Unconventional Yet Interesting: A Look At Alicia Silverstone’s Atypical Parenting Style

By Isabel K

If you were a fan of the hit teen comedy, Clueless, then the name Alicia Silverstone isn’t new to you. Alicia is an American actress who made her debut with the thriller The Crush as a teenager. She’s had a prolific acting career and is definitely considered a household name. She is also an author and mother to one son, Bear Blu Jarecki. Bear was born in 2011. 

While Alicia tries to maintain a low profile when it comes to Hollywood drama, other aspects of her life have got the public talking, such as her parenting style. We are sure that Alicia is raising her son with love and care, but she is definitely doing it her way. Today, we have compiled a list of some of the actresses’ parenting rules that some people on the Internet find unconventional in today’s society.

Alicia and her son take regular baths together

Taking a bath with your child is not surprising if the toddlers are still young because they sometimes need help. Your child could also be sick, so helping them take a bath is standard for most parents. But it was a different case for Alicia because of how old her son was at the time.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Bear Blu was only nine years old when Alicia Silverstone told the New York Times in May 2020 that she still bathed with her son. Her comment sparked conversation around the world, with most parents feeling that he was too old to be still showering with his mother.

Alicia doesn’t give her son any modern medicine. 

Many celebrity parents decided not to give their kids any modern medicine. Maybe there’s something they know that we don’t? One of those parents is Alicia Silverstone. She prefers to use natural resources that are available regarding sickness and health.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia even co-founded an organic vegan supplement and vitamin range to help improve her and her son’s immunity. She says that her son has never needed medical help or antibiotics. According to Alicia keeping things natural has helped her son’s health because he’s never gotten seriously ill. 

Alicia feeds her son pre-chewed food

Have you ever watched National Geographic and seen how birds feed their young? They chew their food fast before putting it into the beaks of the small birds. This is what Alicia did when she was introducing solids to her son.  

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

While some parents found her feeding style a bit extreme, others found it pretty normal. When Alicia uploaded a video of her doing the same in 2012, it exposed her habit to more people worldwide. But she clarified that it worked for them even though other people felt uncomfortable. 

No Gender Rules in her household

Without the sensitive gender climate at the moment, it’s not surprising that Alicia decided to let her son be himself without any boundaries. And she didn’t appreciate random people’s comments telling her to cut her son’s hair so he could look more like a boy. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She responded to the haters by saying, “He is beautiful, and we love his hair! We will never impose any social ideas about what hair on a boy or a girl should look like. We should all try to embrace our children and who they choose to be without any judgment.”

Alicia Doesn’t Discipline her son

When it comes to discipline, every parent has a method that works. Some consider shouting or punishment by restricting the use of electronics, but for Alicia, it’s different. She believes she shouldn’t punish her son to have a healthy child.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia said that Bear’s behavior has been good so far without having to discipline him in any way. She says that all she has to do is tell him that he is wrong, and he understands because when he feels terrible, he will misbehave, just like adults.

There are no animal products allowed in her home

Like many people today, Alicia Silverstone is vegan. She’s also an environmental advocate and animal rights activist, so it’s not all just for show. According to Alicia, plant-based eating is the healthiest way to enjoy life and boost your immune system. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

With this belief, she decided that Bear would also be vegan since birth. While some people believe that a vegan diet for a growing child is harmful, the actress told People magazine that her son loves vegan food. She says he’s not being deprived of anything, and fruit is like candy to him.

She doesn’t believe children should be left to cry

If you’ve taken care of a young child, you know they cry a lot during their early years. Some parents believe you should let them cry until they keep quiet, while others like Alicia feel it’s very neglectful. Parents who leave their children to cry teach them that their cries won’t always be answered.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Most parents find their children’s cries very heartbreaking. Alicia noted that if you let your kids cry out, you’re hurting your parent-child relationship. She said the baby could not build trust with the parents at this young age. She would go to Bear anytime he cried for her.

Alicia believes vaccines can be harmful

Most celebrities will keep quiet about their opinions on vaccines because it can adversely affect their careers. But Alicia Silverstone is different. She wasn’t mincing her words when she wrote about her beliefs that vaccines have harmful effects on people. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

In her book, she wrote, “There has not been a conclusive study of the negative effects of such a rigorous one size fits all, shut him up schedule. There is increasing evidence from doctors that I’ve gotten distressed phone calls from parents claiming their child was never the same after receiving a vaccination.”

Alicia’s home doesn’t have many electronics

Many parents today don’t want their kids using phones or tablets because of the vastness of the Internet. So Alicia wanting to remove as many tech products as she can from her home is not surprising. This is so that she can also be present at all times for her son.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Her experience, though, hasn’t been without its challenges. She’s noticed that they don’t get bored. They watch movies once a week, walk the dogs daily, jump rope, trampoline, and do other fun activities that don’t involve electronics. Alicia also gets in a workout every time she’s with her son.

She believes in sleeping with her child

Many parents would love to sleep with their kids when they’re born, but sometimes, it’s just impossible. Alicia, however, practices co-sleeping. This means that parents and children sleep together in the same bed. It’s received a couple of mixed reactions over the years.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia advocates for co-sleeping and has termed leaving a child to sleep in a crib as neglecting them over the years. Harsh right? Alicia believes that babies should never be separated from their children. But she forgets that some parents must work to provide for their kids. 

She refused to use a stroller for her son

If you’re going out with kids, you know how heavy they can get if you’re carrying them around. That’s why most parents invest in a high-quality stroller to help them move around with their children. But Alicia Silverstone doesn’t believe in them.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She says that using a stroller creates detachment between a parent and their child. And she didn’t want that for her first pregnancy with Bear. According to the clueless star, skin-to-skin contact is very important for a child’s upbringing, so she used other methods like a sling around her body to carry her son.

Alicia firmly believes in breastfeeding

Most parents want to breastfeed their children because the nutrients found in breast milk are essential to a child’s health. Alicia agrees with this because she wants to improve the bond between her and her son while ensuring his proper development.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She even championed public breastfeeding, stating, “There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be able to give their baby the most amazing start in life with clean, mean, glorious breast milk. I say we help support those mamas and babies who need a hand during one of the most important times in their lives.”

Her unique toilet training method

Toilet training isn’t a joke. It takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to months to fully train your toddler on where to go when they want to pee. Alicia Silverstone didn’t follow the regular rules of toilet training; she used elimination methods instead.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

And it worked. The actress claimed that her son was fully potty trained by the time he was six months old. The elimination method involves learning your baby’s signals and communicating with them when they need to use the bathroom. Instead of letting them soil themselves, immediately take them to the potty. 

There are no dairy products allowed in her home

It’s normal for most parents to give children milk at a young age. In Alicia’s home, no dairy products are allowed. This means Bear has never tried any ice cream or treats with milk in his life. While it sounds unbelievable, it’s very typical in Alicia’s household.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She says that her son’s ability to thrive without milk proves that not all children need dairy products to be healthy. Many people, including her fans, found these statements controversial because they think her son will decide to live differently when he’s older. 

Her son is taught to question everything 

Most parents try to raise their children right, but you can’t always be with them when they’re at school or hanging out with their friends. So, Alicia decided to ensure that her son was good against the grain and could make his own decisions.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia has taught her son to question everything and not believe everything he’s told. With the widespread misinformation, this is perfect advice for any child. With his father living a very different life, Alicia believes Bear understands the whole picture. 

Silverstone doesn’t use any diapers in her home

Alicia Silverstone is very proud of her parenting methods. But one of her most controversial ones is not wanting to use any type of diapers in the house. It doesn’t matter whether they’re disposable or environmentally friendly. She doesn’t want them.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She says that the whole idea of using diapers is unnecessary. Alicia believes that babies are happy doing their business even on grass instead of having to walk around with that pee and poo. But most of her fans didn’t agree with her. 

Alicia doesn’t share her son online

We’ve seen many celebrity parents sharing pictures of their children’s every move for the world to see. And while Alicia is one of the most famous celebrities in the world, she doesn’t see herself as one. She is just a proud mother who wants to show her beautiful son on the Internet.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

As Bear grows older, Alicia has decided to always get his consent before posting him to her millions of followers. While the actress doesn’t hold back when it comes to sharing her life online, she wanted her son to be able to make that choice on his own now that he is more mature.

Alicia isn’t the one in charge; her son is

The parents make the rules in most households, and the children follow. But that isn’t the case in Alicia Silverstone’s home. The one in charge is Bear Blu. Alicia sees him as a young adult and lets him make the important choices in his life. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

In November 2020, when Bear wanted to cut his hair short, Alicia was heartbroken. But what could she do? Her son had made his own choice. Although Bear loved his long hair, he wanted to try something new, and Alicia supported her son’s decision. 

Communicative co-parenting is important to Alicia

Co-parenting is complicated because while the parents want to raise their child the right way, it’s hard to compromise. After all, they aren’t all living under the same roof. Alicia had Bear Blu with her former husband and musician Christoper Jarecki. They got married in 2005 but separated in 2018. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Bear was born in 2011, and raising him has been a treat for both celebrity parents. Despite being separated, they both believe communication is vital to raise him well. When asked about her relationship with her ex-husband, Alicia says they communicate daily, and he sees Bear frequently. 

Alicia teaches her son to be eco-friendly 

With the current damage to the earth’s ecosystem and climate change, it’s not surprising that most parents want to teach their kids to be more eco-friendly as they grow up. Alicia teaches her son to help the environment by going vegan and sticking to a healthy lifestyle. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

To be a good example for her son, Alicia drives an electric car and uses solar panels in her home. She also grows her vegetables and fruits to eat. Alicia says it’s part of their way of life now, and having him around animals is important for her. 

Alicia and her son both love nature

When going through Alicia’s Instagram page, you will realize that the actress loves being outdoors. Whether it’s a hike, swimming, or traveling through the alps, Alicia seems overjoyed. And most of the time, her son Bear is there with her. They both love nature and seeing the beauty of the world.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Despite Alicia enjoying the glamour of being a celebrity, she seems more at peace in nature. They love traveling together, but they were forced to spend more time indoors when the pandemic hit. Even then, they wanted to enjoy each other’s company without the distraction of electronics. 

A healthy lifestyle is key to good behavior in Alicia’s household. 

Teaching any child proper manners is crucial to their upbringing and how they will relate to the world in the future. With Bear already on a vegan diet at a young age, Alicia incorporates yoga into his routine to keep his body and mind at peace. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia says that yoga and a healthy lifestyle help keep Bear calm. He doesn’t have outbursts of anger or unfriendly behavior. She also says he didn’t go through the terrible twos like other kids. According to the actress, a healthy lifestyle determines a child’s behavior. 

Alicia spends as much time as she can with her son

If you’ve noticed anything about Alicia’s rules to raise her son, you will notice that most of them are linked to attachment-style parenting. This alternative type of parenting ensures that the parent-child bond grows and remains strong because they are both constantly together. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia wants to spend as much time as possible with her son Bear. While other parents feel this parenting style can be too much, Alicia doesn’t see it like that. She wants to be there for every moment of her son’s life. And we can’t blame her. Every mother does.

Alicia believes feminine products cause infertility

Alicia loves being the mother of one child, but she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of having another child. She does, however, have some opinions about mothers-to-be. According to the star, some feminine products can lead to infertility in young and older women. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia knows that most manufacturers are mass-producing feminine products for money, and they don’t have to tell you what’s in their products. She advises women to opt for plant-based and sugar-free diets because they are better at helping women get pregnant than manufactured products. 

The actress isn’t against kissing her son on the lips

Most celebrity parents have no problem with kissing their children on the lips. It’s very normal for them. Couples like the Beckhams also got backlash because they kept kissing their kids on the lips even as they grew older. And Alicia doesn’t understand what the problem is because she does it too. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia has confessed to kissing her son on the lips even to this day. She even said after her son watched the movie Clueless, he kept trying to french kiss her. As much as she found it cute, she kept her mouth closed and didn’t let it happen. We hope she also explained to him the difference between kisses. 

There are no bananas in Alicia’s home 

What is your favorite fruit? If bananas are your favorite, you won’t find them at Alicia Silverstone’s house. According to the actress, she sees bananas as a naughty fruit and won’t let Bear have them at home. Why she thinks that way, we may never know. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

As a vegan child, Bear eats fruits as a sugary snack. Fruits are vitamins that help with immunity, so it’s probably much better than giving your child candy filled with processed sugars and other chemicals. But with all the fruits they grow at home, he likely doesn’t even miss eating bananas. 

Her son doesn’t wear fast fashion

The fashion industry is hazardous to the environment because they make clothes that quickly go out of style and have to be destroyed soon after. With Alicia trying to positively impact the world around her, she decided not to dress her son in any fast fashion clothes. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She only buys Bear sustainable and essential clothing. They also recycle and upcycle their old clothes. This can involve swapping Bear’s toddler clothes with other parents and only buying clothes that would last his son for years. She’s also creative with his clothes to make him comfortable and stylish. 

Alicia loves the fact that her son doesn’t want to act 

Most celebrity parents want their kids to follow in their footsteps. They expect them to grow up and become like them, especially if they are super successful. But when Bear told his mother that he didn’t want to act, she was thrilled about it. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Speaking to US Weekly, Alicia said Bear is not interested in becoming an actor. She said he is more occupied with being a child and doing other things he loves. But who knows what the future holds because he enjoys going with his mother to rehearsals and watching her shows. 

She is all about taking placenta pills

What are placenta pills? These are pills made from your placenta that you can healthy ingest. After the birth of her son in 2011, Alicia stumbled on a lot of research about post-partum. One of them is that many mothers around the world eat their placenta.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Yes. The placenta that connects the mother to her child during pregnancy. Alicia decided to have her placenta turned into pills so she could ingest them. She called them her happy pills and said they helped her after she gave birth to her son.

She doesn’t believe vegan children are weak. 

Most people are against introducing children to a vegan diet early. This is because they aren’t getting a lot of the proteins found in animal and dairy products. But Alicia doesn’t believe that and has raised her son on a vegan diet since he was old enough to eat. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She raised Bear on a plant-based diet. She said in an interview that her son is always jumping all over the place. She added, “There is a calmness to him and tenderness, so he isn’t off the charts. She believes other parents could be surprised by the benefits of raising their children vegan. 

Alicia takes time out for herself

It’s pretty evident that Alicia loves spending as much time with her son as she can. But she doesn’t forget about herself and her relationships. That’s why this actress forces herself to take time off parenting to focus on her needs, even if it’s for an hour or two. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Alicia believes that she can be productive and loving towards others only if she takes care of herself. As much as she understands that not all parents are lucky enough to do this, she thinks it’s very important for that special bond.

She encourages her son to volunteer

All parents want to instill good values in their children. One such value Alicia intends to instill in her son is helping others. That’s why she encourages Bear to volunteer in society. Being a vegan from birth, she encourages her son to keep the environment clean and help the community.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

When she had a blog, Alicia wrote that her young son Bear does so much activism without her intervention. Some of the things he does include selling oranges at the community farmers’ market and donating money to the farm sanctuary.

She believes kids should be taught independence

It’s empowering when you can be independent and make it in life without the help of others. Not that getting help from others is wrong, but Alicia just wants her son to be self-sufficient. Even though she loves attachment-style parenting, she hopes she is raising a strong and independent child. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

With how she has raised Bear Blu, Alicia believes that he will be a very calm person with strong parental ties who will benefit society. She says the whole point of this is to give the children the strength to be who they are, which will mean leaving home one day.

Alicia wants to encourage her son to have multiple careers 

Most people who know Alicia from her social media know her main career is being an actress and a mother. But with the changing work dynamic, she wants people to know that she is more than just an actress. Because she can do a lot of things, she encourages her son to be the same.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

She also wants Bear to explore various aspects of his personality and have a passion for different careers, not just one. Alicia wants him to be himself while working to change the world for people and animals because that is one of the most wonderful ways to live. 

She encourages prospective mothers to avoid toxic sludge. 

If you read Alicia Silverstone’s book, you will realize that food is important in life, especially for those looking to have and raise kids. According to the actress, what you put in your body could affect your chances of getting pregnant. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Eating foods she has categorized as toxic sludge reduces the likelihood of conception. To her, it’s like destroying the baby’s house even before it comes. These foods include dairy, meat products, and processed foods. She says eating this kind of junk food is bad for your uterus. 

Alicia believes junk food causes post-partum depression

Women go through huge physical and mental challenges when creating life. These changes are so drastic and life-changing that they can cause post-partum depression. According to Alicia, however, one of the main causes of post-partum depression is junk food. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

In her book, The Kind Mama, Alicia says that the women who follow her parenting advice won’t go through this kind of depression after they give birth. She advises mothers to eat more plant-based foods and avoid processed sugars throughout and after their pregnancy. 

Alicia doesn’t place any religious expectations on her son 

Alicia Silverstone is a proud Jewish actress. She has never been shy about talking about her faith to anyone who will listen. But that doesn’t mean she will force the same beliefs on her son. This is because she doesn’t agree with all aspects of her faith.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Although the actress says she made many beautiful memories with her family thanks to her faith, it wasn’t all perfect. She says certain traditions in the Jewish faith make her uncomfortable, and she does not expect her son to follow the same path. 

She doesn’t believe in celebrating Thanksgiving in her home

While Alicia loves the chance to celebrate with her son, there are some holidays that she doesn’t celebrate in her home. One of them includes Thanksgiving. The star says she will never celebrate Thanksgiving, mainly because she greatly advocates veganism. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Most households on this holiday will slaughter and eat a turkey, which is against Alicia’s vegan beliefs. Instead of celebrating, Alicia takes the time to promote a no-turkey day with her son. She has tons of pictures of turkeys and hopes to advise people not to keep eating them for this holiday. 

Alicia updates her son on her dating life

Although Alicia and Christopher Jarecki ended their marriage in 2018, it didn’t signify the end of Alicia’s dating life. She is open to dating and looking for another companion in her life. But one thing she has to do is tell her son about it. Surprisingly, she tells her son about all the dates she’s going on. 

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

Keeping her son in the loop is important for the star. She believes that communicating with him will teach him how tough the dating world is and help him understand her decisions. Alicia is still excited to meet interesting people while she dates.

Alicia publicly refuses to argue with people for her son’s sake

So many celebrities get into public debates and arguments that reflect badly on their children because the Internet never forgets. Although the star is aware that her parenting opinions have caused controversy over the years, she has been firm not to argue with online trolls.

Image Source: Alicia Silverstone on Instagram

So she doesn’t spend her time arguing with internet strangers. Instead, she focuses on her personal life choices and how she can improve herself and her home. If someone comes to her, she will educate them with a polite response because it’s only the opinions of people that don’t know her.