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4 The Green Parent

Green Parent The

Editor e-mail Assistant Editor e-mail Editorial Assistant

Melissa Corkhill editor@thegreenparent.co.uk Amy Schofield info@thegreenparent.co.uk Lucy Corkhill

Art Director e-mail

Jez Harris art@thegreenparent.co.uk

With many thanks to our inspirational contributors:

Jo Cantello, Lorenza Clifford, Lisa Cole, Jasmine Dale, Laura Dunn, Mary

English, Hilary Gregson, Bella Griffin, Barbara Higham, Elaine Hills-Haney,

Gill Kilner, Victoria Leith, Jo Middleton, Auromira Parks, Nicola Randall,

Laurent Robert, Veronika Robinson, Annie Seeley, Tracey Smith, Amy

Warburton, Rachel Shiamh Whitehead, Paulina Wojciechowska

The Green Parent magazine PO Box 104, Lewes, BN7 9AX www.thegreenparent.co.uk info@thegreenparent.co.uk Tel 01825 872858

Advertising Sales Space Marketing Tel 01892 677740 Email sales@spacemarketing.co.uk

We are an editorially led magazine, which means insightful non-biased journalism. A limited amount of advertising space is available to those companies with a strong ethical, environmental ethos. And The Green Parent really works for those businesses keen to promote their products to a conscious audience:

“Thank you for the great response I received from my advert. The Green Parent is the perfect media for me to promote my business.” Lee Ann, Usborne

“The Green Parent has provided a great magazine for Weleda to promote its natural bodycare range because it is a genuine publication that shares our brand values” Susie at Weleda

The Green Parent is printed by Cambrian Printers on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. Distributed by Diamond Magazine Distribution Ltd throughout the UK, USA and Canada. The Green Parent is a member of INK (independent news collective), an association of radical and alternative publishers. The Green Parent is published by Green Parent Publications © 2007. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is strictly prohibited. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy we cannot take responsibility for losses resulting from publishing errors, however caused. The opinions expressed in this publication are not to be considered those of the publisher, who accepts no liability of any nature arising out of or in connection with the contents of this magazine.

Competition guidelines Entering a competition will be seen as acceptance of these rules • The closing date for competitions is 31st May 2007 unless otherwise stated • Only one entry per person per competition is permitted • No responsibility is accepted for entries that are lost, delayed or damaged in the post • Entries can be sent to the address above or emailed to competitions@thegreenparent.co.uk . Please supply name, address, telephone number and email address and mark clearly which competition you are entering • Illegible or incomplete entries will not be accepted • No cash alternative to any prize is offered • The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into • Your details will not be passed onto any third parties except where you have requested promotional literature. The winner’s details may be passed to the company in question in order that they can send the prize.

SUBSCRIBE TURN TO PAGE 73 FOR THIS MONTHS FREE GIFT

UK: £17.50/YEAR (6 ISSUES) EUROPE: £30/YEAR REST OF WORLD: £45/YEAR contents Natural Homes Special April/May 2007 issue 16 8

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Main features 8The Nature Detectives How to involve children in the changing seasons

12How to step off The joy of downshifting with Tracey Smith

14Ostara Celebrate the magic of spring with Amy Warburton

26Yummy Mummy guide to slings Laura Dunn shares her secrets

Bumps birth and beyond 20Elaine’s Diary The story of her daughter’s birth

21Conscious Birthing Kate Woods reclaims this right of passage

22Sisterhood of breastfeeding The feminine art of feeding

24Lactivists Women who have changed the face of breastfeeding

Family life 17Sunday Selection Reclaim relaxing family Sundays with our guide

18Off-shore News Bella Griffin shares her journey across China with us

19Holistic Health May is a time for fertility and pleasure says Lucy Corkhill

74Parentcoach Lorenza Clifford on dealing with guilt

90Ten Simple Steps to having a happy home

Learning 31Natural Learning Gill Kilner shares her home education journey

32What next? Advice for parents of Indigo Children

SUBSCRIBE, READ ARTICLES, BUY BACK ISSUES AND SHOP! WWW.THEGREENPARENT.CO.UK

Health and Beauty 51Your Child’s Health Encourage children to sleep better naturally

53Your Health How dance aids wellbeing

Food and Drink 55What’s in Season? Organic Easter eggs and wild garlic

56Going veggie Advice and recipes for becoming a vegetarian

House and Garden 61Home News EMFs – how they affect our children

62Up in the treetops Treehouses explored by Jo Cantello

66Secret life of plants The magic and mystery of hawthorn

Ethical money 68Children’s Trust Funds How to invest ethically for your children

Green Travel 69Let’s Take a Trip to… Manchester Find green hotels and places to go.

Ethical Fashion 71Threads for kids Beautiful new ethical clothing for children

Regulars 3 welcome 6 letters 7 out and about: what’s on in April 67 horoscopes 72 coming next issue 73 how to subscribe

Competitions 49 Win a Natural Home Makeover 71 FREE knitting pattern for every reader 76 Win organic Easter eggs 80 Natural baby shoes to win 80 Gorgeous organic giftset to giveaway 82 Win breastfeeding goodies 84 Free nappy wipes 88 Win Argan oil beauty products 88 Natural soaps to win

Special Feature: 37Natural Homes From natural cleaning products to building your own, you’ll find everything you need to make your home a cleaner, greener place.

the Natural home

the Natural home

of i nsp irat ion and id eas

Ecohouse Leisesterwww.gwll.org.uk/ecohouse

Our homes are responsible for more harmful carbon emissions than our cars. In fact, the average household creates around six tonnes of CO2 every year. And the average household could save two tonnes of CO2 a year by making itself energy efficient. For example if every household installed three energy-efficient lightbulbs, enough energy would be saved in a year to supply all street lighting in the UK.

And did you know that more than 40 per cent of all heat lost in the average home is through the loft and walls. In fact, the amount of heat lost annually through roofs and walls is enough to heat three million homes for a year. So what can we do about these shocking figures? We can start at home and go green. From choosing natural paints and cleaning products to small scale renewables, we’ve got it covered inside this natural home special.

Contents: 38 Why green homes are important 39 What you can do 40 Natural cleaning goodies 41 Meet the families who built their own 46 Eco properties for sale 47 Gorgeous ethical homewares 49 Win a natural home makeover

The Green Parent 37

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75Ecosourcebook – it’s got everything in it. New practical section filled with ideas and action that you can take to go green. Take a look inside.

eco source book

NEW

Everything you need for green living

Breast is best

Nat ura lpro duc tsfor bre ast fee din g mums p age 80

FOOD&DRINK

LEARNING

ETHICALFASHION

BUMPS&BIRTH

REALNAPPIES

www.bravadodesigns.com

loads of competitions

HOUSE&GARDEN

What’s inside? 76 food and drink make your own hot cross buns and discover english wine 78 learning african bag gardens and gardening goodies 80 fashion recycled clothes and ethical handbags 82 bumps and birth nipple shells and tips for dads 84 real nappies save money on washables and choose spring nappies 86 house and garden get composting and discover the modern rag-and-bone man 88 health and beauty teenage skincare goodies and natural soaps

eco source book | The Green Parent 75

HEALTH&BEAUTY

The Green Parent 5