Welcome!
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This newsletter is designed to offer you insights, inspiration, and support to weather the storm of this moment. We hope to contribute to your family life and nourish the wonder, innocence, and imagination of your young children.  Allow us to relieve of you of any burden you might be carrying in thinking that you must now home "school" your little ones.  The Homefolk newsletter is designed to offer you support in a rhythm when so many of the daily rhythms that typically anchored us have fallen away.

Please read this newsletter (or don't), not with an eye toward becoming the perfect parent (as if such a thing could ever exist), nor with the goal of putting into practice everything we offer you.  Instead, take from it that which immediately draws you in, that which your heart says "yes" to.  If you find yourself reading something and thinking "I should really do that," with a sense of resignation, then it is probably not the time to try.  Tuck it away, knowing you can come back to it for future reference or inspiration. Wait for a time when your energy truly is present and your heart can truly say, "yes."

Being the parent of young children, in the best of times, can take tremendous energy, and leave us feeling tired much of the time.  In times like these, it is vital we protect, conserve, and nourish our energy.  Please look towards these offerings for that which will conserve your energy and improve your quality of life.  Please take from these offerings only what supports your family to be healthier, happier, more rhythmic, and grounded.  

We are here for you. We are in this together.

​Did you know that the male American Robin sings a beautiful tune and is usually the last bird singing as the sun sets?

Parent Survival Kit: Resources, Links and Stuff to Support

What to do if your child misses Wild Roots
Pro Tip#1 Serve rice cakes and nut butter. Allow child to prepare this snack themselves
Pro Tip#2 Provide things for your child to "HOST" tea for the family. Request a tea song or two. 

What to do when you really need to get some work done
Remember that young children love to hear the same stories over and over. Rather than watching the same show over and over, or looking for something new or novel to entertain them, allow them to listen to a story from one of these recommended story sites. Children will likely want to listen to the same story repeatedly and when they are really done, remember that in a few weeks or a month, they might want to hear it again!

https://www.elderberrytales.com
https://www.sparklestories.com
https://www.pipilotales.com

If you need any specific survival tips, feel free to email us, we got your back! 

​Posted by Tyler Starbard, Dandelion teacher 

Twist a tongue, and tongue a twist, 
how fast can your tongue twist these tricks? 
 
Tongue twisters, or phrases with successive similar sounds, are a fun way to help enhance pronunciation skills. By practicing these tricky phrases we are strengthening and stretching the muscles involved in speech. Tongue twisters can also bring awareness and growth to speech patterns and language.  
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For the adult: Begin slowly and carefully by modeling crisp pronunciation and avoid running words together.  Repeat the phrases with increasing speed while maintaining clarity. If too much excitement sets in, it can also be fun to speak phrases as slowly or as quietly as you can. Try these with your kids: 

Busy buzzing bumble bees 
The pack of flies 
had a lack of pies. 
And to their surprise, 
a bad salad, and 
so they sang a sad ballad.