We talked to Sarah Lemkus about her life as a mum to her two little ones, their life living in Red Beach, Auckland and the importance to their family of consciously caring for our planet. We hope you enjoy these inspirational words and ideas for how you can incorporate teaching little ones about the environment into everyday life.

I’m Sarah, a conscious mother to two littlies...
Beth is three and a half, and Aubrey is four-months-old. I’m a working mum with the privilege of being a full-time mother as well. My husband and I run my YouTube channel, plus we have a photography and videography business.

Forever home will always be...
in the northern Suburbs of Auckland. I own a beautiful little home near the beach in Red Beach. The best thing about it is the beach (which usually has the perfect amount of beginner waves), local second-hand shops (you’ll find me there a couple times a month), slow paced neighbourhood - it’s an Auckland City Suburb, but it’s very different to the city itself! Think bach homes, beaches, barefoot locals, and shops that close early on a Friday because it’s quiet. However, we are about to leave our comfortable nest to live in Gold Coast, Australia for six months. Bring on that sunshine!

Teaching my little ones about caring for the environment...
It’s a matter of teaching, but also following by example as we are our children’s biggest role models. As a bit of an undercover environmentalist, I show my eldest Beth how I recycle for example by bringing her with me to the beach to pick up rubbish. After picking it up together, I explain how we don’t want plastic in the ocean as it’s not good for the animals that live in the sea. Then together we recycle the plastic back home. Beth is involved with recycling at home in our day-to-day life too. We often get books out at the library on rubbish and pollution. As she’s only three, we’ve started with basic ways to care for the earth like recycling, plastic awareness (cutting out single-use plastics), second-hand shopping and picking up rubbish. She is yet to find out how much our diet helps with greenhouse gases and how eating/purchasing organic helps the planet too.

Words to make the world a better place...
These simple words from 1 John 3:18 “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Sounds cliche, but my mother has had a huge influence on how I parent my children...
She was also very patient, very present, but she also raised my brother and me with a level of consciousness - to stay away from toxins, eat our vegetables, stay away from sugar etc. You could say the same about my dad, even though my parents divorced when I was three. He was a great example for me spiritually which has hugely impacted how I parent.

Finding a balance in life, work, health and wellbeing...
If you’re a mum reading this you’ll know balance goes out the window when you have a couple of kids on your hips/ hanging off your nipples! However, it’s true that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you - in spirit, mind, body and soul. I embrace the chaos of raising a family, the mess, the unperfect and the late - in doing so, I don’t put too many expectations on myself to have it all together. In terms of being healthy, I look and feel my best when I nourish my body, so I value and put a lot of emphasis on what goes in my fridge for my family to eat - and in doing so, I also share this in my work life on my social channels as a vegan family. I have the energy to give my kids the best version of myself most of the time, even waking up numerous times a night with my new baby.

The biggest environmental issue right now...
I couldn’t point my finger at the biggest - but I do think global warming and pesticides/ chemicals are the biggest threat to the environment and ultimately us.

It’s about having a child that stands out in a world...
whether it’s a pretty world or not. My dream for my children is that they are bold, confident, loving, compassionate and are world changers regardless of what kind of world they live in.

I’m not much of a routine mama...
but I do pray for both my children every day. And then if I’ve brushed all our teeth twice a day it’s a good day!

I am currently reading... an audiobook, it’s the new reading. Because reading with two mini humans is hard work! I’m listening to a book called Love Does by Bob Goff.
I’m listening to… The Rich Roll podcast! And just finished listening to the Human Longevity Project.

Must have baby/newborn essentials? A sleep sack! Best baby invention.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Sarah, wishing you all the best for your move to Australia! Nb x