The Green Parent

28/01/2025

⭐Hello!⭐

We're excited to announce the new Adventure special edition of The Green Parent magazine.

This issue has been specially curated for you to ignite your family's sense of wonder and adventure!

It’s packed with family crafts, travel tips, and expert advice to help you create unforgettable experiences with your little explorers.

From roadschooling around Europe to creating mini expeditions with teenagers, from nature escapes to the best things to do in 2025.

⭐Time to Reconnect⭐
This issue is a treasure trove of ideas to break free from the daily routine and reconnect with the world around you.

Learn how to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, making every day a new chapter in your family's adventure story.

But that's not all – there’s also ideas for helping your toddler develop their social intelligence, sauna therapy, how to make your own medicine for painful periods, adventure gear, veggie family feasts, seasonal celebrations and heaps more.

⭐Unlock a World of Possibilities⭐
Discover how other parents have overcome challenges, embraced the chaos, and created lifelong memories along the way.

With exclusive interviews, travel guides, and expert strategies for family bonding through exploration, this issue will inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and unlock a world of possibilities.

Whether you're planning a mini adventure or a roadschooling experience, this edition of The Green Parent is your ultimate companion for adventure-packed parenting.

Get your copy delivered - click the link in our bio now.

28/01/2025

Our new adventure edition has landed 🎒🧭🗺
Discover how other parents have overcome challenges, embraced the chaos, and created lifelong memories along the way. With exclusive interviews, travel guides, and expert strategies for family bonding through exploration, this issue will inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and unlock a world of possibilities 💙.
Buy the new issue here:
https://link.thegreenparent.co.uk/buy123

11/01/2025

Last week to enter our competitions to win a fantastic Sewing Machine from Janome Sewing Machines, winter vitamins from Sambucol and Bee Calm + Bee Rested supplements from UnBEElievable Health: natural supplements. Good luck🤞
https://thegreenparent.co.uk/win/

28/12/2024

Hello and a happy Saturday to you,

I find these days between Christmas and New Year blissful. Some long crunchy walks with people I love and plenty of pyjama/fire time!

I’ve found the Magical Britain feature in our latest issue a real source of inspiration. It’s made me want to hunt out the liminal spaces and scared sites near us.

Rob Wildwood shares 9 of his favourite spots.

“Many places are said to have magical properties,” he says.

“They might have conferred good fortune or were protected by animal guardians or supernatural beings.

Sometimes treasure lay buried in these sites but huge storms erupted when anyone attempted to dig it up.

At certain magical locations strange music could be heard emanating from below the earth, produced either by fairies or by pipers who had long ago become trapped in underground realms.

Today, there are locations where miraculous occurrences take place, such as the bleeding yew tree at Nevern or the petrifying well at Knaresborough, and there is, of course, the famous prophecy attached to the ravens at the Tower of London.”

Discover some of Rob’s favourite magical places in our latest edition. Get your copy delivered by clicking on the link in our bio -

Love from Melissa

Ps: Do you have a favourite magical spot to explore with your family? Drop a comment here and let’s get inspired by each other’s wild spaces

23/12/2024

Hello!

Happy Monday to you.

I’ve found Steve Biddulph’s latest book so reassuring.

We interviewed him in our new edition and asked him – what is the most important thing for us to take away from your book?

“That there is nothing in us that is broken, or malfunctioning,” Steve says.

“We are wondrously made. Let’s have a compassionate and welcoming attitude to our own inner voices.

To be friendly towards our wild self, so it emerges from the thickets of our mind.

If we listen to our anxiety, and give it room, if we don’t push it down, then it always transforms into something strong and useful.”

Read more about your Wild Creature Mind and find out how to get in touch with it in our new edition. Click on the link in our bio to order your copy - .

Love from Melissa

21/12/2024

Hiya,

Happy Saturday from my family to yours!

How’s your weekend going?

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?

I think I’ve experienced about 2 snowy festive seasons in all my life.

So I was thrilled to receive the photographs from Rasmus and Kimi for our How We Live feature in the latest edition. The family moved to Lapland last year to get away from it all and raise their daughters somewhere deeply peaceful.

“Winter is long and cold,” says Kimi.

“We had -37° on the coldest day at the beginning of the year and the stove in the cellar is fed with firewood every few hours.

Christmas time is absolutely magical. Everything is like in a film, thick with snow and cold.

However, the cold is very dry, so it doesn't always feel so bad. In winter, we go ice fishing on the nearby lake.”

Read about the family’s lifestyle and what they are growing on their land in this sub-polar region in our latest issue. Get your copy delivered – click on the link in our bio - .

Love from Melissa

16/12/2024

Hello,

Happy Monday!

I was delighted when Afia Bayayi agreed to share her home education journey with us in our latest issue.

I find it so inspiring and uplifting to read about how other families approach home ed.

Afia has already got me thinking about encouraging greater self-reliance in my daughter. And the way that she speaks about how their choices have affected family relationships really resonates with me.

“I love that my children share a strong bond, thanks to so many shared experiences and friendships.

As a family, we’re close-knit, and our home serves as a refuge, the centre of their education, and a place they look to for guidance.

The children often take part in the family business, developing a sense of work ethic and gaining insight into how we create the lifestyle they enjoy - they’re very much a part of our family team - Team Bayayi.

I'm also incredibly grateful for the time we've been able to invest in our children through home educating them. They’re growing up as confident, secure, and happy individuals.

This journey has allowed us to work at each child’s own pace, tailoring their education to their unique needs, strengths, and interests.

Preserving their childhood has been a joy; they spend plenty of time outdoors, climbing trees, they embrace independence, and we have cultivated their love for books and learning.

Each of these qualities have been nurtured, creating a foundation for lifelong growth.”

Read about Afia’s daily home education rhythm in our latest edition. Get your copy delivered to your door, click the link in our bio - .

Love from Melissa

Ps: Want to share your home education journey with us? Ping me a DM and let’s chat!

14/12/2024

Hello,

A very warm, cosy Saturday to you.

As new mums we can so often get subsumed in the needs of our baby and our new role.

Michelle Weeks is on a mission to change this and help mums put themselves front and centre and tap into their creativity to boost their mental health and wellbeing.

Here she shares 3 ways for new parents to embrace their creativity to improve mental health

1 Don’t overthink it.
The humble biro and the back of an envelope is enough to jot down your thoughts or let out your frustrations with an intense scribble.

2 It doesn’t have to take up a lot of time.
Keep a notebook/journal and pen by the kettle, then you have the duration it takes to boil to journal. So, you could end up doing it a couple of times a day.

3 It is not about making pretty pictures.
Art, especially when journaling, does not have to be pretty, colourful or carefully planned. It is as raw, honest and spontaneous as birth itself. It is about the process and self- expression not just the final outcome. This is key to your practice. Process over product.

Like parenthood, creativity exists in a state of revision and flow, where we are constantly adapting our rhythm. Parents are all creative, but sometimes we just don’t have the words to say how we feel, so why not use colour and pictures instead.

To read more about why Michelle recommends journaling and how it can benefit you as a parent, read our latest edition. Click on the link in our bio to get yours delivered -

Love from Melissa

ps: What’s your secret to maintaining a creative practice after having kids? Love to hear your ideas!

10/12/2024

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09/12/2024

Hiya,

How are you doing today?

I’m pleased to bring you a mindful Monday quote from Emma Benyon .coach, life coach, podcast host and editor.

In our new issue, Emma writes about how to cultivate your own inner coach.

“Your inner coach is a supportive, encouraging, compassionate and kind inner voice that helps you navigate your days with confidence and clarity.

They emphasise your strengths, celebrate your achievements and guide you towards your goals. They are like that supportive friend who always has your back, keeping you going and moving forwards.

Nurturing this inner voice can support you to be kinder and more compassionate to yourself, as well as transforming how you approach motherhood.”

Get more of Emma’s wisdom in our new edition – click on the link in our bio - .

Love from Melissa

07/12/2024

Hello and a very happy Saturday to you!

How are you feeling today?

I was really intrigued when Poppy Goring contacted me about writing about her family’s approach to screen time.

She chose to ditch her smartphone because it was affecting her ability to really think.

“I wanted to return to the reality of myself in order to create more meaningful work, fully absorb the sublimity of the natural world, and be as imaginative, relaxed, and understanding a mother as possible to my son.

Personally, I can’t deep-think with technology surrounding me. I need to carve the time and space out from my busy life as a wife and mother to clear away any unnecessary infiltrations. Boredom is freedom.

This essence of boredom is essential for so many things: working through difficult questions, asking ourselves our own questions, and daydreaming, which can teach us what we truly desire. The human brain naturally looks for stimulation wherever it goes.

Without the flashing lights of fingertip media we used our surroundings; other people, ourselves. But the distraction is too quick – too satisfying.

Want to work through that awkward conversation at work? Why bother, when you can discover the secret of Taylor Swift’s favourite s*x position! Want to think about another baby? A career change? That weird thing your kid said the other day? Do it later. Right now, you absolutely need to read the witty back and forth between Sophie and Joanne about the new P.E. teacher they’re conducting on Facebook!”

Read Poppy’s story in our new issue – click the link in our bio -

Love from Melissa

05/12/2024

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https://link.thegreenparent.co.uk/frogbikes

03/12/2024

Inside our latest winter edition ❄️🧤🎄
• A magical, slow birthday ritual
• How to create a vision board
• The family who moved to Lapland for a greater sense of peace
• Going screen-free
• The game plan for peaceful parenting teenagers
• The power of art journalling for new mums
• How to beat stress and anxiety
• Stay healthy with medicine you can make at home
• Create your own chill-out corner
• How to nourish neurodivergent minds
• The most magical places in the UK
+ The Green Parent Christmas Gift Guide 2024
FREE interactive download of this issue with your purchase a print copy.

https://subs.thegreenparent.co.uk/products/issue-122-print

02/12/2024

🎄👀Looking for gift ideas for the whole family? Then look no further! Download our free Christmas Gift Guide 2024 here for natural inspiration 🎁

Famileo
Usborne Publishing
Bloomsbury Publishing UK
Bigjigs Toys
Voxblock UK
Orchard Toys Ltd
HarperCollins Publishers UK
Baa Baby
Klean Kanteen
tickit education
Frog Bikes - the lightweight kids' bike
The Green Parent

Find the perfect presents for your whole family in our free, downloadable Christmas Gift Guide 2024

02/12/2024

Happy Monday folks!

I love this quote. It makes me laugh every time I read it. And it really resonates – I want to hang out with salty people too!

Jessie Harrold .es.harrold is such a powerhouse. She’s a doula, coach, author and podcast maker. You’ve probably come across her wonderful book – Mothershift. If not check it out!

In our latest edition she speaks about how she uses a four elements model to guide women into motherhood.

“I love how the elements can be a map for any life transformation.

Earth is a time of getting orientated to what’s true about your life right now. Everything is changing; our intimate partnerships, our relationship with our mother, our bodies, our careers. It’s overwhelming.

The ground is shifting, and the work to do here is just to orient yourself, to get your feet literally on the earth and name the change so it doesn’t feel so big and ambiguous.

Water is a time of grieving what is no longer. That phase of release and letting go, and other unexpected, perhaps culturally unwanted feelings such as anger and ambivalence.

In our culture, we don’t have the skills to grieve. We’re afraid. But if we allow these feelings, honour and metabolise those, then that helps us normalises those feelings.

Air is the point at which we throw up our hands; everything is in the air. I don’t know who I am or where I’m going, and everything has changed. If we are able to hold ourselves in the discomfort of that liminal experience, there are a lot of gifts there.

Then Fire. The fun part everyone wants to skip to. This is where we pick up a paintbrush and start painting again, or brush up our CV. There’s a new energy there. You get to experiment and play and explore who you are now.”

For more about Jessie’s work and how to navigate the journey to motherhood, get our latest copy delivered.

Click on the link in our bio -

Love from Melissa

02/12/2024

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30/11/2024

Hello,

A cosy Saturday evening to you!

My youngest and I are like the Brambly Hedge mice at this time of year, preserving things and creating medicine from the hedgerow. This weekend we’re brewing up a rose elixir for self-compassion, using the last of the rose petals from our garden.

While planning our Stillness issue I was so delighted to receive an email from Maria Rogers who wanted to share her grandmother’s recipes with us.

“My beloved grandmother, Albina always knew which herbs to use for what,” she explains. “She could recall hundreds of recipes off the top of her head and would involve me in the gathering and preparation.

Here’s Maria’s recipe for Rosehip and Honey Elixir.

“Rosehips are a wellknown superfood in Siberia, prized for their incredibly high vitamin C content. Rosehip tea or syrup is a staple during the cold months, supporting the immune system and preventing colds and flu. This simple elixir combines rosehips and honey for a potent health boost.

• 1 cup of dried rosehips • 4 cups of water • 2 tablespoons of honey

1. Add the dried rosehips to a pot with water and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and let the mixture simmer for 30-40 minutes.

3. Strain the liquid and allow it to cool slightly.

4. Stir in the honey while the elixir is still warm (but not hot).

5. Drink a cup in the morning or evening, or store the elixir in the fridge and take 1-2 tablespoons daily.”

For more healing remedies from Maria’s (and Albina’s) kitchen, get a copy of our latest magazine delivered to your door. There’s delicious pine cone honey and Siberian garlic and ginger infusion and much more!

Click on the link in our bio - .

With love from

Melissa

ps: I’d love to hear what you’re making right now – let me know in the comments!

26/11/2024

Hooray! The new edition has just landed.

It's packed with heartwarming articles, designed to be read beside a roaring fire, or wrapped up in a cosy duvet. 🔥

I'm so excited to introduce the mid-winter edition of The Green Parent. The theme is stillness and slowing down. It was such a tonic to slow down, and get mindful while preparing this issue.

We've also created a jam-packed ethical Christmas Gift Guide, which is tucked inside every issue.

Want a paper copy delivered?

Click the link in our bio, or go to link.thegreenparent.co.uk/buy122

Inside you can read about:

• A magical, slow birthday ritual

• How to create a vision board

• The family who moved to Lapland for a greater sense of peace

• Going screen-free

• The game plan for peaceful parenting teenagers

• The power of art journalling for new mums

• How to beat stress and anxiety

• Stay healthy with medicine you can make at home

• Create your own chill-out corner

• How to nourish neurodivergent minds

• The most magical places in the UK

Cover photography by the wonderful .photo ❤