Michelle Haddock
Hello! My name is Michelle. I am a lifelong wanderer who has happily put down roots in Chattanooga with my husband, three sons, rescue mutt and bunny rabbit. We are a family of free spirits and strong wills so our life is always messy, loud and full of adventure. You can read my sporadic ramblings about unschooling, gentle parenting, special needs and our everyday adventures at weirdbird.weebly.com, or get a glimpse into our lives on Instagram. I am excited to be here!
Natural Ways to Combat Colds and Flu
Cold and flu season has not been kind to my family this year. From what I hear, it has not been kind to anyone’s family this year. I do not think we have had...
Why I Stopped Saying No To My Kids
When people learn that we unschool, they generally assume that we let our children do whatever they want all day. Theoretically, this is true. Beyond “do no harm,” there are not many rules in...
A Family-Friendly Guide to MainX24
If you have never attended Chattanooga’s MainX24 festival, you do not know what you are missing. MainX24 is a 24-hour long festival held at the beginning of December celebrating Main Street and the revitalized...
Growing Up As an Attachment Parent
Although I am not a fan of labels, if I had to choose one to define my parenting style, it would probably be “attachment parent.” If you are a mother or know a mother...
Celebrating Milestones When Your Child Has Special Needs
Every year on my children’s birthdays, I tend to get a little bit sappy; my kids would probably say a lot sappy. I reminisce about the day they were born and playfully lament about...
Growing Up Wild: The Benefits of a Dangerous Childhood
This summer, my four year old learned to climb trees. It happened in a single afternoon on the magnolias at Coolidge Park. One minute, he was swinging on the lower branches. The next minute,...
This is Childism
I recently took my kids and our puppy to the park. We had a nice time and on the way out of the park, my seven-year-old asked to hold the dog's leash. Bodhi is a ten-month-old wire-haired terrier mix....
School’s Out Forever: Unschooling Explained
Every year, as she drove my brother and I home from the last day of school, my mother would burst forth in song:
No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks! School’s...