These Two Unvaccinated Children Are Healthy and Amazing Achievers!

Meri and her husband, Joe, live in New York. Joe is an architect, specializing in classical residential design and Meri is a full-time stay-at-home mother with a background in publishing. Joe works from home and Meri homeschools both of their children, so they are always together.

A very close family, they try to experience everything as a group. They believe in teaching their children by example and so they include them in their discussions, experiences and thought processes. They teach them about health by being healthy themselves, as well as explaining the benefits of the herbs, vitamins, minerals, etc., that they take. As an example, Meri says, “We teach them how to shop for food; for instance, how to read labels and understand the benefits of each item. We educate them on the role of homeopathy versus allopathy. We are also raising them to see the advantage of a modest and uncluttered lifestyle (few material goods, limited electronics, etc.) so that they can be critical thinkers and have a content, peaceful, non-frantic mindset.”

Amazing achievers

Their younger child (J.) is 100 percent unvaccinated. Their oldest child (Z.) received one vaccine at birth, but never received another vaccine after that. Z. has lived a life free from vaccines and she has used a holistic approach tohealthcare for almost 17 years.

Meri describes Z. as “a calm, well-spoken, empathic 16-year-old. She has been blessed with an amazing artistic talent, especially in sketching and graphic art, which landed her a job at a local newspaper when she was just eight years old.She’s an extremely creative and intelligent individual whose scores rank in the top one percent of the nation. Z. excels evenly in every subject in school. She can entertain an idea without having to accept it (which makes her unique in conversation).

“Z. is in excellent health. Throughout her life, she has had limited illnesses. During the first six years of her life, she experienced two ear infections, two fevers, strep throat, and whooping cough (which is one of the times that she had a fever). She’s only thrown up once in her life (after eating olives that had gone bad; not from any illness) and never had diarrhea.

“It has been 10 years and she has had nothing since then: not a cough, cold, fever, etc. NOTHING. This is amazing, considering that from age 3 to 13 years of age, she was in private school where she was around children that have had stomach viruses, the flu, bronchitis, walking pneumonia, the common cold, and much more. So, it’s not like she hasn’tbeen exposed to viruses and bacteria. In her earlier years, she suffered from seasonal allergies, but seems to have outgrown them.

“Z. is honest and humble, and I’ve never heard her scream or curse. In addition to her lovely temperament (well-mannered/ respectful/ considerate), as well as her exceptional talent and high IQ, she’s lovely to look upon. Z. is unvaccinated and her excellent health is proof that this lifestyle has been the correct choice for our family.”

Their son, J, who has NEVER been vaccinated is described as “an energetic, expressive, exuberant eight-year-old, whose attention to detail and reasoning abilities have stood out from the earliest age. He’s a fast learner who dissectsevery learning experience (with multiple questions) in order to understand it fully. Although only beginning fourth grade, his academic scores rank in the top 10 percent of the nation and he has a ninth-grade reading level. J’s vocabulary is on par with most adults and so speaking with him is always a pleasure.

Meri says, “J is reserved in social settings but once he’s read the group dynamic, he opens up and settles in. He has an absolute love of building and is skillful in creating designs using Legos (solely based on seeing things—not needing an instruction manual). J. has a handsome/angelic appearance with a feisty temperament: fully standing his ground when he believes in something, and has no qualms about openly expressing his love towards others. J. is 100 percent unvaccinated and his excellenthealth is proof that this lifestyle has been the correct choice for our family.

“Like Z., most of J’s illnesses occurred within the first six years of his life. Although he has had more illnesses than Z.,his recovery time is FAST (usually within 24 to 48 hours), exhibiting a strong immune system. The only serious illness has been pneumonia. He had the flu once but showed no symptoms other than a constant cough (no fever or lethargy,etc.). In his short life, he has had strep throat and an ear infection only once. He’s never had diarrhea and only threw up once (after eating too many holiday treats). J. has seasonal allergies (like Z. did) and this causes an annual cough with nasal congestion and sometimes a skin reaction like hives or a rash. But he seems to be outgrowing it slowly, as it’s more sporadic and less symptomatic as he gets older. J. has had no illnesses or fever in almost three years.

“We have used homeopathy for all of these illnesses (except the pneumonia—since I needed insurance to pay for thechest x-rays and treatment). Their seasonal allergies have been monitored by an allergist who uses a more naturalapproach.

“Both children have a HIGH recovery rate with minimal symptoms. I believe that their immune systems are strongand they either fight off infection without major symptoms or when they do “catch something,” their bodies fight it offquickly.”

When asked the questions below in a Q & A session, the children were ready with answers!

Q: What do you like to do more than anything else and why?
A: (Z) I enjoy writing and drawing. It just feels right.
A: (J) I like to play video games because it makes me feel more creative.

Q: What do you want to do when you grow up and why?
A: (Z) Having stable employment (writing/ drawing fields) and a family are two things I’d like if possible.
A: (J) There are three things I’d like to be: a cook, an architect and a YouTuber. A cook, so I can cook for other families.An architect, so I can make buildings for other people. And a YouTuber because I want to have fun and share my creations with other people.

Q: Do you like being homeschooled? Why or why not?
A: (Z) I’m indifferent. There are pros (convenience, hours) & cons (socializing) to homeschooling.
A: (J) I love it because it doesn’t take 8 hours. Math is my favorite subject (sometimes) because sometimes it’s really hard and sometimes it’s really easy.

Q: How often do you get sick and what is it like when you do get sick?
A: (Z) I rarely get sick, but when I do it’s not a big deal and never lasts longer than a day or so.
A: (J) I don’t know. I forgot what it feels like.

Q: What kind of meals do your parents make for you and do you like it?
A: (Z) Usually pasta and meat dishes, but I enjoy the lighter meals most.
A: (J) They make a lot of meals… I would say they make me pasta and soup. And I love both.

How they keep their family healthy

To keep their family well, Meri says that they lean towards homeopathy and preventative care. “We recognize the benefit of allopathic medicine but will use it in conjunction with natural resources when necessary. Paying attention to what we put ON and IN our bodies is most important. I shop for organic / non-GMO foods whenever possible and natural—or as close to non-toxic as I can get—body care products (lotions, make-up, soaps, shampoos, and such). Household cleaning brands are a mixture of non-toxic and regular items. (I buy non-toxic if I know the children will be using them, and I will use the regular items—if I have to—when I know it’s only going to touch my skin).

“We try to eat healthy 90 percent of the time (in addition to fasting on a regular basis), so we can indulge 10 percent of the time and not feel deprived when in social settings or when healthier choices aren’t available. We supplement our diets with vitamins, herbs, minerals and probiotics. If we feel “off” or develop symptoms of oncoming illness, we first use homeopathic remedies and

boost up our supplement intake to stop it in its tracks and lessen the duration. This works most of the time. If symptoms progress, we seek consultation from homeopathic doctors first. We’ve found that is the most beneficial recourse. Sometimes, we do not have the funds to go to a holistic doctor and that’s when we seek help from an M.D. (because insurance will pay for that).

Why Meri and Joe decided not to vaccinate

Meri explains that Z. was born in 2004 and “up until that point, I had never thought about vaccines. I had been vaccinated as a child, as was everyone else I knew. I was never taught about them and just assumed, as I think most people did, that they offered people 100 percent immunity to diseases. I was also unaware that you could refuse vaccines.

She says, “Through a succession of events, we truly believe that God opened our eyes and put our family on this path and we’re forever grateful for that! First of all, two things happened to me when Z. was born that made me start questioning vaccines. The first was that within 24 hours of her birth, the hospital wanted to inject her with the Hepatitis B vaccine.The birth of your first child is an exciting and scary time. Your body is filled with hormones and everything is so new toyou that (I believe) you aren’t thinking straight and can be overwhelmed with everything going on.

“It was shortly after this that I began to think, ‘Why does she need a Hep B vaccine? I don’t have Hep B, she’s a baby (so there’s no drug use or sexual intercourse) so why would she need protection from a disease she has almost zero chance ofgetting?

“Shortly after this, a second thing happened that changed my point of view. My neighbor (who had a one-year-old child) gave me the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations by Stephanie Cave, M.D. She told me, ‘I know you might think I’m crazy, but…” and suggested that as a new parent I might want to read this because it discussed things SHE had been unaware of and she was just passing along the info.

“That was a defining moment in my life and altered the course of not only my children’s health but mine and my husband’s as well. I read and researched everything in that book. Doubt about what I had been led to believe aboutvaccines caused me to instantly stop any scheduled vaccinations. I felt led to do more and more research before injectingmy child with chemicals that I was ignorant about. And the more research I did, the more confident I felt that I had made the right decision. I knew that I could always change my mind (if I decided to vaccinate in the future) but I couldn’t undo a vaccine injection into my baby once it has been done.”

When asked what they do when their children get sick, Meri explains, “We will always use a holistic approach first.Every disease or illness is different, and every reaction is not a one-size-fits-all. I cannot speak in absolute terms until Iam in a particular situation, but based on our experience and history, homeopathy will be our initial course of action and allopathy will only be used if necessary.”

Some people believe that unvaccinated children are a “threat to society.” When asked if she believes her child is a danger to others, Meri replied, “Not at all. Experience has taught us that our children are the least likely to get sick, even when surrounded by multiple children and adults who are constantly experiencing compromised health. I’ve had almost 17 years of experience with this and I can say 100 percent that all of the families that vaccinate (family, friends, neighbors) are continually sick or coming down with something. They go from one illness to the next, like a cycle. In comparison, my family barely experiences any illnesses and when we do, our recovery rate is so quick and never followed by anotherillness, back-to-back.”

Challenges of raising vaccine-free children

Meri reports: “In the beginning (when our knowledge was rudimentary) being unvaccinated wasn’t as mainstream as it is today. Aside from my one neighbor, I was the only person in my family, my husband’s family and amongst all our friends that chose to not vaccinate. This was an untraveled road that my husband and I were on together. We received a lot of negative feedback: a lot of concern we were endangering our child and complete skepticism because these people (like we once were) were ignorant of facts and trusted the medical community 100 percent. That took an emotional tollon me and I constantly felt in a defensive position. Thank goodness, I had my husband’s full support.

“Aside from the emotional strain from those around us, we were fortunate enough to not experience too many otherchallenges. We had a pediatrician, who although advocated for vaccines, respected our right to refuse them withoutdenying medical care. We also found a homeopathic doctor in our neighborhood that we could go to whenever necessary. And when it was time to enroll our children in school, the institutes they attended accepted our religious exemptions without any complaint.”

Choice of doctors

“We have an allopathic pediatrician that we ONLY use for annual check-ups, which will cease once they turn 18 years old. They basically take our children’s height and weight measurements, check their eyesight and hearing, and that’s it.I use holistic doctors for anything else that might occur.

“We’ve found that the best defense against the medical community is to smile, be pleasant, thank them for their concern and politely refuse the vaccinations anyway. When presented with their documentation that I’m asked to sign each year, which states that they have fully explained the ‘benefits of vaccinations and the potential dangerous effects of denying them,’ I simply edit the document to state that I am fully aware of the ‘potential dangerous side-effects of taking vaccines.’ I’ve never had a staff member criticize my edits or deny the documentation that I submitted.”

Choice of schooling

“Z. attended private school from pre-K through eighth grade (ages 3 to 13). After that, she was homeschooled, and she is now going into her fourth year of homeschooling.

“J. attended private school from kindergarten through first grade (ages 5 to 6). After that, he has been homeschooled. He’s now going into his third year of homeschooling.

“We’ve been blessed to never have faced any challenges regarding school. I worked with Gary Krasner, Director of the Coalition for Informed Choice, to become proficient in developing the religious exemption, and that exemption was accepted without any problems for both children. We’veapplied to many independent/private and Christian schools and, during our application process, our religious exemptionwas never an issue. The children’s vaccine status was never a problem amongst other families at the school because their excellent health showed that there was nothing to worry about.

“The only issue we are now facing is regarding college because Z. will be applying in the 2021 Fall semester. Becauseof Covid-19, colleges across the U.S. are requiring this vaccine and it appears that religious exemptions aren’t being accepted. This is an ongoing experience for us and so I cannot yet speak on what challenges we will face in theupcoming months. Regardless, we are prepared to fight for her entrance without being vaccinated and if necessary, she will attend college courses online instead of in person.

How they handle family and friend criticism for not vaccinating

“We’ve always tried to remain calm and empathic towards the ignorance of family and friends regarding this topic.At first, we were bombarded with judgment and criticism and our only recourse was to simply share the knowledge we had obtained regarding vaccine history, manufacturing and possible side effects. No one was willing to do any research on their own and so it was ‘our word’ versus what they had been taught their entire lives by the medical establishment.

“Now that it’s been almost 17 years, our family and friends can see the proof through the health of our children. Z.and J. are the best examples that being unvaccinated is not a harmful lifestyle, but that it has benefits. No longer are we judged or condemned for our decision not to vaccinate. And although our extended family is still pro-vaccine, theyacknowledge that our children are healthy and flourishing.” 

Advice to parents and parents-to-be who are on the fence about going vaccine free

“Our advice would be to research, research, and continue to do more research as your child grows. Knowledge is empowering. If you learn about the history of our current medical system (how it went from homeopathic toallopathic); if you learn about how vaccines are manufactured and what each chemical does to the body; if you understand how overall sanitary conditions have improved throughout the decades, you will be better equipped to make an informed decision. To simply vaccinate your child because you were vaccinated (or because your doctorrecommends it) is a naive course of action.”

Meri states: “Even if you do this research (and still decide to vaccinate) at least you can say that you did the due diligence necessary to make a decision. People do more work and research regarding buying a house or a car than they do regarding their own health and what they put into their bodies. When it comes to the health of your babies, aren’t they worth the time and effort it takes to become informed? And it doesn’t need to be all or nothing. You do have choices:

• You can postpone vaccines until you are more comfortable with them.
• You can adjust the schedule if it eases your fears.
• If you don’t vaccinate right now you can always change your mind later.
• What you cannot do is vaccinate your child, decide you made a mistake, and undo it.

“Just know that if there’s an adverse reaction, the medical establishment and your primary care provider will not pay for the damages.  They will not be there with you in your home to ease your emotional distress or the distress of your child. You and you alone will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions.

“Remember: our children are not one-size-fits-all, but these vaccines ARE. Each child has the potential to react differently to each chemical in a vaccine. Are you willing to take that chance? Research… research… and continue to research, especially as new vaccines are introduced.”