Parenting in a changing climate is hard. But we can help kids navigate our changing world.
From extreme heat and floods, disruptions are not just shaping children’s futures, they shape children’s lives today. I work to help parents, like you, turn these overwhelming moments into teachable, empowering ones, without shame, panic, or judgment.
Real talk, real tools.
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You can help your children make sense of our changing world. Below are some tips to guide the a climate conversation. These tips were developed with Planet Media.
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Remember the feelings that children have when you start a conversation will be different from your own. Asking children the questions they have, listening to their thoughts, and answering in a clear way can help children process their own feelings.
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With Planet Media, we teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to identify four essential principles to help kids understand climate basics.
Earth is our home.
Earth is getting hotter because of us.
Our climate is changing now, and that harms us.
But, together, we can build a brighter future.
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Connecting problems to solutions can help reduce worry and develop agency to act. Increased heat may make the playground too hot in the middle of the day, but we can talk to children about how to stay safe in the heat and discuss ideas like going to the playground at a cooler time or finding a playground with more shade.
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Action on climate change will require both individuals and systems to change. Highlighting small actions can help young people build confidence in their ability to contribute to change, while emphasizing that real change happens when action is taken at scale can help ensure that young people don’t feel the burden for action is entirely on them.
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Understanding that we are not separate from nature but deeply connected to and a part of it fosters empathy and responsibility toward people and the environment.
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Kids connect more deeply with things affecting their everyday lives. Connecting climate issues and solutions to familiar places, like schools, their neighborhoods, or their communities can help children develop understanding.
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An education expert’s plan for parents navigating climate anxiety in kids (when you’re scared too)
Sara Goldstein, Motherly
I know every instinct tells us to protect our kids from scary things. But Schifter’s advice might surprise you: “To support our kids, we must confront the reality that our children are living in a changing climate today and shift from trying to shield them from that reality to actively helping them navigate it.”
Read here -
The Rising Threat of Extreme Heat for Young Athletes
TIME
“We can’t shield kids from intense heat. But we can give them language, strategies, and confidence to recognize risks. Climate extremes are increasingly a part of childhood, and right now, we aren’t doing enough to help young people navigate this reality.”
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Floods are becoming more common. Here’s what I tell my daughters
TIME
“Dear Girls,
At your Aunt Cassie’s wedding, the emergency alert blared on my phone: FLASH FLOOD WARNING. I scanned our surroundings. We were half-way up a hill, but in a flimsy tent, with you all scattered, playing with your cousins…” -
How I talk to my kids about climate change
CNN
“End-of-year performances, class parties, teacher gifts, camp schedules, last day of school pictures: for parents across the country, the to-do lists right now are long, and they come with a mixture of emotions…”
Read here
Planet Media: Climate Content for Curious Kids
Planet Media is here to help kids and families navigate the changing world around us — with age-appropriate content that makes climate learning engaging and fun.