It seems today’s society is becoming totally apathetic to the world around them. Unfortunately too many children are more concerned with playing the latest video game and don’t really pay much attention to the environment around them. It may seem hard to get your children to show an interest in the world around them, but you can get them to care if you start early and take small steps. You may not make a difference overnight, but you may just make a difference in the future of the planet.
One of the first steps in raising your children to be eco friendly is to be eco friendly yourself. It is important to set an example for your kids. You can tell your children to be respect the environment all you want, but you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t practice what you preach. You may not be a Captain Planet, but you can start with small steps to get involved. Follow the practices of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Use natural and environmentally friendly products. Get involved with local organizations that help protect the environment.
Once you’re involved in eco friendly practices, start getting your kids to help as soon as you can. You can start out simple by having them put their own recyclables into the bin, or even have them ride along with you when you take your bin to the recycling center. You can have them help you build a compost pile, or just go shopping with you at the organic food store. When I was a child, my mom would get me to pick up trash that was lying around, and I still pick up trash I see to this day. Just remember to start small and work your way up to bigger steps.
The people who do the most to help the environment are the ones who know the most about it. That’s why it’s important to start your child learning about the world around them early. While you should do your best to teach them on your own, you can also get some help from the experts. Many zoos and nature centers offer educational classes for children as young as three years old. These can be a valuable resource in helping small children start to learn about the environment and to expand their knowledge as they get older.
Get your child involved in volunteering. If you work or volunteer for an environmental activist group, get your children involved as soon as they are old enough. Many areas offer volunteer organizations for teens and young adults. The first place to look is with the places where you found classes for young children. The most important part is that your child gets involved on a larger scale than just within your family. This also helps them meet other people their age who also care about environmental issues.
Start early. When I go to take my recycling in I take my son with me and he loves to help me out. Even though my son is only four it is surprising how much he understands. I explain to him how important it is to recycle and pick up after ourselves. At such young ages our kids look up to us and follow the examples we lead, that is why it is so important to set good examples and habits to follow.
While children will inevitably be resistant to volunteering and doing extra work or chores at some point or another, they will still gain an appreciation for their environment that will last their whole lives.
Greetings! I’m Kevin, the founder and chief editor of More4Kids International, a comprehensive resource for parents worldwide. My mission is to equip parents with the tools and insights they need to raise exceptional children.
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I think you hit the nail on the head. The best way to encourage behavior in your children is to do it yourself (and if you want to DIScourage behavior, don’t do it yourself).
I just did a blog post about eco-friendly kids activities that you might like