How to: Teach your kids to save water

Water is a valuable commodity that shouldn’t be wasted. Help protect South Africa’s water resources by teaching your kids some simple water-saving tips.

We don’t always think about where the water dripping from our taps comes from, or consider the fact that it can dry up if we don’t make an active effort to conserve water and teach our families to do the same.

You can teach your little one from a young age that water is precious and shouldn’t be wasted:

• Set a good example. Don’t let the tap run while you’re brushing your teeth and explain to your children why you’re doing this. The same with the dishwasher – don’t run the dishwasher until it’s filled up. Using simple conservations methods like the above will not only lower your water bill, you’ll also teach your children to save water.

• Spend time with your kids outside teaching them about the value of water. There’s no better way to do it than spending time in or on water. While you’re swimming, fishing or paddling in a boat on the lake, remind your children that water is a very important natural resource and that life would not exist without it.

• Flushing the toilet can be fun when you’re little, but you waste litres of water when you flush unnecessary. Teach your kids to only flush when they really have to.

• Teach your children where water comes from, that although the oceans have plenty of water, it’s not drinkable. If they understand where water comes from and that no one is making more of it, they’ll better understand why they shouldn’t waste it.

• Teach your children to close the tap properly and not let it leak as this wastes water as well.

This article originated on Living & Loving