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When he came To talk about our children’s climate change, research shows that there is a big difference between what parents think should happen – and what actually happens. A 2019 NPR survey found that nearly 85% of parents, across the political spectrum, believe that children need to learn about climate change. But only about half of those parents said they had talked to their own children about it.
The thing is, your child probably already hears about climate change. Leslie Davenport, a therapist and author of a workbook to help children tackle climate change, called All the feelings under the sun: How to deal with climate changesaid that while researching her book, she talked to many children who know more about climate change than their parents. “I was very surprised how many children are familiar with the science of climate change, even at the age of eight or nine. As the climate crisis grows more and more urgent and continues to make headlines, it will only continue to penetrate children’s minds. An article on the COP26 summit quoted an 8-year-old child from Glasgow as saying, “I’m worried because if the world gets too hot, then all the animals will start to die and (…) people won’t survive anymore.
The problem, according to Davenport, is that the information does not come from a trusted source, such as a teacher or parent. Instead, the children she spoke to received partial information — eavesdropping on the radio or in conversation — which they would then try to research on the Internet. “As a result, the level of emotional distress is quite high,” Davenport explains, describing everything from anger and frustration to panic, depression and even headaches, stomach aches, agitation and behavior. “While these are normal emotional reactions to learning about a world in crisis, they are not prepared to process feelings.
Before starting a conversation with your child, it is important to deal with your own fear and lack of knowledge about the climate crisis. Mary Democor, environmental activist and author of The Climate Revolution Parent’s Guide: 100 Ways to Build a Fossil-Free Future, Raise Empowered Children, and Still Sleep Well, points out that climate change is not only a really scary concept for children, but it is also frightening for adults, which may be the reason why these vital conversations are not happening. “Adults are often really closed because of the climate problem,” she said. This can lead to rejecting your child’s concerns or trying to calm him down by downplaying the burden and urgency of climate change, or it can lead to your own suffering stealing the show and making your child even more frightened. Davenport points out that any meaningful discussion of climate change must be a balance between science and emotion. “These cannot be just facts and figures. When we present only science, we miss much of what it means to be human – our life beliefs, values and behaviors. ”
Now, before you send an SMS / Whatsapp / Alexa / email your child to come down for a chat, here are some age-appropriate ideas to help you prepare.
Under 6 years
Children under the age of 6 are still too young to directly understand climate change, so Davenport offers cultivating a love of nature through seasons, plant cycles, beauty, play and teaching the primary responsibility of caring for life. This creates the ground for children to grow up to be good stewards of the environment. Democrats, whose children have already grown up, says there was no language around climate change when her children were young, so she made an effort to set an example. “We immersed them in nature, immersed them in stories about nature, composted them and took great care of the world of nature. So they just grew up immersed in concepts of an ethic of care and a life of joy and wonder in the natural world and our responsibility for it. ” Democrats also made efforts to bring their children to the protests so that they were familiar with the concept of political engagement.
The most important thing, Democker emphasizes, is to be reassuring. “When they ask you a question or you feel it’s important because you’re talking about it [the climate crisis] in or in front of your family, do something that is energetically reassuring, such as, “Oh, yes, we have a problem. It warms the planet and it creates problems, and we are in it. ”DeMocker says young children need to know that they will get better and have the feeling that when things happen, their parents or caregivers , their parents or carers. take care of it.
Example phrases:
- “The planet is our home, so we need to take care of it to make it a safe place to live.
- “Climate change is a big problem, but there are many people working together to solve it.”
- “People make pollution that goes into the air and can act as a blanket, and that blanket warms the planet and that creates problems.
7 – 12 years
At this age, Davenport says children are already interested in and hear about climate science. “Starting around 8 is when the broader perspective of climate change and its effects begin to be understood and feelings begin to emerge,” she said. So before you start talking, ask what your children already know.
It’s also a time to start naming feelings and practicing emotional resilience. Davenport points out that while it is normal to experience great emotions when you learn about a world in crisis, children are not prepared to process those feelings. “They are left with a feeling of overload that can change almost any aspect of life,” she explains. Davenport’s book offers “switching” or learning to move back and forth between disturbing climate news and tools for self-regulating emotional reactions. “These are basic life skills needed to successfully navigate the world with a clear mind and empathic action, especially when challenges escalate due to climate change.
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