Introducing :: 'Seasonal Living and Learning E-Zine'
Who Are We?
This site, and subsequent e-zine for download, is the result of many years umming and ahhing and ruminating and procrastinating. The brainchild of me, Deborah Qalballah, who some of you may know through my blog 'My So Called Life {and other lies}', or from the Flickr group Waldorf Inspired Homeschooling, this concept has been in the making since 2005, when my blog at the time was based squarely on homeschooling (and can be found at 'Islamic Homeschool Diary').
Educated to post-graduate level I have attended the University of Leeds, thereafter the University of Cambridge, and hold a degree in Philosophy and Sociology with a minor in Theology. I am a fully qualified secondary school teacher, children's book author, as well as holding qualifications in counselling. I am passionate about family, childhood, education and homesteading, and harbour not-so-secret desires to have my own farm!
Why Did I Start This Blog and E-Zine?
I started this project as a response from the many emails I used to get requesting ideas, help, advice on homeschooling and parenting when I ran my homeschool blog. I knew there was a need for this type help, advice and ideas way back in 2005, but I didn't really have a clear idea how to develop it further.
Fast forward to 2010-2011 when someone close to me was writing a book for download only and that's when I had my slap-on-the-forehead moment - and I quickly began putting together material for a downloadable e-zine.
Who is This Zine For?
This is for anybody who wants to connect and bond with their children but who needs some inspiration, ideas or resources to make this happen!
This is for people who want more craft, creativity and critical thinking going on on their homes!
This is for people who want help to live simply, and slow down.
This is for homeschoolers.
This is for NON homeschoolers.
This is for people who homestead and for people who DON'T homestead.
This is for people who love family and home.
This is for those who want to tread on the earth lightly, consciously, mindfully and to take life itself as a lesson.
What are our Aims & Objectives?
1. See Our Life a Whole Entity
Firstly, life cannot be segmented and regimented into time slots and subject-matter, as is so often the case in modern compartmentalised living.
Like the world around us, the body has its own rhythms, its own times of growth, times of quiet, times to bloom and times to lay down and move on. We are not robots, and we ignore the nuances of our nature at our peril. Our aim is to detach ourselves from the need for timetables, and to encourage families to seize *every* moment for truly living and learning, engaging and bonding together in everything we do, from the mundane to the insane! From meal planning to star gazing, from teeth cleaning to bug watching - it's all connected!
2. Live Consciously, Noting Our Effects on the World around us
Secondly, we are not detached from the universe around us, but we make up the tapestry in a rich and deeply connected way. We cannot be expected to dissect the world to understand it. We must live life to know and to grow. The knowledge of the meal is in the tasting, not reading of the recipe!
We would hope that this zine would contribute towards a more mindful living, a conscious life, living in the moment, appreciating the smallest of wonders and to accept our place within, finding deep joy and peace and acceptance.
By encouraging mindful choices and conscious living this zine hopes to contribute in some small way to a more meaningful life.
3. Protect Childhood, Protect Family
Thirdly, childhood is being lost in a frenzy of peer pressure, sexualisation, technological virtual living and parents who work hard to keep our level of consumerism up. Homes are becoming devoid of homeliness, no more than glorified hotels!
This zine aims to place family, and children, at the very centre of our lives, to make our homes into homesteads and not just well-designed show rooms. This zine aims to help people step back, slow down, stop needless consuming and base our families on the things which are truly most important :: connecting and bonding and being. We give nothing more important or precious to another than ourselves.
4. Self-Reliance
Finally, in this precarious world of consumerism, this zine aims to encourage and to help families rely on their own hard work to continue to thrive. Homesteading, as a movement, is growing and we see this as a way to help the planet, and more importantly allow families to grow together by keeping costs low, allowing more time for family rather than work, whilst also teaching our children to survive and thrive as dignified, independent, thinking, human beings in an age of infantilised mindless consumers.
How Do we Differ From What's Out There Already?
This is more than simply a parenting manifesto, more than a few activities to try in the holidays or for things for children to do on their own as you grab a cup of coffee - this aims to be a comprehensive e-zine packed with ideas, activities, patterns, downloads, schemes of work, resource lists and print outs - absolutely packed and brimming for more age groups than just the preschool to bring seasonal living and learning together for the whole family!
There will be things just for parents; things just for children; and things to do together.
There will homesteading tips, DIY tutorials, recipes, cooking, as well as crafting, adventuring, growing and learning.
When Will the E-Zines be Published?
The zines are based on the seasons, so will be ready for download two weeks before the 'beginning' of each season :: March/Spring, June/Summer, September/Autumn, Decemeber/Winter, ie. February 15th, May 15th, August 15th and November 15th - to give you a head start on the up and coming season's activities.
In addition to these general zines, it is envisioned that additional, stand-alone, 'bolt-on' zines covering a whole educational topic to be covered with your babes will be available to download at various times through-out the year. Stay tuned for those!
How Much Will They Cost?
Currently each Seasonal Living & Learning E-Zine will be £2.50, roughly 2.80EUR or $4.00. :: less than £1 a month for a jam-packed zine!
Payment will be through PayPal and any currency conversion will be processed automatically through them.
What about contributors?
Eventually I would LOVE for this thing to be opened up to contributors, please sign up to the Yahoo group on the sidebar of the blog if you would like to be kept informed on when we are ready for your input.
