To say that nature is important to human beings would be, to say the least, insufficient. In fact, it is primordial, essential and irreplaceable. After all, nature gives us light, water, energy, oxygen and food. That is, without it, we are not able to exist!
But, in addition to giving us the ability to stay alive, nature is even more generous and provides us with many other things, including a lot of learning. Especially for children, who are the next generations responsible for the planet, caring for nature is paramount, so that they become better human beings.
Contact with the natural elements is good and important for anyone, but it's the little ones who can still save the world. Therefore, we must do everything to make them grow sustainably and responsibly. But, after all, what can nature teach your child? Below, read the main reasons to bring your children closer to nature:
Give your child the responsibility of taking care of a flower's life. Let him plant the seed and take care of it every day. Show him that if you don't water it or expose the plant too much to the sun, it will die. By understanding the proportion of his actions, he will take care of that plant as if it were his friend – which in fact it is. This will give him a sense of responsibility to the planet, showing that it is our attitudes that change the world, whether for better or worse. It will also make you a more responsible human being in every aspect. After all, he will realize that, in life, we reap what we sow, and that we need to sow good things to receive good things.
How to teach a child to fight for a better world without teaching him to fight? It's no use saying that we should preserve nature if we don't do our part to really love, respect and protect it. Contact with green is essential, especially nowadays, when this is increasingly difficult. Children will only believe they can make a difference when they actually start to do so – there is no need to wait for them to become adults to do so.
Nature relaxes, calms and reassures. In it, there is a perfect cycle, where everything has its place, moment and reason to happen. This calms human beings, as we live in the opposite situation, guided by chaos and disorder. Contact with nature will make your child less anxious and less stressed – yes, anxiety and stress stopped being adult diseases a few years ago. Allow your child to feel the inner peace provided by plants, animals and the entire natural system.
It is no longer enough to just say that the world needs to be more sustainable. We need to act to make that happen. Sustainability is synonymous with balance and, for it to happen, it is necessary to live in a balanced way with nature. Never visiting her is a sign of pure imbalance. Not only should you teach your child about sustainability, you can use this as a great opportunity to be their example. Show that you love and care for nature, so he will do the same. Remember that no matter the size of the action, the important thing is to act.
Nature should only be synonymous with good things for your child. So, why not make it a place of love and family life? Have family moments when tending to a garden, camping in the woods, exploring a trail, having a picnic in the park, collecting shells by the sea, or planting a seed in a pot placed in the bedroom window. All this will make your relationship better and you will be even more united.
Do you want more tips on how to apply sustainability in your daily life? Check it out on the website: Learn to live sustainably.
Written by Giovanna Frugis from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team
