Many of today’s parents are seeking natural remedies and a holistic lifestyle for themselves and their families in an effort to attain optimal health and live a greener life. Holistic parenting is about understanding how our choices are connected. Being conscious of our choices enables us to think on a larger scale and to do what is best for our families both in the short term and the long term.
Be Informed. Being informed in all of your parenting and health choices is a cornerstone of whole living. Investigate your options educate yourself on the benefits as well as the risks of your parenting, healthcare, and lifestyle choices.
Cultivate Trust. Living holistically starts with a shift in your perspective, away from fear and uncertainty and toward trust in yourself, your body, and nature’s healing power. Cultivating this trust is challenging, but uncovering it is ultimately a source of empowerment.
Tune Into Your Mother (or Father) Wisdom. Deep within yourself lies your inner wisdom and intuition, as well as your spiritual voice. What feels right to you may not be the most traveled path but often will best serve your family.
Go Natural. The preponderance of chemicals in our food, homes, and environment is wreaking havoc on our health. We need to look for safe, non-toxic products to care for our homes, and to eliminate artificial ingredients, preservatives, and pesticides from our food.
Live Lightly on the Earth. Living holistically means recognizing the interconnectedness of our choices. Tread lightly by supporting industries that nurture the earth (such as organic farming), incorporating green practices into your life (such as recycling), and giving back of yourself through volunteer work.
Find Support. Creating and interacting with others who share similar philosophies is empowering and will help you to find the tools you need to grow a healthy family. What’s more, social support itself is health creating. Recent studies show that being socially connected to others can improve your physical health and is linked to lower mortality rates.
May your parenting journey be a healthy one!
The Holistic Moms Network (HMN) is a non-profit support and resource organization connecting parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. HMN was founded in 2003 by a handful of moms yearning for the support and friendship of others parenting outside the mainstream. Today - thanks to the ever-increasing popularity of alternative medicine and a growing environmental consciousness - HMN has more than 120 chapters across the U.S. and Canada.