Nature Girls: Encouraging Your Daughter's Nature And Building Confidence Through Environmental Causes

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

With an ominous ozone layer, fading forests, and ebbing environments, our children are much more “worldly” than we ever were (at their age).

Besides being quite curious about the world around them they are also quite concerned about their surroundings and tend to think in more absolutes regarding right and wrong.

Girls who are “nurturers” by nature are especially eco-centric…and often avid environmentalists. Additionally, their environmental enthusiasm has become quite evident with the escalation of environmental clubs nationwide.

Among the most noted: Kids F.A.C.E. (Kids For A Clean Environment), founded by Melissa Poe in her Tennessee elementary school when she was 9 years old; Tare Church, a California girl who is responsible for joining forces with Poe and pledging to have 1 million kids plant 1 million trees.

This is a credible cause, especially for your teen…and demands efforts on your part to help preserve our planet. Your participation can range from simple support to helping your pre-teen or teen clean up the neighborhood, or championing a eco-centric cause or campaign and adopting some of his/her new environmentally friendly choices. Consider cutting back on the synthetics, wearing or looking for natural fabrics, using natural detergents and cleaning agents, and shopping at an organic or all natural food store, purchasing only free-range meats or eggs, and maybe familiarizing and getting comfortable with the taste of tofu (lots of kids are vegetarians these days).

Remember your children are entering young adulthood and are encouraged by their impact of their world and their future as they make influential decisions and ethical choices. Parents and grandparents need to realize “It’s not the world they once knew, grew up and lived in”…and that everything changes with time…so, so must our attitudes. Accept this new reality and show loving support and an appreciation for their efforts and passion directed at making this world a more beautiful and better place for all. It’s truly a start to helping them keep their act, life and our streets clean…and Green.

Long Island Family Life & Parenting Articles > Nature Girls: Encouraging Your Daughter's Nature And Building Confidence Through Environmental Causes