You’re Invited to the Holistic Moms Network!

Guest Post by: Nancy Massotto, Ph.D, Founder and Executive Director of Holistic Moms Network

There’s an amazing, supportive network of moms out there and they’re waiting to meet you! The Holistic Moms Network is a national community, embracing thousands of members and is a significant voice for holistic parenting. But, who are these moms? How do you know if you’d “belong”?

The Holistic Moms Network is made up of moms just like you. Real moms who change dirty diapers, struggle to put food on the table, and wipe away tears. Sure, we may be changing cloth diapers and cooking up some local, organic fare but we are ordinary moms.

We are passionate about Holistic Moms because each and every one of us has felt alienated and alone. We have struggled with our parenting choices and decisions. We have been criticized and questioned. We know what it feels like when someone doesn’t “get it” or understand us. And we recognize how powerful and affirming it is to have support.

We juggle children and spouses, laundry and schooling. We have newborns and teenagers. Many of us have children with special needs. We stretch ourselves too thin, but know that what we do each and every day makes a difference.

Defining holistic parenting is no easy task. At the Holistic Moms Network, no stereotypes apply. Sure, some of us like tie-dye and Birkenstocks. But most of us look just like you. We’re not so radical or different. You can find us eating fast food, shopping at the mall, and drinking coffee with friends. You can also find us growing organic gardens, recycling, and homeschooling our children. Maybe. Maybe not. There is no one definition for holistic parenting, but more a philosophy and outlook on how we would like to live and raise our children.

As Dr. Linda Folden Palmer explains in her article Growing a Holistic Parent,

“We’re all reading and discussing, learning and experimenting, and we’re all making choices, eliminating other choices, and putting some on the back-burner. Most of us have observed that mainstream, industry-promoted practices may not always be optimal for our collective health and planet preservation, while some simply crave a more instinctual and harmonious experience.”

At our core, we are about “actively pursuing information and making purposeful decisions about how we engage with our bodies, our families and our world,” explains HMN Chapter Leader Meredith Barth. Holistic parenting is a journey for all of us. We make take different paths and make different choices, but we are headed in the same direction and we benefit from the company and support of others along the way. We teach each other, empower each other, and join our voices to make a difference.
 
Are you interested in learning more about holistic living and parenting? Keeping a green home? Cooking gluten-free? About vaccinations, breastfeeding, non-toxic personal care, natural healing and more? Or, maybe you’re super savvy about all of this, but you’d love to connect with other like-minded parents?

During October, we celebrate Holistic Living Month and I hope you’ll take the opportunity to connect with us somehow – whether you can make it to our 9^th Annual Natural Living Conference in Chicago, connect with a local chapter, or join us online for one of our many events scheduled throughout the month – we’d love to meet you!
A leading voice in the natural parenting movement, Nancy Massotto, Ph.D, is  the Founder and Executive Director of the Holistic Moms Network and mother to two boys.  An articulate and knowledgeable writer and speaker on holistic living, natural parenting, and eco-conscious lifestyles, she shares her passion with a wide variety of audiences as a presenter and author.  She is passionate about empowering women, supporting mothers, and raising her children as naturally and sustainably as she can.