top of page
Search

Supporting Children with Eco-Anxiety

With the ongoing forest fires and associated poor air quality in Canada and the United States, youth may be experiencing worry about the environment and may need support from their parents and community.


What is Eco-Anxiety?

Young children are particularly vulnerable to eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety is the experience of anxiety or distress related to the environment and/or the ongoing climate crisis. Eco-anxiety is common in children and youth in the United States and globally.


What Might Eco-Anxiety Look Like in my Child?

Children may express anxiety or worried thoughts related to the environment or climate change, or for example, worries about forest fires. Children may also have ecologically themed nightmares. Eco-anxiety may also exacerbate existing anxiety disorders and related conditions (e.g., compulsions related to checking faucets or light switches).


What Might Exacerbate Eco-Anxiety?

Negatively framed news coverage of environmental events such as the ongoing forest fires or global warming may alarm younger children and may feel overwhelming and scary. Youth directly impacted by climate events, such as fires, smoke, or natural disasters, may experience additional trauma and fear.


While eco-anxiety is a valid and normal response to the environmental challenges our world faces, it is important to support children into channeling their care for the environment positively and to reduce overwhelm and distress.


How Can I Support my Child with Eco-Anxiety?


Open Communication

  • Create a safe space for your child to express their feelings


Positive Framing

  • Focus on positive actions and solutions that children can engage in such as recycling, composting, or supporting local environmental initiatives

  • Provide a hopeful narrative


Empowering Action

  • Involve your child in environmentally friendly activities such as gardening

  • Allow your child to feel closer to nature through hiking or outdoor educational programs


Find Community

  • Get involved with local environmentally friendly organizations such as community gardens or farms, or groups engaged in relevant volunteer work or activism


Promote Coping Skills

  • Practice mindfulness outside with your child (e.g., take a moment to listen to the wind rustling the leaves)

  • Go for a relaxing nature walk together


Seek Professional Support if Needed

  • If eco-anxiety significantly affects your child's daily life or feels overwhelming, getting guidance from a mental health professional can be a helpful step. A therapist can support you in building new parenting strategies to support your child with their anxiety, while also working directly with your child to cultivate new skills for navigating their worries.


While eco-anxiety is a normal response to today’s ongoing environmental challenges, parents may support their younger children by framing environmental education positively and getting involved in positive environmental actions.


Books on the Climate Crisis for Kids:

  • "Greta and the Giants: Inspired by Greta Thunberg's Stand to Save the World" by Zoe Tucker

  • "One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia" by Miranda Paul

  • "The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest" by Lynne Cherry



Additional Resources:



Sources:

Kaplan, S., & Guskin, E. (2019). Most American teens are frightened by climate change, poll finds, and about 1 in 4 are taking action. The Washington Post.


Léger-Goodes, T., Malboeuf-Hurtubise, C., Mastine, T., Généreux, M., Paradis, P.-O., & Camden, C. (2022). Eco-anxiety in children: A scoping review of the mental health impacts of the awareness of climate change. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.872544


 
 
bottom of page