The original natural family living magazine, founded in 1976. Reader-supported
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to high cost, high consumption lifestyles for themselves and their families.
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from Natural Life magazine, March/April
2009 Green Baby? Been there, done that, worn the (stained) T-shirt and washed the nappies. But what happens when your little one begins to wise-up to hand-me- downs and reject yard sale toys? What do you say when they are desperate to have what other children have and hang the ecological consequences? How do you keep your children green? Firstly, start as you plan to continue, so that your children are used to receiving toys without packaging (i.e. second-hand) or clothes without price-tags (passed on from friends). Emma, a mother of two from Harrogate, North Yorkshire in the U.K., says “I have a few friends at the school who have kids of different ages, so we tend to swap clothes and even shoes when they are outgrown. Sometimes we have a coffee morning and bring a bag of old clothes/toys and put them in the middle for pickings; the rest go to charity.” Charity shops are perfect hunting grounds for home-ware, clothes and toys, especially those in the more well-off districts. “When my two were toddlers,” says Emma, “I would buy them a toy from the goodwill shop as a treat. We got some great bargains! My kids have never pestered me for toys as, luckily, they cherish all their toys, but that makes it hard to get rid of old ones. I have two toy boxes and we keep several toys out to play with and then every few months I empty out the toy boxes. The kids have fun seeing playthings they had forgotten about and we put the more recently played with items to the bottom of the box.” Alternatively, store toys in your attic or basement and swap toy boxes every now and then. This keeps children interested in the playthings they already own and makes it less likely they will want more. Decorate their bedrooms with posters made from colorful wrapping paper, a collage of birthday cards, a collection of photos and, of course, their own artwork. This way they’ll have an individual space that reflects.... To read the rest of this article, subscribe to Natural Life's digital edition, which includes access to this and other back issues. A stay-at-home mom by day and a writer by night, Alison Bayne is married and lives in Harrogate, in the North of England, where she enjoys rising to the dual challenge of mindful parenting and living an eco life on a budget. Previously employed in industries as diverse as law, healthcare and education, she has found motherhood to be the only job she’s ever been much good at. Amidst rising utility bills and food prices, Alison is now thankful for her dad’s insistence throughout her childhood that lights be turned off, doors shut and extra sweaters worn. Last year, she grew vegetables in her back yard for the first time and dreams of meeting the challenges of the buy nothing lifestyle. |
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