Natural Parenting Begins With a Natural Pregnancy

by on March 21, 2012
in natural parenting · 11 Comments

Written by contributor Emily McClements of Live Renewed. 

Setting a strong foundation for natural parenting begins with a having a natural pregnancy. For many women, their journey toward more green and natural living begins when they find out they are pregnant for the first time. When you’re pregnant, you become suddenly aware of the kind of lifestyle you are living, and the way that the choices you’re making, and the things in your environment, will affect your baby, both in utero and once he or she is born.

You may be considering, for the first time, how to start making healthy and natural changes to your lifestyle, or being feeling overwhelmed with where to start. I know this was true for me, when I was pregnant with my first daughter five years ago, and I started down the path toward greener living that my family and I are on today. Pregnancy is a really great time to start making simple natural and green chances in your lifestyle and around your home.

[Read more...]

Nature Journaling with Kids

by on March 12, 2012
in living mindfully, natural parenting · 32 Comments

 Written by contributor Stacy Karen of A Delightful Home.

When we observe the intricate workings of the natural world, we grow in appreciation and awe of this beautiful earth we call home. Even the smallest insect is absolutely amazing.

A deeper connection to the world around us often brings a desire to treat the planet, and the many creatures that live upon it, well. That’s a good thing.

Nature journaling helps us pay attention to our surroundings.  It also forces us to slow down and breathe a little; something most of us need to do more often.

The natural curiosity of children makes them excellent candidates for nature journaling. It’s a fun family activity and an excellent way for kids to develop an awareness and appreciation of the earth. It’s also helpful in teaching science, art, writing, and research skills.

What is nature journaling?

In essence, nature journaling is simply recording observations of nature.

A nature journal might include sketches of animals and insects, pressed flowers, notes copied from a book, nature-inspired poetry, photographs, and so on. There are no rules.

How to Start Nature Journaling with Your Kids

If this is a new practice for your family, I highly recommend starting out with a very relaxed altitude.

Your first session might look something like this:
[Read more...]

15 Natural Solutions for Kid Messes

by on February 10, 2012
in home & garden, natural parenting · 53 Comments

Written by contributor Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship.

“Do you have kids or pets?” the carpet cleaners always ask. That seems to be the universal measuring stick for how clean your carpets and walls are going to be (or not be).

Kids are notoriously messy, and I do believe they’ve earned the reputation justly.

From a variety of bodily fluids on the carpet to crayon on the walls and crumbs mortaring the cracks in the table, moms have lots to say about the messes kids make. When I asked on Facebook about kid mess examples, I got lots of fodder for this post. Here are the highlights:

[Read more...]

Baby-Led Weaning: Real Food for Little Ones

by on January 25, 2012
in health, nutrition, & food, natural parenting · 30 Comments

Written by editor Nicole Bennett.

I can barely believe my littlest treasure is old enough to be eating any food other than mama’s milk, but time sure does fly, especially with baby number three. Right before Christmas, when we found ourselves at the six-month milestone I decided it was time to start introducing solids.

This time around, I wanted to try something new in terms of baby food. I mainly fed my first baby, Gigi, homemade baby food. I was an avid student of the Super Baby Food book and thoroughly enjoyed it. When Brody came along, a generous friend brought us jars of organic baby food by the bagful, which was such a blessing. I continued to supplement that stash with homemade purées.

A friend had mentioned the term baby-led weaning to me a couple of years ago and after recently coming across the idea again, I decided that with baby number three, this method just might work out best for me. I’ve been gradually taking our family down the real food road so it just makes sense to me to dive right into real food with the baby.

Not to mention… what mom of a four-year old and a one-and-a-half-year old has time to sit down and feed the baby a whole jar of food anyways (let alone batch cook and puree?!)?

Today I’m here to tell you a bit about the philosophy and what the first couple of months of eating have been like for baby Hallee.

[Read more...]

Aromatherapy for Kids: 5 Ways to Bring Comfort and Cheer

by on October 26, 2011
in natural parenting · 11 Comments

The last time I was at my parents’ home, I noticed my mother was wearing her signature perfume – one that she has worn since I was a very small child. One whiff of that scent and I was transported back to childhood memories of sitting on the bathroom counter, watching her get ready for the day.

We all know what an incredible and powerful role scent has on our memories, and many of us have experienced how exposure to certain smells can trigger thoughts, emotions, and sensations. We often think of incorporating aromatherapy into our own lives through bath and body care, burning candles or incense, or even in caring for our clothing, but how often do we intentionally teach our children about the power of scent?

Babies, toddlers, and children tend to be much more in tune with their five senses, and our senses seem to be sharper and more sensitive when we are younger. Here are a few ways to incorporate aromatherapy into your home in a way that meets the needs of your children in the present while empowering them with knowledge to utilize it in their lives in the years to come. [Read more...]

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »