About Natural Parenting

Major tenets of Natural Parenting  

- Collaboration within our community and family unit

- Accountability for what we put in and on our bodies

- Responsibility for what we use in our environment

- Engagement with the environment

Natural Parenting is an umbrella term used to cover a range of parenting styles and approaches. For many it starts with

Engagement and Responsibility to Our Environment: There is often a goal for a family that believes in Natural Parenting to do all that they can to minimize their families environmental footprint. For some this will include using cloth diapers, living in an energy efficient home, spending time in nature or supporting initiatives that reduce waste.

Natural Learning: Natural Parenting embraces learning from our environment. Often this is enacted by limiting exposure to mass media and technology; promoting imaginary play; encouraging engagement with the outdoors and allowing for natural consequences.

Whole Nourishment: Caring about what we put into our bodies is a cornerstone of Natural Parenting. This may include breastfeeding, using milk banks, eating local products and using non-GMO formula. Parents who take a natural approach to parenting are often interested in locally grown food alternatives. Cloth Diapering and elimination communication; watching for a child’s natural signals to minimize time spent in soiled diapers and allowing time without out a diaper.

Using Organic Products for hygiene, clothing and cleaning.

Positive Joint Parenting: No matter the structure of the family the caregivers share the responsibility of parenting through positive reinforcement, clear expectations, and open communication. Often we embrace communication by listening and watching for signals from the children before they are able to speak. Sometime called responsive parenting, this includes giving positive reinforcement of wanted behaviors and alternatives for behaviors that we want to extinguish.

Holistic Health Practices: Minimizing use of antibiotics and western medicine and being open to low intervention health care. For some families this includes using a vaccination schedule that differs from the schedule outlined by the AAP or CDC. For others it mean trying Acupuncture, Chiropractic care, Reiki, Yoga, Meditation, Chakra therapy, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Chinese cupping therapy, Crystal therapy, Hypnotherapy, or Talk therapy in conjunction with or before western medicine. This may also include planning for a low intervention childbirth that uses water or breathing to minimize discomfort; not taking part in genetic testing during prenatal care or skipping elective ultrasounds.