One late fall day when I was in the third grade, I remember each of the kids in my class being called down to the nurse’s office. As I waited my turn, I wondered why many of those kids didn’t return back to class for the day. I soon learned the reason as the nurse…
How to Clean Your Oven Safely (and why not to use the self-clean option)
I recently moved into a new house and was greeted by a mess of an oven – caked on grease everywhere! Not one into using anything with chemicals to clean, especially with my three little precious ones around, I needed an alternative. The easiest thing to do would have been to press the self-clean button,…
A Natural Community for You!
It’s here! Raising Natural Kids has created a NEW website designed to make it easier for you to get answers to your questions, to learn and share more about natural/organic/holistic living and to connect with each other. Our favorite feature is CONNECT AND ‘PLAY’ LOCALLY, where you can join a group more local to your…
Garden Hoses – A Potential Health Risk
Every summer, we use the garden hoses to fill up the water tables and kiddie pools, turn on the toy sprinkler and let the kids have some water fun out in the backyard, while my husband and I tend to our organic garden. What we didn’t know, until recently, was that we were exposing both…
Green Products That Kids Will Love
Solar Mason Jars Capture the sun’s rays and use them later that evening for some recycled light! Compost Education for Kids We used this as part of a science project. Three aerated compartments enable kids to view the entire decomposition process clearly and make side-by-side comparisons between different materials. Included thermometers demonstrate temperature changes during…
This is a Notice to Inform You… (Pesticide Danger)
Last week my parents received this postcard in the mail. Being that my children play in my parent’s yard quite often, I called the given phone numbers. Truth be told, I would have called no matter what! I first called the New York State Department of Health Center for Environmental Health and spoke with a…
Breast Milk – Is it Still Perfect Even If Your Diet Isn't?
I read the following comment, and a few others like it, on Facebook yesterday. I wasn’t surprised; In fact, I was expecting it: “My best friend’s sister in law is/was exclusively breastfeeding her 6 week old. Today she comes over the house and makes a bottle of formula. She said that she is working on…
Being Informed Matters
Information Overload. Sometimes people get overwhelmed when exploring the idea of going back to basics and living as organically and naturally as possible. They come to think things like, “I can’t worry about the chemicals in the car seats when I have to worry about so many other things,” “I’m feeding my kids fruit and…
Homemade Cleaning Products
One of the most common questions we get is about natural cleaning products. Listed below are links to recipes for creating your own cleaning products if you are up to it! I personally like to clean much of my house with a mixture of vinegar, tea tree oil, water and a bit of a castile…
Misconceptions About Common 'Natural' Treatments
This post is about dispelling some common beliefs about everyday ‘treatments’ that people believe to be effective and/or safe, specifically focusing on Vaseline, Vicks VapoRub, and the use of cranberry juice to treat urinary tract infections. Vaseline – During the drying conditions of winter, beware of VASELINE. Vaseline (the trademark name for Petroleum Jelly) is…