We often talk about our children being the future but do we do enough to leave a better world for their future? Are we not guilty of damaging the planet and looking at them to fix it? Is that not a lot of pressure to put on our toddlers’ tiny shoulders?
As the oft-quoted saying goes –
“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children!”
The onus is squarely on us, as parents, as citizens of the Earth, and as the generation that has plundered the planet’s resources unthinkingly, to act for a better tomorrow.
You don’t have to be a sustainability expert to know that leaving a healthy planet for our kids is crucial to their growth and survival. It is equally important to equip them to cope with the changing environment because as the world changes, so will their need for adaptation.
A study by Brown University showed, that by the age of 9, kids develop their key habits and routines, including the kind of chores they like doing or the lifestyle responsibilities they are willing to take. So, it becomes imperative for us to get them accustomed to a low-impact lifestyle early on.
If you’re a new mom or a mommy-to-be, you can begin as early as now by making eco-friendly choices during your pregnancy! Click here to know more about this.
As a parent, you may feel like getting your kids to listen, learn and practice the things you preach is an impossible task – especially given their short attention span. However, it is possible to make earth-friendly values a part of their lifestyle, organically and seamlessly.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can do this.
Inspire!
The surest way to lose a child’s attention is to preach and not practice. And, one of the easiest ways to pique a child’s interest is to inspire awe! It is not just children – it is human nature to be curious about things that are inspiring or fascinating to us.
To make your child learn from your sustainable ways, draw their attention to your own planet-friendly actions. Parents are the first teachers and role models for their children, so what you do is sure to leave an impression.
A great way to do this is to take your kids outdoors and have them interact with nature. Be it a walk in the park, a treasure hunt on the beach, or a tour of a local farm. These mini-adventures are excellent conversation starters, and will undoubtedly have your kids asking you questions. Once you have their attention, they’re bound to learn!
Plan holidays that are low impact and sustainable. We have curated many ideas and resources for sustainable travel here and here that you will find useful.
Show your kids the variety of plants in the garden, make stories about how the washed-up ‘treasures’ on the beach might have landed there, and tell them about how their local farmer works hard to grow the food we eat. To a child, every experience is new and every lesson can be a life ethic. Besides, what can be more fun than a day, or many, out with the fam?!
Entertain!
The beauty of childhood is that kids can be entertained by almost anything. When learning is made fun, it stops feeling like a lesson and more like a game. This is a helpful approach to take when attempting to teach your child sustainable values. There are several ways to do this:
- Before you get to the chores, start with your hobbies. Involve your kids in creative activities like home gardening and upcycling! Gradually, introduce them to other habits like composting and waste management around the house.
- When you shop for games and learning tools, pick up sustainability-themed ones. These make learning an easy part of their play-time and are designed to help your children enjoy the process of low-waste living. Bare Necessities has created a board game called Ecotopia that serves this very purpose! They also have low-waste living playing cards and drawing books to keep your young ones engaged. Kaadoo offers a range of board games designed to ignite curiosity and wonder for nature and wildlife.
Pro-Tip: Make it a point to shop for plastic-free toys for your kids, so they are accustomed to plastic-free choices early on. Discover brands offering alternatives here.
- Stories heard at bedtime are a lifelong influence. Get creative with bedtime stories! Most fairy tales are replete with instances of love for forests, animals, and nature. Talk about these and the next time you have a story to tell, maybe mention how Goldilocks ate the porridge so it wasn’t wasted, or how Cinderella’s fairy godmother was excellent at upcycling!
Source: Kaadoo
Enjoy!
If you plan on parenting with sustainable ethics, it follows that you believe in the principles of a low-waste home. As you go about teaching your kids to value food, dispose of their waste carefully or be kind to animals, make sure to have fun along the way. For example, play mini-quizzes on the dinner table. Or include kids in DIY tasks like soap or candle making with natural home ingredients or kitchen activities like making marmalade out of fruit peels. Not only do children enjoy these activities, but these learnings can also come in handy for their school projects!
Pro-Tip: On the days that you’re in charge of the playdates, make it a group activity with their friends. This is a great way to pass on the learning as well as ensure your children don’t miss out on bonding with their friends!
Birthday parties are the highlights of kids’ calendars, so remember to plan green birthday parties for your kids and involve them in the party planning process. And when they are invited to parties, shop for green gifts for their friends. Check out eco-friendly gifts and decor from brands like Brown Living, Amala Earth, Bare Necessities, and others.
Involve!
It is said, and rightly so, that it takes a village to raise a child! Parenting is never a lone job. During your child’s growing years, all those around them, teachers, friends, and relatives, will have a role to play in shaping their thought processes. So, keep them looped in and involved in your plans –
- If your kids are spending a weekend at their grandparents’ home, or with a family friend, request them to ensure your child follows the basic rules, like not wasting food and picking up after themselves. If you have friends who run a sustainable business, grow their own food at home, or work for social welfare, plan for your child to spend a day learning their ways. PS: This is a good idea for those playdates too!
- Share your preferences and choices for a low-waste home with close family members. They can then be mindful of the kind of gifts they give your children and follow your house rules when they stay over.
- Whenever you decide to compost, recycle, donate your waste or join a beach clean-up, involve your kids in the activity, start conversations with them and let them participate. This will build a natural curiosity and desire to learn more.
- Involve your kids in your shopping routine. When you go out to buy those organic groceries or eco-friendly home essentials, take them along or show them what you bought. As you lead by example, you’ll notice how they naturally reach out for Earth-friendly alternatives whenever you take them shopping!
- Encourage your kids to get involved in environment clubs in their schools and tree planting, water harvesting, etc activities in the neighborhood. The older college students can consider volunteer opportunities in the local chapters of environmental NGOs. WWF-India offers great volunteering opportunities across many parts of India.
Source: WWF-India
Incentivise!
It is no secret, that children thrive on encouragement. A few reinforcing words, a pat on the back for a responsible act and some small incentives go a long way in keeping children motivated to do more. There are many fun ways in which you can incentivise your child’s eco-friendly moves:
- For younger kids, you can create milestone maps and stick them on your fridge or above their study table. Every time they complete a mini-milestone such as segregating their waste independently or donating their old toys, you can treat them to their favourite foods, a movie or whatever they’d enjoy!
- Another idea is to create a penny jar using any old glass bottle or mason jar. For each sustainable act your child does, no matter how big or small, you can add a few coins. Once you collect a jar full, let them choose how they want to spend it – it could be for personal use or even a donation! You’d be surprised at the kind acts your child will come up with!
Talk!
In their growing years, kids are bundles of curiosity. This is their and your biggest gift, because the more questions they ask, the more they’re willing to learn! So, treat them like the intelligent beings they are, and ever so often, have a meaningful conversation with them. You’d be amazed at the sensitivity, empathy, and kindness a child can show. There are many ways you can turn these conversations into family discussions too.
- At the dining table, talk to your children about their food – How it was grown, where it comes from and why it’s good for you. Explain to them why it’s important to respect their meals and you’ll notice how non-fussy they might start to get!
- Have discussions about the planet – Through discussions on books, nature documentaries, movies, current events, and their school textbooks, find avenues to help them understand how nature works and what sustainability means. This will also help alleviate any eco-anxiety they might experience as they read about extreme climate events around the world.
- Explain the what, why, and how of things. For example, when you switch out your child’s plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one or replace their shampoo with a natural bar, tell them why you did it and how this will help them. Once they understand how you make your decisions, they’re likely to follow suit!
To raise planet-loving kids is to raise sensitive, aware and knowledgeable citizens of the world. We cannot undo the damage we have done, but by raising eco-conscious kids, we can help them make better choices and equip them to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing world. After all, every good learning starts from home, and every valuable lesson comes from practice.
To know more about how you can build a zero-waste home for your family, click here.
