How We Talk About Climate Change with Kids

The results of a new survey from the Aspen Institute suggest that concerns for children could unify and inspire more Americans to confront the climate crisis. But for many parents and caregivers, talking about climate change with children — especially if they themselves are anxious about it — is a challenge. We’ll offer strategies for how adults can be thinking and talking about climate, and we’ll look at how the children’s media landscape is reflecting climate issues, and what we can learn from young people and their mobilization on this issue.

Guests:

• Anya Kamenetz, author and journalist; senior adviser, Aspen Institute, This Is Planet Ed
• Azucena "Zuzu" Qadeer, student at Beacon High School, NYC and organizer with TREEage

Host:

Laura Schifter, lecturer on education, HGSE; senior fellow, Aspen Institute, This Is Planet Ed

Key takeaways:

• Share​ hopeful and action-oriented messages with children rather than doom-and-gloom talk.
• Climate​ change is solvable. Parents can help young people understand that climate change is happening and that there is something we can do about it.
• Individual and collective action is needed. We can learn from young activists about how to model this.

Read more about the Education Now broadcast in the Harvard Gazette.

Resources:

• Think of the Children: The Young and Future Generations Drive U.S. Climate Concern (This Is Planet Ed)
• How Concern For Children Could Unify Americans On Climate (Aspen Institute)
• How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change (U.S. News & World Report)
• My Climate Moment (Harvard Ed. Magazine)
• Treeage
• Why We Can’t Solve the Climate Crisis without Schools — and Teachers (Los Angeles Times)