Couldn't agree more with "Use the Nice Dishes." The most obvious (though low stakes) mistake we made with our firstborn was saving the prettiest dressed for special occasions and having the tags still on when we realized she outgrew them.
We now buy nice things we're prepared to lose and _use_ them.
Yes, the concept applies to so many things in our homes! I wish I would have used more of many quilts my grandmother made for us grandkids. We also like using our good honeybee candlesticks, just because it sets the mood and feels fancy (but more-so in the winter).
I really like Addison DelMastro's writing, and I liked this article. But one of his points raises a question for me. He says that "pro-natalism" means being "pro-family" - but I'm wondering whether that's entirely accurate. Elon Musk, for example, considers himself (as far as I know) a pro-natalist, but he has many children with different women: not exactly 'family' in one traditional sense. So is pro-natalism the same as being pro-family, or is it actually more adjacent to it? It seems like most "pro-family" people end up being Christian, with a Christian sense of what family is. But is pro-natalism as a political position tied to Christianity at all? (I don't expect you to have all the answers! But wondering if your reading has led to any thoughts on this.)
And I loved this from Amelia a while back... on the very mechanical and quite freaky approach of some secular people, verses the value and dignity Christians in particular have for people and children: https://writersblogck.substack.com/p/is-the-future-autistic
I think that is a point I would have asked him to clarify or change. haha Because pro-natalism by definition is being "in favor of births" (and if this seems weird, there's plenty of data that says people *desire* more kids than they currently are having... so trying to move the needle of reality to people's desired number of children.)
To me though, pro-natalist is kind of like the term feminist. There are.... how many shades of it? How many groups with different philosophies and approaches and values, under the same umbrella term? There’s a lot of Venn Diagram action happening there. Which is where your question comes in.
I just want you to know that I deeply enjoy receiving your collections every week. There are so many resources that I have never seen or read before and so many questions started in my heart. Thank you for all the hard work you do of collecting and adding further reading suggestions.
Have you read this article? I just stumbled on it and thought it related well to one of the themes this week. https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2024/06/95265/ I was especially intrigued by his list of "boys ____ vs. men ______" as it can be hard to articulate such things in the concrete.
Yeah I thought of including it, but haven’t read it yet and thought the newsletter was getting pretty packed as it was. Haha great minds think alike, though! I plan to get to it.
I see you putting in the WORK to build a beautiful life. Always appreciate your weekly personal reflections on what's working for you and your family. :)
Couldn't agree more with "Use the Nice Dishes." The most obvious (though low stakes) mistake we made with our firstborn was saving the prettiest dressed for special occasions and having the tags still on when we realized she outgrew them.
We now buy nice things we're prepared to lose and _use_ them.
Yes, the concept applies to so many things in our homes! I wish I would have used more of many quilts my grandmother made for us grandkids. We also like using our good honeybee candlesticks, just because it sets the mood and feels fancy (but more-so in the winter).
I really like Addison DelMastro's writing, and I liked this article. But one of his points raises a question for me. He says that "pro-natalism" means being "pro-family" - but I'm wondering whether that's entirely accurate. Elon Musk, for example, considers himself (as far as I know) a pro-natalist, but he has many children with different women: not exactly 'family' in one traditional sense. So is pro-natalism the same as being pro-family, or is it actually more adjacent to it? It seems like most "pro-family" people end up being Christian, with a Christian sense of what family is. But is pro-natalism as a political position tied to Christianity at all? (I don't expect you to have all the answers! But wondering if your reading has led to any thoughts on this.)
And I loved this from Amelia a while back... on the very mechanical and quite freaky approach of some secular people, verses the value and dignity Christians in particular have for people and children: https://writersblogck.substack.com/p/is-the-future-autistic
Thanks! I knew you’d probably have something ready to go!
I think that is a point I would have asked him to clarify or change. haha Because pro-natalism by definition is being "in favor of births" (and if this seems weird, there's plenty of data that says people *desire* more kids than they currently are having... so trying to move the needle of reality to people's desired number of children.)
To me though, pro-natalist is kind of like the term feminist. There are.... how many shades of it? How many groups with different philosophies and approaches and values, under the same umbrella term? There’s a lot of Venn Diagram action happening there. Which is where your question comes in.
Lyman Stone, king of the demographers, wrote more than you probably wanted to know, explaining this. lol https://ifstudies.org/blog/a-family-friendly-pronatalism
I think describing it like feminism with many different strands is really helpful. It would be hard to find more than one, sort-of, uniting strand.
I just want you to know that I deeply enjoy receiving your collections every week. There are so many resources that I have never seen or read before and so many questions started in my heart. Thank you for all the hard work you do of collecting and adding further reading suggestions.
That means a lot. Glad to hear you find some value in it! It is a joy to put together, partly for me, and partly for all of you. :)
So many things I’m looking forward to reading here!
Ah!! Makes my day to be featured here! And there's so many more good looking articles I can't wait to dive into!
You were a genius with that book review. Now I want to re-visit the virtues and vices.
Yeah, girl! Do it!
The bike adventures sound so fun!
Trailers are a gamechanger!
Have you read this article? I just stumbled on it and thought it related well to one of the themes this week. https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2024/06/95265/ I was especially intrigued by his list of "boys ____ vs. men ______" as it can be hard to articulate such things in the concrete.
Yeah I thought of including it, but haven’t read it yet and thought the newsletter was getting pretty packed as it was. Haha great minds think alike, though! I plan to get to it.
I see you putting in the WORK to build a beautiful life. Always appreciate your weekly personal reflections on what's working for you and your family. :)
That essay by Anthony Bradley is both incredible and depressing. Thank you for sharing it! I learned so much.