It’s Blog Action Day

…and this year’s topic is the environment.

I recycle.

Yeah, yeah, good for you, right?

Well, you know how kids love certain, weird things. For example, Beast will get angry if I don’t let him open the curtains in the morning. He likes doing it, and I don’t know why. (He also likes trying to start the van, but we won’t go there.)

Well, my kids are that way about recycling. I tell you what, in a Michigan winter, I’m happy to stay in the car at the recycling drop off center, and everyone else is very welcome to do the drop off. But, for some odd reason, these kids just adore putting the recyclables in the big bins. They get mad if we don’t allow them to get out and help throw things in… It’s probably the whole ‘throwing things’ that they love!

Here’s some things that recycling teaches children:

• That actions have consequences (as do non-actions)
• Sorting by characteristic (good for the little ones brain development!)
• That the future is their domain (cue n Huston music here)
• Things don’t just “disappear”
• That they also have responsibility for taking care of their world and environment (and by this, I mean their immediate world and their immediate environment- look at recycling with your children as another opportunity to get them involved in the day-to-day care of your household, much like chores, etc.)
• Reading skills- ie, post a list of recyclables over your bin
• Counting skills

Recycling with your children while they’re young will help them to naturally adopt the habit as they grow older. It’ll be second nature to them!

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