Kids and the Environment:
Challenge But Exciting
There is no doubt that teaching our children about the challenges we all face with our changing environment can be daunting. There was a really funny article on GreenMuze recently describing some of the pitfalls. ("Eco Lunacy Parenting")http://www.greenmuze.com/blogs.html. There are ways, however to start the learning without adding fear and worry (leave that to us for now). At Lillunia we love the Canadian site Eco Kids http://www.ecokids.can for helping teachers and parents move children through the issues and the big questions we all face. But what I like most is that they start from stewardship and the idea that we can all play a constructive role in the health of our planet and the creatures that live here; ie, starting from a positive place.
Making it fun
There is no reason why feeling like a member of a larger world with responsibilities to it, has to be scary...or even boring. Children love to feel important to processes and projects...and the wonderful part of environmental stewardship is that they (our children) really are important-- its not make believe- our children will inherit the earth we leave them.
More and more school programs are adding environmental topics to the standard curriculum-- and this is fantastic. But these lessons we can certainly start at home: recycling, backyard nature outings, certainly reading and coloring, healthy food choices and eco home projects.
Embrace the opportunity to mold their lovely little minds- as parents and teachers we can make the serious issues about our world accessible and fun. That way-- their children may not be in the bind we find ourselves in now-- and if they are still "cleaning up" they will be better equipped to do so!
ILLUSTRATE ILLUMINATE ELEVATE: LILLUNIA
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