Less contact with nature

[shootingstar]

Well, I'll answer first just to the above topic title..less contact with nature..

My first camping trip..was at age 32 ..after I returned to cycling and we went on cycling trip within 5 months of me getting back onto the back. He had a canvass tent... I didn't do real wilderness hiking until..my late 20's.

Parents should gently in a fun way, introduce child to outdoor activities. At least the child has tried. And no one should use the excuse of money, ie. paid day camps, organized sports teams... one of the reasons why my strict parents sent us outdoors to play....was to allow my father to take an early afternoon nap for a few hrs. before his late afternoon to midnight shift as a restaurant cook. And as eldest child, I was granted the 'joyous' role of automatic babysitter for other siblings (5 others). I suspect my mother was relieved to have peace at home for a few hrs.

If my parents hadn't made outdoor play mandatory for us, to keep their sanity as parents, I wouldn't have wanted to play outdoors. I was a bookworm.

But the bike..kept me outside..

I don't have children but 1 of my sisters clearly rationed tv watching for their 2 kids, now adults. Niece is a bookish woman but she does do minor cycling around town and hiking about with friends. Nephew did competitive swimming for a few years ..that he was addicted on. Now, he does cycle to university. He and his father did do some cycling together as a bonding thing. After all, his father still cycles his short ride to work.

Are these kids overweight? ..no...just slim great adults.

But as cyclists, we know we just have to button (shut) up abit ...and keep on lovin' our cycling...keep on cyclin' rain or shine..and several years later someone in the family..WILL get it and ask for help to get cycling love. We have to have faith..that some, not all the couch potato kids will fall in love with an outdoor activity --new or renewed. Hopefully it won't be a heart attack that will wake up a couch potato...