Welcome to Hippie World -- Today's Bonus Post

Ok, we all know by now that I'm a transplanted East Coast (and Southern) girl into the world of free love, earth mothers, and silicone valley, right? We all also know that by comparison I'm a wee bit high strung and often look at these people like they are from Mars. Ok, just checking we are all on the same page.

I joined a "Mother's Club." I needed friends, thought women with kids could be a nice group of people to meet, right? I think I found the lost colony of loons. Now, let's keep in mind I live in hippie world. There's this Yahoo group for my Mother's club. They typically ask for potty training advice, playgroup things, and oh, selling/giving away of stuff. On the East Coast, I thought this was an important part of mommyhood, where kids clothing/toys/stuff never dies, it just gets passed on until it finally gets to GoodWill and then sold on eBay. So alas. I see lots of: does anyone want this or that e-mails. No biggie right? Until I saw this one:

12 Organic cloth diapers, 2 bumkins small, 6 litewraps med (15-20lbs), 2 litewraps newborn (up to 10 lbs). 2 rolls (100 sheets ech) Kushies diaper liners.
$20 for the lot
All in great condition.

Does anyone else see an issue here? Let go through the Queen's thoughts one by one:

• Used diapers? HELLO? Yes, I'd like some used tampons please. I'm sorry, I'm highly opposed to putting something YOUR child poo'd in on my child's butt. Yes, I'm aware of diaper services and the fact this isn't all that weird, BUT services have HIGH temp washings and I don't KNOW the person who poo'd in the diaper before my son.
• CLOTH diapers? Ok, I'm well aware of the landfill issues. I'm well aware of tons of enviromental things (I'm even rather aware that cloth diapered babies potty train sooner); but it is 2006, folks. I believe that God invented disposable diapers for a reason and we should embrass them. Plus after a few weeks of dealing with accidents in training pants in the Snark House, I'm thinking that two years of cloth diapers would have had me wandering the streets telling people the world was coming to an end. Go on and ask the next homeless woman you see, I bet she'll tell you she's on the streets because she put her kid in cloth diapers, or maybe not -- is worth a shot though.
• $20 bucks for the lot? Ok, here's where I draw the line. People are giving away strollers, climbing structures, and STUFF all the time and you are SELLING diapers, used diapers?? Hey, and did you know that diapers make excellant cleaning cloths? Or maybe you are opposed to dusting your house with something your kid poo'd in? Would that make you think twice about selling them to one of us?
  
• Finally, the Queen has a question. Is the reason all of these are in newborn sizes because you realized that this was a freak idea and you joined the rest of us on Earth who know and love our disposable diapers? Or is your kid potty trained?

Yes, the Queen has issues, why do you ask? And the biggest thing I'm having problems with is that in a day I'll see this same woman write that the diapers are sold. Why did I move here again?
To leave you -- this is by far my favorite posting to date. I've removed all the places to protect the innocent:

Wow, that new XXXXXX Montessori school sounds absolutely amazing. I spoke with them further and they are dedicated to organics and health. No pesticides, nontoxic cleaning and craft supplies, even no carpet and a low VOC paint. Just the kind of place I want my daughter to spend time in! It's a big chunk of money to spend but, per hour, it's actually much cheaper than a babysitter.

The catch? They absolutely won't take children under 3 years. My daughter is 14 months.

I'm not looking for day care/school right now, but my home business is picking up substantially and I may need this in a few months. Soapmaking is *not* compatible with toddlers.

So I'm considering options for the future. I have two wonderful babysitters I found through XXXXX's babysitting network, but I think a school-like atomsphere would be a good thing, and the costs are lower (not a big deal for the occasional day or evening, but it adds up when it's regular).

Are there any other organically-minded places around? If the place is like this, you'll know it. I really can't use places that don't spray pesticides inside but don't know what building maintanance is doing to the outside, or places that are willing to not to use the Lysol in front of my daughter, etc. I want the whole package: organic gardens, wooden toys, natural cleaners, and nontoxic building supplies.

I love the XXXXX Waldorf school in XXXXXXX but it's pretty far away, awfully expensive, short, and all the classes for children younger than kindergarden require a parent/caregiver to be there too.

I personally am not interested in any place that is identified Christian, but go ahead and send info if appropriate, and I'll include it in the compilation. Btw, the only Jewish day care in town sprays extremely toxic pesticides indoors and outdoors and uses pressure treated lumber for the gardens and children's play areas. This is what I need to avoid. Go ahead and give info for any age, since I know people with older children who are interested too, though something for toddlers is ideal for me.

So other than XXXXX Montessori, what's available? If you email me privately with your replies, I'll compile them for the list in a few days.