My Family of Superheroes

I Googled the word ‘superhero’ and found quite a few entries. But most of them said pretty much the same thing….they were fictional and had super human powers, and they usually fought evil or crime.

My superheroes aren’t fictional, but they are super, and they are human.

They are also on a mission to save the planet, and they definitely display actions that would be super if all humans would to the same.

They are called the ‘Earth Rangers’.

From the time my daughter was 4 and my son was 3, we have taken trips out to pick up trash. It started out as an Earth Day activity when we were living in New York.

If you don’t know,  when you are a stay at home parent with little children, you have to come up with ALOT of activities.

This one was not only educational but it took up a lot of time. We would walk around the block, picking up trash and talking about each piece. We gave ourselves a name, and decided we would keep trying to save the planet, just like superheroes.

Every so often, I would say ‘Hey, you wanna do an Earth Rangers walk?’ They were always up for it. Its really a tailor made sibling activity. There is an immediate sense of competition to see who can get their bag the fullest.

When the kids were 5 and, 6 we moved back to California.

It was their first time living outside of NY and there was nature all around us. They had made it through the first year at a new school, and it was summertime. We went on long wandering walks, and rode bikes and scooters.

Along our adventures we noticed trash marring the nature we were enjoying so much. It was clear, the Earth Rangers were needed here.

The Earth Rangers are now 9 and 11. There have been quite a few calls to action since then.

They’ve participated in city and scouting cleanups, and our family goes on regular trips to Disneyland funded by recycling the cans and bottles we collect…and asked our neighbors for… and stuffed in my purse after events…and from grandma… and the coins from daddy’s our pockets… but mostly the cans and bottles.

Working to save the planet is a pretty great pastime.  

Its not only a reason to take a walk with your kids, but its an opportunity to have some different conversations. Not about their toys, or what show they are going to watch or the birthday party that is coming up, but about responsibility. About doing your share, even if others don’t do theirs. About accountability and consequences and caring about something other than yourself.

About doing something when the only reward is a sense of pride.

I wonder if there are other superheroes out there living quietly among us. I hope so.