{"id":12096,"date":"2015-11-06T22:17:55","date_gmt":"2015-11-06T22:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bwelectric.co\/?p=12096"},"modified":"2016-05-13T15:44:24","modified_gmt":"2016-05-13T15:44:24","slug":"how-to-get-kids-to-save-energy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bwelectric.co\/index.php\/2015\/11\/06\/how-to-get-kids-to-save-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Kids to Save Energy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Adorable<\/a><\/p>\n

Want your kids to pitch in and help save energy? Green parenting bloggers weigh in on getting kids to flip the switch and stop wasting energy.<\/p>\n

Kids have more important things to think about than turning off the lights. But discovering the lights blazing in an empty room for the umpteenth time is enough to make any parent scream, especially when the power bill arrives.<\/p>\n

The good news is, you can train your kids about the importance of saving energy right from the start. Here\u2019s great advice from some of our favorite bloggers who know a thing or three about kids.<\/p>\n

1. Let them take charge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jenn Savedge, who blogs at The Green Parent, practices a little reverse psychology \u2014 she urges her kids to remind her to turn off the lights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey get such a kick out of \u2018telling Mommy what to do\u2019 that it\u2019s first and foremost on their minds,\u201d Savedge said. \u201cIf I walk out of a room without doing it, they\u2019re happy to point it out and then dash back and do it for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorks like a charm and keeps the whole thing from becoming just one more thing that Mommy nags them about.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key to getting children to do anything is to make it \u201ctheirs,\u201d says Monica Fraser, a mother of two who blogs at Healthy Green Moms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get them to police me because they get inspired to turn off the lights \u2018better than me,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

2. Find their motivation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Sommer Poquette\u2019s 8-year-old son, it\u2019s money.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I have to ask more than three times for my son to do anything in particular, he loses $1 out of his piggy bank,\u201d says Poquette, who blogs at Green and Clean Mom.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do this so he learns that leaving the lights on costs me money, but also because he\u2019s very motivated to earn money and spend money, so I hit him where it hurts the most: the wallet! Amazingly, he listens very well and never lets me get to the fourth ask!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fraser\u2019s kids are motivated by the idea of helping out friends and neighbors.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause my children are quite young, I have said that we must remember to turn lights off and shut water off when brushing so that our neighbors have enough,\u201d she says. \u201cThey know their neighbors, and certainly wouldn\u2019t want to use all the water.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Incorporate non-verbal reminders.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gentle reminders, such as stickers on the light switches, help kids remember to turn off the lights when they leave a room.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re each in charge of shutting off their bedroom lights each morning and during the day,\u201d Poquette says. \u201cWe have stickers above the light switches to remind them. As a family, we all offer each other friendly reminders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sticky notes don\u2019t just apply to light switches, either. Tiffany Washko, who blogs at NatureMoms, places Post-It Notes labeled \u201cTurn Me Off\u201d and \u201cUnplug Me\u201d all around the house as reminders.<\/p>\n

\u201cPutting them by the light switch, on the side of the TV, on the wall next to the power bar that controls game consoles, etcetera, is a great visual reminder,\u201d Washko says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also require each child to do a walk-through each morning before they leave for school and turn off anything that may have been left on. Once they consistently remember, we stop requiring it \u2026 that is, until they have a few lapses, then we rinse and repeat.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Explain to them why it\u2019s important.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The full implications of saving energy may not immediately be clear to kids, but they\u2019ll be more likely to remember to turn off the lights if they understand why it\u2019s important.
\n\u201cTo teach them about the importance of turning off the lights and saving energy, we\u2019ve read them several children\u2019s books,\u201d says Poquette. \u201cMy son understands the value of a dollar, so I\u2019ve shown him our energy bill and explained to him what this means and how energy is produced.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think being up front with your kids, and explaining things to them in simple ways they can understand, is the best policy.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information regarding this post, please visit HouseLogic.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

B W Electric has been serving the Southern Illinois area for over 10 years. Our reliable technicians strive to provide the best experience possible for our customers on every service call weither it be electrical or underground locating needs. B W Electric is Southern Illinois Electrician of choice. Please contact us with any electrical needs you may have. Reach out to us at 618-534-5221 or email us at team@bwelectric.co.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Want your kids to pitch in and help save energy? Green parenting bloggers weigh in on getting kids to flip the switch and stop wasting energy. Kids have more important things to think about than turning off the lights. But discovering the lights blazing in an empty room for the umpteenth time is enough to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[46],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Get Kids to Save Energy - B W Electric & Locating<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering how to get kids to save energy? BW Electric knows! 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