Raising Mindful Kids

Global Warming

"Things that people do that are bad for the earth." 

That's my 8 year old's definition.  Not too bad, considering that many 8 year olds wouldn't even have a clue.  My husband and I love that our kids have picked up on our concern about the environment and that they are slowly building an earth-friendly vocabulary. 

What can you do to build this awareness in your kids? You don't need to send them to Global Warming 101 or anything - if you talk about it at home, they will pick it up slowly but surely.  What's amazing to me is how easily they absorb information and how quickly they are asking questions that you can't even answer without a little research.  Having kids has given me an education on global warming, without a doubt! 

Not that they don't come up with some wacky misconceptions every once in awhile.  Drew somehow got the idea that if we didn't do something about global warming, it would lead to some kind of big explosion when the earth got too hot.  BOOM!!  Aaaah....the imagination of a grade-schooler! 

There are lots of little things you can do to plant the seed about global warming in your kids:

• Read books

- Pick up a book like "The Down-To-Earth Guide to Global Warming" by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon or "A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids" by Julie Hall that teach kids about the effects of global warming in an accessible and entertaining way.

Talk about the news - Current news stories can be good fodder for teaching kids about climate change.  When the price of gas shot up, we started talking about why driving less is really a good thing.  When extreme weather events like hurricanes and earthquakes occur, we discuss why that might be happening more frequently. 

Look for teaching moments -  Drew did a report about polar bears in school last year and I used that opportunity to tell him about what global warming is doing to the polar bears habitat.  Now he's a big advocate for the polar bears!  When we drove past a wind turbine, we had a conversation about wind power vs. coal.  You get the gist... 

Model eco-friendly actions - Turn off lights when you leave a room and ask your kids to do the same.  Ride your bike to the store instead of taking the car.  Shut down your computer when you are not working on it....(Drew is all over my case when I forget!)

Plus it can be highly entertaining to here what your kids have to say about the subject.  Just for kicks I asked my boys "What can people can do to stop global warming?"  My 8 year old said "Don't use electric blankets."  My 3 year old said "Pick up garbage".  Not bad - I think they're on the right track...

Comments

[Summer]

Sounds like pretty smart kids. :) I love that they've picked up so many good habits from you. Thanks for the tips.

[Residential Wind Power]

Nice Post!

It is great to see that someone is teaching their children to respect the environment from a young age. Bravo to you, your children will be better people for it.

Another thing you can do to teach your children about respecting the environment is how renewable energy works. I am looking at building a wind turbine with my children to show them that the earth provides us with all that we need to survive.

Not only is building a residential wind turbine a great acheivement, but the results are compounded in energy and money savings.

Have a look at this list of the top 3 do it yourself wind turbines http://www.residential-wind-power.com/2008/06/top-5-do-it-yourself-wind-turbines/ Tim

[MamaBird/SurelyYouNest]

Smart little sweeties! They would like my friend's 4 year old who says, "Those people are burning fossil fuels by driving - they should take the bus like me!"

[Polka Dot Mommy]

Great post... we struggle at home because my (otherwise very enviro-conscious) hubby says GW is a crock... I'm all over his case with news and facts that say GW is something to be concerned about! To me it doesn't matter if you believe that GW is an issue or not... being aware of what we put into our environment and how to keep our planet healthy is a good idea all around!

Love Love Love your sons Reverse Big Bang Theory. :)

Cheers!
Jamie

[The Not Quite Crunchy Parent]

Great ideas. I think we, both parents and children have a rather fuzzy view of what exactly global warming IS. The more we talk about it with children, the more we begin to understand it ourselves!

[Mother Earth]

I marched to the beat of a green drum while my husband at the time scowled. I cleaned green before my time while he kept windex in the truck of his car for " his " cleaning needs, I took the kids to earth day festivals, cheered them on while they ran recycling relays while he drank beer and left the can on the grass - my kids picking up his trail - dad - your supposed to recycle these! We didn't stay married, he balks at my kids who ride bikes, clean green and turn off the lights. To each their own, eh?

[Jennifer Taggart]

So I asked my son, who is 5, what can we do to stop global warming. His reply? "Don't buy stuff you don't need." Hmmm. . . perhaps I actually taught him something?

Jennifer
Smart Mamas Do It All Naturally
www.thesmartmama.com

[Green Bean]

Great thoughts. Incorporating global warming and our impact on the environment into daily living - AND practicing what we preach - seem to be the most effective and least scary way to bring this home to kids. Let's home it hangs on into the teen and adult years.

[Mindful Momma]

Good point about the teen years Green Bean. I have a feeling the environment won't exactly be top of mind at that stage of life. I'm just hoping that the values we instill will come back into play later on...