On Raising Non-Medicated Children

The other night my middle boy suddenly started complaining of a headache and a sick tummy. I felt his head and neck and when I did he complained that his neck hurt. I figured he had some swollen glands, and could tell he was probably coming down with something because my kids are rarely sick.

I had him fetch my bag of homeopathic remedies and I chose a few based on my amateur yet lengthy experience with remedies, and had him take them. As soon as I did, it occured to me how not one of my kids knows that how we treat illnesses are not what most families do.

They don't know that it's not normal to pop a few homeopathic remedies, and they definitely don't know that it's normal to be all better by the morning. They don't know kids get sick all the time, they don't know how often kids are at the doctor and they have no idea what prescription drugs even are. 

For some reason I felt the need in that moment to try and tell them how most people are - but the conversation fell flat. They were horrified that people are at the doctors for a fever, because they've been taught a fever is an expression of health - the way your body fights infection (no we do not give ibuprofen or Tylenol for fevers). They also didn't know fevers can last longer than a couple days, because in their memory they have never experienced that. My 8 year old was shocked to know that one time he had a high fever for 5 days, but I reassured him it was only Roseola and explained what that is and that 5 days of fever is just the bug running its course. I also told him how back when he had that bug I was just learning about remedies and didn't know what to give him. 

I feel so grateful that I've made a life for them that not only includes health, but IS health. This isn't me tooting my own horn, God knows I've made plenty of mistakes with my kids. But it was so striking to me that they don't know about medications and doctors and getting sick. I'm very very grateful for the knowledge I've obtained and the learning I've been given. This encouraged me even more to never give up, to keep learning, and to trust our bodies.

What about you - do your kids think all moms hand out homeopathic remedies every time they feel sick?