Make sure your kiddos know that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is about more than a day off of school
Your little dreamers naturally understand the power and importance of having hopes and wishes, so learning facts about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his “I Have a Dream” speech is a tactile way to help kids understand the significance of who MLK Jr. was. Help the kids learn more about this chief spokesman for nonviolent activism, civil rights, and the end of racial segregation.
1. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on Jan. 15, 1929. His birth name was Michael but was changed to Martin by his father (who also changed his name) in 1934 (after Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s).
2. At 14 he won a contest with a speech about civil rights.
3. He started college when he was just 15.
4. He worked for a newspaper as one of his first jobs.
5. Stevie Wonder wrote his song "Happy Birthday" to help build on the campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday. He asks a simple question throughout the song, “Why has there never been a holiday where peace is celebrated throughout the world? The time is overdue.”
6. According to the King Center, Martin Luther King, Jr. was jailed 30 times for charges such as civil disobedience.
7. MLK Jr. was awarded 20 honorary degrees.
8. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was instrumental in getting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. This act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It made it illegal to segregate based on race in schools, the workplace, and public accommodations (or facilities that serve the general public including hospitals and libraries). It may be hard for your kiddos to believe that there was once a time when children could not drink from the same drinking fountain or use the same bathroom because of the color of their skin. MLK fought to end that.
9. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in April 1964.
10. Martin Luther King Jr. married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953. The ceremony was performed by his father, Martin Luther King Sr. Coretta had the vow "to obey" removed from the vows, which was almost unheard of at the time.
11. MLK Jr. and his wife had four children: Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Yolanda King, and Dexter King.
12. His "I Have a Dream" speech was not his first at the Lincoln Memorial. He gave a speech there on voting rights in 1957.
13. He survived an attempt on his life in 1958. He was stabbed with a letter opener by Izola Ware Curry. He underwent hours of emergency surgery. Surgeons said one sneeze could have punctured his aorta and killed him.
14. Martin Luther King Jr.'s mother was killed six years after his murder. She was shot while playing the organ at church.
15. One of the best ways kids can understand what he was all about is by listening to his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which he made on Aug. 28, 1963. Kids of any age can listen and read along through this link.
It’s a conversation no parent wants to have, but if you have to, here’s what you can tell your child
As unfortunate as it might be, lockdown drills have become a regular occurrence at most public schools across the country, in some places as commonplace now as fire drills. And though they can be scary for young children, they’re necessary. They help to prepare and educate children about the proper and safe way to act in case of an emergency.
The first time our local elementary school did a lockdown drill when my son was in kindergarten, he came home a little shaken up. It’s not easy to explain to your child why lockdown drills are necessary or what exactly they’re protecting them against without inciting fear. But there are some strategies available for speaking to your children about the importance and purpose of lockdown drills. Here are just a few.
1. Stay Calm
Children often react first to an adult’s reaction, then to whatever situation is causing the reaction. For example, if your child falls and scrapes their knee. Their initial reaction might be to cry when they see the blood or because it hurts. But the severity of their reaction will have a lot to do with how you, as the parent, react. If you start panicking, your child will panic too because they’ll think there’s reason to: “If mommy is getting upset there must be something really wrong!”
This theory holds true for discussing lockdown drills. If you approach the subject with a calm and even tone, your child will not be initially alarmed. They’re more apt to calmly sit and listen to what you have to say. Acting in a paranoid or fearful way will only instill unnecessary fear in your child.
2. Be Open to Questions
You want your child to feel comfortable asking you questions, about anything in life, but especially about something they’re concerned or curious about. Try not to meet their questions with resistance or negativity. Be open to whatever is going on in their minds. The more knowledge and understanding of the situation they have, the more comfortable they may become with the practice.
3. Use Comparisons
It’s sometimes easier for children to understand a new concept when they have a familiar reference to compare it to. The most common and logical comparison to a lockdown drill is a fire drill. Most children are familiar with fire drills before they even enter public school. Many daycare and childcare centers are required to perform routine fire drills. You might even have a fire plan in place for your home.
Explain to your child that a lockdown drill is very similar to a fire drill. It’s something the schools use just in case of an emergency and for practice because practice makes perfect! You can even compare practicing drills to wearing a helmet or seat belt. You do these things to be safe, just in case there’s an accident or your child falls off their bike. These things may never happen, but if they do, you’re protected.
The more relaxed and less serious you remain while discussing lockdown drills, the more relaxed your child will be. Emphasize that lockdown drills aren’t just for the students but for teachers as well and that they’re designed to keep everyone safe.
4. Helping Them Understand the Threat
But as we know, lockdown drills are in place for a very serious reason. It’s perfectly fine to ease your young child’s mind by making “light” of the situation and explaining that it’s simply for practice. But your inquisitive child will likely ask what a lockdown drill is keeping them safe from.
They already view teachers and other adults as authority figures. Explain to your child that sometimes, adults and teachers see a potential threat or something unsafe that children don’t see. This threat may be nothing, but until the adults can determine that, a lockdown drill is a good way to keep them safe.
Your child’s next question might be, “Well, what kind of unsafe stuff?” My son is 7 and I try to be as honest with him as possible, without striking fear. He knows that people make poor choices at times—from his friends in class to adults. When discussing what threats lockdown drills are addressing, explain that it’s the school’s job to keep the children safe from any adults around that might be making poor choices. There’s really no need to explain further what those choices are.
I often tell my son, “Sometimes people just do things that we don’t understand. Things that we would never do.” If your child is a little bit older you can go as far as to say, “Sometimes people get angry and confused and end up hurting people.” You know your child best, so offer as much or as little explanation as you think is appropriate or necessary.
5. Encourage Your Child to Be a Helper
Most kids love nothing more than being a helper, especially to adults! Making children part of what’s going on is a great way to involve them in their own safety practice, such as lockdown drills.
The teachers at my son’s school wear whistles on their school lanyards. During a lockdown drill, the teacher is supposed to pop their head out the classroom door into the hallway and blow their whistle three times. This alerts anyone in the hallway or neighboring classrooms that a lockdown is in place, in case they aren’t already aware. The teacher then locks the classroom door and the children take their positions. It’s my son’s job to remind his teacher to blow the whistle. Other students have other “jobs” like reminding her to pull down the shades or helping their friends find their special hiding spots.
By involving children in the lockdown process, you’re empowering them with a sense of responsibility and involvement. This can help to ease their worry. It also gives them something to focus on, distracting them from any fear they might be experiencing.
Try asking your child about the lockdown drill process. “So, what do you do first?” or “What happens next?” Become excited and involved in what’s happening. Your child will feel important and may view the drill as a necessary “job” they have, not as a scary experience.
6. Always be Available
It’s important to always be available for your child to ask questions, voice their concerns and simply listen to what they have to say. The first few lockdown drills your child experiences might be scary for them, but over time, they should become more comfortable with the process. If you need further information or help explaining lockdown drills with your child, speaking to your school’s principal or the district superintendent can offer additional help and resources about your specific school district’s procedures.
I am a 32 year old mother of a son and wife to an officer. I am honest about both the love and struggle of parenting. I enjoy being active and writing is my passion, second only to my family.
If you’re like us, taking care of your home is a daily struggle… so taking care of the environment, too, may sound like a huge feat—but it doesn’t have to be. We can do so many little things every day, like toting reusable shopping bags instead of answering “Paper” or “Plastic.” And it’s never too early: Young kids can easily learn what gets reused—helping with recycling items around your home is a great way to get them involved.
Taking care of who is in our environment is just as important. We’ve found a joyful way to help kids grasp these values through an incredibly thoughtful and beautifully illustrated read, The Digger and the Ducklingby Joseph Kuefler, a follow-up to his acclaimed picture book, The Digger and the Flower. When a tiny duckling waddles onto their construction site, Digger and his mighty crew are all annoyed, calling her a nuisance. The duckling isn’t bothered, though, and through understanding, patience and acceptance, Digger and his crew help take care of her and grow to love the duckling. They become an unlikely family and make their lives richer, all through having patience (something any young kid could use more of).
Digger and the other big trucks love to build. But when a lost duckling waddles onto the jobsite, Digger and his friends learn to do more than just scoop and hoist and push... They learn to become a family. Especially for ages 4-8, this beautifully illustrated book is an excellent introduction to taking care of the environment and one another.
This book is hot off the presses, so no reviews just yet—but here’s praise for the first of the series, The Digger and the Flower:
“Kuefler imbues the text with the heart and soul of the best storytime fare… One couldn’t hope for a better tale of rebirth and regeneration”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Kuefler’s simply written and beautifully illustrated tale has a powerful message about the importance of the environment…A wonderful, inspiring tale, perfect for read-alouds.”
—School Library Journal (starred review)
“The image of the clunky piece of construction equipment tenderly caring for the fragile plant gives the story charm, and so do its strong, simple images.”
—Publishers Weekly
Looking for a fun activity as a follow-up to the story? Care for a plant together! From tiny succulents to flowy ferns, your little one can help make sure it gets the light and water it needs—maybe they can even read The Digger and the Duckling to their new plant friend!
Happy reading! (And don’t forget to shut the water off while you brush your teeth… )
If your parents took you on tons of trips growing up, you likely love to travel now says a new study.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Little Passports, the study surveyed 2,000 respondents and their thoughts on excitement about travel, learning about the world and the importance of travel as it relates to empathy.
photo: Courtesy of SWNS
So what exactly did the survey reveal?
23% of respondents remember feeling excited about traveling as kids
55% said expanding their horizons as a child serves as a motivator to travel now
76% said they enjoyed learning about the world as a child
73% believe traveling with kids is one the best ways to learn about the world
80% think it’s important for children to be exposed to different cultures at a young age
81% agree that it’s important than ever to teach young children empathy towards others
Whether you’re a family full of wanderlusters or more of a homebody, the value of travel extends to everyone. With that in mind, where’s your next vacation taking you?
Winter is the perfect time for families to sit in a cozy spot at home with a great book. The holidays often prompt parents to try to find meaningful books about gratitude. At Stratford School, we have found a group of books that not only have gratitude as a theme, but implore the reader to reflect on their own appreciativeness and empathy.
Choose a book that best suits your child’s grade level and read it first. Then either read it with your child or let them read the book alone and be ready for a discussion about how the book makes them feel. Talk about how they’d like to show their own kindness and thankfulness daily. Below are some books to help you continue the conversation about gratitude in a unique way.
Written and Illustrated by Steve Antony. Brightly illustrated Mr. Panda and his friend Lemur are just right for the holidays. As Mr. Panda travels to visit all of his not so thankful friends with gifts, Lemur keeps reminding the friends that, “It’s the thought that counts!” This silly but thought-provoking book is the most recent of a series by the author that covers manners for youngsters and can be read over and over again.
Written by Philip Christian Stead, Illustrated by Erin Stead. Amos McGee is a kind, selfless zookeeper who makes time for all of his diverse animal friends at the zoo. One day he is sick and does not go to work. Children will laugh as the animals hilariously ride the city bus to go visit him at his home. The mutual love and caring beams through the exceptional art and words in this Caldecott Medal winning picture book. It teaches the importance of relationships and that the most simple acts of kindness and understanding are often the most sustaining. Amos gives to each of his friends, but what he does give them is not shallow or meaningless, it is well thought out and exactly what they need. There are details in the elegant illustrations that will have your children asking you to read this to them over and over again.
Written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. A remarkable story of a young boy named CJ and his wise grandmother spending an afternoon together in a city. CJ asks the questions our own children ask all the time and Nana's answers are ones that we would do well to remember. Nana teaches the at first reluctant boy to celebrate life, music, friendship and the joy of service. “He wondered how his nana always found beautiful where he never even thought to look.” Winner of the 2016 Newberry Medal and Caldecott Honor awards. This is an excellent picture book that highlights the importance of volunteering, appreciation and thankfulness.
Written by Katherine Applegate. Newberry Medalist Katherine Applegate delivers a magical story about friendship, forgiveness, empathy and resilience. As a family deals with a stressful circumstance, young Jackson copes by spending time with his friend Crenshaw, an imaginary cat. This book has a serious tone and enlightens readers to the fact that some kids lead a not-so-perfect life. Jackson’s friendship with Crenshaw allows him to weather the storms of this difficult time for him. This book will build compassion in a thought-provoking way.
Writtenby Holly Goldberg Sloan. A realistic, engaging story of six people brought together by an event that will change their lives. It will fill the reader with laughter, hope and light. Willow is an unforgettable character who is represented on the cover as a lone red fish, swimming against the sea of green fish as she has temporarily lost her sense of meaning and direction. Readers will not want to put the book down as we learn how she counts on her friends to redirect her to find her own place in the world. This is a story of how one person can change the lives of those around her and how family isn't always the one we're born into.
Written by Linda Sue Park. Told from two viewpoints from Sudan, a young girl named Nya in 2008 and a young man Salva in 1985. Salva is a “Lost Boy” and continues through the story with hope and perseverance. Nya walks every day to get water, a commodity that we often take for granted. The two stories come together in an upbeat ending meant to inspire the reader to make a better world and to appreciate what they have. After reading the book, watch the Newberry Award-winning author’s inspirational TED Talk as a family.
Happy reading!
This post originally appeared on Stratford School Blog. Featured image: Stratford School
Keira Pride is the Head Librarian at Stratford School, the leading independent private school founded with a vision of creating a unique, multi-dimensional, educational foundation for children. As Stratford's Head Librarian, she manages the library services department across campuses throughout Northern and Southern California.
Fans of Clifford The Big Red Dog books rejoice—this lovable pup is coming to the big screen (with extra-large paws, of course). Based on the beloved children’s book series, Clifford’s latest hilarious escapades take place in New York City. When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth meets a magical animal rescuer, he gifts her a small, red puppy. But overnight, the dog transforms into a giant ten-foot hound—not ideal in a tiny NYC apartment! While her single mom is away for business, Emily Elizabeth and her fun uncle Casey get involved in edge-of-your-seat adventures. Here’s why your family will want to go along for the ride!
Emily Elizabeth wishes for her dog to be big and strong. Poof! That’s actually what he becomes. While your child won’t be able to transform the family pet, this sweet movie reminds us to believe in something bigger than ourselves, because possibilities are endless when you have a big heart. From showing kindness to strangers in the community to being a good friend—Clifford proves there is magic that comes from loving big.
Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone Is Rewarding
Emily Elizabeth sometimes feels like an outsider. But Clifford is so full of love, he makes her feel like she can do anything. Kids will feel inspired by seeing Emily Elizabeth tap into her inner courage to stand up for her dog when a scientist tries to claim him as his own. From trying a new activity to speaking up, being brave and embracing our differences leads to good things!
Dogs Have a Way of Capturing Our Hearts
Kids (and kids at heart) will relate to the unconditional love and loyalty exchanged between a young girl and her dog. Clifford certainly has a way of “growing” on Emily Elizabeth, just like our treasured pets do for us. (If your kids have been begging for a dog… the Clifford movie just may help their case!)
This playful story will delight audiences of all ages with its themes of loyalty, friendship, self-acceptance, and the importance of loving big. Parents will appreciate the movie’s awesome cast including, Darby Camp, Jack Whitehall, Tony Hale, David Alan Grier, Kenan Thompson, Rosie Perez, Paul Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory and John Cleese.
I became passionate about zero waste when I first became a mom because it made me realize that this is her planet and her future on the line and that I need to fight to make sure my kids can grow up with a healthy planet. When we decided that we would become zero waste, in addition to being good role models for our kids, it also meant that we would spend less money and time on buying things and allow us to work less so we can both spend more time with our kids—a benefit for all of us.
Teaching my kids about the value of the environment and the importance of preserving the world around them is an ongoing task. I’m raising three eco-minded kids: Isabella, 14; Noah, 10; and Liam, 8. My goal is always to make our day-to-day routines ones that also teach them to care for the environment. Here is how I do it:
Gardening
Gardening and kids are a natural mix involving dirt, digging and water—children’s favorites. Our garden is also a great classroom where my kids learn science, biology and even math. We grow lots of vegetables and fruit. My children have learned how to plant a seed, which then sprouts, becoming a seedling that we then plant in our garden bed. They have learned that, for the plant to grow, it needs water, compost and sun. They also have learned how to provide these basics. Our children also understand how plants eat carbon, and that plants also clean the air. They have learned how our bunny and chicken poop helps our garden. They have learned the important role of plants, bushes and trees on our planet, and how we simply can’t cut down all trees and remove green patches without replacing them in order to conserve our planet.
Composting
I believe it is important that we teach children to protect and restore the environment. Educating kids about composting is surely a great way to start. Composting truly is one of Mother Nature’s most miraculous processes. Using only natural means to implement what usually is garbage, we’re able to turn “waste” into one of the most beautiful and productive growing mediums. Composting also teaches children how to reduce waste and keep it from going to a landfill. My kids now know that food waste in a landfill becomes methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas, whereas food waste in compost becomes powerful nutrients for our garden. A huge garden—or any garden at all—isn’t necessary to have compost. As a matter of fact, composting can be done in an apartment.
Recycling
Sorting through recycling is a surprisingly fun activity for my kids; whether on a hiking trail or on the beach, they will pick up litter to recycle. It’s also a good task to perform with kids so they learn what can and cannot go into a recycling bin. Recycling, just like composting, is a way to teach children how we can keep our waste from ending up in a landfill and how this can help save the planet. My kids even take it to the next level and will look in the recycle bins for materials for arts and crafts.
Spending Time in Nature There’s no better way to connect with nature and help children appreciate our planet than getting outdoors. It’s so great to see how almost anything—ants, worms, wildlife, mushrooms, flowers, funny looking trees, puddles and ice—can catch their attention forever. (I have an array of stones, twigs, leaves and other items from nature that were just so special and had to be saved.) Nature is a wonderful classroom where we can teach our children the importance of taking care of all the trees and water since they are homes for all the world’s wonderful treasures. My children also like to write in their nature journals about what they see, feel and experience when out and about, which gives them time to reflect and preserve memories. If your children enjoy spending time outdoors, they’ll more likely do everything they can to protect these green spaces and ensure they exist in the future.
Volunteering
My family love volunteering together, so we clean beaches with Surfrider, collect food waste from our local farmers markets to give to families in need with Produce Goods. And we cook dinner at the Ronald McDonald House. All these activities help my kids give back. They are learning how they can help strengthen our community, keep the beaches clean that provide so much fun, keep food waste out of landfills, and help those in need.
Being a Good Role Model
I know my kids watch us parents to see how we behave and react, so it’s important that we are good role models. To this end, we show our kids how to be Earth-friendly by being Earth-friendly ourselves. Seeing our behavior will reinforce the importance of respecting our planet more than any verbal lesson.
Never in history has it been more important to encourage children to be green, to raise ecologically conscious children. I firmly believe I’m raising the next leaders for new innovations to care for our planet and make it livable for future generations.
Most parents know a thing or two about saving money for emergencies. But with our kids, it may be hard for them to understand why we need to save for a rainy day. Right now we’re all spending a lot of time at home. Some of us are watching the news and some are answering tough questions about current events. Either way, we have a special opportunity to share the importance of saving for emergencies with our kids in a way that makes sense to them.
Put it in their world. The current economic climate provides a real-world example that can serve as a lesson-teacher for your kids. If they’re old enough, share how you or members of your community may be affected by losing work. Talk about how emergency savings can help them through tough times.
1. Set a budget. Saving isn’t always easy, especially when you have needs and wants that take up your monthly budget. Help your kids understand how to budget by putting a limit on when and where they can spend. For some families, kids can only use their money for gas. For others, they can spend anywhere. Setting a budget helps your kids get in the mindset of allocating their earnings and putting must-haves before nice-to-haves.
2. Make it visual. Kids learn by doing. As you show your kids that it’s important to save, also show them how. Work together to set savings goals or talk to them about a big-ticket item you’ve needed to save for. With the Greenlight app, kids can set their own goals and watch their progress bar advance as their savings grow.
3. Incentivize saving. Kids are more excited to save money when they have an incentive. Encourage them to continue putting money away for emergencies by matching them or setting your own interest rate for them. Greenlight parents are able to set a parent-paid interest rate so that saving more means earning more.
4. Monitor balances. Show your kids the importance of checking their balances. While it may not directly impact their emergency funds, this helps them form the habit of closely monitoring their spending so they can live within their means.
When we teach our kids about money at a young age, they’re able to form smart habits for life. The next time you run out of stay-at-home activities to keep the family busy, take some time to work with your kids on managing their money—it pays off in the long run.
Denise Daniels,RN, MS and creator of the groundbreaking children’s brand The Moodsters is a Peabody award-winning journalist, author, and parenting and child-development expert dedicated to putting young children on the path to positive mental health. She created The Moodsters—five quirky little feelings detectives who solve the mysteries of emotions.
Calling all American Girl fans! The most popular doll brand is welcoming three new dolls, and they all have unique stories reflecting important issues the world is dealing with today.
Say hello to Makena Williams, Evette Peeters and Maritza Ochoa, all a part of the “World By Us” collection. The girls and their backgrounds touch on issues like immigration, the importance of working together to make the world a better place, environmentalism and racial equality.
As part of the new collection, each girl will have their own book that details their back story and overlap with others. To make the stories as authentic as possible, American Girl collaborated with acclaimed writers like Angela Cervantes, Denise Lewis Patrick and Sharon Dennis Wyeth.
You’ve seen them marvel at a simple rock and squeal with delight over a dandelion, so the idea that children have a strong connection to nature is no news to parents. Having a family discussion about the human impact on the environment can be a powerful way for children to take the next step in understanding the importance of protecting Earth—especially when we arm them with solutions. Here’s why caring about the Earth matters for your kids and you.
photo: iStock
Mental & Physical Health Benefits
One of the most tangible arguments for becoming stewards of Earth is the positive impact that nature has on our mental and physical well-being. Many children do not get enough time outdoors, which can make it challenging to draw the more obvious parallels between a healthy planet and healthy people. Jennifer Walsh, a nature connector for people and businesses, describes this as a “nature-deficit disorder.”
With distance learning and parents trying to juggle work and life at home during a pandemic, outdoor play can take a backseat, especially if you don’t have a backyard of your own. As Walsh explains, “Unfortunately because of COVID, studies have shown that young children have spent less time outside, and this disconnection, or nature deficit disorder, is showing that children’s white matter in their brains is not developing properly. This causes delays in learning and even the ability to concentrate.”
photo: iStock
Research has been ongoing for years on the positive effects of nature education for children, with terms like forest bathing becoming part of our everyday vernacular. But what does that mean, exactly?
Spending time outside increases mental clarity and eases anxiety—but it’s not just the fresh air. Walsh describes phytoncides, a chemical released by certain trees, especially conifers like pines and cedars, “It’s an invisible aerosol that the trees emit that helps protect them from bacteria. When we are amongst these trees and inhale those aerosols, it releases something within us called our natural killer cells, which in turn help us ward off disease and illness. This has been studied since the early ’80s.”
photo: iStock
An extensive study conducted by a team of research professionals from the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, Japan found that exposure to the phytoncides over seven days increased anti-cancer proteins in their test subjects and that the increased level of those natural killer cells and proteins lasted for seven days after exposure. That means a walk in the woods has lasting benefits beyond the immediate.
photo: iStock
That’s great news because even if you live in a more urban environment, a nature walk once a week can have big benefits. Taking the kids for a walk in the woods, a park, or a nature preserve is great exercise and good for everyone’s brains. While you are in a beautiful place, take the time to discuss the importance of such places and why we should protect them. Bring along an extra plastic bag to clean up litter, never leave your trash behind, and take lots of time to observe the animals and plants around you. And, of course, take some deep breaths while you are there.
Consequences of Actions aka The Life Cycle of a Plastic Bag
Children love animals—real ones, stuffed toy ones, storybook characters, cartoon animals. Making the connection that something like a plastic bag can threaten animal health is a powerful way for children to understand the long-term repercussions of human actions.
For example, a plastic bag that ends up in the ocean can be mistaken for a jellyfish by a sea turtle. Sea turtles love to eat jellyfish, and so they eat plastic bags which wreaks havoc on their digestive systems. According to The Turtle Hospital, a sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center in the Florida Keys, “Turtles are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat just about anything.” This includes plastic bags, plastic gloves, fishing lines and other errant trash.
We can all help sea turtles—and other sea life—with simple, everyday action that involves recycling, reducing and reusing. This is as easy as using cloth bags, buying products with less packaging, shopping local, especially from local farms. The big one? Get a reusable water bottle. “A plastic water bottle is used for five minutes and is around for 500 years,” the Turtle Hospital writes. “A recent study found that on average our oceans are littered with 47,000 pieces of plastic per square mile!”
photo: iStock
Be mindful of scaring your children or causing increased anxiety by offering straightforward solutions to the problem that they can be part of: We don’t use plastic bags because they can be eaten by sea turtles; we bring reusable bags to the store; can you be in charge of remembering the bags today?
While it may not be the most altruistic of reasons to recycle, reduce and reuse, understanding the concept of “waste not, want not” is a pretty quick one for any kid to grasp. If a box of Ziploc bags costs $5, and you rinse and reuse them instead of needing to buy a new box (or better yet, use a more Earth-friendly option like these) you just saved $5. In a month that’s $20, which is a small fortune to a child.
The Turtle Hospital reminds us that being a responsible consumer is key. “Know where your seafood was obtained and how it was caught.” Because unethical fishing and overharvesting can decimate protected species, not to mention add to the pollution in the ocean, be sure your seafood was caught sustainably. You can check out seafoodwatch.org to learn more.
photo: Christine Lai
Making the connection that how we spend money impacts the environment is a critical stage to understanding why conscious consumerism matters. Factories have to produce more products, causing more by-products and waste; vehicles have to ship these products, which uses fuel and contributes pollution to the environment. These concepts are easy to explain and even easier to put into action when you do simple things like considering the source of your food and packaging.
photo: iStock
Be the Change
Remember, as Reena B. Patel, a well-known parenting expert, positive psychologist, and Licensed Educational Board Certified Behavior Analyst, puts it, “Children are also born with an altruistic approach. This helping behavior seems to be innate because it appears so early and before many parents start teaching children the rules of polite behavior. Young children are concrete learners and model what they see. Clean up toys and cleaning up trash from the ground is a concrete and generalized behavior. To them, it is the same thing. ”
Raising a child that is Earth-friendly, aware of the importance of the natural environment and able to make changes every day with their decisions is one of the most powerful tools parents have today in the face of climate change. But, just like brushing your teeth or trying not to cuss at your neighbors, it’s behavior that we need to model first. So put those cloth bags right by your door, ditch the plastic water bottles, and stop throwing away the old to-go containers you were too lazy to rinse, parents. We know you can do it!
