As a team mom for my son’s high school football team, one of the most enjoyable aspects is interacting with the kids. It is fascinating to see the diversity and uniqueness they each possess. With about 180 players over the three levels of teams, they cover a wide range of personalities and cultures, and come in many sizes and physiques. I recently had the opportunity to interact with each one in a single afternoon while helping with photos. They all responded to me differently. One young man might be shy while the next was intent on cutting up and trying to make me laugh. The parents of this football family are all unique as well; each with their own personalities and parenting styles that suit the needs of their family.

I often joke with my friends about how I thought I knew what it was going to be like to have kids because after all I was a kid once myself and I experienced how my parents raised me. Then I had children and realized I had “crossed to the other side.” I discovered that what I thought I knew amounted to very little and counted my blessings that I had family to help me sort through the choices my new role as mother presented daily. Over the years, I found that there is no one perfect way to parent, but rather a variety of techniques and choices. What works for one family may be different than what works for another.

In our feature article, Naturally Born: The Basics of Natural Pregnancy and Birth, author Beth Davis tells us. “Female bodies are innately prepared with the strength, stamina and ability to nourish a safe and natural pregnancy and childbirth, but women are often fearful of the unknown.” To help, we present some choices to consider that promote a natural, stress-free pregnancy and delivery. You will also find a directory of local resources that support natural birthing choices, as well as, natural health and wellbeing options for a natural parenting lifestyle page 25.

In this issue you will find go-to homeopathy remedies for your family’s medicine cabinet. Explore the Paleo diet and the importance of vegetable nutrition on page 26. Consider the impact of diet and exercise to fight obesity in our pets page 29. Then discover how the night sky can be a perfect playground for a child’s imagination page 32. I hope that you find inspiration among these pages to incorporate into your own unique naturally healthy family.

Here’s to individual style!

Kris Urquhart, Publisher