12 Things We Do To Raise Our Son Naturally

These are twelve simple, low-tox, and conscious parenting practices that have shaped how we live and how our son grows. The goal is a happy, healthy human who relishes his connection to self, others, and nature - and who comes into adulthood with the tools to freely explore his passions and, perhaps, create some magic in the world! 

PS. Some of the links are affiliate, but only in the most genuine way - these are items we use daily, and I don’t take the process of recommending something lightly! 

1. No Screens — Just Audiobooks

Our son 4.5 years old and has had maybe five hours of total screen time in his life - the odd David Attenborough to get through a sick day and some educational videos to explain what things are (Pole vaulting is surprisingly hard to explain verbally!). Instead, we use audiobooks, and he has a Yoto player for audiobook downtime which is phone and screen-free. 

2. Bare Feet or Zero-Drop, Wide-Toe Shoes

No squished toes here! We skip the trendy, narrow shoes and let his feet develop naturally to prevent foot issues and to help with balance and posture. We’ve always used Softstar shoes — he basically just has one pair of shoes at a time. He gets comments on how cool they are all the time! 

3. Low Sugar, High-Quality Fats and Protein

We built his diet around real food from the start, using Milk to Meals book as a guide when we began solids. Refined sugar and junk food were never introduced (and we don’t really eat them either, an important thing to note!). Instead of chocolate, he has ceremonial cacao; instead of ice cream, we make “nice cream” from frozen bananas or berries. He understands that other people eat differently and the reasons why, and we always start the meal with protein, which is a great mood stabiliser. 

4. Nose Breathing, Not Mouth Breathing

This small but powerful habit supports the parasympathetic nervous system, promotes proper jaw development, maintains teeth spacing, and even helps prevent cavities. I would just gently push his lips together as a baby, and still do it now if his mouth is open when sleeping. 

5. Emotional Intelligence and Empathy

Feelings matter. We try to focus on naming emotions, hearing them fully, and explaining the “why” behind things in the world that don’t make sense — helping him build emotional awareness and resilience from a young age.

6. Organic Food and a Home Garden

Nothing teaches patience and appreciation like watching food grow - knowing what each plant looks like and how it tastes fresh from the garden. We love how having a little home garden connects us all to our food, how naturally kids identify edible plants, and how we reduce our family's exposure to conventional pesticides and sprays.

7. Natural Fibres for Clothing and Bedding

We choose organic cotton, linen, and hemp whenever possible, opting for natural fibres over synthetic fabrics. These natural materials are more breathable, have fewer chemicals, and don’t shed microplastics into the skin (yes, that’s a thing!). If you'd like to learn more about fabrics, we have an extensive blog post that explains everything in detail here. 

8. Phone Use

Phones are off at night, and we try not to be on them much around our son — monkey see, monkey do. We switch off WiFi nightly, but now we also have a hardwired option. It’s faster, and I use the precautionary approach with RF tech.

9. No Bluetooth Headphones

Wired headphones all the way — less heat around the brain, and no headphone headaches.

10. Daily Nature Time

Our favourite practice of all - a wholesome and daily connection to nature. Our favourite is beach time, but it can be as simple as going for a bike ride or a walk in the park. This fosters a love and curiosity of the natural world early on that flows through into conscious adults. 

11. Elimination Communication (EC)

Between birth and 18 months old, we used a potty or toilet as the primary way our son did wee’s and poo’s. This means reciprocal communication between the baby and caregiver about when they need to ‘go’, rather than just using nappies. It felt primal and right for us. It also made using reusable nappies much easier! We have A LOT of content on this topic - check it out here. 

12. Quality Bath, Shower, and Drinking Water

We filter our drinking water with a benchtop unit from Waters (so you can take it with you if you rent), and it removes all the nasties and remineralises your water. Ours is going strong after 9 years of use! We also use a shower filter - hot skin means open pores and absorption of chemicals in the water. For baths, you can neutralise chlorine and chlorimides in town supply water by adding Vitamin C. 

The Takeaway:

These choices might seem unconventional, but they’ve created a rhythm of life that’s intentional, grounded, and connected. For us, raising a child naturally isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence, small daily choices, and remembering that simple, nature-based, often means best.