Tips For Helping Kids Grow Up Living Green

As parents we can help teach and prepare our children for what lies ahead in their lives, to show them what the values of Green Living, and learning about the earth are really all about. These Green Living Tips are targeted more to the parents than to the children, simply because the child will be at such a young age. Whatever a parent does with their kids will be as much fun for the parent as for the child.

When a parent starts teaching their children while they are young, it sets in their mind and most of the time, the things you teach them will always be with them. If you live in a rural area, and you have a garden spot, give your child a small space for them to grow something of their own. For instance, Don’t just plant vegetables, make it fun for the youngsters, let them plant things that they would like, even if it is something like gourds, or watermelons. A parent would take the time to make sort of a game with their young ones, buying some seeds, showing the child how to plant them and then taking their child outside often to check the progress of the plants. Once the plant blooms, if it is a flower, the child will get to see and smell the work that they have put into this project. If the plant was a food source, the child will get to taste the fruit of their hard work. There is not only gardening in the spring, but there are fall veggies that can be planted. You can even sit down with your children and let them help pick out the flowers and vegetables for next years garden.

This will begin to teach children responsibility and dedication to a project, which is needed in our world today. These are the basic steps for teaching our leader for tomorrow’s leaders.

As a parent, you should spend time with your child. Such as going bike riding, showing your child how to build things, how to start a project and especially how to finish it.

If a family lives in the city instead of in a rural area there are still things that can be done almost the same way. Most plants can be started and grow inside a pot and put outdoors on a terrace, or inside near a window where it will get some sunlight. You could even teach kids about the pigeons and how they came to the city, and how they survive in the city. Let the child figure out several purposes that a pigeon has in a city. You could take the children a nearby park, find an ant hill and teach them the purpose of the ants.

Reading books to them about the values of the earth and always telling them the dos and the dont’s of polluting the earth. For instance, don’t throw paper or garbage of any kind on the ground, or if you pull up a tree, plant another tree somewhere else to take its place. Teach them the art of recycling things.

Teach your children to watch nature channels on TV, such as The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and other nature related shows. Take them outside for a walk and show them the butterflies and the bees, explain what the purpose of the small animal have in this world.

The library and the Internet is a wonderful place to learn about different animals, plants and places. Make it a fun experience to learn more about 1 endangered animal a week. Discuss why it is endangered and come up with ideas how you may help.

Giving your children small chores at home and making sure they do them will also help in building their minds, preparing them for the future. After all, cleaning up after themselves, taking care of their house, plants, yard, is the first step in taking care of the environment.

Kids watch their parents every move, so if you as a parent turn off lights that aren’t being used and saving water whenever it is possible, recycling things, your children will follow your example.

If given the support and education, young people will change the world. They could be our future conversationalist, environmentalist and humanitarians.

By helping train our children about green living, each parent will realize what their children like best and can direct them in the right path, so that later on in life they may be trained and further educated in their particular field, coming together with other such groups and developing a much more Green Lifestyle for the entire planet.

The funny thing is before you know it your kids will be teaching you. Our five year old has caught me a few times throwing things away that should have been recycled for example. Boy, have I empowered him!! And that is the key in teaching your child anything, making your children feel they can make a difference and empowering them is the most a parent can ask for. Even though I have been embarrassed a couple of times by my son correcting me, I am extremely proud of him.

It is not only our children that we should teach, but by trying to educate other adults around the world the values of Green Living, they in turn will educate their children as well. Since, it is all to true that mankind has polluted our world up to now, and we are just realizing how important it is to take care of our Earth.

Finally, here are some additional tips from the UN Environment Program to help Green Your Daily Routine.

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