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Saturday 16 October 2010

Eco-Unfriendly - Are we frightening our children?



I do my bit as I suppose everyone else does.

I reuse bags when I am shopping, I recycle anything and everything I can. I turn off electrical equipment when it's not in use, I keep the thermostat below 20 degrees and I never allow the tap to run needlessly. We've even recently had the loft insulation increased.

It seems that they may have been teaching the children at Amy's nursery school about being environmentally friendly and not wasting water or power. Only Amy is now terrified that we're going to end up with no water or electricity if we keep consuming it on an average day to day basis. She has become so wrapped up in this cause that she becomes hysterical if I turn on a tap (as I may use up all the water) and has taken to switching lights on and off at regular intervals, just to check they still work and we haven't used up all the electric.

I'm all for being economical and saving the world. But passing fear and guilt onto preschoolers?

Maybe it's more a case of the way it's taught rather then the actual teaching. I have seen some information adverts on the children's channels about saving water and energy that would give me the willies, let alone a 4 year old. Some even boarder on brainwashing.


Would this be the same electric that is produced by burning fossil fuels per chance?



I'd hate to think that we're going round frightening children in to saving water and energy because if they don't 'fiery doom shall reign down upon them'.

Hopefully Amy will calm down in time and I shall be able to do the washing up without being accused of bringing about the destruction of mankind.

4 comments:

  1. I think you're probably right - it's the method of teaching that's gone askew. Poor Amy :-) Poor you :-/

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  2. Amy (incidentally, my name as well, though I am 52), sounds like a precocious little girl, and it's wonderful she's concerned for her environment, but alarming the young ones to such a degree is unwarranted, I agree....I wonder if any other parents in the class are having issues such as this?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Maybe her fear will leave you to single handedly save mankind (whilst getting rather grubby as you're too scared to wash, but as you'll be living in the dark, maybe it doesn't matter?)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think its good that kids are getting more aware about being environmental friendly. Its not an easy topic. Her teacher have done a great job in addressing the message. However, she should also do follow-up activities with her class - to differentiate between necessity and wastage.

    ReplyDelete

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