Holistic Parenting?

What does the word "holistic" mean? Many associated it with natural medicine. While it is true that natural medicine does take a holistic approach to the person/patient, the word is not used soley in connection to medicine. When I taught Spanish in school, I used a holistic approach. I taught it as a whole language rather than pieces and parts, sounds and letters.

So what does holistic mean? Basically it means to treat something as a whole rather than as individual pieces and parts. It refers to a whole rather than a sum of parts. Therefore you will find that some use the term "wholistic".

So what would holistic parenting be? Taking into consideration that the mental state of the child could have an impact on his health. His health could affect his mental state. Or that his mental state or physical health could impact his "spirit" would be viewing the child holistically. Even in my most conventional mothering days I did this.

Holistic or primal mothering takes it a step further. As primal moms, we understand that putting chemicals into our children through medicine, toxic cleaners, preservatives, and artificial ingredients also has an impact on our children: mind, body and spirit. And so we do try to consider their environment as much as anything else. The child is a whole person and not seperate systems and parts. And thus we understand this things medicine which causes strain on the urinary system will, in turn, affect other systems. We understand that a bad birthing experience has an impact on the child and mother.

Not only do we consider the whole child: mind, body, spirit; but the child is a part of a whole as well. A whole family. A whole household. A whole earth. A whole universe. And to keep these all functioning properly, we teach our children to live in connection and with respect to them. When one part is out of balance, it throws off the entire system. Those little choices.. breast or bottle; to vaccinate or not; to circumcise or not; to co-sleep or not.. all those little things we decide for our family will have an effect on our child's mind, body and spirit now. But we consider also what impact our child will have on the world at large later if we do or don't do these things.

Holistic (primal) moms realize that their little role in this world isn't so little after all.