Leading by Example: 5 Simple Ways in Which You Can Become a Sustainable Role Model for Your Children

*Collaborative Post

If you’re reading this, you’re probably someone who values leading a sustainable lifestyle. You probably did even before becoming a parent. And now, you may find yourself asking a crucial question: How can I teach my children to also care for the planet?

While there is no one single answer to this complex question, there are a few simple ways in which you can begin a conversation about sustainability with your children. This will be so much easier if you yourself already have sustainable practices deeply ingrained into your everyday life. So, where to start? Keep reading to find out!

1. Start small

Leading by example doesn’t necessarily have to start with taking your children to protests against the fossil fuel industry or discovering a revolutionary alternative to single-use plastics. In fact, it may even be more fruitful to start small in a way that makes sustainability easy to digest for your children.

For instance, if you already live by the “reduce, reuse, recycle” motto, explain what this means to your kids. Start encouraging them to reuse what they have, and involve them in your recycling endeavours.

Additionally, you can show them how you make sustainable choices when it comes to the products you purchase for the family. Think for instance of normalising outings to the local farmer’s market for fresh produce or opting for clothing created in fair and safe working conditions.

2. Involve your children

While it’s important for your kids to see you at work and to learn that you value sustainable practices over convenient and environmentally-damaging solutions, involving them in your actions at a young age is also crucial.

Again, this doesn’t have to be too complicated. Simply consider the everyday sustainable practices you’re engaged in and think of creative and even fun ways in which to let your kids take part in them as well.

For instance, if you compost your food scraps at home, ask your children to add the scraps in the bin. Or encourage them to be the ones in charge of the paper or plastic recycling. Any small, simple tasks that your children can take ownership of are great ways to involve them in your household’s sustainable practices in impactful ways.

3. Explain your household’s energy habits

It’s a well-known fact that a household’s energy consumption is the primary contributor to its carbon emissions. So, if you’re going to lead by example when it comes to reducing your family’s carbon footprint, then it’s worth reconsidering your energy consumption and the systems you use.

Simple things like showing your children that you turn off the lights when you leave a room or take shorter showers are a great start. Or perhaps you’re in a position where you can swap a gas boiler for ground or air source heating systems that can significantly lower your carbon emissions.

Whatever your possibilities, making sure that your children see you making conscious efforts is crucial. But so is explaining why you do everything this way. Let them know that changing your energy consumption even a little can make a significant difference for the environment in the long run.

4. Foster a love for nature

Showing your kids that your care for the planet comes from a place of love for nature is a great way of inspiring them to also do their part as they grow up. Fostering their own love for nature can be done very simply by doing more things outdoors as a family.

For example, take plenty of long walks in a nearby park, explore woods if you live close to any, or take picturesque hikes. In summer, you can go swimming in lakes or even visit beaches.

You can also keep it closer to home by gardening together if you have some outdoor space. Teaching them about wildlife and encouraging them to care for or about animals the way you do is also a great way to make them passionate about the natural world.

5. Bring sustainability to all spaces

While you can do a lot at home in terms of teaching your children by being a sustainable role model, it’s also important that the things they learn from you are reiterated and reinforced in other spaces as well.

So, find creative ways to explore other spaces in which sustainability matters with your kids. For instance, you can volunteer together in local environmental projects, or take part in neighbourhood clean-ups. You can also discuss including sustainable learning and practices in their kindergartens or schools. This way, you can ensure that your children can learn about sustainability in multiple spaces.

Conclusion

As you already know, as a parent, your actions speak louder than words. Your children will notice and mimic your behaviour as they grow up. So, by focusing your energy on becoming a sustainable role model, you’re taking an important step towards raising environmentally-conscious individuals.

That said, it’s important to keep in mind that creating sustainable habits as a family can take quite some time. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If some of the practices we’ve mentioned are already part of your personal practices, then involving your children in them can be a natural next exciting step in doing your part for the planet!

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.