Alicia Silverstone’s Parenting Style Is Causing Quite A Stir

Alicia Silverstone’s Parenting Style Is Causing Quite A Stir

Actress Alicia Silverstone shot to the top of the agenda of the entertainment industry in the 1990s thanks to her performance as Cher Horowitz in the film Clueless. Regardless of the fact that Alicia still acts and keeps a presence in the Hollywood industry, the focus of her attention right now is on her children. This is the case even though she continues to work in the entertainment business. Bear Blu Jarecki, whose mother is 46 years old and whose upbringing was anything but typical, has reached the age of 11 and still resides with his mother, Alicia. When people came to know how she was raised by her Holywood actress mother, they were quite surprised. This caused a stir. Want to know why? Read on to find out!

The Parents

Although Bear’s father Christopher Jarecki is a musician, he is not nearly as well known as Bear’s mother, who is a famous celebrity. Christopher and Alicia first connected with one another outside of a movie theater, and after dating for eight years, they finally got married. Bear was born to this couple in 2011, and despite the difficulties they were experiencing in their marriage, they have both continued to be involved parents in Bear’s life. After a happy marriage of 20 years, Alicia and Christopher filed for divorce the following year (2018). Bear is being raised by his former partners, who share joint custody of him and are committed to co-parenting amicably.

The Issue

When Alicia posted a video of herself feeding Bear, who was 10 months old at the time, onto her website, The Kind Life, in 2012, her parenting skills came under scrutiny as a result. In the video, Alicia can be seen feeding Bear food that she had previously chewed.

The Issue

To say the least, the move was divisive, and it caused people to question all of Alicia’s choices regarding how she raised her children. However, despite what she has previously stated, the actress does not believe that there is anything wrong with it. “This has been going on for thousands of years — still going on all over the place — and it’s natural.”

Her Method Of Parenting

Attachment parenting is one of the many approaches that are known to be effective in the process of bringing up children, and it is the style of parenting that Alicia employs. The practice of parenting known as attachment parenting places an emphasis on the close emotional and physical bond that develops between a parent and their child.

Her Method Of Parenting

For instance, some people believe that carrying a baby, sharing a bed with an infant, and viewing a child’s cry is a form of communication rather than a tantrum or an act of manipulation. Attachment parenting is a style of parenting that is predicated on the idea that the bond that develops between a parent and their child will influence the way that the child interacts with others throughout their life. However, Alicia has a very different approach to how she raises her children…

Natural Mom, She Said

Alicia boasts that she is a “natural” when it comes to raising her children. “I just do what’s natural. I’m a loving mama. I believe in love, I believe in nature and our society is scared of nature and scared of love.”

Natural Mom, She Said

After being questioned about her close relationship with Bear, Alicia explained that this is how parents raise their offspring in the wild. “If you were in any kind of wild setting where there are animals if you put your baby over there, your baby is going to get eaten. So, it’s not ideal for the baby to be over there.”

Home

Solar panels and an organic vegetable garden make Alicia’s house very environmentally friendly. The household composts its own garbage, always brings reusable bags to the store, and never buys throwaways. Both vegan and dedicated animal rescuers, Alicia and Bear have taken in a menagerie of rescued animals over the years.

Home

“I try to lead by example. Bear sees me making choices all day long that benefit our planet […] He is a little eco-ambassador for our planet; compassionate, loving, curious, and aware.”

Medical Decisions

Alicia doesn’t have a lot of faith in modern medicine and would rather have Bear’s body maintain its own equilibrium. According to the star, her son has never required any sort of medical attention, including antibiotics or vaccines.

Medical Decisions

“I’m not saying I wouldn’t give it to him… I’m saying he doesn’t need it. This is a kid who’s been [sick] twice in his life. Twice. For, like, a few hours. He said, ‘Mommy I don’t feel good. I’m going to lie down.’ In his whole life, twice.”

Supportive Mother

Bear’s parents don’t expect him to conform to social norms, especially when it comes to gender. He’s been made fun of for his long hair in the past but chose to keep it and Alicia supported that decision.

Supportive Mother

“Mama and Papa aren’t going to stop him from being him. He’s beautiful and we love his hair! We would never impose any social ideas about what hair on a boy or girl should look like. We should all try to embrace our children and who they choose to be without any judgment!”

New Look

Bear, then nine years old, decided he wanted a new look and style, so he got a buzz cut. Bear’s mane had grown to his waist at that point, but he promptly had it buzzed off. Alicia says the transition was difficult because her son no longer looks like a baby.

New Look

The actress is quite fond of Bear’s new appearance, though she insists that she needs time to adjust. Still, she has a sneaking suspicion that he’ll start wearing his hair long again soon. For the time being, she is protecting his loose tresses.

Taking A Bath Together

Bath time is a favorite activity in the Silverstone household, but the manner in which Alicia and Bear take pleasure in this time has caused some individuals to feel repulsed. It is unknown whether or not the mother and son still take baths together, as they did when Bear was younger than nine years old. However, they did take baths together before Bear turned nine.

Taking A Bath Together

Although many supporters thought the move was inappropriate, others pointed out that it is considered appropriate in a variety of other societies. Because taking a bath with a young child does not seem like it would be a relaxing experience, some viewers simply could not comprehend how the Silverstones manage to make their bath time work logistically.

Night Routine

Bedtime routines are another shared activity between Bear and Alicia, similar to taking baths together. Even as of July 2022, the actress and her son, who is now 11 years old, continue to sleep in the same bed. Alicia said, “Bear and I still sleep together. And I’ll be in trouble for saying that but I don’t really care.”

Night Routine

Her assumptions were correct, as evidenced by the fact that numerous fans deemed the practice to be morally reprehensible and borderline predatory. Others chimed in with their own anecdotes of sleeping in the same bed as their parents or with the children they later had in order to demonstrate that they do not find the practice odd.

Toilet Training

When Bear was a young child, Alicia had some ideas about toilet training that were rather unorthodox for the time. Elimination communication is a method that reduces or eliminates the need for children to wear diapers. Silverstone is a supporter of this approach.

Toilet Training

Instead, the parent watches their child for signs that the child needs to use the potty, and once the parent sees these signs, they hold their child over the toilet. Alicia claims that using this method is so effective that she was able to finish potty training Bear by the time he was six months old!

Stroller Not Needed

Alicia did not use a stroller for Bear when he was a young child because she held the belief that it was important for her son’s development for him to be physically close to her. This belief is shared by many people who believe in attachment parenting.

Stroller Not Needed

Rather than that, Alicia would either hold Bear in her arms or wear him on her back in a sling. It should come as no surprise that Alicia has stated that her approach to parenting is all about “getting back to basics and doing away with excess.” Given her disdain for diapers, strollers, and cribs (the latter of which she refers to as “neglect”), this statement should not come as a surprise.

Discipline

Alicia does not really believe in discipline. She asserts that she does not need to resort to it because Bear’s emotions are well-regulated thanks to the natural and vegan diet that he follows. “There’s a calmness to him, a centered-ness that he’s not off the charts.”

Discipline

“I don’t have to yell or scream or, like, discipline. None of that is necessary. All I have to do is say, ‘Oh, Bear, no thank you,’ and he goes, ‘Okay, mom.’ He’s got it. We just can talk like that because he’s not feeling crazy.”

Electronics-Free Household

It’s a bit ironic that Alicia is an actress but Bear rarely watches movies. That’s because the Silverstones have a largely tech-free home. Alicia and Bear may watch a movie occasionally as a treat but they prefer to spend quality time together rather than staring at screens.

Electronics-Free Household

Bear and Alicia are active people who enjoy being outside, engaging in physical activity, and having fun with their dogs. Despite the fact that Alicia does not use any electronic devices, she is very happy, “Bear and I have never experienced boredom.”

The Approval

Alicia is currently on the lookout for a romantic partner, but anyone who has an interest in dating the actress will need to first obtain permission from someone else — Bear. Bear is always kept up to date on all of Alicia’s romantic endeavors, and his mother would never seriously pursue a relationship with someone who made him unhappy.

The Approval

Alicia has stated that she is “super excited about being available and open to whatever is next” in 2021 and that she is therefore using multiple dating apps. Still, she recognizes that there are “confusing” aspects to dating again.

Being Parents

Even though Alicia and Christopher, Bear’s biological father, are no longer romantically involved, they continue to get along very well and take pleasure in sharing the role of co-parenting Bear. According to what the actress has said, “Bear and his daddy and I flow really well together.”

Being Parents

Alicia attributes some of this success to the fact that she and Christopher remain close friends and maintain daily communication with one another. She is of the opinion that Bear is able to reap additional benefits as a result of the fact that his parents are complete opposites. “His dad lives very differently, so he gets to have the whole picture.”

Thinking For Himself

Alicia has shown that she isn’t afraid to go against the grain, and now she wants to instill that same fearlessness in Bear by teaching him to think for himself. The actress regularly instills in her son the values of “questioning everything” and “don’t believe what they tell you” by telling him not to believe what other people say.

Thinking For Himself

Silverstone demonstrates that she puts into practice what she preaches by making sure that Bear sees her, as “not necessarily doing what the masses are doing and really questioning things, really thinking about things and looking at things through a magnifying glass.”

Activism

Alicia is an activist for veganism, and it would appear that Bear, as he gets older, is becoming more and more like his mother in this regard. Bear Silverstone’s exceptional physical health, his positive behavior, and Alicia’s fertility are all attributed by the Silverstone family to the vegan diet and lifestyle.

Activism

Alicia has addressed her concerns regarding her son’s health by saying, “He’s such an example of health. This is a child who is plant-based.” Since 1998, Alicia has followed a vegan diet, and Bear has never eaten any animal products in his life.

Her Take On Cribs

As was stated earlier, Alicia considers it neglectful to place an infant or young child in a crib. She is also of the opinion that children should be allowed to continue sleeping in the same bed as their parents for as long as the child desires. Because of this, the fact that Alicia has some pretty harsh words for cribs shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone.

Her Take On Cribs

According to her, parents who lock their children in “a barred-in box completely alone” are missing out on an opportunity to form a connection with their offspring. “Sharing a bed with Baby means you can tune in better to her needs, which in turn builds security and trust.”

Independent

Alicia maintains that Bear is definitely more self-sufficient than the majority of his peers despite having been raised with an attachment parenting style, which might lead one to believe that such a child would be more reliant on their parent. “The whole idea is that you love and attach so much so that they’re free enough to be and leave.”

Independent

She said, “It’s heartbreaking, but you have to. My kid’s so fiercely independent because he is right [in my heart] all the time. He’s so great.”

She Released A Book

Alicia published a book on parenting in 2014 under the title, The Kind Mama: A Simple Guide to Supercharged Fertility, a Radiant Pregnancy, a Sweeter Birth, and a Healthier, More Beautiful Beginning.

She Released A Book

According to Silverstone, the motivation behind writing this book was to “make a guide for women so that they could have that experience that they deserved to have.” On the other hand, reviews for The Kind Mama were extremely contradictory, and it has been subjected to a great deal of scrutiny from professionals in the field of childcare.

It Backfired

Many of Alicia’s detractors have a problem with the fact that the majority of her book is comprised of anecdotes and lacks any scientific backing. They contend that many of The Kind Mama’s recommendations pose risks to the mental and physical health of children and should not be followed.

It Backfired

However, Alicia makes it clear that she has never pretended to be an expert and that her book is comprised solely of the approaches to parenting that have been successful for her. “Everything that’s in the book is there to show you why you might want to consider it, always just to give you information. […] If you don’t choose that, that’s totally fine.”

Her Parenting Decisions

Alicia is proud of the mothering choices she has made as well as the book that she has written, despite the criticism. She claims that other mothers frequently come up to her on the street to express their gratitude for the parenting advice that helped transform their lives.

Her Parenting Decisions

The actress feels that becoming a mother and being active in her community has provided her with a purpose and that she is contributing to the improvement of the world. Regarding the naysayers, Silverstone has this to say: “Anyone who has issues with it can have them; it doesn’t affect me.”

Kisses

When it comes to whether or not parents should kiss their children on the lips, most people have strong opinions on both sides of the debate. Because Alicia places such a high value on the importance of physical bonding, it should not come as a surprise that she has no problem showing her affection for Bear by giving him a quick peck on the lips.

Kisses

After watching Clueless for the first time, the actress joked that Bear was a little perplexed and thought he was supposed to French kiss his mom like in the film.

The World Of Social Media

Since Alicia is the parent of a celebrity, it should come as no surprise that she has no control over the photographs that the paparazzi take of Bear or the websites on which they are posted. In spite of this, she makes an effort, when it comes to the social media account she uses for herself, to protect the privacy of her son.

The World Of Social Media

Unless Bear gives Alicia the go-ahead first, Alicia will not post anything online that features him without his permission. It would appear that the 11-year-old boy is content to talk about his life with the people who are interested in his mother at this point.

Mommy’s Got You

Many young child parents adhere to the philosophy that their children should be allowed to “cry it out” or learn to comfort themselves. This means not rushing to comfort one’s child when they are upset but instead allowing them to cry it out until they are done or until they can calm themselves. The goal is to instill a sense of self-reliance in the child.

Mommy’s Got You

Alicia, on the other hand, does not agree with this approach and instead chose to comfort Bear whenever he was feeling down. Silverstone is of the opinion that anything other than a parent physically being present for a child who is crying is detrimental to the trust that infants have in their parents that they will be cared for.

Taking Care Of Herself

Despite the fact that being a mother is a selfless job, Alicia is of the firm belief that in order to be a better mother to Bear, she requires some time to concentrate on her own requirements.

Taking Care Of Herself

The actress makes it a point to give herself some alone time each day, as well as to ensure that she is eating well and getting enough sleep. Alicia is under the impression that being able to do this makes it possible for her to be emotionally healthier for Bear, and that it also teaches Bear that he should not neglect his own self-care.

Making An Effort

Alicia is well aware of the significance of making time for herself; however, she is adamant about not missing out on any part of Bear’s formative years. Silverstone makes it a priority to be physically, mentally, and emotionally present whenever her son and she are together. She also makes an effort to spend as much time as she can with her son.

Making An Effort

Alicia said, “It’s not some kind of spoiled thing. It’s just that when you love someone, you want to take them in and soak them in. And many of us didn’t get that.”

More Kids?

It would appear that Alicia will not be adding to her family in the near future. Nevertheless, that is not due to a lack of desire. The explanation came from the 46-year-old, “I wanted to have more [kids], but then my relationship got messed up, and it wasn’t a great time to bring one in.”

More Kids?

“I didn’t want to have one right away because I was so in love with my Bear […] so it wasn’t until he was like three that I was ready to make another baby and then I didn’t have a partner.”

Her Take On Motherhood

Alicia is aware that some people have been offended by the way that she raises her children, but she doesn’t seem to care. “The things I’m doing I’m not inventing, I didn’t invent any of it. I would love to take credit for all of it but it’s not me unfortunately, it’s just me following nature.”

Her Take On Motherhood

Silverstone is at ease because she is aware that her family is thriving both emotionally and physically. And she is ecstatic about her role as a mother! As she has stated, “Being a mom is the most precious, most unbelievable experience in this world.”