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Healthy Earth

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Healthy Lifestyles

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How Can We Contribute to a Healthy Earth?

As part of National PTA’s Healthy Lifestyles initiative, we are committed to helping families and PTAs make a Healthy Earth a top priority. It can be difficult to sort through all of the information about climate change and what each of us can be doing with our families and within our communities to play our part. National ϳԹhas pulled together some resources that you can use with your school community.

What Can Your ϳԹDo?


  • PTAs are perfectly positioned to help families understand the truth about the climate crisis and to also know what they can do in their daily lives and as part of a broader community to be part of the solution. We encourage you to share these resources via your communication channels with families in your community!
  • Your ϳԹcan also create family engagement opportunities in your community by starting a community compost program or community garden or by educating families and your school administration on how to lessen food waste. 
  • You can be advocates in your communities to make sure environmental considerations are kept front of mind in key decisions within your district such as infrastructure and transportation. In fact, National ϳԹjoined this statement calling for investments in school infrastructure and transportation that advance equity and protect the environment.



Family Resources

 

Supporting Children Through Natural Disasters


The Child Mind Institute has developed a  available in English, Spanish and 15 other languages. The guide was developed by psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health experts who specialize in crisis situations. It offers simple tips on what to do, what to expect and what to look out for in the long term.

Below are some tips from the guide:
  • Share information calmly but honestly
    Allow children to ask questions, and know that it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” Children need someone they trust to listen to their questions, accept their feelings, and be there for them. Don’t assume all kids are worrying about the same things, and let your child know it’s normal to experience anger, guilt or sadness, and to express these feelings in different ways.
  • Help children relax with breathing exercises
    Breathing becomes shallow when anxiety sets in. Deep belly breaths can help kids calm down. Try holding a feather or a wad of cotton in front of your child’s mouth and ask them to blow at it, exhaling slowly. Or place a stuffed animal or pillow on your child’s belly while they lie down and ask them to breathe in and out slowly, watching it rise and fall.
  • Realize questions will persist
    Ongoing disasters and their aftermath include constantly changing situations, so children may have questions more than once. Let them know you are ready to talk at any time. Children process information on their own timelines, and questions might come up unexpectedly.
  • Watch for signs of trauma
    Within the first month after a disaster, kids may seem okay or exhibit behaviors like crankiness or clinginess. Once the shock wears off, children might show more symptoms, especially if they witnessed injuries or death, have experienced prior trauma or are not yet resettled in a new home.
  • Take care of yourself
    Caring for yourself is key to supporting your child. Practice deep breathing, and if anxiety feels overwhelming, seek help from a doctor, therapist, or someone you trust. Acknowledge when you need support and seek it—if not for yourself, then for your child’s well-being.

Additional Resources


  •  by the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH)
  • (Sierra Club) 
  • (National Resources Defense Council via EcoWatch) 
  • (Climate Kids) () 
  • (TEDEd)
  • (National Inventors Hall of Fame)