In this day of cable TV (24 hours of cartoons!), video games, the Internet, and all other things that offer the sometimes irresistible temptation of staying inside the house, it is no surprise that some children do not get enough of the great outdoors. Instead, they are learning to live like couch potatoes.
After school, what do your children do? During the weekends, what constitutes family time? If your answers tend to lean towards staying indoors, then you and your children may be missing out on what nature has to offer. I think this is particularly true for families living in the city. Even when they go out, they tend to go to the shopping malls or similar environments.
When was the last time that you went out with your kids to a park or something close to nature? Try going back to your own childhood and remember the times you spent at the park, the forest, or the beach. Weren’t those great times – both for yourself and your parents?
I believe that we all need a dose of nature every now and then. There is nothing like fresh air, the waters of the sea, or the greenery to perk up one’s spirits. It is also a great way to open your children’s eyes to the wonders that the world has to offer them. More so, in this day of environmental degradation, it is a good way to help your children be more aware of nature and what they can do to help preserve it for their future.
Originally posted on January 12, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
