What does nature do for us really? According to an article written by Danielle Cohen of The Child Mind Institute, we are in a crisis concerning spending time in nature vs. time with technology and screens. They are naming this crisis, “Nature Deficit Disorder.”
The article stresses the importance of nature in reducing stress, fatigue, keeping kids healthy and exercised, and many other things.
For me, it allowed for great creativity and the imagination to flourish.
As a child, I loved to go outside in Nature and breathe the fresh air of all four seasons! My friends and family were happy thinking up things to do. In the winter we had a large puddle that would form in the backyard and when it froze over, we would use our ice skates, taking turns briefly skating over the short distance on the shallow ice.
In the spring we would watch the ice melt and put little mini plastic boats in the water and watch them sail down the driveway!
In summer we loved being outside watching the lightening bugs fly around as we ‘pretend camped’ in our backyard with sleeping bags until our parent’s told us we had to come in. We roller skated everywhere.
In the fall, we raked piles and piles of leaves and would jump in them laughing and falling on the soft beds.
A successful Parent/Counseling Story
Some parents came to me with a problem. In trying to keep their young 8 year old son, Jack (not his real name), happy and occupied, decided to buy a television for his room.
Very soon, Jack became addicted to staying in his room and watching TV. It was becoming more and more difficult to develop other interests. So they decided to get help from a professional.
After thoroughly discussing the matter, I asked that they tell Jack that – for now – the TV was going away for awhile and permanently from his room. They explained that this was not a punishment, but that they could see that it had become too important at the expense of other activities.
They told Jack that he would have to play outside after school and to learn to make some friends with the boys next door. Both Jack and his neighbors had safe, good backyards. Jack began to mope and stomp around the house asking for his TV back and kept it up for days.
The parents called me, and I told them to remain calm and firm. They told Jack, “Sorry, you need to go out and play and do other things with your time.”
On day 7, the parents had a win! Jack saw the kids playing next door and finally went over to their yard. He was gone all afternoon (with the parent’s permission next door) and when he walked into his house, he had a huge grin on his face. He ran over to his Mom in the kitchen and said, “Mom, best day ever!”
Maybe nature & friends should be our first ‘go to’ for an activity for kids when we would like them to be happily occupied.