I’ve always admired activists; people who are so passionate about a cause. I’ve never been passionate about anything enough that would make me want to stand out in the hot sun, rain or cold all day and shout my beliefs for all to hear.
That is why it is kind of mind-boggling to me that I am raising a budding activist.
It started earlier this year when my 8 year old daughter came home from school and told me she started her own club at school called The Nature Experts. She recruited several other children to join her crusade. According to her, they met on Tuesdays and Thursdays at recess. They picked up trash around the schoolyard and talked about ways to save animals. She also made pins for all of her members.
Her passion has continued on this summer.
She made up several signs and hung them on telephone poles up and down our street.
One sign said:
Save the animals like dolphins, clownfish, and many others. Please stop littering. You could make some animals endangered. Be careful Please. (there was also a picture of a fish saying, “My home is ruined for good. I will not live. Wha-Wha.”)
Another sign said:
Try not to cut down as much trees. We need trees to live. If you cut down the trees we would not be able to breathe. With all the trees you cut down we might not be able to live. Please stop cutting down the trees. (this one included a picture of a girl saying, “I feel like I can’t breathe.”)
My daughter with her signs
The other day she also rode her scooter up and down the sidewalk for an hour shouting, “Save the Animals!” She made her brother run behind her holding up various different stuffed animals. I wonder what the neighbors thought!
She also recently held a lemonade stand/fundraiser in our front yard.
My daughter’s lemonade stand
The kids charged 25 cents a cup and were able to raise $5.00! People were obviously very generous!
After the lemonade stand my daughter requested that we bring the money they made along with some of her own money to the local animal shelter.
Off we went across town to deliver the $9.50 to The Humane Society to help aid them in buying food and medicine for all the dogs and cats.
I love that my daughter is trying to change the world and help out. I love seeing her determination and conviction to this cause. I don’t think I am going to march up and down the street shouting, “Save the Animals” with her but I will gladly make up pitchers of lemonade and drive her across town to donate her money. I am happy to take the backseat role and watch as my little girl takes steps to save the world!
Motherhood Is An Art 
What a good mom you are. Raising such ethically aware kids. Great idea for kids to learn how to help in community and to even bring in money for the H.S. …bravo, loved this !!
Thanks Ellie! I can’t take any credit here! These were all her ideas! The only suggestion I had to make was the Humane Society. She originally asked if she could donate her money to a pet store to save the animals. When I told her there was actually an animal shelter across town she about fell over! After seeing it I think it has only spurred her on more!
So awesome!
I think someday she is going to own more pets than you!
I love her passion for saving the animals 🙂
It’s pretty amazing to watch!
Good for her! The world needs some strong women out there!
If she’s this determined at 8, I can’t imagine what she will be like as an adult!
Wow! I love that girl…I WAS that girl! I walked a 20 mile “walkathon” while wearing a homemade “love animals-don’t eat them!” shirt when I was 8. Now I can’t get my boys to clean up their room, let alone an entire playground.
It must skip a generation.
Maryellen, that is awesome! First of all I can’t imagine an 8 year old walking 20 miles and secondly I can only imagine how cool that t-shirt had to be! I can’t believe I’m basically raising YOU!!
so cute!
She reminds me so much of the stories you’ve told us about your son! Can you imagine what the two of them could do together!?
there is hope for the future! 🙂
Great job supporting the kids and their passions!
I may have to pull the plug if she starts asking me to drive her to rallies across the country but for now I don’t mind making up a few pitchers of lemonade!
Hahaha, love it.
That is great! Go Iris. Good for her for being so aware of her surroundings at such a young age. Very admirable.
It is pretty amazing to me that an 8 year old can be so passionate about something like this. I’m sure it has something to do with all the books she reads. Maybe I should start having her check out books about tax reform!
LOL.
What an awesome child! Precious! I hope my little ones will care and be proactive like this too. All the best! x
Thank you! It is fun watching her put her energy into something like this!
Oh wow – how totally awesome is that?!? I’m in awe over your daughter and her efforts to save the world, and how cool is it that you are part of that journey with her! I love it!
It is pretty cool! When she asked if she could go hang up the signs and I told her she could I kept wondering if you were even allowed to put signs on telephone polls. I have a sneaky suspicion part of our journey may be getting a knock on the door from the police!
hahahaha – possibly! But that would be cool too, cause then she can learn about saving the world the responsible way and the police can tell her where it is acceptable to place them. But… I doubt it – those signs were too cute, no one will complain if she breaks a law or two! 🙂
Aw. That is so sweet!
Thank you, she is a very sweet little girl!
From that shy little girl to the budding activist taking on challenges at the age of eight is so surprising and totally awesome …. looking into the crystal ball I see an exciting future for Iris and you !!! Be prepared … Someday you could possibly receive a call ….. from a police station …. ” Mom ! Could you post bail for me ?????? ” LOL
Start winning big at the casino and put some money aside for me for bail money!!
what a beautiful story of a beautiful child with a beautiful heart )
Thank you Beth! I know that my daughter’s teachers have greatly inspired her. Teachers have more impact than they probably ever know! I went and spoke to a certain teacher a few months ago and let her know how much she inspired my daughter!
She’s an inspiring child.
I hope she continues on with her determination and passion and does some great things with it as an adult!
What changes she is creating. What if we all did a little something like her, every day. What a huge change that would add up to. What a great little motivator and teacher she is.
That’s very true! She has always been a very shy child and watching her blossom like this because she is passionate about something is truly amazing!
You must be so proud! I truly believe that our relationship with animals and nature reveals a lot about our character. Your little girl has a big heart!
I told her the other night how proud I was of her. If she’s this capable at 8 years old I can only foresee her doing bigger and better things in her future!
What a great blog! Love this!
Thank you so much!
You are welcome! http://www.segmation.wordpress.com
Yay, Iris! I always knew she was a leader. Hope she takes that talent and multiplies in the coming years. I’m certain she will be able to raise more than $5.00 for her cause one day. That means more pitchers of lemonade, Melissa! 😉
I think I can handle a few more pitchers of lemonade as long as it is going to a good cause! I wish I had half the drive and determination that she does but I am happy to settle for being her mom and watching her flourish!
An Awesome mom and an awesome young Lady! Thank you both for being so gorgeous and changing our world in such a positive way! :0
Thank you so much! Your comment really means a lot! I hope to continue to support her so she can make even bigger changes someday!
Awesome kid yeah got there! I admire her. I too don’t feel passionately enough about much to want to protest. Good for her!
A few years ago I saw a large group of people protesting around a site where they were putting a Walgreens up in our city. They were out there in the pouring rain and I just kept thinking, “Wow, I understand why they are doing that but I just can’t imagine being that passionate about something.” It has to take a very special person!
Awh I love this! What a compassionate, sweet girl you have. I have the image of your son running with the stuffed animals shouting in my head. Of all the things they could be doing during summer, they chose some great causes! My daughter loves animals too, so maybe Iris will recruit her to help someday!
With Bency running behind holding up those stuffed animals I kept thinking people are probably assuming that their mom has threatened to throw away all of their stuffed animals!!
Just the absolute best! Your daughter truly is changing the world. I cannot wait to see the amazing things she continues to accomplish. 🙂
Thanks Vanessa! Didn’t you tell me one time that your sister is an activist? What age did she get her start??
WOW! but I’m not surprised Melissa, you are a great mom and have thought your children great things! 🙂 She is only 8 years old, imagine what she will do when she will be older (I’m sure she will help out people) 🙂 so proud of Iris 🙂
Thank you Ingrid! I hope she continues to have such a caring, loving heart as she gets older too!
Precious Iris! That’s what she is!!
Thank you Lidia!
Bravo, Iris! She is very creative, industrious, and inspirational! You are doing a great job encouraging and guiding her in this passion. 🙂
My heart is swelling with pride, so I can only imagine how YOU feel, Mama!! Stop me if I’ve said this before: IRIS FOR PRESIDENT!! 😉
Thanks Steph! It’s nice when we have a few moments like this to balance out the times she huffs and stomps her foot when I tell her she can’t have one more cookie!
Reblogged this on Animal Girls.