You may find your teenager losing interest as soon as you start talking about energy consumption and saving energy. You already know the benefits of this so, naturally, you want to get your entire family on board as well. Younger children seem to adapt to change a little better than older ones. Instead of nagging your teen every day about the importance of energy consumption, there are ways to try and get your teenager onboard without aggravating them.
Set a Good Example
Children learn by example. If they see you doing something every day as a routine, they are more likely to start adopting these habits as well. Make a habit to turn the lights off when you leave a room, take shorter showers, and use appliances less.
Rather than putting your clothes in the dryer, you can conserve energy by using a clothesline. You can also choose to utilize natural sunlight by opening your blinds and turning the lights off. Avoid leaving the tap on when you’re not using it, especially when you’re brushing your teeth or shaving. Use your slow cooker whenever you can because it uses less energy than a conventional oven.
Educate Them on Electric Costs
Teenagers are old enough to learn more about what things cost. They might have a part-time job already, or they may receive a weekly allowance. Either way, they’ll get saving energy. Especially at an age where they can see how far money really goes when you’re an adult. You can show them by using an electric radiator versus natural gas is cheaper. Especially since the last few electricity bills so they can see the cost.
If they have a job already, you can have them figure out how many hours they would have to work to afford to pay that bill. Focus on explaining how as a family, you can lower that bill, such as switching to LED lighting instead of traditional fluorescent bulbs.
Use Incentives
You can focus on making household changes by setting goals as a family. Start small, and then work your way up to bigger goals. Put everyone in charge of something. For example, make sure all the lights are turned off in the house. Especially before you leave the house.
Another option is to make sure recyclable items are recycled and not thrown away. You might have to use incentives at first to get everyone on board with making these changes. An incentive can be something such as cash. You know something everyone will want to work on. So everyone does their part to conserve energy for the week. Then you can all go somewhere as a family.
Use Gentle Reminders
Teenagers have a lot of things on their mind, and they usually feel stressed often. If they leave the light on or forget to do something, be gentle with them and understand it was likely just an accident. If your teenager is prone to forgetting things, you may want to make time to talk to them about what they may be going through. Your teen may be going through more than you can imagine, and being there for them can provide them with the support they need. If your teenager is currently abusing drugs or other medications,
you can consider a center for teen
treatment for substance abuse to help them out.
Do Things as a Family
Make it a point to do things as a family. Instead of spending the night in front of electronics, switch everything off and read books or play a game. Spend more time outdoors together by going for walks, playing sports, or riding bikes.
Small changes may not seem like a big deal, but everything eventually adds up to make a difference with a teen. So by openly communicating with your teenager about the importance of making these changes, you can help convince them to make an effort to do their part. Your children will likely forget things from time to time, and that okay because no one is perfect. Try to create a routine that everyone can follow.
