Our kids, Hope for Our Pollinators

Photo by Taiana Martinez (Tai's Captures)

Our future without pollinators, and the negative impact it will have on all of us, is growing more obvious each day. While we are worrying about life events, our daily needs for our children will be much worse off if we don't do something to stop the decline of honey bees and other pollinators. So what do we do? Clearly our kids are our only hope. They are open to any information sparking their interest. If they find it fascinating and fun they are like sponges taking their experiences into their adult lives. That's the key to their survival.

I wonder, if you were to ask a child about the Honey Bee and other pollinators, what would they say?
Are they aware how important they all are to our future? Are they fearful? Do they even know pollinators exist? What do they know and where do they learn about them? Let's look back at how we see beekeeping ourselves.

Beekeeping is what I love most.  In the past, beekeeping was considered practice for "older folks." Most images were of an older man with his bee hat on next to a beehive getting honey to eat.  It didn't look at all like anything a younger person would do. I thought you grew old and decided to have bees to stay busy, sell and enjoy a little honey. WRONG!!!!

Maybe it's because of social media or the focus on climate change and our planet, or just heightened awareness thanks to the internet that has brought our pollinator's plight to light.  This has created a resurgence of interest across all demographics, or merely the fact that we are paying more attention to our planet. Either way, bees and other pollinators are our responsibility now so we need to teach our kids how important they are, and get them involved early to make a positive impact for their future.

Man, woman, boy or girl, beekeeping is totally accessible to many, and for those who cannot keep bees can contribute in many other ways. We can all play a part, no excuses, we got this!

Let's ask our kids some real questions. Give them credit for knowing what they want to do to save our planet. Some will want to have bees, others will want to have the plants and flowers that keep our pollinators thriving. Once we know what role they want, we can actively assist them in making our future brighter, something to be proud of.

Safety concerns are legitimate, and should never be discounted; but with the right mentors along with being well informed, the layman should not feel like this is an impossible task for their child. In this day and age we have access to beekeeping associations along with so many mentors waiting to gladly pass their knowledge down to the next generation.

Giving our kids an opportunity to make a real contribution to our planet's survival is the greatest gift we can ever give while creating a legacy to last generations to come.  The future holds so much for them. Kids are really good at knowing what they want to do to make a difference, and they deserve the benefits if we help them.

Some of the benefits for our kids are:
 - Being close to nature.
 - A science lesson.
 - A sense of responsibility and
 - Bonding time.
 - Pride in assisting mother Earth.

Taking on a project, whether it's keeping bees or growing their food, doesn't have to be a huge undertaking. Let your child decide, tailor it to their learning style, respect their fears, take small steps, and have fun. After all, that's the best part, having fun with your kids.

Let's grow together!