Amishi Parasrampuria is founder of Upcyclers Lab, an organisation that creates learning tools and programmes on sustainability for parents and schools. Upcyclers Lab uses play-based learning, storytelling, crafts and songs to teach waste management to young children below the age of nine.
The origin of avoidable waste
According to the dictionary, waste is unwanted or unusable material, substance, or a by-product. So an outgrown piece of clothing or a toy are also categorised as waste. You may recall many other things that emerge as ‘waste’ in our day to day life, things that are perfectly useful but those that we don’t need anymore, are often thrown away. In India, we are accustomed to giving our old clothes and books to those who are needy. However, there are many things that we throw away when they can be easily reused. We often throw away clothes that have tears or stains on them instead of cleaning, repairing or upcycling them. We throw away toys and electronics that are broken instead of taking the trouble to get them repaired. These situations can be learning instances for our children; during these moments if we open a fresh dialogue and help them identify alternate ways to deal with waste, we will be redefining what waste is, for the next generation.
An approach to responsible consumption
Over the years, our consumption patterns have also moved more and more towards the disposal mentality. This can largely be attributed to growing disposable incomes and nuclear families where both parents are working. As a community we now value convenience above all else, but at what cost? Just one generation ago, our parents took grains to the mill to get it freshly ground and the resulting atta that came out of it was stored in our own steel container that we took to the grinder from home. However, now, each month we buy groceries in quantities that are small enough to feed a nuclear family for just a single month. These come packed in plastic. We buy at big supermarkets bringing home fruits and vegetables that come wrapped in plastic. Thus just shopping for food items generates a whole lot of plastic.
This story is from the September-October 2018 edition of ParentEdge.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September-October 2018 edition of ParentEdge.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Releasing Your Teens From Internet Lockdown
The new normal demands a large chunk of time to be spent online. For teenagers, time spent in online classes, assignments, project work, homework, tests and exams - all these add up to many hours a day, glued to screens. Furthermore, the current generation's usage of social media and online gaming is increasing day by day. So is parental anxiety about their children's wellbeing. How do parents help their teens and themselves?
Helping Children Manage Big Emotions
Parenting is a roller-coaster ride filled with loads of fun as well as moments where we feel as if we are walking on eggshells. When our child has an outburst, we either make frantic attempts to soothe them or end up having a fit ourselves. Though it appears as if we are stumbling in the dark when it comes to understanding our child's emotions, there is still hope. When armed with information about how to help them deal with their emotional challenges, we will be able to sit back and enjoy this ride. Read on.
HANDLING Fussy Eaters
Fussy eating is a part of normal childhood development — how we handle it will influence our children's future eating habits. Many mothers struggle with their children's eating habits. Some children are fussy eaters, while others are not as troublesome; so is fussy eating something to do with the child, or parents, or both? There is no one right answer, but there are things we can do so as to not fuel this problem further. Read on for some tips on dealing with your child's fussy eating.
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES: 6 TO 16 YEARS
As parents, we eagerly look for the early milestones in our child's life - the first step, the first word. There are other equally important markers, rites of passage into independence, when our children are primary schoolers, adolescents or teens. What are these? When do these typically happen? What should a parent be watchful about? Read on. A child learns to ride a bicycle A teenager takes the local train by himself for parents, these milestones are as important as teaching opportunities as they are occasions to rejoice (with a sense of apprehension, of course). Let us examine some of these:
Cooking up stories together
Children and stories go together like birds and the open sky. Stories offer a place to soar uninhibited and unrestrained in their flights of imagination.
Preventing Obesity In Children
Obesity in childhood has wide-ranging consequences hypertension, cardiac issues, emotional disturbances such as inappropriate behaviour, relationship problems, depression or an inability to learn.
Managing Exam Stress With Ayurveda
Stress and anxiety could hinder the thinking capability of students, especially in the times of pandemic when there is so much uncertainty around. For teenagers, appearing for exams is not just about the exam preparation but also about taking all the necessary precaution to safeguard their health. Read on.
Boosting Immunity In Children
Children who learn to love physical activity in all of its forms will grow up to be adults who are active.
FATS & OILS
– the more you know, the better for you and your family
Managing the COMMON COLD
If your child catches the common cold this season, do see your doctor if your child is not better in three days.
