How do you teach LO about waste?

Re: How do you teach LO about waste?

• Mamasaurus member

  October 2011

  My mom taught me about turning off the tap by closing the drain while I washed my hands, brushed my teeth, etc. Then I would watch her do the same things without leaving the tap on the entire time. Usually I would have to stop and empty the sink partway through, but she never did. This actually showed me how much extra water I was using. She also explained to me then that all the extra water I was using was water that was supposed to be "somewhere else," and that it was ok to use the amount I need, but using more than that was taking water away from the place where it belonged. I had a mental picture after that of the creek by our home at low water and imagined that it got that way because of people wastefully brushing their teeth, which of course was not the case, but it helped me grasp the concept. My mom was motivated more by money than EF concerns, but either way, it worked.
  

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• Soyager

  October 2011

  You could go to the ol' standby: Sesame Street

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  Although I think modeling is your best bet. I would, personally, eliminate tissues altogether if you don't want her to use them. (Sort of sends a mixed message, no?)  Make turning off the faucet part of the routine. "Okay, turn off the water first, then you can use your toothbrush..." If it's routine, no explanation is necessary until she's ready to comprehend it.
  

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• MummyGruetzie member

  October 2011

  DDs are freshly three. By modeling that we do it, DD doesn't really know any different than doing what we do. Her babies are breastfed b/c we don't have bottles and CDed b/c we that's what we have for her sister. Aside from just experiencing it, we do talk about things. She loves the earth movie and the School House Rock! Earth (super short, but catchy songs about recycling in kid friendly terms!). We also have lots of books about the earth and the sun. All of those have great opportunities for conversation. We also talk about how we don't want to make the water dirty for Nemo and that we save electricity/water, because we like (insert random things we like from nature). We make a big deal about Thursdays being the day that the farmer comes. She almost hugged him when he brought us extra kale for her a few weeks ago.  

  She totally gets it and uses the lingo we do. She asks if our meals were made from scratch almost every-night and whether the food is organic. We talk about the foods in the grocery store and that we like to eat foods that make our tummies and our brains happy. She reminds us to recycle and "save electricity". I rarely talk about the money of it. (Though, we do address questions or comments about marketing... Ie. Bears don't really use TP and we don't need that kind just because they told a joke. We should get the kind that will save the trees--Charmin!)

  For us, the biggest issue we're trying to impart is to care and be cognizant of both ourselves and others.  

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