Learning about sustainability has been a massive improvement towards mitigating for a better world. The effects of climate change are worsening, affecting people’s health, altering nature and changing animal’s bodies. It has been recently discovered that some species in Brazil have bigger wings and smaller bodies compared to previous decades in response to environmental issues.
Similarly, humans’ bodies are negatively influenced by climate challenges because the food, water and air consumed are disturbed by warming temperatures and extreme weather. Unfortunately, the future isn’t bright because the temperatures are expected to rise considerably by 2050, which means the planet will become hotter by the decade, transforming Earth into an uninhabitable space.
That’s why we must take care of our only planet and make sure future generations are living a healthy and happy life. For that to happen, we must teach our kids about sustainability in ways they can understand. So, here are some ideas to help you tackle that.
Let them get accustomed to nature
The best way to make children love nature is by allowing them to experience it. It would be best to allow them to explore nature by walking in parks and forests, gathering flowers and plants, and even playing with leaves. Indeed, kiddos must be accompanied by an adult at all times, which can be a strenuous task. But if you care about this step in their education, you can take them to Miffy town, where children learn about plants and nature by working with flower bulbs and gardening tools.
Such settings that include other kids and professional staff are perfect for completing their educational process because this also helps increase their self-esteem, change ideas and learn more about environmentalism in a way they can understand it. Hence, the green space at Miffy is the perfect blend of having fun, making friends and playing with their favorite character. So, go to https://miffytown.com/ and check the events available for your kid.
Allow them to follow your habits
Kids will always take their parents as role models, primarily until adolescence, when things get complicated. But until then, you can take it step by step and ensure your behavior influences their actions. Hence, if your kids notice you’re doing things differently, they’ll follow you. That’s why you should begin to:
- Recycling correctly. Separate the garbage in glass, metal, paper and plastic categories and make sure they’re always around you to watch what you’re doing;
- Composting organic matter. You can compost almost anything from veggie and fruit scraps to coffee grounds to create the most nutritious fertilizer for plants;
- Repurposing random things from your house that still have value, such as boxes from deliveries and plastic bottles;
- Planting trees frequently. Trees are so important for the environment, but since they’re all cut, nature isn’t healing from all the fumes;
Kids will always follow what you do, so if you don’t prioritize recycling consistently, they’ll probably think it’s unimportant. This way of enforcing habits works with everything, from the way they keep their room tidy or respect nature. Hence, try to make environmentalism a part of your life if you genuinely believe it’s essential.
Encourage them to ask questions
Explaining climate change to small kids isn’t that complex, considering the problem is simple. While climate anxiety is not that frequent in smaller kids, young teens are considerably worried about the effects of environmentalism on our planet. An increasing number of young adults feel sad, nervous and anxious about the changes the planet is going through.
If you don’t want your kid to go through the same challenges, it would be best to help them understand what is truly happening. That’s why encouraging them to ask questions and get curious is best to offer them broad knowledge so they can better manage their feelings and expectations.
It’s alright if you don’t know the answer to all their curiosities because kids can ask some of the weirdest questions suddenly. This is the perfect opportunity to learn alongside them and understand where all their ideas come from. Some kids might get worried about their safety, while others will get scared that one day, their house will disappear. These are all genuine concerns, and you should assure them that everything will be fine, but better action is needed for the future. Installing anxious thoughts from childhood is the opposite of what you must do.
Teach them about the taste of real food
Climate change heavily affects supply chains, drought alters food’s quality and consumerism and capitalism make it possible for all exotic fruits to be exported worldwide. While these are standard practices we can’t live without now, they hurt the environment by consuming additional gas and affecting local produce consumption.
That’s why you should teach them (but not enforce) what real food tastes like. Toxic processed foods affect their health, but if you slowly add organic meals to their diets, they might start to appreciate dairy and meat from farms and vegetables and fruits from your garden. This way, they won’t have to rely on supermarkets forever and, growing up, they’ll look for that exact organic taste in their meals, preserving nature and prioritizing nature.
This practice is also great for you because you get to support local businesses that don’t use pesticides on their fresh produce. At the same time, you help the economy flourish by bringing in money within your community, which will later help the area develop. This is the mindset your kids could adopt in the future, too, when they have a choice.
Final considerations
Teaching kids about climate change seems like another problem because you may not believe they understand its importance. However, children can notice and perceive things through your behavior and habits, so if you make this a big deal and see nature as essential, they’ll closely follow your steps. You don’t have to force them to have a sustainable life for the sake of the environment or their communities, but you can at least present this lifestyle and allow them to choose.