Raising happy children is the desire of all parents and even if it is not easy, it is a fascinating and rewarding journey. Discovering, once they grow up, that you have helped your children to be kind to the world around them will certainly be the most precious reward.
Raising a happy and kind child, without polluting like an oil tanker? It's possible! To explain how to do it is the new book by our friend and colleague Silvana Santo, environmental journalist and mother of Davide and Flavia, who with her blog Una mamma green has become a point of reference in the world of sustainable parenting.
'Una mamma green', published by Giunti Editore, is a profoundly autobiographical text, which Silvana defines as “a logbook, rather than a manual or a guide. Free from fanaticism and fundamentalism of any kind. A book that is also and above all a story. My story and that of my children ”.
Starting from the successful experience of her blog, the author, in fact, collects advice and share experiences on her path as a young mother and ambassador of the environmental protection.
From choices for childbirth to breastfeeding, from ecological products for children to babywearing, Una mamma green offers all the indications for motherhood in harmony with nature, but always in an ironic and fun way.
Raising happy children is the desire of all parents and even if it is not easy, it is a fascinating and rewarding journey.
Discovering, when they grow up, that they have helped their children to be kind to the world around them it will certainly be the most valuable prize.
Word of a green mom, who gives us some tips on the matter ...
10 tips for raising happy and kind children to the world:
Silvana, with Davide and Flavia
Index
Allow your child to get his hands dirty
Il contact with natural elements - the earth, mud, sand, bark, grass etc - is a sensory experience that enriches and gratifies. It stimulates the senses in a balanced and healthy way, and improves the perception of oneself and the world. An excess of cleaning, on the other hand, in addition to polluting the environment, can be harmful to the immune system and health in general. (Read: SMART KIDS CLIMB ON TREES AND RUN IN THE RAIN)
Travel and read with your child
Traveling from an early age it is the best way to broaden your horizons. To develop one's curiosity and become empathic and aware adults. The most effective way to grow without prejudice and to collect indelible memories. And reading is the easiest way to travel when you can't get away from home! Read: 15 TIPS FOR READING HIGH-SPEECH BOOKS TO CHILDREN
Quantity and quality
A child doesn't stay small for long. As long as your child is, spend with him a lot of quality time. Enjoy his company, nurture his self-confidence, and build memories that both of you will keep for a lifetime. Read: THE BEST GIFT FOR KIDS IS THE TIME WE SPEND WITH THEM
Physical contact is essential
When a baby comes into the world, it passes from the stable and familiar environment of the mother's womb, with its confined spaces, soft light and muffled sounds, to a profoundly different and alienating situation. Find the skin-to-skin, heart-to-heart contact, with his mother in the first place it is essential for a serene and definitive adaptation to extrauterine life. And this need for contact, hugs and containment remains vital and peremptory at least throughout early childhood. Read: CHILDREN ARE DREAMED AND NEED ALL OUR LOVE
Take your child out into the fresh air
According to many scholars, the progressive detachment from the natural environment and the "overbuilding" of life (and childhood) have contributed to the spread of problems such as hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and aggression in children. Go back to do daily experience of nature, even simply in a neighborhood vegetable garden, on a public beach or in a city park, they represent an extraordinary opportunity to improve physical fitness and promote the psychological well-being of the whole family. Read: WHY KEEP CHILDREN OUTDOORS EVEN WHEN IT'S COLD
Don't abuse technology
Technology is a useful tool that, when used wisely, represents a valuable opportunity for intelligent learning and entertainment. But too early or prolonged exposure of children to electronic devices risks promoting a too sedentary lifestyle, as well as subjecting them to excessive and unbalanced sensory stimuli and, over time, increasing the risk of real antisocial behavior. Read: 10 REASONS WHY CHILDREN SHOULD NOT ABUSE SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS
Allow your child to play with animals
Growing up in the company of an animal is good for children's immune systems and moods, empowering them and encouraging them to move more. But most of all, it's good for their heart. It puts them back in connection with the most authentic and ancestral part of themselves, develops theirs empathy and makes them feel loved. Without any health risk, since almost all diseases that can afflict pets are not contagious to humans. Read: DOGS AND CATS: CHILDREN LIVING WITH PETS HAVE LESS INFECTIONS AND ARE HEALTHIER
Protect your child from false needs and consumerism
A child needs almost exclusively time and love. The rest is often a plus. Even with the inevitable compromises that a consumer society imposes on everyone, try to get your child used to desire and waiting. Cultivate his imagination, help him not to fear boredom and loneliness. Read: 10 GESTURES TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO LOVE AND RESPECT THE PLANET
Teach your child to eat healthy
Whatever your general dietary choices are, try to make sure your child has a healthy relationship with food. Offer local and seasonal products, favor simplicity, freshness and color. Focus on variety. Teach your child that food is not just fuel, it is culture, sociability, history and health. Read: 10 WAYS TO HELP CHILDREN EAT HEALTHY
Set a good example
Good education is not imparted, but witnessed. Don't expect your child to thank you, don't just tell him not to waste or mistreat others. Behave rather than you would like him to do, and you will see that it will behave accordingly. Don't beat him if you want him to learn not to be violent. Sort out the waste if you want to teach it to do the same. Apologize when you're wrong if you want him to get used to apologizing as well. The rest will come by itself. Read: WHY APOLOGIZING A CHILD IS AN ACT OF LOVE
The book has been in bookstores since March 15, 2017.
You can also buy it on Amazon
