Encouraging Stewardship
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I would love for you to address teaching kids how to take care of their things. My kids are constantly breaking toys, losing them, and especially taking all of the pieces out of their games and losing them. I would love to hear your take. Thank you!
Alicia— Mother of a 6 & 3-year-old
The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.- Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry is a true source of wisdom and while not entirely related to the question, we all have a responsibility to care for our things and the home we live in. So how can we teach children to take care of their things, other’s belongings, and that which we all share (the Earth)?
Here are 4 practical tips to start implementing in your home:
1. Minimize accessible toys
Despite modern day’s expectations to keep up with the Joneses and to acquire more and more, children do not need an entire room filled with toys. If your home is being taken over by toys consider donating or storing and rotating them. Toy storages that are at eye level, baskets, or bins make it easier for children when it is time to clean up.
2. Purchase study age-appropriate toys
If possible, invest in sturdier wooden or hard plastic toys. You don’t have to switch them all at once but consider replacing a few toys at a time. The sturdier the material the harder it is for children to break. Selecting age-appropriate toys may also help decrease the likelihood of small pieces being lost or broken since most toys for children under six have few small pieces.
3. Make it a family practice to care for others, things, and the Earth
How do your children see you caring for your home, the Earth, and each other? Do they see you grunting and complaining about chores or do they see you doing so with contentment? I don’t think you need to fake being Mary Poppins, and every parent dislikes some household chores, but remember that your children look at you as their example. When you see trash at your neighborhood park, make it a point to pick it up. If your children are near, emphasize the importance of caring for the Earth much like you emphasize caring for your home.
4. Daily clean up
Going along with the previous point, make daily clean-up time part of your children’s routine. Turn on some music set a 5-minute timer, and everyone in the house cleans up. With younger children, you will still be doing the majority of the cleaning since they often place things in the wrong areas but the point is that they are starting to build the habit. If they whine and complain initially, not to worry, it is common for any child. Empathize with them but encourage them to help because in a family we help each other out. Aside from picking up toys, encourage your child to help in other ways. Make accessible a spray water bottle and a rag and let them clean tables and counters. Kid-size broom and mops also encourage children to participate in cleaning. Children generally enjoy these simple tasks when they are not forced.
5. Practice gratitude
Lastly, how can we encourage children to take care of their belongings and the Earth? By practicing gratitude. Whether you have a mealtime gratitude practice or practice it throughout the day, express out loud the things you are grateful for. The beautiful trees that give you shade. A home that gives you shelter. Books to read. When we express gratitude for the things we have, we are cultivating a sense of appreciation and a desire to care for them.