Episode One: “When children ask, it’s because they’re ready to know.”

Introducing the Plant Parenthood video series!

This project is a way to share the stories of Plant Parents in their words, using their voices. Perhaps something they say will resonate, or make someone’s experience feel less isolating. Perhaps it will incite feelings of judgment. Perhaps it will allow someone to think differently about how they use psychedelics, plant medicine or cannabis. 

A word about anonymity: many of the parents I interviewed declined to be identified, and for good reason. Cannabis and psychedelics are Schedule I substances, and there are both legal and social ramifications for speaking about them publicly. But legal status often does not correlate to moral status. And, of course, the legal status of many of these substances is shifting quickly. 

I’d like to hear what you think of these stories. Would you leave a comment on my Instagram page and tell me?

In this first video, we start with a simple question. How do parents use plant medicines? The answer: in as many ways as there are Plant Parents!

When we sat down with this mom of an 18-month-old, she shared a familiar story. After bedtime, it’s her time. Cannabis helps her unwind and relax. Especially when we have young children, our bodies are a shared vessel. We use them in service of the child—to feed them, move them and soothe them. Our minds, too, churn near-constantly, planning and strategizing about the next meal, the next nap, the next diaper change. 

There is a relief the instant the light goes off and we tiptoe out of the room. But it may be a challenge to transition quickly; we may linger in the hyperarousal of the day. Cannabis can be a way to punctuate the moment and allow us to step into a space that is all our own where we reclaim our bodies and minds. 

In our conversation, we also talked about what she will say to her daughter one day about cannabis. She described the ideal conversation, which would include a pragmatic discussion of both pros and cons. Head over to Instagram where we’ll continue this conversation. How do you think you’ll talk to your kids about plant medicine one day? Or, if you already have, what did you say? Any advice for other Plant Parents?