We all want the best for our families, and many feel that living green is the way to achieve that goal. We want to save the environment for ourselves and our families and neighbors and friends. The marketplace has introduced lots of green products to extract the green from our wallets. The real goal of going green is to buy less and use less. That is a recession friendly goal, because when you achieve it, you will be spending less.
What are some “green” things that we can do as Parents? Conserve energy in your home and in the rest of your life. Use healthier cleaners, and reusable tools.
Do not just turn your car ignition off when you pick up the kids at school, walk to meet them and walk home with them. This is compatible with the fact that we need to use less gasoline and also that we need to get more exercise. This is setting the tone for a healthy green lifestyle for your kids as well. You get to share the wonders of the walk home, and talk with your kids and hear about their day and marvel at the world around you.
Shopping Green
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Shop your local thrift shops or yard sales for children’s clothing, especially. Buy things that are gently used, with a lot of life left in them. Most thrift shops benefit a charity, so you are setting an example of giving back and not wasting things that still have life in them. Buy sweaters, jackets and clothes that are easy to layer, because at home, you are turning down the heat.
Reading Green
Use the local library for green ideas. You will save money, while teaching your children to love reading. Instead of buying magazines and newspapers, and having that clutter at home an
d filling the landfill, read hundreds through the library. Use the library to find recipes for green household cleaners, beauty products and healthy living. People have been trying to live green for years, and called it being frugal.
Cleaning Green
On the subject of cleaning, think green. You can visit wastefreeproducts.com and buy the “new” green cleaners. They are still in throw away packaging, and still suck the green right out of your pocket book. Save the bottles when they are empty, and make your own cleaning and household products. Vinegar, baking soda, salt, alcohol, and peroxide all clean well, without extra chemicals to add fragrance and are less toxic in the environment. Look for helpful hints on your library trips. Use baking soda to boost laundry cleaning, or to scour with. Put vinegar in the rinse and your clothing will be brighter and you will find that you do not need fabric softener. This results in fewer chemical exposures for your home and your children.
More Green Parenting Ideas
Few things are as green as raising a garden and eating out of it, provided you have the space. Your children will be willing helpers and will benefit from home grown organic vegetables. Use more vegetables and less meat in your diet and your health will improve. So will your grocery bill. Kids that help grow vegetables also eat more of them.
When you are eating your meals with your home grown vegetables, turn off the lights. Serve dinner by candlelight, it saves power and gives the whole room a glow. Children feel so awe inspired that they behave better and conversation flows more smoothly. Teach your children to turn out lights when they leave the room, and turn off the water while they brush their teeth. Also, telling the children how it is important to visit a good dentist like dr jim ellis if it happens they have teeth problems is more likely better before it gets worst. These are small steps that add up to big savings on the environment and on the budget.
Let your children be detectives with you when you shop. Teach them to choose products with less packaging. Pop measured amounts of pop corn, for instance, instead of those individual microwave packets. Make homemade snacks and put them in reusable containers, or split the package of cookies into their own 100 calorie packs. Instead of caving in and buying the trendy lunch meat and cracker quick lunches, package your own for pennies, and call them “momables”. Generally, what children grow up with, they are happy with. Start young with green living and they will choose that style throughout their 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.
As a father to two incredible sons, I’ve experienced the rollercoaster of parenthood, and it’s these experiences that drive my dedication to making More4Kids a trusted guide for parents. Our platform offers a wealth of information, from time-saving parenting hacks to nutritious meal plans for large families, and strategies for effective communication with teenagers.
Beyond my professional role, I’m a devoted parent who champions the concept of an abundance mindset in raising resilient, successful children. I’m committed to fostering this mindset in my own children and am passionate about inspiring other parents to do the same.
Join me on this rewarding journey as we explore the complexities of parenthood together. Through More4Kids, we’re raising the next generation of remarkable children and strengthening families, one parenting tip at a time.
More4kids is written for parents by parents.
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