About the Guide
Hello and welcome- my name is Melissa! I became a mother for the first time in 2016 and again in 2020. My boys are the absolute shining lights of my life. They have also reinforced my deep love of all things natural which translates into how we live our daily lives. We believe in nourishing our bodies with healthy whole plant foods (some of which we grow ourselves, organically), utilizing eco-friendly products whenever possible and also trying to foster the most important thing in life: healthy relationships with our family, friends and peers.
Located on our quaint 2-acre homestead, we have numerous fruit trees, berry bushes, edible plants, a little farm stand by the road, a large private vegetable and herb garden, a small one-room hangout house (located in the heart of the garden!), a brick patio with a mud kitchen, a covered sand box, a swing-set area, large walk-in stick teepee, climbing dome, separate children’s raised bed garden area, a generously sized covered deck, a trampoline and an expansive yard for children to explore. We also have access to numerous trails in the woods behind our property. We have three miniature pet pigs (live outdoors), a small dog, a collection of reptiles/small animals/insects and a whole jungle of houseplants which make our home feel like a tropical green paradise on the inside!
My children have been raised in an environment where attachment-style, gentle parenting is ‘the normal’ and they are free to express themselves in various ways without fear of shame or judgement. One of my boys has extra sensory needs and I am certainly no stranger to weighted blankets, body socks, serving foods cut up a certain way and providing clothing with a particular overall “feel” in addition to auditory overstimulation. We are all unique individuals and should be treated as such!
In the past I’ve run a once weekly homeschool co-op (Waldorf inspired) from my home with two other families which I really enjoyed. I also spent the 2023-2024 school year as a Prenda Guide in Concord, NH with 6 children ages K-3. This experience really solidified my love of learning alongside children and helping them grow academically. The main components missing from this experience, however, were the curriculum restrictions and the physical space restrictions. Branching away from Prenda for the upcoming school year fixed the first issue and moving the location to my home where I have ample space for us to explore was the resolution for the second issue.
My goal for the 2024-2025 school year is to assist homeschooled children with learning, growing and exploring the world around them. We will do this through numerous avenues including reading TONS of wonderful books, completing projects, getting our hands dirty, role-playing, group games, utilizing state-of-the-art online learning tools (as needed), and much, much more.
