When I was a child going to school in the early 90’s, my very dedicated macrobiotic mom made me a lunch box every morning. (as our school didn’t do lunches).  I really enjoyed them!  I often requested things like brown rice sushis, stir fried vegetables with fried tempeh, sauerkraut and pink radish pickles, miso soup, and kanten fruit jelly.  The unfamiliar aromas alone would make my school mates gather around!  I often got comments from my friends on the strangeness of my lunch.  One look at my rice cakes would get a comment like “Wow, are you really eating polystyrene?”  I dared not bring natto to school!  They had never seen soba noodles or quinoa.  Now, such foods are quite commonplace and health conscious folks are willing to pay lavishly for them!  These were foods my mom considered to be simple and healthy.

During my school days, my parents had to beg the teachers not to give me foods containing sugar and dairy.  Back then, not giving children cow’s milk was considered a form of child neglect! I need to worry less about this now because it has become normal to state one’s particular dietary requirements as so many children (and adults) have developed allergies and intolerances in recent years. Now, fortunately, there are so many more alternatives available, such as a wide range of plant-based milks and fruit desserts and good quality snacks. 

Now though, there are new factors that I worry about like the impact that all EMFs have around us (cell phones,WiFi routers, 5G, smart meters and other transmitting devices) might be having on my children’s health, as well as the increased amounts of air pollution. I also worry about the television, social media and the news.

I think the lessons I learned from my parents when I was growing up were around creating a simple lifestyle that helped to build our resilience. So, along with eating mostly simple plant based foods, it was also really important to spend time in nature: going to the park or countryside, visiting city farms, camping holidays and visits to the sea were all really important. We also spent time with other family members, like grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins as well as lots of interaction with friends and other children to build a strong sense of belonging and security.

Here are some things we do at home:

>We eat mostly organic, plant based foods that we cook at home, and we sit down and eat together as a family everyday

>We make our own staple ferments like sauerkraut, natto, and tempeh at home.

>We avoid meat, dairy, refined sugars and chemicals, for our health and the planet’s future.

> Go out into nature every day, rain or shine

>Holidays in the countryside or by the sea

>We don’t use devices in front of the children in the same room unless it’s video chat with a relative.

>We don’t have a TV, but we do have a projector and screen so we can watch movies of our own choosing that we feel are suitable for the children.

>We make music at home and encourage the children to join in.

>We also don’t discuss negative news or difficult topics around children.  I don’t want our children to feel stressed about the world or that it is a bad place.

>We put a timer on our WiFi router to go off between midnight and 6am. 

> We spend lots of time with friends and family

> We engage in a wide variety of activities that bring new experiences, skills and fun

>We buy clothing made from natural and organic materials as much as possible. 

>Avoiding plastics and synthetic materials to protect our health and the planet’s waterways.  We also use as natural as possible cleaning and laundry products.

>We buy and support organic and local shops.  We go to farmer’s markets and cook as much of our food at home. 

>We use home remedies and herbal/ homeopathic remedies as much as possible if anyone is sick.

> We use good quality B12 and Vit D supplements to be sure that the children are getting adequate amounts.

Bringing children into this crazy beautiful world can be scary and daunting in these difficult times. But if we trust in nature and our innate immune system’s healing ability, we can hopefully navigate these times together and perhaps create an even more beautiful planet for future generations. Let’s hope so!