Comments on: Raising Green Kids – The Reality http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/ Green and Natural Parenting Wed, 23 May 2012 20:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: DandelionGirl http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6855 DandelionGirl Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:29:56 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6855 Ya, raising kids can be tricky. I tend to be an all-or-nothing type of person that wants everything to be perfect. I'm learning to try to balance things. Nutrition is my big passion and at first I wouldn't let our family eat anything remotely not perfect. That got old fast and if anything just turned my husband off to eating well. I think we've made more progress as a family since I relaxed a bit. I've let my daughter run in the sprinkler too. It's just a part of being a kid. I try to wait until the water is really needed in the yard/garden though. Ya, raising kids can be tricky. I tend to be an all-or-nothing type of person that wants everything to be perfect. I’m learning to try to balance things. Nutrition is my big passion and at first I wouldn’t let our family eat anything remotely not perfect. That got old fast and if anything just turned my husband off to eating well. I think we’ve made more progress as a family since I relaxed a bit.
I’ve let my daughter run in the sprinkler too. It’s just a part of being a kid. I try to wait until the water is really needed in the yard/garden though.

]]> By: Melissa http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6854 Melissa Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:55:56 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6854 I've always been told that children are horrible learners from the things we say. Much better learners from the things we do. So, hopefully that is the case and the little things we do despite the occasional 'no' for the best interest of the earth will make an impression. I’ve always been told that children are horrible learners from the things we say. Much better learners from the things we do. So, hopefully that is the case and the little things we do despite the occasional ‘no’ for the best interest of the earth will make an impression.

]]> By: green blog http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6853 green blog Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:24:25 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6853 It has never been easy raising kids but it’s always a challenge and the fact that we want to stick to our “green” agenda makes things become even tougher. It has never been easy raising kids but it’s always a challenge and the fact that we want to stick to our “green” agenda makes things become even tougher.

]]> By: Sarah http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6852 Sarah Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:30:44 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6852 I have given my children free rein with the water in our rain barrels. They get the water they love and we reuse what we have been given. I have given my children free rein with the water in our rain barrels. They get the water they love and we reuse what we have been given.

]]> By: Brooke http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6851 Brooke Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:53:39 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6851 I try to pick my battles but admit it is difficult. I work full time so my daughter goes to the babysitter's 4-5 days a week. Our babysitter is not so green one big issue with me has been the food she gives my daughter. I haven't ever brought it up because I am just thankful she cooks my daughter meals every day and doesn't charge us a fortune, she went along with us using cloth diapers for a few months (until a really gross incident, so I don't blame her) and now she is potty training my daughter, overall her heart is in the right place and my daughter loves her. Just like my in laws bought my daughter all new clothing for a cruise we are going to in the winter. I normally try to find used clothing before buying new and I would like to move towards buying only organic clothing for us. Yet, I also couldn't help but feel grateful that they picked up clothing for my daughter and lifted that weight off my shoulders. I think not expecting perfection is just as good an example as being caring and concerned about the world around us. I try to pick my battles but admit it is difficult. I work full time so my daughter goes to the babysitter’s 4-5 days a week. Our babysitter is not so green one big issue with me has been the food she gives my daughter. I haven’t ever brought it up because I am just thankful she cooks my daughter meals every day and doesn’t charge us a fortune, she went along with us using cloth diapers for a few months (until a really gross incident, so I don’t blame her) and now she is potty training my daughter, overall her heart is in the right place and my daughter loves her. Just like my in laws bought my daughter all new clothing for a cruise we are going to in the winter. I normally try to find used clothing before buying new and I would like to move towards buying only organic clothing for us. Yet, I also couldn’t help but feel grateful that they picked up clothing for my daughter and lifted that weight off my shoulders. I think not expecting perfection is just as good an example as being caring and concerned about the world around us.

]]> By: Sommer http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6850 Sommer Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:57:16 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6850 I'm with you on this one. We try but we can suck the fun out of being and kid. However, being a green kid is fun too! I do what Sonjia does and we take the water play water and reuse it water the plants. The kids like this. I also do what Renee does and use the dehumidfier water and we use it in our water table. You have to get creative. I’m with you on this one. We try but we can suck the fun out of being and kid. However, being a green kid is fun too! I do what Sonjia does and we take the water play water and reuse it water the plants. The kids like this.

I also do what Renee does and use the dehumidfier water and we use it in our water table.

You have to get creative.

]]> By: Renee http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6849 Renee Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:47:33 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6849 Yes green could be fun too! For water solution: we live in the maritime so you guess it!!! humidity here we go!!!! we save our water from the dehumidifier and play outdoor with it! Getting wet was always one of my fav when I was young!!!! Yes green could be fun too! For water solution: we live in the maritime so you guess it!!! humidity here we go!!!! we save our water from the dehumidifier and play outdoor with it! Getting wet was always one of my fav when I was young!!!!

]]> By: Tiffany http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6848 Tiffany Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:18:54 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6848 Sonyia, we do that too. We also put the waterslide on a dry patch of grass, rotating it each time so it gets watered....cause otherwise we don't really water our grass, even when we have droughts. Polka Dot Mommy, we have well water too. I hadn't thought about it that way before...good point. Cindi, great points! Thanks for sharing. :) Sonyia, we do that too. We also put the waterslide on a dry patch of grass, rotating it each time so it gets watered….cause otherwise we don’t really water our grass, even when we have droughts.

Polka Dot Mommy, we have well water too. I hadn’t thought about it that way before…good point.

Cindi, great points! Thanks for sharing. :)

]]> By: Cindi http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6847 Cindi Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:14:39 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6847 We just moved back to Denver after being gone for three years. We thought living in the country would be great for the kids, but it turned out they were bored to death. There are only so many natural things you can do before they become boring. One thing I am not fond of is the zoo and the circus. I have a problem with animals being out of their natural habitat and being taught to dance like Michael Jackson (the elephants moonwalked to a MJ song at a circus we went to). Anyway, as you said, you can't keep your kids from doing normal kid stuff or they will hate life. How I got around this was when we went to the circus, I asked my 5 year old daughter, who is an animal lover, how she thought the animals felt while they were performing. She decided they weren't really having much fun and now she doesn't care to go to the circus ever again. We went to the zoo last weekend and we did have a good time. We talked about the animals and how they made their way to our zoo. We also talked about how animals should always live in their natural habitat, but sometimes this just wasn't possible. We also found out that part of our ticket money went to animal help projects so we felt that was bonus. After our visit to the zoo, my daughter has decided she wants to work their when she gets older so she can help take better care of the animals and do more to help other animals that live in the wild. It's not a perfect world, but we need to teach our children to see the good in being green and natural whenever we can. We can't change everything that's not right, but we can step in and help whenever the opportunity presents itself. We just moved back to Denver after being gone for three years. We thought living in the country would be great for the kids, but it turned out they were bored to death. There are only so many natural things you can do before they become boring.

One thing I am not fond of is the zoo and the circus. I have a problem with animals being out of their natural habitat and being taught to dance like Michael Jackson (the elephants moonwalked to a MJ song at a circus we went to). Anyway, as you said, you can’t keep your kids from doing normal kid stuff or they will hate life.

How I got around this was when we went to the circus, I asked my 5 year old daughter, who is an animal lover, how she thought the animals felt while they were performing. She decided they weren’t really having much fun and now she doesn’t care to go to the circus ever again.

We went to the zoo last weekend and we did have a good time. We talked about the animals and how they made their way to our zoo. We also talked about how animals should always live in their natural habitat, but sometimes this just wasn’t possible. We also found out that part of our ticket money went to animal help projects so we felt that was bonus.

After our visit to the zoo, my daughter has decided she wants to work their when she gets older so she can help take better care of the animals and do more to help other animals that live in the wild.

It’s not a perfect world, but we need to teach our children to see the good in being green and natural whenever we can. We can’t change everything that’s not right, but we can step in and help whenever the opportunity presents itself.

]]> By: Polka Dot Mommy http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6846 Polka Dot Mommy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:54:55 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6846 We have a Banzai water slide as well. The kids love it. We manage to turn the water off after a while and they play in it without the water constantly running. It still uses A LOT of water, but we live in the country with a well and I tell myself that in a couple weeks that water will find its way back to our ground water. Kids have to be kids and if we suck all the fun out of it... well, they aren't going to grow up green... they are going to grow up rebellious and resentful! Cheers! Jamie We have a Banzai water slide as well. The kids love it. We manage to turn the water off after a while and they play in it without the water constantly running. It still uses A LOT of water, but we live in the country with a well and I tell myself that in a couple weeks that water will find its way back to our ground water. Kids have to be kids and if we suck all the fun out of it… well, they aren’t going to grow up green… they are going to grow up rebellious and resentful!

Cheers!
Jamie

]]> By: Sonyia http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/08/12/raising-green-kids-the-reality/#comment-6845 Sonyia Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:27:14 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1383#comment-6845 One small thing that we do with the water after we are done with the kiddie pool is take the water out by bucket fulls and water the plants. It's a small gesture but it adds up. The kids also have just as much emptying out the pool as filling it up. One small thing that we do with the water after we are done with the kiddie pool is take the water out by bucket fulls and water the plants. It’s a small gesture but it adds up. The kids also have just as much emptying out the pool as filling it up.

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