5 Ways to Encourage Children to Live a ‘Green Life’

I remember spending hours at a time outside when I was growing up: playing with sand, mud and rocks in our garden, jumping in puddles after a rainstorm, sledging, skipping and lying in the grass staring at the clouds moving by. Unfortunately, children do not get to do this nowadays. The majority of children spend time indoors for extended periods of time, often eight to ten hours per day.  In order to support our children’s health and functioning, it is vital that we encourage them to spend time outdoors.If you want to encourage your children to live a “green” life, it is important to tell them about green practices that your family is practicing and you can ask them to take part in these. Their chores can include household practices, such as discussing green electricity, composting in the garden, recycling household waste, etc. Make it fun and challenging for everyone to participate.I will share below 5 ways to encourage children to live a “green” life and by following these steps you will help them become healthy, eco-conscious and responsible occupants of our beautiful Earth.1. Green toys

If possible, invest in baby or infant toys made from bamboo, unfinished wood or wood toys with water-based stains, as these are healthier options than plastic toys.

For baby to snuggle, mouth or explore, choose blankets, organic clothing or stuffed toys made with organic cotton or wool.

When choosing a plastic toy, it should ideally be Bisphenol A (BPA)-free, phthalate-free and PVC-free. Plastics labeled with number 1,2,4 and 5 (inside the chasing arrows triangle usually located on the bottom of a product) are considered safe to use, and clean them with strong vinegar and water solution.

In PVC toys phthalates are used as softeners. Some PVC toys may be labeled with a V or number 3. Many toys are not labeled at all. You should avoid toys that are made of squishy plastic, such as rubber ducks and baby dolls, or like the clear pages in child photo albums, the clear plastic purses that some girl’s toys are sold in, or the plastic-like dolls’ clothes as they are very likely to be made of PVC or phthalates.

 

2. Organic foodBy their very nature children are more sensitive to pesticides than adults. A child’s body continues to grow until 18 but their brain and nervous system are under development until the age of 25. We are all exposed to more toxic chemicals than ever before but the toxic burden it is even harder on our children’s body while their systems are growing. Beyond debating their nutrient value, the most important point that needs to be acknowledged is what organic foods does not contain! Certified organic foods must be grown without the use of GMOs (genetically-modified organisms), pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Organic fields are managed so that the soil contains more minerals that conventional farms.Did you know that strawberries are one of the highest sprayed fruits? 184 toxic chemicals are used in conventional strawberries. One of the best ways to limit children’s exposure to chemicals is to choose an organic det. Children who are fed an organic diet have much lower levels of high-risk insecticides in their bodies. Organic food also reduces the risk of exposure to toxic pesticides. Furthermore, organic food has more of the antioxidant compounds linked to better health than regular food. Therefore, one of the best choices you can make for children is to buy certified organic foods.Organic food is a healthy choice for all of us but especially for our children. If you struggle with the price of organic, I suggest checking out the Environmental Working Group’s yearly report of the most important food to buy organically. 3. RecycleAll parents want to leave the world a better place for their children. While it sometimes feels like we don’t have much control over what happens down the line, the best way for parents to ensure that there will be a healthy, green planet for future generations is to teach our children about recycling now so that they grow up with an awareness about waste and an appreciation for preserving resources. You can organise a community clean up by inviting your neighbours and local residents to take part in your local park or beach clean up. This is a great opportunity to meet and catch up with each other and also to teach your children about recycling. You can point out all the rubbish to children, explain how this can affect wildlife like birds, which may eat the rubbish and get sick. Take some bags, gloves and grabbers to help clean them up.Talk to your children about how you want to start recycling in your home and how it will help the environment. You can also ask them to make recycling bins for paper, glass, and plastic. Let the children decorate them the way they like with images of what will go inside. This can be a great reminder and will help the little ones not get too overwhelmed. If you want, you can make a goal chart above each bin to try and see how much your family had recycled in a week. 4. Spend time in natureModern family life has changed dramatically in the last two decades. Children spend more time viewing television and playing video games on computers than they do being physically active outside. Today’s families often have limited opportunities to connect with the natural environment. Therefore, it is important that you find time to take your children on green adventures.

More and more researchers are looking into the impact of nature on our health. Numerous studies have found that children’s social, psychological, academic and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature. This means that you can help your children become healthier and happier just by making sure they spend time in nature. 4. GardeningGardening is a great way for children to learn new skills and have fun. From growing their own plants, they can learn about the science of plants, animals, weather and the environment, and about healthy eating.Gardening is educational and develops new skills including:

Responsibility – from planting seeds and looking after plants Understanding – as they learn about cause and effect (for example, plants die without

water, weeds compete with plants) Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant

place Reasoning and discovery – learning about the science of plants, animals, weather, the

environment, nutrition and simple construction Physical activity – doing something fun and productive Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food Nutrition – learning about where fresh food comes from

Research shows that children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and to show higher levels of knowledge about nutrition. They are also more likely to continue healthy eating habits throughout their lives. Also see more info @ http://www.parentedge.in