Are You A Crunchy Parent – Or A Silky One? Here's What That Means
We’ve written before about gentle parenting, panda parenting and even FAFO parenting – and now we’re here to offer a quick guide to the latest internet terms: crunchy, silky and scrunchy parenting.
Let’s dive in.
What is crunchy parenting?
Crunchy parents adopt an organic, natural living-type approach to parenting.
A crunchy parent is typically a little more eco-conscious and will use cloth nappies and reusable wipes (check out Cheeky Wipes, if you’re interested) instead of disposables.
They might opt for home births or midwife-led units over hospitals; baby food is organic or homemade, and screen time is limited (if allowed at all). Plastic toys are a no-go, wooden toys and outdoor play = yes please.
Crunchy parents might also veer on the side of embracing breastfeeding, co-sleeping and baby-wearing. And they may shun conventional medicine in favour of holistic or natural remedies.
What about silky parenting, then?
Silky parents are all about the modern, convenience-friendly approach. They’ll happily use disposable nappies, formula milk and ready-made baby food. They (probably) have a cupboard full of shop-bought toddler snacks, too.
They’re also keen to embrace technology and splurge on the latest baby gear (think self-rocking cribs, state-of-the-art pushchairs) and sleep training is A-OK.
It’s all about making use of modern tools and conveniences to make parenting that little bit easier, especially for working parents or those without a “village” nearby.
OK, so what’s a scrunchy parent?
Many parents will probably fall into a blend of the two. Silky + crunchy = scrunchy parents.
These parents blend a bit of both approaches to suit their lifestyles – doing what’s best baby but also their sanity.
It’s popular among parents who want to be eco-conscious, but are also realistic about time, budget and energy.
If you’re a scrunchy parent, you might combo-feed your baby, you might use cloth nappies at home and disposables when you’re out and about, or you might switch between homemade food and ready-made depending on how busy you are with work.
And regardless of which one you resonate most with, we bet you’re doing a bloody awesome job.