This is a cooperative post. All opinions are my own.

Being a parent is a humbling responsibility. Our kids are looking to us as their teachers--not just for educational things like learning the ABCs, but even more importantly, for behavioral things like how to react when they get frustrated. Seeing them mimic the things I do can sometimes make me proud, and sometimes makes me ashamed when I realize they learned that from me. What an important duty we've been given to be a good example for them, in every aspect of daily life. It makes me want to be more aware and intentional about my habits, and improve the ones I'm not so proud of. One of those things is going green. Our children's quality of life may be directly affected by the choices we make today, so it's important to form greener habits now, and pass those principles on to them, for the sake of their future. Here's how I intend to do that.

1. Connect with nature

I want my kids to grow up with a respect for nature and a love for the world they live in. The more connected they are to the natural world, the more they will want to take care of it. With the weather getting warmer, we plan to go on some easy hikes and nature walks to develop their appreciation of our beautiful earth. One thing we can do while we're out in nature is to pick up litter together, and teach our children about the dangers of plastic pollution.

Another idea is to involve our kids in gardening. Ben just built a garden box and he and Ian planted zucchini, squash, and cherry tomatoes that they grew from seeds. Ian was super interested and had a lot of fun. Not only is this a way to bond together as a family, but it also teaches your children about growing their own food and how this can benefit the planet.

2. Recycle and reuse

It's so easy nowadays to recycle, at least here in Washington state. Most public places have separate garbage cans and recycling bins, so we can dispose of waste properly even when we're out and about. At home, it's our responsibility to provide the appropriate bins, and teach our children what goes where. Instead of just doing it for them, we can teach and encourage them to recycle themselves (then do our part to ensure they got it right). Learn more here: https://www.dirtcheaprubbishremoval.com.au/

Another good lesson to teach our kids is how to reuse household waste, instead of always throwing things away. There are lots of ideas that could double as a fun family activity. The bottoms of plastic bottles could be cut off and painted to become flowers, empty toilet paper tubes can be a pair of binoculars, and all kinds of things could be turned into an arts & crafts session. Let your kids use their imagination and be creative. If you need some fun examples to get you started, there are a bunch here.

3. Form good habits around the home

To teach our children good habits, we need to be good role models. This is the case with eco-friendly choices as much as it is with conflict resolution or any other behavior. We can make an effort to use less water when showering, turn off lights in rooms we aren't using, or walk to close locations instead of driving. Our children will learn from us, and not only will be greener as a family, but we'll save money too!

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1. Posted by James on Wednesday, July 20th, 2022
   
   Hello,
   
   You have posted a nice and informative article named "3 Ways to Teach Our Kids Greener Habits
   ", I learn a lot from your post. Go ahead, keep up the good work.
   
   Regards