Eco-Friendly, Conflict-Free, Dye-Free, Gluten-Free, Fat-Free, Fragrance-Free, Pesticide-Free, Organic Shopping

I'm not sure how my parents did it 'the old-fashioned way' when I was little. I know mom used cloth diapers, because that's what people used (it's coming back into fashion now too!) Now we have a million choices of disposable (or cloth or reusable or recyclable) diapers. With Ainsley I used Diapers.com for our free mail-delivery diapers, wipes, and baby food. I still use them for baby food and snacks, but with Parker's sensitive skin I have switched to using The Honest Company for his diapers. They do a monthly mail delivery service also, and I especially love the choices of diaper patterns. No Mickey Mouse or SpongeBob Squarepants for Parker! He rotates between skull and crossbones, dinosaurs, Navy anchor, and the patriotic red, white and blue stars. They actually sell lots of other household products, all eco-friendly, organic, dye-free, and safe for sensitive skin. I've also switched to their laundry detergent, dryer sheets and dishwasher soap.

Why am I writing a post about diapers and laundry detergent? Because I can't believe how much time I spend every week shopping for my kids. Before I had kids I never really cared about what products were in my soap, or if my lotion was fragrance-free. I never thought about buying organic milk, organic beef, or free-range chicken eggs. I never looked at which crackers were whole grain and which ones were full of chemicals. For some things I still don't care simply because I don't have the time to care. But for the things that touch my kids' skin every day (diapers and clothes), I can't help but wonder what these chemicals might do to them in 20 years.

One of my college roommates is (bravely and strongly) battling breast cancer. She posted a beautiful picture of herself on Facebook with no hair. Her blond locks were gone - but soon to grow back. With the number of family and friends that face cancer now, I wonder how much the products that we buy and use every day might affect our health down the road. I don't know the answer. And maybe laundry detergent won't affect their health at all. Maybe it will be the fertilizer we put on our lawn, or the tick and flea repellent we use on the dog, or the radioactive vibes coming off the iPad that they play games on. Who knows.

I guess when I buy one eco-friendly or organic product for my kids I feel like maybe I'm a marginally-responsible parent. Then the next minute I'm buying them a toy made from nuclear sewage. Oh well - if I get it right one day out of a week that's better than nothing, right?

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