Raising a Natural Child

A fundamental part of leading a more natural lifestyle is to question conventional parenting wisdom. Conventional parenting isn't necessarily wrong, it should just be questioned why we keep doing things over and over again when there are studies out that show some of the things that parents have done for years, may not be the best practice.

Here are some conventional wisdom I have encountered and questioned. I'm not going to tell you what to do with it, just give you some things to think about. Do your own research and make a truly informed decision on the way you raise your children.

Question these common conventional parenting ideas:

1. Vaccinations are necessary for your child's good health. There is lots of research questioning the safety of just about every vaccine we give to our children. Most disease that we give our kids shots for can be controlled by good nutrition practices and some natural treatments.

2. Fat is bad for our children. This is a terrible mistake a parent might make and can cost your children immeasurably harm in terms of your child's health. For information on the importance of fats in the diets of growing children check out the American Academy of Pediatric website, learn about the difference between good fats and bad fats for children.

3. Babies do not have muscle control to their bowels. Parents all over the world have learned to tune in to their baby's potty needs so that they can help their child control their bodily functions, thus eliminating most uses for diapers.

4. The doctor knows what is best for my child. Doctors are trained to practice medicine and we are grateful for their expertise in emergency situations. However, that doesn't mean they should be the end all be all guide to our child's health, they certainly do not know your child as well as you do. You should look at your doctor as an equal partner, and you should educate yourself about the health issues affecting your family. Ultimately the responsibility lies with the parent to know what is best for your own child.

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Authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner say that data suggest that who you are as a parent matters more to your child's outcome than your parenting style. Thus, if you want your child to live a more natural lifestyle you should lead by example and your child will naturally follow what you do.

From their book Freakanomics;

1st Step; Get rid of the television. Everything after this will be easy, though it may prove to be the hardest thing your family has ever done. Of all the high tech appliances most have in their home, why pick on the television? Because your children are bombarded by advertisers everyday to buy things that you as a parent never intended to buy your child in the first place.

You child walks into the grocery story with you and immediately wants "that" cereal, not because she loves it and it is good for her, but because her favorite cartoon character endorses it. Sound familiar? If you like some of the educational shows on TV you can often get them at your local public library. Your child can enjoy all the same shows they enjoyed, minus the commercials.

2nd Step; Get your entire family a good quality bicycle. If you have toddlers or babies, part of what you'll need is a side cart or tagalong cart like the one below. Older children should have their own bikes along with helmets. Once everyone in your family has a bike and a helmet, start taking rides as a family.

Make your first trips easy ones, like running errands, take trip to the corner store. After a few of these types of trips, the family will be ready for longer and longer trips. Bike rides to the park for a family picnic are always a big hit.

Each trip you take with your bike rather than your car means that much less pollution you're putting into the air that our children are breathing, not to mention the fresh air and exercise you all will get.

Once you take these first steps, you will have a great start towards a more natural lifestyle for your whole family.

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The patented SideCarrier is the coolest way to see the world with your child, as they ride right beside you. It allows your child to have an unobstructed view of the road as you head down the pathways together. Ultra-stable with an extra-low center of gravity SideCarrier hitch installs in minutes on most standard bikes. You can then attach or remove the SideCarrier in seconds The SideCarrier mounts on the bike's right-hand side, so the child is on the safer side of the bike paths, away from oncoming pathway users The SideCarrier stays upright at all times, however, the pivoting hitch allows the bike to lean gracefully into turns The axles of the bike and SideCarrier align, so the SideCarrier's wheels don't scrub or skid when turning, even when stopped

Chariot SideCarrier 1 Child Side Mounted Child Carrier

Is your child spending enough time outside? Richard Louv, author of Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, most children spend very little time outside these days. Many medical and mental health experts say they are greatly concerned about how little time our children are spending in the great outdoors. What are some of the problems that result from children who spend too little time outside or who we will call "nature deficit"?

The First big problem with children spending too little time outside is the weight issues in children. Other equally concerning issues are; attention problems, depression, anxiety and stress. According to Louv, several studies point to a connection between the increasing amount of time our kids spend indoors and emotional, health and social issues.

Kids today are often driven from one activity to another and then to another, most of these activities taking place indoors. What are our kids missing out on?

Mostly what are kids are missing out on is the fact that spending time in nature can help relieve stress. It can also helps kids focus more. One study conducted by the University of Illinois found that children with attention problems can focus better after outdoor activities.

Unstructured play time, the kind our kids get when they are just playing and exploring the great outdoors has been shown to enhanced emotional and social development. Children become better at problem solving and as well as getting along better with other kids. Kids who get outside more tend to be calmer, eat better and get a more restful sleep.

So how do we make sure our kids are getting enough time outside, especially if we don't live in a rural area? One way is to structure recreation around nature. Spending time in parks, taking walks on nature trails, hiking, mountain climbing, visiting lakes, rivers and beaches and picnics outdoors are some ideas. Even in urban areas you probably have access to city parks and botanical gardens. Build a tree house in your backyard if you can.

Encourage your kids to go outside and play as much as possible. Make it mandatory they spend a certain amount of time each day. Like eating vegetables, once they try it they may very well find out they really like it. If it's not safe for your kids to play outside without supervision, then spend time outside with them. Go for walks outside as a family. Involve the kids in outdoor chores like yard work, raking leaves, cleaning cars, etc. The benefits will likely be obvious to you very quickly and are worth the extra effort.

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Last Child in the Woods:
Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

Today's kids are increasingly disconnected from the natural world, says child advocacy expert Louv (Childhood's Future; Fatherlove; etc.), even as research shows that "thoughtful exposure of youngsters to nature can... be a powerful form of therapy for attention-deficit disorder and other maladies." Instead of passing summer months hiking, swimming and telling stories around the campfire, children these days are more likely to attend computer camps or weight-loss camps: as a result, Louv says, they've come to think of nature as more of an abstraction than a reality. Indeed, a 2002 British study reported that eight-year-olds could identify Pokémon characters far more easily than they could name "otter, beetle, and oak tree."