Chapter 6. Teaching Resilience and Empowerment

Climate change can feel overwhelming for children – and for parents too. In Canada and around the world, many young people report strong feelings of fear, sadness, or powerlessness about the climate crisis (1). The good news is that with the right support, those difficult emotions can be transformed into a sense of agency, hope, and resilience. This chapter focuses on how you, as a parent, can help your child move from climate distress to feeling empowered and capable of making a difference. We’ll explore ways to foster resilience, frame climate challenges as opportunities for growth, and engage in family actions that build your child’s sense of self-efficacy. Throughout, we’ll emphasize keeping efforts positive and realistic – encouraging action and optimism without burdening kids with impossible expectations.

From Climate Anxiety to Active Hope

It’s normal for children (and adults) to feel anxious when they learn about climate change. Rather than viewing climate anxiety as purely negative, experts suggest it can be a rational response that, when moderated, can spur positive action (1). The key is helping kids understand that they are not alone in facing this problem and that some anxiety or anger can be channeled into solving the issue, rather than freezing them in fear. Research finds that moderate levels of eco-anxiety can actually motivate young people to adopt pro-environmental behaviors, whereas extreme levels can lead to feeling overwhelmed or paralyzed (1). In other words, a little worry can light a fire to act, but too much can snuff that flame out.

As a parent, you play a crucial role in guiding your child through these emotions toward active hope. Start by letting your child know that their feelings make sense and that many others feel the same way. Listen actively and validate their concerns – for example, “I know it’s scary to hear about wildfires. I feel worried too sometimes.” This helps them feel heard and less alone. Avoid dismissing their worries or saying “Don’t think about that”; instead, acknowledge the problem but emphasize solutions and helpers. Psychologists note that children’s well-being is closely tied to caregivers’ support and reassurance (2). A strong, supportive relationship with you is the foundation that gives them confidence to face challenges. When kids trust that the adults in their life are tackling the problem alongside them, they feel less burdened and more optimistic.

One powerful message to convey is that climate change is a collective challenge, not your child’s personal responsibility to solve. Remind them that governments, scientists, Indigenous leaders, communities, and people of all ages are working on solutions – it’s not all on their shoulders. Your child is invited to be part of the solution, but they are not expected to fix things alone. This perspective can relieve the weight of the world from a young person’s mind. It also reinforces a sense of community and shared purpose, which is a great antidote to despair.

Finally, turn the conversation toward hope and action. Hope here doesn’t mean ignoring the crisis; it means understanding that change is possible. Share age-appropriate success stories or positive developments – for example, how an endangered species was brought back from the brink through conservation, or how an international treaty healed the ozone layer. These real examples show that when people work together, big problems can be solved. Cultivating this realistic hope is important. It teaches kids that yes, climate change is serious, but there are solutions and people making progress. This hopeful mindset, coupled with a willingness to act, is the essence of active hope – acknowledging the truth of the situation and then doing something about it.

Fostering Resilience Through Challenges

Resilience is the ability to adapt, “bounce back,” or even grow when faced with difficulties. In the context of climate change, resilience in children means they can hear about or experience climate-related challenges and still maintain their mental well-being and motivation to help. Crucially, resilience is not something one is simply born with – it’s a set of skills and attitudes that can be learned and strengthened over time.

One way to build your child’s resilience is by framing climate issues as learning and growth opportunities rather than just apocalyptic threats. This doesn’t mean downplaying the seriousness of climate change; it means highlighting what we can learn and do. For example, if a heavy rainstorm floods part of your neighborhood, use it as a chance to explore ideas: What causes floods? How could we prevent them? Could we help by planting a rain garden or advocating for better storm drains? By approaching problems with curiosity and solution-finding, you model a proactive mindset. Your child learns to see themselves as a problem-solver, not a helpless victim of events.

Psychologists emphasize that children become more resilient when they develop a sense of competence in handling challenges (2). So encourage your child to tackle manageable climate-related tasks that stretch their abilities in a good way. This might be helping to start a small vegetable patch (learning how to care for plants in changing weather), or participating in a litter cleanup (seeing the immediate impact of their effort). These activities present “positive stress” – the kind of challenges that build inner strength. Research suggests that experiences like public speaking, making new friends, or other positive stresses help wire young brains to adapt to change (2). Similarly, successfully sorting recyclables or figuring out how to reduce home energy use can give kids that little boost of pride and adaptability. Each small success reinforces their belief in their own resilience (“I can handle this”) (2).

Another key resilience skill is emotional regulation – knowing how to calm down, seek support, or find perspective when upset. You can coach your child in these skills during climate conversations. For instance, if your child becomes anxious thinking about the future, teach them a coping technique like taking slow breaths or recalling what is being done (e.g. “Yes, sea levels are rising, but cities are developing plans to protect people, and we can be part of that”). Emphasize perseverance and adaptability: if one solution doesn’t work, it’s not failure – it’s a step toward figuring out what does work. Praising effort (“I’m proud of how you kept trying to draft that letter to our MP about the park”) builds a growth mindset. Your belief in your child’s ability to cope and adapt is contagious – it helps them believe in themselves (2).

Finally, foster optimism where possible. Optimism here doesn’t mean being naive or in denial; it means focusing on possibilities and strengths. For example, after discussing a worrisome climate impact, you might say, “I believe we can find ways to handle this – people are innovative, and you have great ideas too.” According to experts, cultivating optimism and a belief in one’s own resilience are core parts of helping kids thrive amid climate stress (2). This positive outlook, combined with practical skills, makes children feel empowered rather than defeated by the challenges ahead.

Family Actions That Build Agency and Hope

Children feel more empowered when they can do something tangible about a problem. Family-based environmental actions not only help the planet in small ways, but also show your child firsthand that their choices and efforts make a difference. By taking action together, you turn abstract worries into concrete solutions, which is incredibly validating for a young person. Here are some practical, family-centered ways to foster environmental stewardship and agency:

• Make Sustainability a Family Habit: Involve your kids in adopting eco-friendly habits at home, and let them take the lead where appropriate. Simple actions like saving energy, reducing waste, and conserving water are great for starters. For example, challenge your child to come up with ideas to save electricity – maybe they decide everyone should unplug devices at night or air-dry the laundry. Implementing their idea shows that you value their input. Even small steps like sorting recycling or packing litter-free school lunches can give kids a sense of accomplishment. When parents model climate-positive behaviors (like biking instead of driving or avoiding single-use plastics) and invite kids to join in, it shows children that the family is engaged in solutions (2). This active engagement can channel anxiety into tangible action, which builds resilience and hope (2).

• Share Decision-Making: Empowerment can grow from everyday choices. Where feasible, let your child have a say in family decisions that affect the environment. This might be discussing what kind of car to get next (and considering an electric vehicle) or how to make your home more energy-efficient. For younger kids, it could be as simple as letting them choose between two sustainable options (e.g. “Should we use these reusable cloth napkins or those ones?”). One parent shared that she involved her kids when their family installed solar panels and bought an electric car – explaining how these work and why they matter (3) (3). The kids felt proud knowing their family was investing in solutions, and that pride fuels their sense of agency. By making them part of the process, you send a powerful message: their voice matters in helping the planet.

• Connect with Nature Together: One of the best ways to inspire kids to protect the environment is to help them love the environment. Make time for family outdoor activities that are fun and build a bond with nature. Whether it’s a weekend hike, gardening in the backyard, stargazing, or even just watching birds at the park, these experiences can instill a deep appreciation for the natural world. When children feel connected to nature, they are more likely to want to defend it. Outdoor time is also a great stress reliever – it’s hard to feel hopeless when you’re planting seeds and watching them grow. If your child isn’t the outdoorsy type, you can get creative: try science experiments about weather, visit a local farm, or start a compost bin where they can see worms and chemistry in action. Hands-on activities like composting, growing vegetables, or tree-planting are both educational and empowering (3). Your child learns that caring for living things yields results (healthy soil, fresh tomatoes!), reinforcing that their actions matter. Plus, those dirty hands and proud smiles when something blooms or a project is finished – those are confidence boosters.

• Support Age-Appropriate Activism: If your child is expressing a lot of passion or worry about a particular issue (say, plastic in the ocean or loss of bees), help them channel that into age-appropriate activism. For younger children, this could mean making posters or art about the issue and sharing it with friends and family. Perhaps they can write a simple letter or draw a picture to send to a local official (“Dear Mayor, please help protect the bees!”) – even if the official is busy, the act of speaking up is empowering. Older children and teens might join a school environment club or participate in community events like clean-ups, climate rallies, or fundraising drives. Encourage these activities and offer logistical support – drive them to events, help them print flyers, attend that beach clean-up as a family. Their school is a great place to start: kids can work on making their school more sustainable (recycling programs, garden clubs, energy-saving campaigns) (3). As a parent, you can cheer from the sidelines or collaborate behind the scenes, for example by helping the school club meet with the principal or by pushing the school board for greener policies (3). Achieving even small wins in their own “kid-sized” community – like getting the cafeteria to go meatless on Mondays or convincing the school to plant a tree – can hugely boost a child’s confidence and sense of efficacy.

• Engage in Civic Life Together: Part of empowerment is understanding how decisions are made and realizing that everyone has a voice in our society. Even though children can’t vote, they can certainly observe and learn from your civic engagement. Take your child with you when you vote in an election, if possible, and explain what you’re doing and why it matters (3). Show them that participating in democracy (like voting for leaders who prioritize climate action) is an important way we work for change. You can also bring kids to family-friendly community meetings or climate marches, where they see people coming together and speaking out. Some cities or provinces have youth climate councils or invite youth representatives to give input – if something like that exists in your area and your child is interested, encourage them to join. On a smaller scale, involve them in writing an email to a political representative about an environmental issue; let them dictate a couple of sentences of what they want to say. This kind of civics education by doing demystifies the process of advocacy. Children learn that leaders are accessible and that their community’s wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Many towns even have fun ways for kids to engage, like contests to design an “I Voted” sticker or opportunities to be a page in the legislature for a day (3). These activities drive home the lesson that their actions – whether voting in the future or raising their voice now – count in shaping society.

• Join Forces as a Family: Consider making environmental action a family project. Kids often love feeling like part of a team with their parents. You might set a collective goal, like “let’s see if we can reduce our household waste by 50% in the next six months” or “let’s volunteer together for the community garden each Saturday.” Working side by side on these projects can be both bonding and empowering. Perhaps your family can “adopt” a local park to clean up, or participate together in citizen science projects (such as bird counts or stream health monitoring). Celebrate your progress and efforts – maybe with a special homemade “Earth Heroes” certificate or a fun outing after achieving a milestone. Also, don’t hesitate to bring your kids into your advocacy world. If you’re attending a rally, taking part in a park tree-planting, or going to a sustainable living workshop, consider bringing your child along (as long as it’s safe and age-appropriate). Children as young as elementary age have stood alongside parents at climate events, sometimes even speaking directly to officials about their hopes for clean air or safe water (3). These moments can be incredibly inspiring for a child. They see firsthand that their voice – even as a young person – can influence adults. One 7-year-old who spoke at a local meeting with her mom put it this way: “Mommy and I will keep speaking up until the air is clean” (3). Such experiences, where kids feel heard, become lasting fuel for their empowerment.

Remember, the goal of all these actions isn’t to pressure your child to be a “super-activist,” but to show them that doing something – no matter how small – beats doing nothing. It’s about shifting their mindset from helplessness to helpfulness. By engaging in solutions, however humble, children start to see themselves as part of the change. This active engagement builds a protective sense of control and purpose. It’s hard to feel completely powerless when yesterday you helped plant ten trees that will one day provide shade, or when you see the bag of trash you collected that would otherwise be polluting a river. Each action is a reminder: I can contribute. That’s the seed of empowerment.