Truth about the 'crunchy mums': They reject vaccines, homeschool and let their children go barefoot... and say they're doing a better job than most modern mums

On a recent trip to her local playground, Kiera Jennings's seven-year-old son ran over to her, upset that the other boys were playing roughly and talking about a computer game he'd never heard of. Kiera knows that her choices 'may be alternative, but they're all made with my son's interests at heart' One mother reports that she fears her partner may go behind her back and have their daughter vaccinated. With the nation in the grip of an obesity epidemic and increasing numbers of children diagnosed with anxiety and depression – and with various studies blaming this on the amount of time they spend on screens, rather than outdoors – it's understandable that parents are looking for ways to keep children healthy, physically and mentally. Elena Kerr breastfed her seven-year-old son Ronan until he was five and still co-sleeps with him nightly Elena is guided by research indicating that it is best for children's mental health to steer clear of social media until 16. Vicky Portwin believes today's parents should expose their children to more risk and encourages her three boys to 'climb trees and jump in rivers' 'When it's pitch black it's fantastic, floating around and watching the lightning illuminate the sky,' she says.