All Natural Mommies

Raising an Eco-Friendly Child

The world’s inhabitants have finally started to wake up.  Most people in today’s society have been totally apathetic to the world around them.  But with the new “green” movement, people are becoming more aware of the effects society’s actions have on the planet.  However, children who haven’t been raised with Reduce/Reuse/Recycle drilled into their brains, may have a hard time pulling away from the video games long enough to tend to the environment.  Depending on your child, it may be hard to get them to show an interest in the world around them. However, there are easy, effective ways to help show them how to care about the earth, especially if you start early and take small steps. You probably will not be making a big difference overnight; however, any and all changes you make WILL make a big difference in your child’s life time.  After all, you will be teaching them how to treat the earth for a lifetime, not just a childhood.

The first step to raising eco friendly children is to be eco friendly yourself. Honestly, you can tell your children to respect their environment all you want.  But if it’s all lip service, it’s not going to get you (or them) anywhere. You don’t have to be all Captain Planet, instead start with small steps, and get involved yourself – it’s easy and fun! Follow the practices of the 3 R’s – reducing, reusing, and recycling. Another good way to become more eco friendly is to use natural and environmentally friendly products (even places the big box stores are getting on the eco friendly band wagon, so it’s easier today than it’s ever been). Another fun thing that you can do is get involved with local organizations that help protect the environment.

Once you’re taking an active roll, and being more eco friendly, start getting your kids in on the fun. 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 even be on the look out for organic foods and clothing items when shopping. When I was a child, something we used to do was pick up random trash others left behind. It’s easy and can mean so much. Just remember to start small, and have fun.

Often the people who do the most to help the environment are the ones who know the most about it. That’s another reason why it’s important to start teaching your child about the world around them as early as possible. Many zoos and nature centers offer educational classes for children as young as three years old. These programs can be an invaluable resource, to help aid small children, who are just starting to learn about their environment as well as to help expand their knowledge, as they get older.

Another fun, eco friendly idea is to get your child involved in volunteering. If you volunteer for an environmental activist group (or even your local church), get your children involved as soon as they are old enough. Many areas offer volunteer organizations for teens and young adults. The most important part is teaching your child to get involved on a larger scale, reminding them to be eco friendly all of the time not just within your family. This also helps them meet peers, they might not have met otherwise, who are also eco friendly.

Teaching your child about the world around them, and how to be eco friendly, will be present you give them, that will last a lifetime.

How are you helping your children go green? 

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