4 easy ways to cultivate compassion for the earth in our children
Like all good habits, practicing compassion for the earth could start from young. This helps children grow up with a sense of wonder and appreciation, and leads to a sense of connection that is instrumental to our children’s growth and to healing the earth. Here are 4 ways to cultivate compassion for the earth in our children.
1. Encourage children to appreciate nature
Credits: Jim Grove / Active for Life
It is easy to teach children to enjoy nature - most enjoy playing in the park, seeing colourful flowers, and adventuring around national parks. Let us take this a step further by encouraging them to appreciate nature. The next time your child is sitting underneath the tree, tell them how nature is responsible for the shade they enjoy. When they gasp in awe at stalactites and natural rock formations, teach them that these are phenomenons that mankind can never recreate. This way, children will learn to not just enjoy, but appreciate nature.
2. Communicate the earth’s suffering with your children
Although children are young, there is no reason to shield them from the earth’s suffering. Include them in conversations about climate change and natural disasters, such as forest fires, melting ice caps and animal extinction. Alternatively, simply discuss these topics around them and let their natural curiosity do the teaching! Not only will this educate them on existing climate crises, it will also train them to be more observant of the suffering around them.
3. Instil the belief in your children that they can make a difference
Climate change is a global pandemic that requires large-scale remedial actions and some may feel that their efforts are just a drop in the ocean. This can deter people from trying their best to incorporate environmental sustainability into their lifestyle. Nurturing the belief that they can make a difference is just as important as teaching them how to make a difference as many things start with the belief that it is possible. One person’s actions to reduce plastic waste, for example, may not be much but it still counts for a reduction in carbon emissions. Furthermore, each individual has the power to impact those around him. Practicing and advocating environmentalism will lead to effects greater than the lone individual. Once children believe that they can make a difference, it is easier to teach and execute acts of compassion for the earth.
4. Teach children how to make a difference
Acts like recycling waste and bringing our own reusable bags when we shop may be common sense to us when we think of simple ways to practice compassion for the earth. However, these acts are not as intuitive to a child. Some children cannot even differentiate reusable and single-use bags. It is important to cultivate these simple habits in our children so that practicing compassion for the earth becomes second nature. You could even go a step further to highlight initiatives such as encouraging sustainable fashion through a clothes-swapping system.
“Children are our most valuable resource.”
The earth has provided for us for centuries. Let us do our part to care for it today.