It’s in our nature as parents to protect our children from what can sometimes be perceived as the big bad world.It’s as if the minute a woman becomes pregnant everything she comes into contact with becomes potentially dangerous to her unborn child.And that fear can begin to turn into an obsession as we navigate our way through parenthood — fearing everything from the diapers that swathe a newborn to the apple we give our child as a snack. And let’s not even get into choking, suffocating, falling … life becomes a literal minefield.Then we introduce the idea of going green and wanting the best for the environment our children will be growing up in, and it can all get a little overwhelming.But how can we plot a course that protects our children without going to the extreme with our choices?Firstly, decide what area of your life you want to really make a change in and as you become more attentive in that certain area it will begin to filter into other areas of your life.Take for example the food you feed your family. As you scan the grocery store aisles take a few minutes to read the labels. Do you recognise what’s in that package? The longer the list the more likely the food is filled with additives, preservatives and other chemicals bad for our bodies, and especially our children’s growing bodies.Whole, simple foods that aren’t highly processed are the best choice. In a nutshell it’s about getting back to basics and leaving pre-packaged foods behind on the shelves.And while organic is certainly the way to go when it comes to food it is important to take it all with a grain of salt.Make a list of the foods that you feel you must buy organic and keep it in your wallet so you have it on hand when you are at the grocery store. Check for meats that do not contain growth hormones, antibiotics or pesticides. And if fruits and vegetables can’t be bought locally, try to buy organic those considered to be on the “dirty dozen” list. These include apples, lettuce and strawberries. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a list of the dirty dozen along with the clean fifteen that can help while shopping. Visit http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/.Take time to weigh up the pros and cons without going to the extreme. It’s important to make sure that what we feed our children healthy, chemical-free foods, but it’s equally as important for them to have a nutritious and balanced diet.As we become more conscious of the food we are consuming it becomes easier to be aware of other choices we have to make — from cleaning our house to how we clean ourselves. Again, EWG has plenty of resources and ideas for choosing products for both the home and our bodies.Becoming more conscious doesn’t have to mean feeling guilty about feeding our children non-organic hamburgers at a favourite restaurant or resorting to putting our children in a bubble. But it can have a powerful effect if we just take a little more time to think about what we eat, how we shop and the products we introduce into our children’s lives.