How to Talk With Your Children About Climate Change and Eco-Anxiety
”The only way to overcome fear is to have courage. Because you’re not going to get rid of fear. It is not going to go away. But it can overtake you. Or you can overtake it.”
-COLETTE BUTLER
We’re learning just how much our kids care about climate change.
Big hearts can have big feelings.
When looking at the research surrounding children's worries about climate change, a recent survey of 10,000 children and young people from 10 countries found that 59% of participants were very or extremely worried about climate change, and 84% were moderately worried. These results indicate that our children may be more worried about the environmental impacts than we are aware of, making it even more important for us to create a safe space for exploring their environmental concerns.
Tips on how to talk to your children about eco-anxiety
While some children may be more vocal about their climate and environmental concerns, some may not.
That said, it is important as parents that we create a safe and open environment that allows for shared questions and conversation. By asking questions, we can better understand what they already know, where their knowledge is lacking, and where it may be incorrect.
Children often engage in magical thinking, which is why it is important that as parents we bridge their knowledge gap with ideas regarding how the world works.
QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK YOUR KIDS:
What have you heard about climate change?
Who talks to you about this?
Is anyone you know doing anything about the climate crisis?
How do you feel about your impact on the environment?
Do you feel anything in your body when you talk about climate change?
What are some thoughts that come to your mind when you think about climate change?
What are ways I can support you? Is there anything you need from me when you have these thoughts?
Turning Eco-anxiety into Eco-action
Reshaping fear into faith for the future.
Experiencing eco-anxiety is a valid concern and response to the real challenges that our kids are seeing around them in terms of the environment. As parents, it is our job not to make the concerns disappear, but to help them channel those concerns into positive actions. When we validate and recognize our kids' concerns and demonstrate to them how our actions, even the small ones, make a difference, we can transform those feelings of anxiety into feelings of empowerment.
Being afraid of or intimidated by our children's concerns is not helpful for us. They are normal, they are reasonable, and we can share the same concerns with them. It is important to be vulnerable, open and patient with ourselves and our children.
The Five E’s to Eco-anxiety:
EMPATHY
Provide space and opportunities to discuss climate change and other environmental concerns, and allow your children to identify and express their feelings about these issues.
EDUCATION
Offer opportunities to learn about climate change and suggest actions that kids can take to protect the natural environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Find opportunities to spend more time outdoors to help foster deeper connections to nature and spark new, tangible ways that kids can protect the natural environment.
EXCITEMENT
Make conversation, activities, and learning about the environment something for kids to look forward to by giving them ways to teach you and other adults how to protect nature.
EMPOWERING RESOURCES
Help kids learn more about the environment by offering them vital resources. Here are a couple we recommend:
How to better educate yourself on Eco-anxiety and Climate Change
No one has all the answers about climate change and it’s okay if you don’t either!
When it comes to the environment and climate change, there is a lot of research and information on this dynamic. There are many reliable resources available including articles, talks, and videos that we can help educate ourselves with.
We’re here to tell you that it’s okay if you can’t answer all the questions your children may have. Take this opportunity to be honest with them about that and discover answers together! Help your kids engage in their critical thinking skills and brainstorm what works for your family to help the environment one step at a time.
“It’s OKAY to be scared. Being scared means you are about to do something that is really, really brave.”
-MANDY HALE
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SOURCES:
The Lancet Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey
