Restriction-Free Child Rearing [Edit]

Adults who choose to raise their children following natural parenting philosophies are often inundated with some of the following incredulous questions: No rules? No spanking? No restrictions? They can watch TV or play video games as long as they want?

Often, before the parent practicing natural parenting philosophies has a chance to answer, the questioner has made up his/her mind that the child is doomed once they reach adulthood.

Here’s what they don’t hear: Instead of rules, principles are practiced. Instead of spanking or grounding, gentle intervention is used as an opportunity to teach a life lesson. Gasping at the notion of 24/7 unrestricted TV and video game access implies that that is all children want to do.

Natural parenting philosophies, as radical they may sound, are misunderstood because human beings have almost a knee-jerk reaction in that they feel the way they parent or were raised is somehow being attacked.

Curiously, a lot of parents who implement the philosophies of natural parenting are often secular to mildly religious.

Parents who utilize natural parenting methods also frequently give birth naturally in the hospital or at home, co-sleep with their children, breast-feed for longer periods of time, eschew vaccinations, unschool, and allow uninhibited pursuit of passions.