Great Green Idea: Green Parenting: Sustainable Parenting

Sustainable Parenting

You might have been one of those kids who ate glue and didn't have to wear a seatbelt, but today's children could use some better products and precautions to live a safe and healthy life. The ten recommendations below help parents do just that.

Parenting is a complicated job with complicated decisions. Simplify your shopping selections by choosing to purchase from green manufacturers who specialize in more than one kid-friendly item. Encourage local merchants to carry the brands you've researched and tried. One parent's stamp of approval goes a long way in convincing the marketplace to support sustainable parenting products everywhere.

Here are ten things every parent should use for healthy kids and a healthier planet.

Clothing
- Organic cotton clothing is recommended for kids and infants alike. This fabric is comfortable, easy to care for and widely available. If possible, buy from a company that can trace their clothing back to sustainable cotton sources. That organic cotton isn't organic unless it comes from fields with planet-friendly practices. Organic wool, hemp and bamboo fabrics make great clothing options for healthier kids, too.
- Using recycled and upcycled clothing for your children promotes a smaller carbon footprint in the clothing industry overall. Make receiving hand-me-downs and donated clothes a fun experience. Start kid's clothing swaps with family and friends. Have backyard parties where kids from your child's class dress up garage sale finds with glitter and fabric paints. Keep in mind that all items used to upcycle used clothing should be sustainable, too.
Toys and Games
- Today's organic wooden toys are a healthier option than plastic toys of the past. Make sure the manufacturer invests in replanting trees and coats their puzzles, trucks and blocks with non-toxic sealants.
- String games made from organic materials, like silk, can be carried easily in a child's backpack for fun on trips. Not suitable for young children, due to choking hazard safety precautions, choose string games made from non-toxic dyes or with no dyes at all.
- Even board games are going green. Recycled paste-boards, ecological adhesives, soy-based inks – all add up to safer games for the whole family to play together.
Hygiene and Body Care
- Water safety isn't the only concern at bath time. Use allergy-tested soaps and shampoos for your children with natural ingredients like shea butter. It’s even better if they come in recycled containers.
- Switch out those old chemical-laced lotions for healthier versions. Choose organic baby lotions so your child's skin is healthier from the start.
Outdoor Safety and Play
- Swing sets and slides made from sustainable woods should replace metals with potentially toxic paints. These outdoor play sets also create a more natural-looking yard. Buy from manufacturers with high safety ratings.
- Use organic pesticides in gardens and plant containers. Taking care of the earth automatically helps take better care of your kids.
- Build or buy a sandbox made from sustainable products. There's nothing more natural than a child playing in the sand. Especially if you get in there and play, too.