Raising An Environmentally Responsible Child
Parenting is hard.
Not only are you responsible for raising a child to be physically and emotionally healthy but also socially responsible.
In this age of melting ice-caps, overflowing landfills and dwindling natural resources, it's more important than ever to raise an eco-friendly child.
Here are some methods that can help you instill environmentally conscious values: Start them young.
Even before they're fully conscious of the environment around them, make them "green" babies.
Take into consideration utilizing cloth diapers and invest in organic baby blankets and organic baby clothing to keep your baby chemical-free and eco-friendly from the get-go.
Make your house an eco-friendly home.
Decide on non-toxic cleaners for your household needs or take advantage of the cleaning power of baking soda and white vinegar! Take a look at your household energy use and opt for organic towels whenever feasible.
Green their play time! For babies and toddlers, opt for wooden toys over mass-produced plastic toys or buy second-hand as an alternative to new.
For older kids, take a break from electronics and take a nature walk.
Pick some fun bamboo craft projects to show them how you can utilize sustainable projects.
Play in a local park, find a nearby creek to splash around in or take the entire weekend and go camping! Teaching kids to appreciate and enjoy nature will help make them more determined to preserve it.
Make recycling enjoyable! Recycling is an accessible activity for young ones within the home.
Let the kids decorate the recycling bin.
Reward them when they throw their cans and bottles inside the bins.
Be sure they know what a difference they're making with one very simple step.
Teach the significance of conservation.
You've already done what you can to conserve energy in the home, but let the kids assist in conservation efforts where they can.
Begin a rain collection system that lets them see how much water they can catch.
Encourage them to turn off and unplug lights and electronics not in use.
Let them help you to hang clothes on the clothesline as an alternative to making use of the dryer! Get dirty! Growing your own food teaches children to appreciate what is on the table and lets them see how important it really is to maintain a healthy planet so all of our gardens can grow.
Encourage them to plant seeds and tend to their plants (they can use the water they collected!).
Help them create a compost pile so that much less waste is heading to your trash bin.
Take them to the farmer's market so they can take in the local food movement! Take into consideration growing a bamboo garden and make sure they know that bamboo is extraordinary at taking in CO2 and converting it to oxygen for us to breathe.
Volunteer.
Teach kids the significance of giving back! If you're already a member of an environmental awareness group, see if they have a youth membership and let your child become an advocate for a greener world.
If you don't have a garden for them to grow, find a community garden in your area that wants help.
And while they won't thank you for it now, sign them up to help out at local park clean-up day.
As important as these recommendations are, remember that a parent is the strongest role model most kids will have.
Ensure to lead by example - conserve water and energy where you can, select alternative fabrics when possible and know that even the smallest gesture will teach your children that being environmentally responsible is often a responsibility that we all share.
Not only are you responsible for raising a child to be physically and emotionally healthy but also socially responsible.
In this age of melting ice-caps, overflowing landfills and dwindling natural resources, it's more important than ever to raise an eco-friendly child.
Here are some methods that can help you instill environmentally conscious values: Start them young.
Even before they're fully conscious of the environment around them, make them "green" babies.
Take into consideration utilizing cloth diapers and invest in organic baby blankets and organic baby clothing to keep your baby chemical-free and eco-friendly from the get-go.
Make your house an eco-friendly home.
Decide on non-toxic cleaners for your household needs or take advantage of the cleaning power of baking soda and white vinegar! Take a look at your household energy use and opt for organic towels whenever feasible.
Green their play time! For babies and toddlers, opt for wooden toys over mass-produced plastic toys or buy second-hand as an alternative to new.
For older kids, take a break from electronics and take a nature walk.
Pick some fun bamboo craft projects to show them how you can utilize sustainable projects.
Play in a local park, find a nearby creek to splash around in or take the entire weekend and go camping! Teaching kids to appreciate and enjoy nature will help make them more determined to preserve it.
Make recycling enjoyable! Recycling is an accessible activity for young ones within the home.
Let the kids decorate the recycling bin.
Reward them when they throw their cans and bottles inside the bins.
Be sure they know what a difference they're making with one very simple step.
Teach the significance of conservation.
You've already done what you can to conserve energy in the home, but let the kids assist in conservation efforts where they can.
Begin a rain collection system that lets them see how much water they can catch.
Encourage them to turn off and unplug lights and electronics not in use.
Let them help you to hang clothes on the clothesline as an alternative to making use of the dryer! Get dirty! Growing your own food teaches children to appreciate what is on the table and lets them see how important it really is to maintain a healthy planet so all of our gardens can grow.
Encourage them to plant seeds and tend to their plants (they can use the water they collected!).
Help them create a compost pile so that much less waste is heading to your trash bin.
Take them to the farmer's market so they can take in the local food movement! Take into consideration growing a bamboo garden and make sure they know that bamboo is extraordinary at taking in CO2 and converting it to oxygen for us to breathe.
Volunteer.
Teach kids the significance of giving back! If you're already a member of an environmental awareness group, see if they have a youth membership and let your child become an advocate for a greener world.
If you don't have a garden for them to grow, find a community garden in your area that wants help.
And while they won't thank you for it now, sign them up to help out at local park clean-up day.
As important as these recommendations are, remember that a parent is the strongest role model most kids will have.
Ensure to lead by example - conserve water and energy where you can, select alternative fabrics when possible and know that even the smallest gesture will teach your children that being environmentally responsible is often a responsibility that we all share.
