Parenting In A Changing Climate

Parenting In A Changing Climate is now live on the Hope. Act. Thrive podcast with our special guest, Elizabeth Bechard.

Why you’ll want to listen to this episode.

“One of the things that helps me to stay engaged in a more sustained way, is taking the perspective that climate change - it’s extraordinarily painful - and it's also an opportunity to live into our values and to live a life of meaning and service and purpose,” says Elizabeth Bechard, author of Parenting in a Changing Climate: Tools for Cultivating Resilience, Taking Action, and Practicing Hope in the Face of Climate Change.

In this conversation we’ll talk about parenting in a changing climate, making climate action a habit, and practicing hope.

This episode is supported by Moms Clean Air Force, a community of over one million parents united against air and climate pollution to protect our children’s health.

Why we were thrilled to chat with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Bechard is a coach, author, former clinical research coordinator, and a graduate student in public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. After becoming a mother, she became passionate about the intersection between climate change and family resilience.

She is the author of Parenting in a Changing Climate: Tools for Cultivating Resilience, Taking Action, and Practicing Hope in the Face of Climate Change. She’s also a Senior Policy Analyst at Moms Clean Air Force.  She lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her husband and young twins.

Words from Elizabeth you won’t want to miss.

“One of the things that helps me to stay engaged in a more sustained way, is taking the perspective that climate change - it’s extraordinarily painful - and it's also an opportunity to live into our values and to live a life of meaning and service and purpose.”

“The first thing I would offer to parents who are trying to find their place [in climate action] is just deep compassion for how painful this is and how hard it is. I think that often parents have very high expectations, both of themselves, but also from our culture. There's so many expectations of parenting and then you layer on the expectation of being a climate activist in the ideal way on top of that, and it's just so much to hold.”

“I cannot recommend strongly enough that parents should make it a priority to try to find community. Climate change is overwhelming. It's a collective problem and we were not meant to face this alone.”

“Finding ways, even if they seem really small and insignificant, to bring climate action into your parenthood rather than trying to find time on top of parenthood may be more realistic for a lot of people. And I think it also has the added benefit of your kids. They're seeing you take action and you're normalizing what parents and grownups do is take action on climate rather than them not seeing that.”

“Starting small, thinking of yourself as a climate activist and thinking of it as a practice that can build over time, those are great places to start.”

“In the climate movement, it's so easy to feel insignificant, to feel like our contributions don't matter, that we don't know enough or we don't have what it takes to make a difference. But I think all of that is ridiculous. And I personally believe that every single person who wants to be a part of this movement has a place and is needed and important.”

How can you listen?

Listen to this conversation on Apple, Google, or Spotify.

And if you just can’t get enough of us, do come hang out with us on on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. We share real tips for real parents, and help you to turn eco-anxiety and gloom into fun and playful action. Plus you’ll regularly see us make fools of ourselves on Instagram reels.

Until next time - let’s hope, act, and thrive.

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9 Benefits Of Outdoor Learning For Kids

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Squashing Climate Myths With A Climate Scientist