Most of us were raised with environmental awareness, but we're not necessarily environmentally conscious. We were taught the 3 Rs in school. And this leads us to doing our best to recycle and shut off the lights that we're not using, but that has more to do with saving money on the utility bill than being environmentally conscious.
So how do you teach your children to be environmentally conscious? You learn how to be more eco-friendly along with them. So that you can begin making better choices that'll help reverse the damage that is being done.
Let's face it; our kids are paying attention to everything that we do. Even when we think they aren't listening, they are. This is why leading by example and learning the "why and how" for the reasons it's so important to be eco-friendly is the best place to begin.
Here are just a few of the things that you can do to start raising ecologically conscious children. Plus, these things are proven to bring you both closer.
Growing Your Food
This isn't only fun for both you and your children; it's healthier and helps the fight against climate change. It doesn't matter where you live; growing your own food today is easier than it's ever been before. You can grow vegetables on your balcony, roof-top, in your backyard, or inside of your home with a hydroponics tower garden (no soil needed).
Growing tomatoes, carrots, beans, cucumbers, peppers, or lettuce has never been easier and you'll be surprised how much they enjoy watching their own food grow. Kids that don't like eating vegetables are suddenly eating the fresh vegetables and fruit that they grew themselves.
Yes, gardening requires a lot of time and energy, but it's also an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your children. And at the same time, teaching them not only how to be eco-friendly but also self-sustainable.
Choose Eco-Friendly Alternatives
With all of the different options available, making the switch to eco-friendly options isn't that hard. These options help to reduce waste. It can be as simple as using a reusable bag instead of the grocery store's plastic bags or filling your Yeti cup instead of using plastic disposable bottles.
You can start by slowly replacing things in your home with eco-friendly items such as plastic straws with reusable straws or paper towels with reusable bamboo paper towels. These simple things will make a huge difference. There is no lack of eco-friendly products to replace commonly used items throughout your home; this includes choosing bamboo toilet paper over tree-made TP.
Volunteer together
There are tons of eco-friendly organizations that have volunteering opportunities. These will leave a lasting impression on both you and your children. We often don't understand the effects of our choices, and when we spend a weekend cleaning up the beach or planting trees with organizations that have made it their life's mission to make a difference, helps us develop a sense of purpose and improves your self-awareness.
Let your kids ask questions.
Kids ask a lot of questions, and often times when we don't have the answers, we tend to use the phrases, "because that's how it works," or "because I said so." But educating your kids is important to their growth and development. Plus, with all the technology sitting in your back pocket, you can easily find the answers to their questions in just a few strokes of the keyboard.
Learning together about how your choices affect the environment might require putting it in terms of a child's mind. The best way is by teaching them how it directly affects them rather than just the environment itself.
Try asking them critical thinking questions, such as why second-hand clothing is a good thing for the environment or why they think using plastic isn't good.
Make natural products
Kids love to measure and pour. Rather than buying cleaning products, candles, soaps, or deodorants, why not make your own household products using all-natural ingredients. Chemical-free products aren't only good for the environment; they are a much healthier choice for the health of your family as well.
There are tons of ways that you can begin making conscious decisions that will help to promote creativity, invoke more questions, and make alternative choices that will not only benefit the earth but it will improve your overall health.
It doesn't matter if you're living in a big city, or in the country. Teaching our children how they can make choices that will make a difference is the first step towards change.
