Global Groovin'
Teach Your Kids About Ethical Consumption
Kids are pretty amazing, aren't they?
They are these curious little creatures who bounce around in the world, listening here, copying there, all the while laying down the foundations for who they will become in the future.
In the last couple of weeks, we've been working on producing a new kids line. These felt toys are bright, imaginative and fun - everything parents hope for for their kids each day.
And while we've been hard at work, we've been thinking about kids a lot, and their place in this changing world.
The Dalai Lama once said that if all 8-year olds were taught to meditate, we would eliminate violence around the globe in one generation.
And the same holds true for conscious consumption - if we teach our kids the value of material goods, and the people who create them, we could erase inequality around the world in just a few years.
You see, kids are like little sponges. They absorb our attitudes and habits. They emulate our behaviours and interactions.
So it's a huge opportunity that parents (or anyone with kids in their lives, for that matter) to teach their kids about Fair Trade, about conscious and ethical consumption, and about the impact your everyday actions have on the world at large.
Teaching them to be aware of where their food and clothes come from, how they are made and transported, and where their money eventually ends up will set your kiddos on a path that will have a hugely positive impact for them personally, for the environment, and for producers all over the world.
It's easy to teach kids about consumption if you look for the opportunities.
When you're shopping, ask them to tell you where certain products are made, or to guess what the person who made it might be like. Anchoring the concept of conscious consumption to people and places will help them to assimilate the lessons much more quickly.
If they plan to throw something away, ask them what else they could do with it instead. Make a game of recycling, up-cycling and exchange so they enjoy the process instead of feeling like they're getting a lecture every time they approach the trash can.
Having kids in your life is a precious experience. But what's even better is the opportunity to help them grow into tomorrow's leaders.