With each passing day, climate change becomes more of a threat to our planet and to humanity. This week, I am taking a closer look at the direct impact this global issue is having on our children. To begin, I read a study by the National Academy of Sciences which shows that droughts and rainfall extremes as a result of climate change affect child nutrition and will contribute to child stunting in the coming years. The Canadian Paediatric Society released a different study this week which showed that children are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than adults and climate change remains the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. These studies and others serve as stark reminders that our children will feel the effects of climate change more than any other generation and it is therefore incumbent upon us as parents to do our best to slow its impact. For starters, we could take a page out of 16-year-old environmental activist Greta Thurnberg’s (literal and) figurative book who is inspiring kids — and publishers — everywhere.
In other parenting news this week, WW (formerly Weight Watchers) released a weight-loss app for kids to help them “reach a healthy weight” and many experts are saying it can lead to feelings of body dissatisfaction. And in the realm of the deeply disturbing, was a NY Times article examining online radicalization in countries around the world. But there is good news and optimism too: A great article on six ways to raise socially responsible kids to be future change-makers (just the kind of children we want to raise here at PFTF) and wonderful parenting wisdom from the recently departed but eternally relevant, Toni Morrison.
Here are my picks for the top Parenting for the Future stories this week:
Droughts caused by climate change may be responsible for stunting millions of children globally
A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that climate change induced drought and rainfall extremes are linked to poor child nutrition and child stunting as a result.
Climate Change Is Already Affecting Children’s Health: Canadian Paediatric Society
The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) published a new study that found that children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of climate change and that it remains the largest global health threat of the 21st century.
Climate change activist inspires youth around the world
Sixteen-year-old environmental activist Greta Thurnberg influence is far reaching — even impacting publishers who are targeting a plethora of new fiction and nonfiction titles at young readers inspired by the climate activist.
Saving Farmland for Future Generations
UK non profit Biodynamic Land Trust is taking back farmlands from industrial farms and putting them back in the hands of people who do so much more for the land, surrounding area and natural habitat.
New Weight Watchers app for kids could cause ‘body dissatisfaction,’ expert says
New Weight Watchers app for kids ages 8-17 with the goal of helping them “reach a healthy weight” may instead cause body dissatisfaction, some experts say.
We Wanted to Know How Online Radicalization Was Changing the World. We Started With Brazil.
In the wake of the most recent mass shootings in El Paso and Ohio, The NY Times is traveling around the world to different countries to ask the question: What are the consequences of the internet’s growing role as a force for radicalization? And the answers are far exceeding anyone’s expectations.
Six proven ways to raise socially responsible kids who will be future change-makers
Encourage self-reliance and responsibility, talk to them about the issues concerning the world, and remind them to count their blessings — these are just a few ways to raise socially responsible kids who will make a positive impact on the world as adults.
Revisiting Author Toni Morrison’s Words Of Wisdom On Parenting
Toni Morrison impacted so many lives through her writing, inspiring generations of people with her profound words. Here, in a collection of interviews in the book “Toni Morrison and Motherhood,” we revisit the author’s thoughts on parenting.
