Main Navigation


HOLISTIC PARENTING (section of magazine)

Making Connections Through Holistic Moms Network (headline)

By Emily Fano

For a majority of new parents, having a child inspires a shift in thinking to a more conscious lifestyle. During pregnancy, many moms become aware of the importance of eating healthfully, exercising and reducing stress for the benefit of their children and themselves. As they embark on their parenting journeys, they may also seek to reduce their exposure to toxins, whether it's mercury in fish, pesticides in produce, chemicals in carpeting, home furnishings and cleaning products, plastics in baby bottles and toys, and over-the-counter drugs. Motivated by the natural instinct to protect their children from harm, today's eco-conscious parents are going to great lengths and spending more to clean without chemicals, eat organic food, and explore alternative health care options. Thankfully, organizations addressing those concerns are flourishing today.

The Holistic Moms Network (HMN) -- a national non-profit organization headquartered in Caldwell, New Jersey connecting parents who are passionate about holistic health and green living -- embraces today's parents. By building strong parenting communities, HMN helps to empower parents in pursuing holistic lifestyles. The organization was founded in 2003 by a handful of mothers yearning for the support and friendship of others parenting outside the mainstream. Thanks to rising interest in alternative medicine and the environment, HMN has more than 130 chapters across North America.

What does it mean to be a holistic parent? "Living holistically means recognizing the interconnectedness of our choices -- for example, how the food we eat can affect our health or how the products we buy affect the environment," says Dr. Nancy Massotto, HMN's executive director and a doctor in political science who birthed both of her sons at home. "It's also about understanding the connections between mind, body and spirit. Holistic parenting involves making choices that embrace these inter-connections so you can live a balanced life. It's about shifting away from fear and toward a trust in yourself, your body, and nature's healing power. Cultivating this trust is challenging, but uncovering it is ultimately a source of empowerment."

Like many Americans, most HMN members use an array of health care modalities that rely on the body's innate ability to heal itself. These may include herbs, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, and nutritional healing. HMN members practice attachment parenting, extended breast-feeding, and positive discipline. Massotto believes that when people slow down and tune into their inner wisdom and intuition, they automatically understand the value of these concepts. While HMN recognizes that it is often hard for people to feel like they are swimming against the tide, the organization encourages families to parent from the heart and trust their instincts. "There are so many experts out there telling us what to do that it takes a lot of courage to trust your inner wisdom," says Massotto.

Helping parents find the courage to trust their instincts about important health care decisions like childbirth, breast-feeding and vaccination is what HMN is all about. Being informed about all your options is a cornerstone of holistic parenting. "When you are raising your children holistically, having access to reliable information and the support of like-minded parents is critical," says Massotto.

HMN members gather monthly through local chapters to share information in a nurturing, open-minded and respectful environment where they don't feel judged. Topics under discussion at meetings include healthy eating, organic lawn care, homeopathy, children and commercialism, holistic dentistry, how to live green and alternative education, among others.

Discussions led the Tri-Valley California HMN Chapter to start its own home-schooling pre-school cooperative for children ages two to five. The group meets every Monday and each of the participating moms takes part in the teaching and activities. In one study unit about police officers, which will meld social studies, science and art, the children will observe their fingerprints under a magnifying glass. Katherine Havener, leader of the Tri-Valley Chapter and the school's co-founder, says, "Parenting must be a conscious endeavor. My deepest desire is that children are treated with love, gentleness and respect and that this gentle treatment continues on throughout their childhood. Setting up this pre-school has allowed us to create an environment that nurtures these ideals. I also don't have to worry that my kids will be exposed to commercialized toys and sugary sweets."

Besides striving to be healthy, holistic parents also want to live green and teach their children to do the same. On Mother's Day, members of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania chapter and their children cleaned up a local park and painted a banner urging action on global warming. The Monterey, California chapter mobilized to protest the use of pesticides at a local playground. The Rockford, Illinois chapter held a "Green Open House" with Fair Trade tea, home-cooked finger food, bio-degradable plates, and a large plastic bin to collect anything compostable for a member's garden.

Some chapters have formed buying cooperatives to purchase food and other supplies in bulk. Others have implemented clothing and toy swaps to stem consumerism. Earth-friendly light bulbs, carbon offsets, green cars, sustainable agriculture, recycling and non-toxic living are all topics discussed on HMN's online forums. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin HMN chapter hosted a meeting on how to make non-toxic cleaners. Recipes for them, as well as for home-made baby food and herbal remedies, can be found in HMN's latest cookbook "Growing Healthy Families."

Cathy Lauer is an HMN member and professional herbalist in Montvale, New Jersey who teaches traditional uses of herbs as food and medicine. She says, "Women have always made healing preparations at home and we have forgotten how to do these things. The feedback I get from people who make their own remedies is that they feel empowered; it increases their trust in nature and their own parenting abilities."

In HMN holistic philosophies are shared not only by a diverse group of parents, but grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. The membership includes holistic practitioners, stay-at-home parents, bankers, lawyers, doctors, actors, artists, teachers, and people of all religious and political persuasions. What unites HMN members is their common passion for holistic living.

Holistic parenting is a journey. Where we are on that journey and what paths we choose to get there vary considerably. Regardless of where you are on the continuum, HMN with more than 4,000 members nationwide makes you feel welcome. The organization also has a Helping Moms in Need program, which provides memberships to mothers facing financial hardship. For more information about the Holistic Moms Network, including membership inquiries, please visit the web site "www.holisticmoms.org," e-mail "info@holisticmoms.org," or telephone 1-877 HOL-MOMS.

**************

Emily Fano is media director for the Holistic Moms Network. She is a published author with a master's degree in environmental policy.

HOLISTIC PARENTING (section of magazine)

Making Connections Through Holistic Moms Network (headline)

By Emily Fano

For a majority of new parents, having a child inspires a shift in thinking to a more conscious lifestyle. During pregnancy, many moms become aware of the importance of eating healthfully, exercising and reducing stress for the benefit of their children and themselves. As they embark on their parenting journeys, they may also seek to reduce their exposure to toxins, whether it's mercury in fish, pesticides in produce, chemicals in carpeting, home furnishings and cleaning products, plastics in baby bottles and toys, and over-the-counter drugs. Motivated by the natural instinct to protect their children from harm, today's eco-conscious parents are going to great lengths and spending more to clean without chemicals, eat organic food, and explore alternative health care options. Thankfully, organizations addressing those concerns are flourishing today.

The Holistic Moms Network (HMN) -- a national non-profit organization headquartered in Caldwell, New Jersey connecting parents who are passionate about holistic health and green living -- embraces today's parents. By building strong parenting communities, HMN helps to empower parents in pursuing holistic lifestyles. The organization was founded in 2003 by a handful of mothers yearning for the support and friendship of others parenting outside the mainstream. Thanks to rising interest in alternative medicine and the environment, HMN has more than 130 chapters across North America.

What does it mean to be a holistic parent? "Living holistically means recognizing the interconnectedness of our choices -- for example, how the food we eat can affect our health or how the products we buy affect the environment," says Dr. Nancy Massotto, HMN's executive director and a doctor in political science who birthed both of her sons at home. "It's also about understanding the connections between mind, body and spirit. Holistic parenting involves making choices that embrace these inter-connections so you can live a balanced life. It's about shifting away from fear and toward a trust in yourself, your body, and nature's healing power. Cultivating this trust is challenging, but uncovering it is ultimately a source of empowerment."

Like many Americans, most HMN members use an array of health care modalities that rely on the body's innate ability to heal itself. These may include herbs, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, and nutritional healing. HMN members practice attachment parenting, extended breast-feeding, and positive discipline. Massotto believes that when people slow down and tune into their inner wisdom and intuition, they automatically understand the value of these concepts. While HMN recognizes that it is often hard for people to feel like they are swimming against the tide, the organization encourages families to parent from the heart and trust their instincts. "There are so many experts out there telling us what to do that it takes a lot of courage to trust your inner wisdom," says Massotto.

Helping parents find the courage to trust their instincts about important health care decisions like childbirth, breast-feeding and vaccination is what HMN is all about. Being informed about all your options is a cornerstone of holistic parenting. "When you are raising your children holistically, having access to reliable information and the support of like-minded parents is critical," says Massotto.

HMN members gather monthly through local chapters to share information in a nurturing, open-minded and respectful environment where they don't feel judged. Topics under discussion at meetings include healthy eating, organic lawn care, homeopathy, children and commercialism, holistic dentistry, how to live green and alternative education, among others.

Discussions led the Tri-Valley California HMN Chapter to start its own home-schooling pre-school cooperative for children ages two to five. The group meets every Monday and each of the participating moms takes part in the teaching and activities. In one study unit about police officers, which will meld social studies, science and art, the children will observe their fingerprints under a magnifying glass. Katherine Havener, leader of the Tri-Valley Chapter and the school's co-founder, says, "Parenting must be a conscious endeavor. My deepest desire is that children are treated with love, gentleness and respect and that this gentle treatment continues on throughout their childhood. Setting up this pre-school has allowed us to create an environment that nurtures these ideals. I also don't have to worry that my kids will be exposed to commercialized toys and sugary sweets."

Besides striving to be healthy, holistic parents also want to live green and teach their children to do the same. On Mother's Day, members of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania chapter and their children cleaned up a local park and painted a banner urging action on global warming. The Monterey, California chapter mobilized to protest the use of pesticides at a local playground. The Rockford, Illinois chapter held a "Green Open House" with Fair Trade tea, home-cooked finger food, bio-degradable plates, and a large plastic bin to collect anything compostable for a member's garden.

Some chapters have formed buying cooperatives to purchase food and other supplies in bulk. Others have implemented clothing and toy swaps to stem consumerism. Earth-friendly light bulbs, carbon offsets, green cars, sustainable agriculture, recycling and non-toxic living are all topics discussed on HMN's online forums. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin HMN chapter hosted a meeting on how to make non-toxic cleaners. Recipes for them, as well as for home-made baby food and herbal remedies, can be found in HMN's latest cookbook "Growing Healthy Families."

Cathy Lauer is an HMN member and professional herbalist in Montvale, New Jersey who teaches traditional uses of herbs as food and medicine. She says, "Women have always made healing preparations at home and we have forgotten how to do these things. The feedback I get from people who make their own remedies is that they feel empowered; it increases their trust in nature and their own parenting abilities."

In HMN holistic philosophies are shared not only by a diverse group of parents, but grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. The membership includes holistic practitioners, stay-at-home parents, bankers, lawyers, doctors, actors, artists, teachers, and people of all religious and political persuasions. What unites HMN members is their common passion for holistic living.

Holistic parenting is a journey. Where we are on that journey and what paths we choose to get there vary considerably. Regardless of where you are on the continuum, HMN with more than 4,000 members nationwide makes you feel welcome. The organization also has a Helping Moms in Need program, which provides memberships to mothers facing financial hardship. For more information about the Holistic Moms Network, including membership inquiries, please visit the web site "www.holisticmoms.org," e-mail "info@holisticmoms.org," or telephone 1-877 HOL-MOMS.

**************

Emily Fano is media director for the Holistic Moms Network. She is a published author with a master's degree in environmental policy.

 Holistic Health magazine.com is dedicated to providing timely information on health matters, but its contents are not intended to provide medical advice or diagnosis for individual problems or circumstances. Readers should seek advice from health professionals regarding the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of any disease. The information contained inHolistic Health Magazine is believed to be correct, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The publisher, editors, and contributors are not responsible for errors and omissions.
Copyright . holistichealthmagazine.com. All rights reserved.