The message that our culture tells us and tells our kids is that climate change and environmental problems are too big, too scary; they’re hopeless, the result of our selfishness (especially the selfishness of the parent generation) and no one cares anyway.– Yikes! No wonder no one wants to talk about it with their kids. But this doesn’t have to be the message we give our kids. And we need to talk about it, research shows that parents who talk with their kids about the environment have kids who are better able to handle the challenges. And what is more, once you start you will find that, with a few simple guidelines, talking with your kids provides hope.
On this page you will find descriptions of real world climate change conversations. Most are conversations I have had with my own children, some are guest post from other parents, and I invite you to send in your climate conversations as well. If you have a Climate (or Environmental) Conversation to share, please click on the contacts tab and let me know!
Just a few notes before we get started, if you are looking for information on how to have a developmentally appropriate conversation, click on heading on “Mindfulness” in the menu, but the overview is: (1) allow grief and anxiety to be legitimate emotions, (2) provide hope, show that other’s care — they are not alone, and (3) focus what they want the future to look like, rather than what they don’t want it to be and (4) focus on love of nature (rather than facts about climate change) with young child under 3rd grade.
Polar Bears and Anxiety: Real World Climate Change conversations are really heard– but that doesn’t mean we should avoid them, nor does it mean that something good will not come from them!
Coming Soon!
Rock, Feather, Bowl, Stick: Read about a beautiful way to help your kids process the hard emotions involved in discussing environmental problems.
Earth Sea Sky 