It’s amazing what you learn when you become a parent for the first time. How much patience you really have and how much more aware you are of your surroundings.
I always try to teach my daughter about the importance of the world we live in and how best to look after it. That our actions have consequences to our environment, and yes sometimes I find that I am often repeating myself and telling her how to do things properly. But then I started to realise that I too was learning from her. And it’s such a joy!
Looking at life through your early years
I often compare my early childhood memories to the opportunities my daughter has now, and although neither one of us has had a happier childhood than the other, I know that mine was enriched with outdoor play, going on adventures and using my imagination with what I had.
Toys were not as popular when I was young, and although I did have some that I played with day in day out, these have all still been passed on to my daughter. Children nowadays though are often spoilt for choice, grandparents buying the latest toys for their grandchildren for example, my daughter included. But I've realised this isn’t often what she really wants.
She thrives on the simple things; playing outdoors, drawing what she’s seen or learnt that week – they really are amazing little beings! She has the imagination to play with anything, and I realised I just needed to let her explore the world for herself. This in itself is important to think about when it comes to recycling and sustainability. Children go through so many toys, and it made me reflect on my own consumption of products, and how I can cut down on non-essentials, or purchase pre-loved items, including toys and clothing.
My own epiphany
During the last few years I’ve witnessed the effects of global warming and ocean pollution but never felt that I could make a significant difference. As a working parent, having such a busy life means that I quite often opt for convenience over anything else.
Lunches or evening meals were packaged in plastic that I unconsciously threw into my recycling bin. But after a change in my circumstances I found myself with more time to see what my generation had created through single-use plastic packaging.
I was also starting to notice how many plastic toys my daughter had, most of them hardly played with anymore. But in order for them to be recycled, I needed to take them to a charity otherwise they were thrown away. It was a complete eye opener and up until that moment I felt helpless to the cause.
It’s never too late to make a difference for the next generation
I started with making a conscious effort to reduce the use of plastic at home, by reducing the use of carrier bags, collecting and recycling water bottles and milk bottles and avoiding food waste. I tried to educate family of the different recycling facilities that we could and should've been using. But when my daughter was telling me about what she was learning at school I knew that the next generation was where I needed to be focusing.
As I said, my adult life has been all about convenience and saving time, it still is, but I am more conscious about the effects of pollution and my carbon footprint, knowing what I can do to make a difference now. It has now become something me and my daughter enjoy together, recycling household items and providing protection for the wildlife in the garden. Small measures in a family home can make big differences. It's easy to make being environmentally friendly, fun!
Helping little learners understand our impact on the environment
It's important for us as adults to make sure that we're teaching our children the best ways to look after the planet, and in turn, they teach us too! Recycling starts at home, and it's become an important part of ours.
Useful blogs:
Taking a closer look at sustainability
Managing your stationery budget sustainably
Top tips for an eco friendly classroom
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