How to Discuss Green Issues with Your Child
Written on July 9, 2011 – 2:51 pm | by Rick
If you have or know any children at all, one of the things you are well aware of is the lack of silence. Whether you are shopping, reading, playing, or even sleeping, there is never a moment of complete silence when children are around. And, if you have had, been around, or know any children around the ages of three or four, one of the things you are most accustomed to is the ever-dreaded and always-abundant question of “Why?” It is continuous and relentless.
If you have ever taken the time to listen to your little tot at play, one thing that you begin to realize is that they are and have been, listening to your answer. Not only are they listening, but they are repeating. And regurgitating to their friends, neighbors, and grandparents. The thing to remember about those prying and perky ears is that you have the power to have meaningful green conversations that plant the seeds for your child to help the environment in the future. And you can expect them, with their innocent love for you, to believe what you tell them. So tell it truthfully, and greenly! The one constant between adults and children is that they are always watching and listening. It is up to us to teach, answer, and guide them.
Take the time to discuss green issues with your children. Ask them what it means to recycle, and listen to their answers. Once you open the dialogue, you will find great green-teaching opportunities at every turn, thus setting them up to one day lead the world in making solid, environmentally friendly choices. Discuss littering and how that negatively impacts our world. Explain the need to turn off fights when they leave a room and to turn off the water while they brush their teeth. Talk about the need to reuse and reduce. Involve them in green family decisions, and take the time to explain why trees are important to our world and to our fragile ecosystems. Every time you make the choice to create a conversation, you are showing your child that discussion and open dialogue are the first courses of action toward a global understanding and a unified front against the environmental problems facing our world. And you are teaching them that it is their world, too, and that their opinions, their decisions, and most importantly, their actions will ultimately determine the future of our Earth.
As parents, we are the most influential people in their lives. Taking the time for conversation with children is the first, and most important, way to make a positive green impact in their lives. Put your best green foot forward and talk to them about recycling, pollution, and how to implement green choices into your family life. Once you take that first step, positive actions will most certainly follow.
Tags: carbon footprint, green blog, green home, green living, green tip
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