…this danger
is danger of love, of complete love
toward all of life,
toward all lives
-Pablo Neruda (Nobel Laureate)
As parents, we want to keep our children safe. Perhaps no generation has been kept as withdrawn as the current one. Recent research shows that today‘s kids go outdoors 50 per cent less than we did at school age. That percentage is alarming enough in itself, but what if we multiply it by another generation or two? If reduction in nature activity continues at this rate, our long-term descendants might face life as prisoners of the indoors, in a world limited by the frame around their screen.
How has this reduction in physical play happened? One way is that when both parents are working full-time, there is no adult ‘safety anchor’ in the home to make free exploration viable. In many homes this translates into no outdoor play till Mom or Dad gets home. Yet by that time it’s often too dark and parents are too tired to take on anything active. So, like much of the school day, the entire after-school time is spent locked in a seat: a brief break for dinner, perhaps homework and then back to the gaming chair. We are keeping our children confined for most of their lives. But how safe, in truth, is this routine for them?
Because they are so inactive, our children’s generation is facing higher rates of obesity and related diseases then any before. Study after study shows them at an unprecedented risk. So how can a working parent support a child?
1) Trade the certain danger of being an inactive child for what I call the ‘beneficial dangers’ of getting out of a chair.
Examples of this:
Take a night hike with your child, wearing reflective clothing and headlamps to spot interesting nocturnal life.
Sign the whole family up for evenings at the local YMCA or Community Centre. Let each family member pick their favourite activity: from rock-climbing, to swimming, to Tai Kwon Do.
If transport is a problem, keep the exercise close to home with spot-lit trampoline in the backyard.
2) Plan to keep Nature a part of your family’s life (no matter the weather)
When snow lights up the evenings, build an ice rink for skating or simply release your family into the delights of forts, ice sculptures and snowballs. Walking with their parents round the neighbourhood will make them the first to spot changes such as a “haunted house” or Christmas lights!
Make simple purchases (such as cheap rubber boots and plastic capes) to ensure rain outings are possible. Buy these for yourself, too, and learn to enjoy the scent of fresh-washed air.
For times when going out simply won’t be possible, bring the wild to your home. Help your child plan, seed and grow an indoor garden. Consider getting at least one pet for your family. Skills like grooming, feeding and caring for a living creature enable your child to develop emotional intelligence and prepare for important life relationships.
3) Make balance, not indulgence, the first parenting principle for your child.
(Recognize that being responsive to your child doesn’t mean indulging every urge.)
Yes, your youngster will play with his iPad till he collapses at 3am, but he and his teachers will one day thank you for putting it away (and keeping it from him) much earlier. Bedtime stories are a good way to break the gaming cycle and ensure quality time for literacy and family bonds.
4) Limit the time your family members spend alone with devices.
Scheduling is probably the greatest challenge parents face today. So, become an expert at it. Set up regular routines so that it becomes easier to get your child away from a computer. If you just leave him to it, it’s obvious that he will have more and more trouble becoming engaged with other living beings. “Alone together” is a phrase without meaning. If each of you is pursuing a separate virtual world, there will be no togetherness.
5)Access the power of your child’s own creativity.
Be assured, your child’s natural imagination can be your strongest ally in overcoming a videogame obsession.
Plan special outings and new books from the library to read and act aloud, so that you’re offering something interesting as an alternate to technology. My son was spending four hours a night playing video games, till we asked him to act out his favourite books for us. Now it’s the first thing he asks to do when we get home. He gives readings while we do our evening chores, and keeps the family together and well-entertained!
Your input would be most welcome:
I’d love to hear your ideas for loving, non-punitive ways to pull a child back from the virtual towards the natural world. I’d also like to find out what you’d like to see in this space in the future. You can comment, make a request, or simply like us on Facebook.
Nature's Path 