robert Munsch favourites in your house?
Tip: We also listen to Robert Munsch audio playlists on Spotify! Such lively storytelling!
If you liked this post from A Little Birdie, tell your peeps! Especially the ones who are drowning in to-do lists and 10-step craft projects.