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11:59 a.m.
Is there nothing more glorious than a fabulous, old-fashioned romp in the mud? My curiosity was lured late this summer when a story ran in the newspaper about nature-deficit disorder in children. It's rooted in the theory that kids are electromatically tethered by inside forces and parents themselves have perceived sense of outside fear, primarily crime-based. The result: alarming rates of obesity, depression, and ADHD, among others.
I get the perceived sense of fear. The idea of someday sending the boys off on their bike, only to return when the streetlights come on, is nothing short of an Anxiety Inducing Thought. However, because both of my kids have this amazing alter ego, which is deeply connected to all things nature, I understand the need to wholeheartedly foster this concept. Jack's calmness and focus is related to all things forest, Charlie's kicks in for mud, sticks, and rocks. And from what I've read, the research is there--exposure to nature links to a healthy early childhood, both physically and emotionally. From here on out, I'll do everything I can to support it--from this side of a potty in the woods and a tent on a rocky bed. {I can't even apologize, folks. I.Am.Not.A.Camper.}
This is really a topic that saddens me. I got to go outside in the summer and as long as I stayed in the neighborhood, I could be gone for hours. Other mothers watched out for all of us. My kids could do a little of that, we were in a small town when they were very young and on a street where everyone was home and watching. Then, we moved and there was 9/11 and more and more abductions. My kids had to be taught to fear. My daughter is 25 and single, and I am still preaching fear to her all the time. I hate it.
ReplyDeleteI don't camp either, but I think that taking the kids out to get dirty and play is a great idea.
Sue