We all want to have happy and healthy homes. At Apple Park, we recognize it comes down to a number of key decisions – on what to surround yourself with, how to spend time, and a few key parenting tips. The following are a few of the most important things we suggest to keep in mind.

1. Go Natural. Surround your home with natural, healthy materials – cleaning supplies, toys, clothing, paint, furniture – you name it. Everything toxic that surrounds us has its impact. We recommend reading Slow Death by Rubber Duck for an idea of how basic household items can negatively impact our lives without our knowledge.
2. Keep it Clean. Making your home clean and well-organized, with very little clutter, can be a huge and daunting task, especially with toddlers. Although cleaning and tidying up every day can become laborious, it improves spirits and health.
3. Eat Right. You are what you eat. A nutritious, healthy diet brings energy and life to the home. Eat organic as much as possible. Cook your own food. Make meal-times a special treat that everyone looks forward to.
4. Music and Art! Invite music to play an important role in your children’s life. Sing and dance with the kids. A lot. Appreciate art together – notice out loud when something is striking or beautiful. Get excited about good music and art, and your kids’ lives will be enriched. And no, TV does NOT count as art!!!
5. Balance of Activities. Get outside and inside. Read books and run around. Play together and give everyone alone time. When children start getting “edgy” make sure to pour lots of positive focus into them. They’re kids for such a short time – don’t let other interests, needs and hobbies distract us from this fantastic opportunity we have to impact their lives.
6. Community Involvement. Ever hear the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”? In other countries extended families and the wider community are far more involved in raising children than in urban America today. Let’s face it, we love our personal space! It is important in this culture to have frequent exposure to friends and family. Also, consider volunteering in the community and involving the kids. Not only does it benefit the community, it develops appreciation for life and a sense of purpose outside of ourselves.
7. Teaching Respect. Having respect for one another starts with the parents. Keep a few ground rules, like no name calling, no physical hurting, and always communicating anger or hurt without blaming or lashing out. Be firm on boundaries with children as soon as they cross a line. Don’t give second chances for important things like safety – if they don’t respect your boundary, remove them from the “privilege” of being in that situation immediately.
8. Cherish Times Together. Show everyone in your home how dear they are – work at appreciating them constantly. Shower them with attention and love. This doesn’t mean ignoring personal needs – taking care of ourselves is a necessary prerequisite! But it does mean – no matter how busy you are – noticing your daughter’s smile as she shows you her new drawing and laughing at your son’s antics as he tries to get your attention. Capture the moments using photography, video, or writing.
9. Be a Storyteller. Story is the heartbeat of humanity. It is how we understand life, and find our rooting. Become the best storyteller in the world. Always look for opportunities. Make sure a lot of them are real stories about your life, so kids find the roots of their heritage within our mixed-up culture. Be creative. And have fun!
10. Focus on the positive. So often it is easy to get wrapped up in the negative parts of life, especially when everything is going wrong, or the kids are acting terribly. Do not dwell on negatives. When children act out always remember to let them know they made a bad decision, but they are still good kids. Kids grow into what we tell them – if we tell them they’re good kids, or smart, or lazy, they will grow up to believe that about themselves (whether it’s true or not!). Work hard to maintain an over-the-top positive opinion of everyone in the home. Even when your son is cranky and throwing food on the wall, you can appreciate his creative and spunky way of exploring his options – discipline him firmly but gently and with lots of love.