Less contact with nature

[DebW]

Here's an article from CNN about declining outdoor recreation correlated to the rise in video entertainment. Probable results are declining health and less interest in conservation and biodiversity. At least this community is bucking the national trend.

[Trek420]

Yes, but we need to get youth to log off and get outside. How to do that?

[melissam]

Yes, but we need to get youth to log off and get outside. How to do that?

Send 'em all an email?

Make a video and post it on youtube?

[singletrackmind]

Send 'em all an email?

Make a video and post it on youtube?

Bwahahaha!!

The irony of my post is not lost on me -meaning screen time- either, but it's too cold to go out and my youngest is taking a nap and the other two aren't here.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Crankin]

I saw this on TV this morning. Even my kids who are 25 and 22 think that they were different from others because we let them play outside in the woods. Most parents are afraid to let their kids be outside... even in the very safe suburbs. One time one of my kids commented that they were brought up in a "wholesome" way. I thought that sounded kind of '50's-ish, but I knew what he meant. They watched TV and played computer games, but there was no Nintendo. Plus, both of them went to an Audubon camp that instilled a healthy respect for the outdoors. I think most adults don't want to be outside, either!

[Tuckervill]

I have very radical ideas about "screen time" (which I think is a ridiculous term--no one ever uses the term "book time", and if they do they're probably sucking all the fun out of everything for their kid).

I believe that in the context of a healthy, balanced, engaged life, no recreational activity should be off-limits, nor limited by extrinsic circumstances. (extrinsic=you didn't eat your broccoli--no guitar hero for you. intrinsic=you can't play guitar hero and go to swim practice at the same time.)

I believe that all children learn from everything they do, including video games (even the slasher ones), movies, television, and playing outside.

I believe that if a child is intensely focusing on one activity over and over to the exclusion of everything else, they are either very passionate about that one thing, or--in the case of overscheduled kids who spend most of their days in school or daycare and after-school classes--are likely escaping and avoiding something else. In the first case, who can argue with someone who's found a personal passion? In the second case, the activity is not the problem--something else is. A good parent would find out what that something else is, wouldn't they?

Karen

[Jolt]

I think most adults don't want to be outside, either!

Definitely--sad but true!!! They don't know what they're missing...

[singletrackmind]

It'd be much easier to do that if all parents limited screen watching. That way your kid isn't rushing off to watch tv/computer/games at so and so's house.

In home, you just limit them. Start by taking small chunks off the total screen time slowly. They'll notice, but will (just barely) survive. Better yet, limit the whole family. Of course, you'll now have to spend more time with them. Harder if the dad unit isn't on board, but not entirely impossible.

It's like most everything else, moderation is key.

[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...

[Crankin]

Knott, I laughed when you said your son got into biiiig computer in school. When one of mine was in 6th grade, he snuck into the lab at lunch and hacked into the teacher's system. He didn't "do" anything, but his teacher was so upset when he got caught by the lab aide, I had to tell her to send him to the principal.
The principal's solution was to make a contract that he had to sign, saying he wouldn't do it again. My son said fine and signed it, and then proceeded to write a contract for the principal to sign. It said that Scott would not be unfairly accused of hacking into "porn" and other pervy sites.
Oye

[Tuckervill]

Smart kid.

Karen

[RoadRaven]

Here is another article, I have used it every year since it was published with my students to get their critical reflection going and really thinking about how they work with children, and what our children are experiencing (or are not experiencing)

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/ea...x?ArticleID=70

It starts with a quote from Les Mis
"There was a time when the world was a song and the song was exciting."

In particular I ask students to focus on the section "Children's separation from nature"
and also help them to really come to grips with the concepts behind the names "Biophilia and Biophobia"

In our western world where fewer and fewer children get to walk on grass, and smell rain on the earth, it is certainly important to consider what priority we give to the "natural" world...

[tulip]

I worked with this group in grad school

http://www.naturalearning.org/

[Jolt]

Interesting article; I had heard similar things before. I definitely think parents should encourage their kids to spend time outside being active and limit "screen time", which is OK in moderation but most kids have too much of it. When I was growing up in the 80's and 90's, I spent a lot of time playing outside in our yard or with the neighbor kids, as did my younger sisters. We rode bikes, skated, climbed trees, dug in the dirt and looked for bugs and other creepy-crawlies under rocks, had water fights and played other games. We did watch some TV (well, I usually preferred to read) but didn't have Nintendo or anything like that, and weren't really interested. Of course, we were fortunate to live in safe neighborhoods where parents weren't afraid to let their kids play outside; I realize that's not the case for everyone and that is part of the problem in some areas. What do you think is the best way to improve the situation?