Nature lessons

"In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught." —Baba Dioum

As a parent, one of my biggest struggles has been deciding how to teach Maia about the state of our environment. As adults, we can’t simply present kids with a wounded planet and expect them to have the ability to manage the situation. When children are introduced to the reality of extinction and climate change too quickly or at too young an age they can become panicked or cynical.

Most of us want our children to feel hopeful about the future, but with dire messages coming from the media, the Internet and our communities, children need the opportunity to step back and learn to love the natural world—before they are confronted by the need to save it.

When Maia was two-and-a-half we visited a zoo. She liked many of the animals but she was awed by a gorilla family at play. She asked me to tell her about them. Being the truthful type, I launched into an honest, no holds tale of the status of the gorilla: endangered. My tiny daughter asked a few mystified questions then turned back to the gorillas.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I would have taken care of you.”

Instantly I realized I had done it wrong. Maia didn’t need to be introduced to a wounded planet before her third birthday. She needed to be shown its joy and beauty. She needed the opportunity to celebrate and explore. Then, if I have taught her well, she may care enough—and know enough—to make a difference.

Learn to love the planet, then think about saving it

I had planned to save the world before having children. I failed to follow through and everyday the evening news brings yet another story of environmental doom.

Somehow as a parent I’m supposed to navigate Maia through this tragedy. So I began to avoid anything that could damage her trust in our planet—from those beautiful picture books and videos that talked about endangered animals to conversations about conservation with friends, where a well-meaning comment could end up frightening her.

Even Maia’s much loved organic Panda Puffs troubled me. I worried about the presence of this politically correct breakfast cereal on our table each morning. When would Maia ask about the status of the panda? When she did, I planned to tell her what a beautiful animal it is, but not mention that it’s also endangered. It felt dishonest, but the memory of her small slumped shoulders stayed so fresh.


When I thought I might be overreacting in my quest to shelter Maia, I began searching my own memories of childhood. I was immersed in nature as a child. I was small when I learned to distinguish between the footprints of deer, cougars, wolves, raccoons and bears. I remember holding my breath, in wonder and fear, when footprint trackings led me to the base of a cliff where a cougar was sleeping on a ledge.

Then, with my mother at my side, I marveled at our formerly sleepy stream, now boiling with red-backed salmon. I questioned nature, stood in awe of nature, and with my entire soul, I learned to love nature. I don’t ever remember being asked to doubt the vitality of an ecosystem.

In bypassing the tragedy and focusing on the beauty, I was unknowingly following the lead of environmentalists like Rachel Carson and David Sobel. “If we want children to flourish, to really feel empowered, let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.” Sobel’s words in Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education were the first to support my protective instincts.

How to teach conservation to children at every age

I discovered that there are ways to teach kids about nature in a gentle way:

Ages 3–5

Preschool-aged children learn to care about their environment best simply by experiencing it. They develop empathy by using their imaginations and through play. Through stories and games outside they can be encouraged to see, feel and ask questions as they explore the world around them.

Ages 5–9

Five to nine is the time for deep exploration—exploring the home, community and beyond. Staff at the Vancouver Aquarium suggest parents ask thought-provoking questions while exploring with their children. Questions like: “Why is this species endangered?” or “What do you feel when you look into this animal’s eyes?” encourage children to think about animals and their connection to them, and inspire kids to feel like part of the natural world and develop a personal responsibility for it.

Ages 9–12

Nine to twelve is a great time to start on the messages of social action and provide opportunities to participate in conservation. Children at this age are exposed to so much negative information that it is important that they be exposed to positive, inspired people who love nature. Local environmental groups often run stewardship programs that focus on repairing one area of the environment or the habitat of an endangered animal. These programs give kids the opportunity to build skills and see the positive effects of their actions. The emphasis should still be on fun, but the discovery that one person can make a difference is powerful.

I realize our best hope for the future is to raise children who feel connected to the natural world and empowered to take action. Admitting that as adults we don’t have all the answers allows us to engage our kids as partners while together we search for solutions.

What experiences have you and your kids shared that helped you learn about conservation together?

   

Raising a reader

Studies show literacy gives kids a chance at a healthy, happy life. And the family that reads together has a real leg up

My eight-year-old daughter Maia is a big reader. She takes after both her parents. As a family, you’ll often find all of us, noses in our books, occasionally reading out interesting passages one another.

Our collective idea of a good time in a new city is to hunt out the used bookstores. Sidney, on Vancouver Island, is a favourite destination for this very reason.

When Maia’s teacher recently asked her class to pledge to read a certain number of minutes a day for a three-week long read-a-thon, Maia wanted to make a daily pledge that was in the multi-hours. We got her to tone it down, a little, suggesting she also needed time to sleep and play. When Maia asked us why her class even needed to have a read-a-thon I told her that not every kid is as hooked on reading as she is and that some kids find reading so tricky they don’t even want to curl up with a book for fun.

Literacy rates have been on the increase in Canada, which is a good thing. According to studies by ABC Canada, “there's a strong correlation between low literacy levels and poor health, higher than average rates of unemployment, low income, poor academic achievement by children of parents with low literacy, poor social integration and low self-esteem.”

It turns out that one of the most powerful tools for increasing literacy are preventative programs aimed at families. Reading programs like TD’s Book Week, Family Literacy Day (January 27) and the Grade One Book Give Away (this year’s book is Let’s Go: The Story of Getting from There to Here, illustrated by Vancouver's own Scot Ritchie) narrow the literacy gap and to raise overall literacy levels among Canadians.

I didn’t explain all of this to Maia though. I simply said that by making reading a fun challenge maybe some kids, who didn’t read much, would end up getting hooked on reading, too. And Maia, who loves to read not because it might increase her chances of getting a good job and leading a productive life, was excited for those kids.

“They’re so lucky! I don’t remember the moment when I started to love reading, but they’ll get to remember it forever.”

   

One small change

Bloggers offer inspiration to make green life changes with the One Small Change project

Out in the blogosphere there’s any number of sites encouraging us to be just a little bit greener.

But what anyone who’s been down the road of greening up their life can tell you is that once you reach a certain point it’s hard to know what’s next… Especially when you already:

- Recycle, reuse and have reduced as much as you can.

- Turned off your spare lights and changed the ones left to LED or CFL bulbs.

- Sparingly use natural cleaning products or make your own.

- Turned down the heat, insulated your home, and switched to energy saving appliances and low-flow toilets and shower-heads.

- Got rid of your car, ride your bike, take transit or just drive your car less.

- Shop local and bring your own bags (and your own cup for that organic coffee out)—and don’t waste any of the food you buy.

- Planted a native garden and growing your own veggies. Compost and have reduced your garbage to nearly nothing.

- Freecycle, Craigslist or Ebay your unneeded stuff.

And yet there’s still more to do.

If you don’t do all these things, there’s always a place to start. Knowing what you and your family should do first or next can be a challenge though, which is why I really like the One Small Change project that the folks over at Hip Mountain Mama are sponsoring.

The idea is that you make one change a month until Earth Day on April 22 and blog about your progress.

A quick trip through the blog roll was incredibly inspiring (and being inspired is one of my resolutions for the year). I found people at all stages of the journey—from switching to reusable shopping bags, to pledging to buy nothing new, to turning off the lights more often.

It is easy to think we are doing all we can to tread lightly on the earth, so it’s nice to get fresh ideas and new perspectives.

What small change can you make this month?

   

Do more, buy less

Winter in Vancouver is a great time to enjoy the city’s wealth of museums and galleries, especially during a recession

The New York Times recently had a story that said one of the benefits that has come from the recession is people doing more but spending less.

The article notes that, “Quietly but noticeably over the past year, Americans have rejiggered their lives to elevate experiences over things.” Then it goes on to note that attendance in parks and museums is up, as is cooking at home, and that audiences for concerts and plays are growing.

Canadians tend to be behind U.S. trends by a few months, but statistics here show we’re also cooking at home and bringing lunch to work. So if the trend continues we’ll also be buying less non-essential stuff and heading out to the theatre to celebrate.

My thought is the trend is a great one—so we’re going to do our best to give it a boost this winter by visiting museums and parks and hosting dinner parties for friends and family.

Vancouver museums and galleries (some with discounts)

Winter in Vancouver can seem like a tricky time to do more and spend less, but it’s actually a great time to head out to our museums and galleries and take in a play or two.

Here are just a few things we love to do during the rainy season that don’t cost much and won’t result in a shopping bag full of stuff. Plus, if you go in the off-season, the places won’t be packed with tourists:

The Vancouver Maritime Museum

Print out the online coupons for a discount then explore BC’s maritime history.

Image: Flickr / afcone

The Museum of Anthropology

Head to the museum on a Tuesday night for a discount admission. (pictured right)

The Vancouver Art Gallery

Check out the family-friendly weekend activities, they’re perfect for getting little ones interested in art.

The Museum of Vancouver

If you haven’t been lately you’ll learn loads about our city. (Pictured at top)

Vancouver Police Museum

Learn the history of the Vancouver Police as well as how they solve crimes. (Maia loves that they also run birthday parties.)

Roedde House Museum

I love imagining how the West End once looked when I visit this 1893 heritage home. The $6 afternoon tea and tour on Sundays is a great way to spend a rainy day.