Alicia Silverstone’s Unique Parenting Methods Have Got Everyone Talking

Back in the ‘90s, actress Alicia Silverstone rose to fame when she played Cher Horowitz in the teen movie Clueless. While she’s still acting and overall present in Hollywood, Alicia’s parenting is what’s getting her attention these days. 46-year-old Alicia is the mother to 11-year-old Bear Blu Jarecki, whose childhood has been anything but conventional.

Bear’s Parents

An elderly couple enjoying breakfast together The world is a curious place. There are regions with mountains so high, that it seems they'd touch the sky, and there are areas with dramatic drops and deep blue waters. There are even places where people tend to live much longer, and much healthier, lives.

People Live Longer These Days

While a big part of it is genetics, it's becoming more and more common for people to live into their 80s and 90s. Researcher Dan Buettner was the first to pinpoint the areas in the world where this occurrence was most frequent. He called these areas the Blue Zones, a.k.a. the home of the oldest and healthiest people in the world. Here they are:

Okinawa, Japan

Last but not least is Ikaria in sunny Greece. This small Greek island with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is a spectacular place. Not only do people there live longer, but they also don't suffer from chronic diseases and dementia. Research explains this phenomenon with their social-centric culture, healthy diet, activity levels, and love for a good glass of wine.

The Controversy

In 2012, Alicia’s parenting came under fire when she uploaded a video onto her website, The Kind Life, of herself feeding a then-10-month-old Bear. In the video, Alicia fed Bear pre-chewed food from her own mouth. The move was controversial, to say the least, and the public started to question all of Alicia’s parenting methods. The actress doesn’t see anything wrong with it, though, as she’s said, "This has been going on for thousands of years — still going on all over the place — and it's natural."

Alicia’s Parenting Style

Alicia’s parenting style is often called attachment parenting, and it’s one of the many known techniques for raising children. Attachment parenting focuses on the bond between a parent and child, both emotionally and physically. For example — baby wearing, bed sharing, and the belief that crying is a form of communication rather than a tantrum or manipulation. Attachment parenting is based on the belief that a parent’s bond with their child will shape all of the child’s future relationships. Alicia, though, describes her parenting style differently…

A Natural Mom

Alicia describes herself as a “natural” mom. "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." When asked about her closeness to Bear, Alicia pointed out that’s how parenting is done in nature. "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."