Apr
24
School Girl’s kindergarten teacher has made a big deal about Earth Day this week. Which is just fine with us. School Girl has embraced the idea of Earth Week with an incredible evangelistic zeal. Which is, as it turns out, pretty damn fine with us as well…
On Monday, she brought home an “Earth Day workbook”, complete with a checklist of ways to be more environmentally more responsible at home. For the past three mornings, she’s been diligently putting up stars on each day, for each activity.
The one that Mom and Dad have been the happiest about? Turning off the TV when nobody’s watching. We’ve also managed to turn it into limiting School Girl’s TV time in general. Two hours per day, and she gets to choose what hours she can watch. Yesterday, she turned the TV off herself after 1/2 hour in the morning. Today, I had to remind her, “Baby, that’s your first hour. Do you want to watch more or save it for this afternoon?” She turned it off herself, again.
Yesterday, we were so busy that I don’t think we got to 2 hours total. We went to a friend’s house for lunch after school, and by the time we got home there was only enough time to change into a leotard and tights. Then it was dance class for an hour and home, where the nightly routine of dinner/computer time/bath/bed began.
We’re also going to make some recycling bins over the next couple of days (also a part of her school’s workbook). Oh, and the latest issue of Craft arrived in the mail Tuesday. There’s a project for making an herb garden with plastic containers – just right for our little gardener. As long as Mommy and Daddy have a firm grasp on the power drill.
Our kids have slowly started watching a lot less TV as well. Sure, there’s the occasional movie on DVD and whatnot, but it’s nice to see. Not like there’s all that much good on anyway.
Hey, that’s not stopped one of us before!
But it’s still good to see her taking an interest in using resources (like electricity – she’s remembering to turn off lights as well) more responsibly.
A young one who buys into environmentalism — she’s a gem. The practicality will grow as she does, with your support, of course. What an awesome kid!
That you – we think she’s pretty awesome too!
The stuff we’ve been doing has been pretty easy. The tough part comes next week, when we decide what plastic things we’re sacrificing to the Herb Garden gods.