Parenting styles differ from time to time. My parenting style or method has also changed from my elder son to my younger daughter. This time I am making an attempt to do more of green parenting, i.e. to use less number of single time usable products and to rely more on reusable materials. So hereunder is how I am adopting for Green Parenting.

  1. Cloth Diapers – Diapers are the biggest blessings to any mother. However, for Suraj, I was reliable for Diaper until he was almost 4 years old and fully potty trained. I was unaware about the existence of such a helpful product until he was fully potty trained. I decided to use Cloth Diapers for Soumya as early as possible and trust me it is really comfortable and budget friendly. Not to mention. It is also Environment friendly. Though I still use the disposeable ones for her at night and when we go out but I am sure, I will be able to do without them soon.
  2. Feeder Vs. Plastic Milk Bottles – I could not breast feed both my children and hence they were introduced to Formula from Day 1. With Suraj, he was more dependent on Plastic Bottles and at the end, it was a great mess to get rid of it. For Soumya, we started by giving her formula milk through a bowl and spoon but the same task became difficult as days passed. Because obviously, she started to move around her hands and legs. Ultimately, I decided to start her off with the Spoon Feeder, which not only simplified my task and also helped her have her milk faster.
  3. Wet wipes Vs. Cloth Wipes. – One of the things that I had used earlier were wet wipes. Though not daily but still occasionally. This time, I just opted for a simpler option. I cut a couple of Old Clothes into smaller rectangles, which helps in just wetting the cloth itself and then cleaning her. They do act as wipes and Bibs as well as tissues sometimes. It is simpler to use them and clean them once they are smaller in size.
  4. Single Dry Sheet– For Suraj, I had used a plastic Sheet and for Soumya, I have used a Dry Sheet. Though in the later stage I did use a Dry Sheet for Suraj but after one point of time, they become useless because kids just wont stay in one place.
  5. Introducing new food – I did not realize the importance, cutlery plays in feeding your child. Not only fancy cutlery entices your child it also make meal time easier for them. I started feeding Ragi Sattu Maavu or Homemade Ragi Cereal, at the age of 2 months. (Now before you judge me, the paedriatician himself adviced me to start cow milk and Ragi Maavu for her as she was never on Breastfeeding. These foods are anytime much better than Formula Milk. He had just asked me to check if her poop colour was normal, that was normal and she loved it hence, that was the remedy.) I am personally not a big fan of formula milk powder for children but it does help people like me a lot. Introducing home made food also provided with an option of reducing Formula Milk, which in turn also results in saving a lot of packaging and lot of money.

No mother is perfect, we are all in the journey of perfection together. We learn something new everyday by experience. So this is how I attempted to adopt Green Parenting for my Children.