Back To Nature…
by meditative - May 14th, 2020.Filed under: Mindfulness for Parents & Children.
Technology has connected us like never before- and we now live in a very mobile world with real-time information right at our fingertips… not to mention home theaters with large, flat screen TVs, a plethora of channels to ‘surf’, and surreal video games to keep our kids entertained for hours on end…
Today’s technology may help our children develop in many ways, but they also appear to be spending more time indoors navigating their electronic devices and less time outdoors navigating fields, streams and woods. As a result, our kids may be losing their instinctive connection & direct involvement with nature, as well as all the benefits that go along with experiencing the great outdoors. For example… exercise & fresh air… awakening the full spectrum of their senses… exploring this planet’s natural wonders & realizing their interconnection with all the life around them… the quiet & calm of their natural surroundings… and a broader & enduring wisdom about their own existence as part of something much larger than ‘self’.
This relative imbalance may be affecting how our children perceive, attend & relate to their natural surroundings. Without a deep & enduring connection to nature, and an abiding reverence for its delicate ecosystem… how can we effectively teach our children to be good stewards of something they may not directly experience with any frequency, or relate to with purposeful & caring intention?
As parents, we need to help our children fall in love with nature. We need to enthusiastically show & excite them about their environment. Get outside… take a hike… a canoe trip along the river… fishing in the lake… catching bugs in the meadow, etc.
Back to nature can be a real adventure for our children. Let their curiosity roam free to explore & to discover their natural surroundings…