Parenting in the Era of Climate Change: There is No Guide Book, so We Need to Create One

This idea of what it means to be a parent in the era of climate change has been heavy on my heart for a number of months now. We (as parents or soon-to-be parents, or really anyone that works closely with kids) are in this unique and interesting situation of raising the next generation of humans. I would say our jobs as parents (or anyone who works closely with kids) is more important than any other generation before us. We are really responsible for creating this societal shift through parenting the next generation by instilling values of sustainability and respect for life of all kinds. Also, I think we as parents need to go through a kind of grieving process (which I'm definitely currently going through) regarding the idea that the kids of today will not have the same childhood we had no matter what. While this is very true in the sense of technology/social media, it is also true in the sense of what other creatures we share this world with, what kind of daily activities are going to be hindered by climate change that we did not experience, and also the severity of natural disasters that are about to become very common due to a warming planet (just to name a few). The idea that their life could be impacted for the worst is a hard concept to wrap your mind around, especially when it's your own kid and their life we are talking about. Especially in America, I don't think we have a healthy way of moving through emotions and this can result in a kind of apathetic response, which then leads to forms of denialism and inaction. We cannot afford to do nothing in this moment in history and I think parents will have a unique role to play in deciding what kind of future we have.

So what follows is what I think should be in a "How To Parent in the Era of Climate Change" guidebook.

1) Lead By Example 
Tiny humans try to replicate everything that big humans do. How can we instill these new values into our children if we do not have them ourselves? So really the first step in this shift starts with us. What might this look like in real life?

• Try to rid the habit of using single use plastic. 
• On the go and in your home
• Buy clothes, blankets, toys, etc. for your baby either second hand or from a company that is sustainable/ethical OR hand-me-downs 
• If you are able to, use cloth diapers. If not (and your budget allows it) use compostable disposable diapers (yes they exist)! 
• Check out Dyper: https://getdyper.com 
• We use them at night or on long trips (we cloth diaper our son) and I have nothing but AWESOME things to say about this diaper brand!

There are obviously way more things out there that you can do to lead a more sustainable parenting lifestyle, but these are a few things to get you started! If you have more ideas, PLEASE leave it in the comments below! This needs to be an open and ongoing conversation to enact real change. 

2) We Don't Need So Much Sh*t
A repeating theme throughout my blog is that the 21st century is centered on waste and this idea of convenience. How did we get to this point? You can definitely argue that it has been through the continued pressure from companies that just want you to buy products so they can become significantly rich, that we need "stuff" in order to be happy, and you would be right. However, we (as consumers) have continued to (sub)consciously buy into the idea that we DO need "stuff" to be happy. When in reality, that is honestly the furthest thing from the truth.

I think this is an important point (and really ties into my first point) when it comes to parenting in the 21st century. The endless need of human desire and materialism is definitely in the equation of how we got into this mess. So we need to create this idea in our children that we don't need an abundance of "stuff" to have a fulfilling life. So what could this look like in a practical sense?

• Practice the idea of being grateful and content with what you DO have 
• Teach your kids that in the real world, no one's "coolness" is based on what kind of phone they have or the car they drive or the clothes they wear
• Have a few special items (toys, clothes, etc) instead of lots of useless ones 
• Keep this in mind heading into the Christmas season!
• Instead of screen time, do outside time (rain or shine, kids really don't care) 
• This helps them appreciate nature and what it gives them  

Again, there are lots of more ways to improve on this, but this is all just a starting point! 

3) Respect For Nature 

I think this is especially important in the age of technology. It is really easy to just sit and look at our phones instead of getting outside and doing something active. How are kids supposed to respect nature if they don't spend time in it? The urge to want to protect nature and wildlife will only come from understanding what it's like to have it and be in it. So there is really only way to go about this, which is go outside and enjoy yourselves. 

4) Nature And Humankind Are The Same 

As humans have evolved, I think there has been this shift in thinking that we are not "one" with nature. We see ourselves as more "superior" to other creatures and entities in nature and thus we do not belong to nature in the same way. If you take some time to think about it, this idea is false. Humans are nature. Without the natural world and what it provides us, we cannot survive. We need to go back to thinking about how humankind and the natural world are one in the same. We are what we are because of nature. As one eco-philosopher so eloquently puts it, "we belong to the earth." This ultimately goes back to the third point where we need to teach kids to respect nature and value what it gives us. If we don't do that, how can they learn to respect and value it? One way of doing this might be explaining to them (age appropriately) where things come from and why. For example, we have clean air because of the trees, we have water because of the rivers/lakes/oceans, we have food because of pollinators (bees, birds, bats, etc), and if you're meat eaters, we have food because animals give their own lives so we can eat, and we have pretty flowers to look at because of pollinators, etc. 

You get the point.

If you want some more insight on this idea that we "belong to the earth" I suggest you check out this episode on a podcast called Outrage and Optimism! 

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/31-how-to-face-mess-were-in-without-going-crazy-joanna/id1459416461?i=1000457508223&fbclid=IwAR0qCGnD-dQECOR0WSO8MmzOeovbz3Ht0XKszLoA0yOFFlcWlNsuFdneAqU

5) Teach Them Kindness and Compassion 

I feel like you might be starting to see a trend with all these points, which is basically that we need to instill a new sense of gratitude for what we have and certain behavioral patterns. We need to teach our kids kindness and compassion for others. We need to start developing a real sense of community. And not just online, but connecting with real people who live in the same area as you do. I read this time and time again when browsing through climate change articles, which is that we need to start building solutions around a sense of community, because when the worst of climate change comes, we will need people to lean on to get through it. Teach them that even though someone might look different, speak differently, think differently, act differently than they do, this is not a bad thing. It is not something to shy away from, it's something to embrace. The best and creative solutions come from a group of people with diverse backgrounds, who are able to bring in their own unique experiences to help solve issues. What can we do to start this sense of community in our own areas? 

• Start a parenting group 
• moms group
• dads group
• all kinds of parents group 
• Start a play group for kids 
• Not only that, but set up activities to do in your area! 
• Go to the park
• Take a hike on a local trial 
• Go to the zoo (or something of that nature) 
• Start a community garden 
• This is awesome because not only can you help the bees and other insects, but people can harvest locally grown food if needed
• This would be helpful for kids to learn how to grow food and understand where their food comes from 
• Start a community center 
• Start a reading group for kids in your neighborhood 
• Also build a Free Little Library! 

Again, there are lots of other ideas out there, and if you have some PLEASE share in the comments! 

The list is endless, but I thought these 5 points deserved special attention. We are in such a pivotal moment in history and we need the next generation to understand where we went wrong so they are able to change and thus improve human life. Our actions today will affect the consequences of tomorrow. It will take all of us to build this sustainable future we so desperately need and parents have a special opportunity to really promote this idea of empathy, respect, compassion, and kindness for everything that inhabits this world. 

Even though we need to build a sense of real life community, I want this blog to be like a community as well! If you want to be apart of the conversation, please comment, subscribe, and share! 

If you are still here, thanks for reading. 

~Sadie~