You’ve heard of the mind-body connection that comes from practicing yoga. But did you realize, yoga can even help you access the deeper parts of yourself like your heart and soul? The mental, emotional, and physical benefits of yoga are worth exploring. Yoga has been found to help many mind issues through poses, breathing, and…
conscious living
Midwife-Led Care for Pregnancy & Birth: Dispelling the Myths of Midwifery
Of the many topics to research, and the numerous decisions to make when expecting a baby, perhaps one of the most important is whether to go with obstetric or midwife-led care. Indeed, this decision can drastically impact how the pregnancy and birth are viewed and handled. As Sheila Stubbs of Birthing the Easy Way writes,…
The Hidden Benefits of Negative Emotions
Sara Chana Silverstein is a long time contributor to Green Child. Today we’re sharing an excerpt we loved from her new book, Moodtopia: Tame Your Moods, De-Stress, and Find Balance Using Herbal Remedies, Aromatherapy, and More, about the hidden benefits of negative emotions and how we can learn from them. Every single human being, no matter…
5 Ways to Encourage an Attitude of Gratitude in Our Children
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ~ Melody Beattie Our adult brains know gratitude is important. When…
The Environmental Benefits of Remote Work
One of the greatest benefits of technology (especially for parents) is the rise in opportunities for working at home. It’s more convenient and often less stressful, and while you may not have considered this – there are many environmental benefits of remote work. While employees and employers alike rave about remote work — with benefits…
Why and How to Raise Earth-Conscious Kids
Raising earth-conscious kids might have been a novel idea a decade or more ago. An idea that was fringe that has gone in and out of being trendy. Now it’s imperative. If we humans want to continue to inhabit this planet in the ways we’ve become accustomed, we need to take steps to keep our…
Simple Ways to Bring Mindfulness to Your Family’s Daily Routine
Living mindfully can reduce your stress levels and improve your overall well being — but in today’s busy world, meditation or even simple mindfulness can take a back seat to the chaos. That goes double if you’ve got kids. You really can bring mindfulness to your family’s daily routine… no matter how busy your days get….
The Connection Economy: Why You Should Consider Renting Out Your Stuff
There are so many reason for renting out your stuff – financial, ecological, and don’t forget the convenience factor. We’re talking about why and how lending and borrowing non-essential items can be a huge benefit of the connection economy. The average power drill is used for just 12-13 minutes over its lifetime. Why then, have…
Green Spotlight: Jack Johnson’s All At Once Social Action Network
Each month, we highlight a green nonprofit or movement that inspires us. For Earth Month, it seemed fitting to shine the spotlight on Jack Johnson’s All At Once organization. (Plus, with this timing, there may still be time for you to find tickets to one of Jack’s shows this year.) This year’s Earth Day Network goal…
Inspiring Environmental Quotes for Earth Day
Some of these environmental quotes are from modern times, and some are ancient by today’s standards. No matter when they were said or written, it’s astonishing how significant these words remain. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret…
The Dangers of Endocrine Disruptors and How to Avoid Them
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals found in everything from personal care and cleaning products to canned goods, cookware, and plastics. These chemicals interfere with hormones and reproduction, and they may even cause serious neurological issues. In nature, plants and animals often mimic other species. Sometimes they look like the environment in order to blend in, or…
Fun Outdoor Winter Activities for the Whole Family
Editor’s note: We’re delighted to welcome back Naturalist David Mizejewski from the National Wildlife Federation and Ranger Rick. Today, he’s sharing outdoor winter activities for the family. If you have young animal lovers, be sure to check out his previous article on observing wildlife safely. It’s no secret that today’s kids are staying indoors more as…
Do You Have to Be Crunchy to Use Cloth Diapers?
When a stranger learns that you cloth diaper your baby, do they automatically add you to the “crunchy” category? Honestly – we all make judgements every day, every hour, every minute. In a social situation we consciously – or unconsciously – size up the people around us. When I see a woman in a perfectly…
Minimalist Parenting: How Your Family Can Benefit from Doing Nothing
It’s not just parents who need a deep, relaxing break. When everyone in the family gets the space and time to do nothing, the whole family wins. A new positive family rhythm is born from doing nothing. The reasons to get the whole family on board are many. It’s a frugal and easy self-care technique…
30 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment
Our society revolves around convenience. So when you try to reduce your impact on the environment, sometimes you have to make a slight mindset shift. Maybe it’s more convenient to buy a bottle of water while you’re out for the day. But what are the effects of that convenient choice? Probably a $2 hit to…
Get in the Picture: Making lasting memories for your family
Are you in your family photos? Or are you always the one hiding behind the camera. Sometimes moms (and dads) seem to need to permission to get in the picture. If that’s you – then here’s more than permission. Here’s an order: Get in the picture! You’ll be glad you did – and so will…
Ignore vs. Intervene: Allowing Your Child to Experience Natural Consequences
In the realm of gentle discipline, allowing your child to experience natural consequences can be an effective strategy for shaping behavior and teaching cause and effect. Natural consequences and logical consequences are very similar. The first is the natural or inevitable result of a person’s action. Your child leaves her new toy in the middle…
Shopping with Intent: How to Be a Conscious Consumer
Ok, so you may have just read this headline and said, “Girl, I went to Tar-jay at 9:00 last night, childless and husbandless, and had a grand ol’ time!” I hear you! It’s cheap. It’s easy. It’s fun. But it’s actually a major contributor to debt, “stuff” culture, and our ever-crowded landfills and e-waste dumps….
Camping and Wildlife: How to Safely Observe Animals in their Natural Habitat
One of the most exciting parts of camping is the chance to experience the wonderful diversity of wildlife that populate our forests, grasslands, mountains and deserts. That doesn’t mean that it’s always easy to spot wild animals. Here are some tips for maximizing your chances of having an incredible wildlife experience while you’re camping. …
Give Your Kids an Academic Leg Up with Exercise
It’s no secret that many students in every grade level at schools across the country are struggling with their studies. But what if the answer for helping them blossom isn’t necessarily more time in the classroom or more teachers? To the contrary, could the answer be spending less time in the classroom and more time being outdoors…
How Unplugging from Technology Can Improve Mental Health
If we locked your cell phone in a box, how long could you go without it? For some mobile phone users, the answer is about 6.5 minutes — studies found that is how often the average user checks his or her phone. It’s a side effect of our connected world. Checking our phones, email, text…
Four Simple (but Impactful) Ways to Live a More Ethical Life
Ethics (noun) – moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity; the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc. The path to green and healthy living has many detours into ethical-dilemma territory. You don’t mind occasionally feeding your family via the drive…
Is Your Child Ready for a Pet?
Every parent has heard the familiar request at one point or another: “Can we get a puppy? Or a kitty?” You smile, because puppies and kittens are cute, but you also groan at the thought of taking on another responsibility. While no one is going to claim that pets aren’t worth it, we all know…
A Four-Legged Meditation: The Bond Between Human and Dog
Observe a dog and its human a short while, and you’ll see the mutual affection and concern they have for each other – often without a word spoken. A dog’s loyalty, joy, and ability to live in the moment are just a few qualities that lead some holistic health professionals to refer to pets as…
