(ThySistas.com) As the world around us changes, and the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, raising an environmentally-friendly child is an important focus for many parents. Below, we’ve provided a few tips parents can use to raise their children with an eco-friendly focus…
#1 – Make recycling the standard
Children often learn through observing their parents’ behavior, so doing all you can to normalize recycling can really help your children to see recycling as a completely standard part of life rather than something different or unusual.
#2 – Spend time outdoors
To nurture a love for the natural world, encourage your children to spend as much time outdoors as possible. You can go on “nature walks”, where you identify types of trees and wildlife, or simply play outside as often as possible.
#3 – Talk about your choices
Whenever you make an environmentally-friendly decision – such as using non-toxic cleaning products or shampoo – explain why you have made that choice to your child. You can teach them how to read labels to identify environmentally-harmful chemicals and draw their attentive to the (just as effective) alternatives that are available.
#4 – Explain the impact humans can have on the environment
To a child, the natural world seems so large, so eternal, that drawing a link between human actions and environmental harm can be challenging. To overcome this, look for resources that explain long-term environmental damage, such as the oil spill infographic related below. This type of information can help to build the link between humans and the environment, which should in turn help to solidify the need for environmentally-friendly patterns to your child.
Infographic Design By University of Alabama Birmingham
Staff Writer; Shelia Poole