For a long time the Paleo community didn’t even have any parent bloggers. Now there are a few but most of them are still still lingering in the shadows. I was thinking that someone ought to make a reference guide for all the Primal/Paleo parents who need more Primal/Paleo parenting tips.
So last week I emailed all the Primal minded parent bloggers I could think of for a few words of wisdom and a favorite book pic on parenting or Primal somthin’ or other.
They all emailed me back and now, we’ve got a rockin’ list of Paleo/Primal parents, plus a glimpes into their minds, and what got them there.
Every Day Paleo
Living a Paleo lifestyle means planning ahead, being prepared and putting in that extra degree of effort; and yet the trade off is experiencing the joy, vibrancy, and delight of raising a family that is not merely surviving in our modern world but thriving!
A couple of books that have helped me over the years as a parent and in living this lifestyle have been: Nourishing Traditions (although not entirely Paleo/Primal, still very compelling and eye opening!) and for parenting, I learned everything I needed to know from Dave Barry’s book Babies and Other Hazards of Sex, oh and Jane Nelsen’s, Positive Discipline.
Chris Kresser
The most important thing any parent can do for their family’s health is to follow a nutrient-dense, toxin-free “Primal” or “Paleo” diet. The vast majority of modern disease can be prevented – and even reversed – with this change alone.
I’m partial to The Perfect Health Diet, Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint and Robb’s Paleo Solution. Which book I recommend depends on the person.
Healthy Guts
I know first hand how hard it can be to shift through the mountains of conflicting information on how to raise our kids to be healthy. It seems like every few weeks a new study or research comes along and disproves everything the so called “experts” had be trumpeting. As a mother I have found that the best indicator of my families health is not outside opinions from doctors or scientists, but is instead something that has been with all of us for thousands of years…. our bodies, and they are much better at keeping us alive then we seem to like to admit.
Three books that I think are worth their weight in gold for anyone interested in a healthier life style are: The Paleo Solution, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Forgotten Skills of Cooking. All of these books look at how “we” as a country have almost managed to convince ourselves that the food we eat is nothing more then caloric intake needed to survive.
Wellness Mama
A healthy nutritional foundation is one of the best gifts you can give your child and research has shown that a healthy diet in childhood can help prevent a host of problems later on. In our world, feeding your kids a healthy diet also often requires a healthy dose of “Vitamin N” (telling them no) to keep them away from unhealthy options. Provide them with healthy, real foods and explain to them why you choose to eat this way. Let them be involved in the planning and preparation and give them the resources to make healthy choices throughout their life.
On health topics I was influenced by The Primal Blueprint and Good Calories, Bad Calories. On parenting, I’m old-fashioned, but I like most of John Rosemond’s books (He wrote The Well Behaved Child).
[While Melissa isn’t a parent (yet), she writes about women’s issues as they relate to Hunter gatherer societies. She is a great resource for learning about women and parenting from traditional cultures and reads so much, I just had to ask her for a book suggestion!]
Hunt Gather Love
[She emailed me this:] People should start thinking about children early and making plans for adding them into their lives. [And on Twitter she said one day:] I’m going to have children just so I can have hostages to play legos, sharks and minnows, and Pokemon with.[I hope to meet her one day, she seems super cool.]
Nina Planck’s Real Food for Mother and Baby, The Continuum Concept, and Ancient Bodies, Modern Lives by Wenda Trevethan.
The Secret Life of a Warrior Woman
My goal is Primal progress not perfection. I believe many baby steps add up to great strides. I strive to provide awareness and teaching by telling my story as someone whose Primal journey hasn’t always taken a linear path.
The Primal Blueprint came first and sold me with its thoroughness but I like Everyday Paleo for a female friendly, moderate, just the facts ma’am approach.
Good Disruptive Change
The Primal lifestyle is a beautifully integrated approach to sound nutrition, exercise, and wellness. Its benefits range from what you might expect (like becoming leaner and stronger) to what you might not (like relief of persistent pain, discomfort, and illness). Don’t worry about learning – it comes easily. You can always look to the many welcoming online communities (like Peggy’s blog) for what you need to know.
The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, by Edward Hallowell, M.D.
The Primal Home
The best thing for me about the Primal lifestyle has been the huge increase in patience I have with my children. Since I no longer feel crummy most of the time I’m able to be a more compassionate and fun mother.
I first heard about traditional foods and then Primal/Paleo from the women on the mothering.com forums. I could spend days just surfing around on that site. It’s an amazing resource for attachment parenting, natural healthcare and so much more!
How To Raise A Healthy Child…In Spite Of Your Doctor. This book… helped shape the way I view healthcare. Dr. Mendelsohn really questions the mainstream medical system of over-medicating and just treating the symptoms. Instead he advocates that a healthy body can heal itself. He gives practical advice on how to do it.
The Primal Kitchen
One of the most intimidating things about starting a Primal lifestyle is a sense of pressure to get things right immediately from the get-go. Don’t let this hold you back! If you like, dive in by tackling things one at a time. Try giving up sugar and corn syrup first, then after a while give up gluten… From there you can move into eliminating trans fats, other grains, and excess omega-6… Lean on the extensive community of Primal and Paleo blogs and forums to help you find inspiration, recipes, and solutions to common problems. Over time healthful habits will become second nature and you and your family will be eating Primally!
Paleo Parents
Living a life without processed foods and chemicals has changed all 5 of us! Once an out of control, sick and sluggish family our boys are now energetic, boisterous, happy tree-climbers with dirt under their fingers and smiles on their faces. We as parents feel better than our high school days, having lost over 200lbs in 15 months as well as completely transforming our own personal health. What we learned is that living healthfully doesn’t have to mean deprivation of the special treats that our kids were frustrated to be missing out on, instead we transitioned using Elana Amsterdam’s Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.The kids loved having a book on the shelf they could turn to and open when their friends would be having cookies at preschool. It ended up being an invaluable tool for our family in making the switch to Paleo.
Family Living Simple
Having children was our biggest form of motivation for changing our eating and lifestyle habits. We want our children to grow up as happy and healthy as possible. We believe with all our hearts that living a Primal/Paleo lifestyle is the way to accomplish that.
Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint made a huge impact on us. It was our first contact with this lifestyle, so it will always hold a special place for us.
Paleo Zone Nutrition
One thing that my husband keeps reminding me – “remember YOU are in charge – not them.” The best way to deal with helping them eat well is having lots of Paleo food they like available, like a big fruit bowl. I cook bacon, eggs and fruit for breakfasts. Lunch – fruit and nut bars, fresh fruit, homemade sushi, packets of cashew nuts. They are starving when they come home from school – so I try to have something ready.
I really like Nigel Latta and have gleaned a lot of great parenting tips from him. Politically incorrect as he is, Nigel Latta’s page “how to punish a teenager” is right on the button – as a mother to teens 13 and 15, this stuff works: Gold Fish Wisdom
The Crunchy Pickle
Living primal/paleo is actually possible – even if you have three kids under five! It has taken me some time to find family friendly recipes and to learn my groove in the kitchen, but now it is virtually second nature. Be patient with your transition – it will come.
I share with my readers how I am managing Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hypercholesterolemia, and my childrens’ seasonal allergies. In my humble opinion, this lifestyle is THE BEST way to remedy those health problems (and I am kind-of obsessed with studying nutrition – 35 books in the past year!) More than anything though, what I want is to be a patient, energetic mom. This way of eating actually changes moods too – just ask Peggy!
Book recommendations… The Mood Cure, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, The Paleo Solution, Protein Power Lifeplan, Nourishing Traditions, The Vitamin D Solution, how can I choose just one?!
Growing Up Paleo
The purpose of Growing Up Paleo is to share my experience of having a paleo pregnancy as well as to share the journey of raising my son paleo. The greatest gift you can give yourself and your growing baby is the best start to life possible through optimal nutrition. One of my favorite books (or DVD) is Dr. Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block. It is a must have for all new parents!
The Primal Parent
I have spent years experimenting with food, with supplements, and with exercise regimens and, while I have finally managed to get to a very healthy place, I realize that striving for perfection is like chasing the end of a rainbow.
At some point you’ve got to stop obsessing and accept what you have. This is going to come at a different moment for everyone but we must keep in mind that what we seek is not perfection (I’m not talking about but rather symptoms) and that everything in nature comes with imperfections, mutations, and oddities.
The book that changed my life probably more than any other was Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. The fact that our diet, and not genetics, causes crowding of the jaw, and that the position of the jaw and teeth is a reflection of the development of our skeleton, and hence our brains was as profound a thought as any I’d ever heard in philosophy classes. Weston Price was a keen observer of the body and had a very sophisticated sense for human nature.
It was after reading his book that I started eating raw dairy and then raw everything and it is where I first read about peoples who do not eat fiber. I attribute my recovery and understanding of nature to his work. (Him and Pottenger.)
Cavemomma
The Foodie and the Family
The Paleo Home
Less of Mimi
White Gloves, Optional
Practical Paleo
Cave Mumming
Authentic Parenting
Paleolution
Primal Balance
August 25, 2011 at 9:07 am
This is such a great idea. There are some bloggers here that I have never heard of. I will be sure to check them out. I blog paleo and have 3 kids ages 6, 4, and 3. I just do recipes though. I leave the educating to others who can say it better than I can.
Thanks for putting this list together.
Kim
August 25, 2011 at 9:13 am
Peggy~
Thanks so much for this list! It will be such an handy resource for the Primal (and wanna-be) Primal parents I work with.
August 25, 2011 at 9:14 am
such a great list. Some I have on my reader and some I will add today! I am always ready to read a few and see if the blogger fits my personality! This is great. Thanks for putting the list together.
August 25, 2011 at 9:44 am
Peggy:
A great post based on a great idea. Well done!.
You’re right – not too much out there on Primal Parenting. This idea/ post could be the start of something big, beginning with, say, an ebook perhaps?
Way to go. Super useful.
Susan
P.S. Will you please edit me, 4th line down – “abut” should be “about.” Thanks
August 25, 2011 at 9:48 am
Thanks Peggy for the link love! The purpose of Growing Up Paleo is to share my experience of having a paleo pregnancy as well as to share the journey of raising my son paleo. The greatest gift you can give yourself and your growing baby is the best start to life possible through optimal nutrition. One of my favorite books (or DVD) is Dr. Harvey Karp’s “Happiest Baby on the Block”. It is a must have for all new parents!
What a great resource list for readers Peggy! Thanks for all you do!
August 25, 2011 at 10:22 am
That DVD is genius!!!
August 25, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Thank you Peggy! this is very useful
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August 25, 2011 at 10:05 am
Can’t wait to check out these blogs; I’ve been to some of them, but I did’t realize there was so many. What a great resource for primal parents such as myself, who are struggling with implementing the lifestyle on their often stubborn children!
My blog is very new, so I don’t have much content yet, but I will be including many posts about my kids and their diet. At the moment, I’m feeding my 9 month old a primal diet, but she’s just starting out on solids, so it’s pretty easy. My other 2 girls, who are 11 and 3, have had exposure to yummy things like toast and cereal, so transitioning them is proving to be a bit difficult. I am continuing to fight the good fight, however, and will be outlining their progress (and mine) in my blog. I’ll also impart any gems of wisdom that I will hopefully encounter along the way.
In the meantime, I’ll get reading some of these blogs and hopefully get some inspiration. Thanks for the list!
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August 25, 2011 at 11:32 am
I am not a parent yet but I have really enjoyed reading Joyful Abode.
http://www.joyfulabode.com/
August 25, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Love the list – there are few that I didn’t know about. I’d like to add our’s to the list…
http://www.ThePaleoHome.com
Thanks!
August 25, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Thanks for the shout-out, Peggy. There are a lot of great blogs here that I didn’t know about. I look forward to reading them all. It can be a lonely road at times2 so I’m glad to have found some more travelers!
August 25, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Wonderful suggestions for blogs and reads. May I suggest LAST CHILD OF THE WOODS. It mentions green therapy, “nature deficet syndrome”, letting kids create and dream etc.
August 25, 2011 at 10:45 pm
“Last child of the woods” is an excellent read concerning green therapy, calming of hyperactive children, nature deficit disorder etc.
August 25, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Wow. Thank you for this list. I now have quite a few more good blogs to encourage my transition. Maybe by this time next year I’ll be able to get my blog off the ground as well! So far I have one post. I would say life is getting the best of me but I’d be more likely to say my diet is after reading about some of these wonderful families!
I am intrigued into the jaw crowding issue you mentioned. Mostly because I have a rare disorder wherein my lower jaw used to be so much smaller than my upper one that it litterally fit inside the upper jaw AND I could STILL put the thickness of my thumb between my front teeth. Plus it seems like my DD (1) is going to inherit this problem. I wonder if I changed her diet now if the jaw rpoblem would fix itself?! I now have some new reads to put on my want list thanks to you and all of the other awesome bloggers.
Oh, and I second/third/agree with the Happiest Baby on the Block. My DD is one and I STILL use the techniques to varying degrees!
August 26, 2011 at 6:29 am
Yes changing the diet will get the next generation of jaws closer to normal!!!! I and my daughter’s dad, his brother, and all my siblings and both our parents all had varying degrees to crowding and overbite. I read about this stuff when my daughter was six months old, had already been paleo since before conception, and eagerly awaited the day when she grew teeth. Her teeth have all come in perfectly straight! Now if I can just keep her diet clean for the next 12 years of growth, she’ll be a sight to behold!
August 26, 2011 at 9:08 am
Yet another compelling reason to keeps kids on a primal diet! When I was a teen I had to have 8 teeth removed, including wisdom teeth, just so they’d all fit in my jaw, and two years of braces. I still have a very narrow face and disproportionately large teeth, though they are a bit straighter. Unfortunately, it looks like my oldest daughter has inherited these traits and I’m looking into getting her braces next year. Both of us ate lots of carbs, particularly grains, growing up.
I’m hoping that raising my two youngest on a primal diet will avoid these problems, even through I still ate grains during my pregnancies. I wish changing my oldest daughter’s diet would help the situation, but at eleven years old I imagine it’s much too late.
August 29, 2011 at 5:50 pm
My children have always used their jaws a lot – raw veggies as snacks, apples etc. I’m sure this helps develop the jaw / teeth as well as the right food choices.
My 2 are adopted, so their genes could have helped – but they both have great teeth, no cavities, and braces not required – they are now 13 and 15.
August 26, 2011 at 9:34 am
Great list! Though I’m not sure I need MORE amazing blogs to read.
I’ve been blogging about our family’s food adventures too. http://mountainlilyfarmfood.blogspot.com
August 26, 2011 at 10:12 am
Thanks for the list, Peggy. I look forward to reading through them.
One other blog that has some really comprehensive thoughts on Primal Pregnancy is http://onefitmom.ca/ She just gave birth two weeks ago, so I’m sure there will be more about primal child rearing in the future.
August 26, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Thanks for the compilation efforts, Peggy! Great list of resources here. How exciting to be mentioned among such good company.
August 26, 2011 at 11:54 pm
Great list. I’m actually planning on making the primal dive, so these could be helpful resources for me.
August 27, 2011 at 7:41 am
Alright Lisa! That’s great news! We’ll be adding you to the list then soon.
August 28, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Love this list. I am not a parent yet. In all honesty, I’ve never been super keen on having any kids. However, since embarking on the Paleo lifestyle, I feel a lot more optimistic about becoming a parent. I feel like Paleo has given me the tools I need to have a healthy pregnancy and raise healthy kids. Thanks to all the Paleo parents blogging about your experience and helping out folks like me!
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August 28, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Great list! I would love to be added. http://www.thefoodieandthefamily.com
August 29, 2011 at 10:28 am
You got it! Five Paleo kids? You go girl! You’ve got to be one expert cook with all that experience under your belt.
August 29, 2011 at 6:40 pm
I wasn’t always a cook but I’ve grown to love cooking.
Thanks so much for the add!
August 28, 2011 at 3:35 pm
This is a fabulous resource, thank you!
I share about how our family of 4 eats paleo (on a budget) on my blog – http://www.practicalpaleo.blogspot.com
August 28, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Hi Peggy, I heard about this list through Everyday Paleo. I’ve only been following a paleo lifestyle for a few months, but I’m blogging about what I’m learning at cavemumming.blogspot.com, as well as my parenting practices (which I think of as paleo) and also early childhood education. Thanks so much for all of these great resources, I’m checking them out right now.
another really great blog that I love for parenting info is Authentic Parenting. It’s at the quite crunchy end of the spectrum, and is more of a parenting blog whose author happens to be paleo. However I find it really thought provoking and compelling reading.
August 29, 2011 at 10:39 am
Thanks for the suggestions, Jayne! Your website looks fabulous. You cover some really interesting (and important) topics. I added the sites.
August 29, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Thanks!
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August 29, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Awesome list Peggy! I have FINALLY (it needed to be done a year ago…) started to organize my list of over 700 different primal/paleo/ancestral/crossfit/wapf blogs/sites… I think a great category will be “parenting” so I am going to reference this and, of course, I’ll link to ya
August 29, 2011 at 2:01 pm
That is a great idea, albeit a big job! I’ve seen your list, it’s huge! And it must take time to keep updated. Thanks for the link Todd.
August 30, 2011 at 3:43 am
Hi, I’m blogging over at http://paleolution.wordpress.com about my families journey into the wonderful world of paleo eating. Some days we get it right, more often than not we’re winging it with teens and toddlers.
August 30, 2011 at 7:34 am
Discovered MANY new blogs from this post, so thank you!
August 31, 2011 at 8:03 am
What a fantastic resource! I’m blogging at http://primalbalance.blogspot.com/ about finding balance and using my primal instincts to parent my 4 daughters.
August 31, 2011 at 11:37 am
That’s great! I love your emphasis on primal instincts!
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September 3, 2011 at 2:00 am
Thanks for including me! We are indeed a paleo family, but are not that up front about it. It does seep in through my posts, as it is a big chunk of our lives
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October 7, 2011 at 12:42 am
I am a father of 2 girls, I have gone paleo myself and I hope to get the girls eating this way.
Any suggestions as to where to start?
Let me know,
Bruce Thomas
October 7, 2011 at 8:50 am
Bruce,
I think this site is due for a Paleo Kids Starter Kit! Until then hopefully these posts will help.
One thing I’ve noticed from listening to so many parents is that the strategy varies from family to family depending on the kid. My daughter, for example, will attempt to squeeze every bit of license out of me. If I allow ice cream a couple of times, for example, she’ll beg for it a hundred times. If I remove it completely she won’t ask for it even once. My personal strategy is this: Our diet is strict paleo but I offer somewhat unpaleo stuff a couple of times a week, definitely not with each meal or even every day. I think it’s alright to do 100% paleo for very small children, but the same could be counter productive for bigger kids.
https://theprimalparent.com/2011/08/08/if-you-think-kids-cant-make-big-diet-changes-think-again/
https://theprimalparent.com/2011/04/10/persuading-kids-to-go-primal-a-dash-of-discipline-a-sprinkle-of-love/
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