Grandma Thyme

09/29/2025

I remind myself not to rush in when children climb or explore. By stepping back, I give them the gift of balance, challenge, and discovery. It isn’t always easy—I often catch myself wanting to help—but I’m learning to soften my voice and trust the child’s lead.

09/21/2025

Babies need to be held whenever they fuss — and not just because they’re sweet and cuddly and their hair smells like heaven. It turns out there’s a ton of research out there to back up the claim that you literally cannot spoil a baby. In fact, holding your baby is actually vital for their health and development. 💛

Moomysmilk

🌸🌸🌸 OUR FABULOUS ISSUE 59 IS ON SALE NOW 🌸🌸🌸

It's packed full of inspiration, tips, advice and real-life experiences to guide you on your journey through pregnancy, birth and motherhood - whether you are expecting a new arrival this year, are adjusting to life with a new baby, or are deep in the trenches of parenthood.

Get your copy now - available locally and internationally online.
Find your local stockists here: https://linktr.ee/TheNaturalParentMagazine
https://thenaturalparentmagazine.com/product-category/shop/magazine/

You can pick up a copy from your local Woolworths or selected stockists in NZ, from your local newsagent in Australia, from WH Smith High Street stores, selected Waitrose & Partners and independent bookstores across the UK, or online from anywhere in the world.
🌸🌸🌸

08/26/2025

Reading is not a milestone every child hits at the same age. It’s a developmental process, just like walking or talking.

Research shows that the part of the brain responsible for reading readiness develops at different ages for different children. In countries like Finland, formal reading instruction often doesn’t begin until age 7, yet their literacy rates consistently rank among the highest in the world.

When we label a 5-year-old as “behind,” we risk creating stress, lowering their confidence, and turning reading into a chore instead of a joy. Some kids are ready at 4, others at 8, and both are perfectly normal.

What they need is not pressure, but patience. A love for stories, rich language, and the freedom to learn at their own pace will build stronger readers than any race to the finish line.

They’re not behind. They’re becoming. 💚

08/26/2025

Nature School is our happy place—and it’s good for growing minds 🌿
We’re so excited to begin our first day of homeschool in Nature School! 🎒🍃 Coming up soon!!!

Outdoors, kids:

*move their bodies & build strength

*follow real-life curiosity (bugs! clouds! puddles!)

practice focus & calm in open spaces

*solve problems (How do we cross this log? What made these tracks?)

*grow rich language & creativity from what they notice

*learn stewardship—gentle hands for living things

*make memories with the people who love them

We’re keeping lessons simple: sunshine, stories, and wonder.

If you do Nature School too, what’s your child’s favorite outdoor “class”? ☀️🕊️

08/25/2025

Prepping for day one over here! How about you—already begun? ✨ Homeschooling grandmas, tell us your go-to rhythms, recent wins, and day-one advice. Your tips might be someone else’s breakthrough. 🌼

08/09/2025

Happy National Book Lovers Day! 📚 What’s on your reading stack today? And all-time favorite book—go!

08/09/2025

Homeschooling grandmas unite! ☕💫 Share one small thing that makes your days smoother—a song, a schedule, a snack, a prayer. Your idea might be someone else’s breakthrough.
Pic of our first field trip of the 2025-2026 school year!

08/09/2025

Big News! 🎉
We are so happy to share that we are now officially a homeschool family! 🏡📚✨
This new chapter is filled with excitement, curiosity, and the freedom to learn in a way that aligns with our hearts and values. Even better—we’ve found a wonderful learning curriculum that truly inspires us and supports our unique journey. 🌟
We’re trading desks for pastures, books for nature walks, and routines for rhythms that feel just right for us. 🌿💫
Let the learning adventures begin! 💛

06/14/2025

A randomized controlled clinical trial tested the effects of inhaling neroli EO on mental health among pregnant women. Participants in the neroli group inhaled five drops of neroli placed on a disposable facemask twice a day (once in the morning and once before going to bed) for 20 minutes over the course of one month. The placebo group followed the same schedule and drops with sweet almond oil. Depression scores significantly decreased in the neroli group compared to the placebo group. Similarly, anxiety scores decreased, while only small improvements in stress were observed. A more robust analysis of the findings concluded that neroli was effective against depression and anxiety, but not stress.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40368523/

05/12/2025

To the nurturers of children, a short PSA for you in San Antonio.
Are you aware that extreme heat worsens asthma?
May is Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month, so know this:
Asthma is the No. 1 reason that kids miss school, and heat worsens asthma by tightening airways and increasing ozone and other irritants. To empower children who live with asthma, Metro Health runs SA Kids BREATHE, a FREE program where CHWs make home visits to help families reduce triggers and stay healthy.

This free program improves the quality of the lives of children with asthma. Learn more about the program.

05/11/2025

"Happy Mother’s Day to all the grandmothers and to everyone who nurtures with a mother’s love."

05/02/2025

In our home, emotions are a regular topic of conversation. Living with a sensitive child, understanding and discussing feelings is part of our everyday life.
As children’s rights advocate L.R. Knost beautifully reminds us:
“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it’s our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.