Light Up the Sky — Safely

Celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks is as American as apple pie. But did you know more fires and burns are reported on the Fourth than any other due to improper setup? Florida has some of the loosest laws in regards to fireworks, so it is important that families research and prepare before marking our nation’s independence.

Here are ways your family can enjoy the flashing lights.

·         When you buy fireworks, make sure the fireworks are legal in Florida and are being sold by licensed retailers.

·         Choose a location that is clear of trees and at least 100 feet from you home. Never use fireworks indoors or under a cover patio.

·         Always have a fire extinguisher on hand.

·         No one younger than 18 and no one who’s had a few too many should light fireworks.

·         All bystanders should be at least 50 feet away from all fireworks since they have been known to misfire or fire in the wrong direction.

·         Although some fireworks, like Roman Candles, indicate that they are safe to hold while lighting, never hold a firework while lighting or while it is going off.

·         Light one firework at a time.

·         If for some reason a firework is lighted and it does not go off, don’t approach it and don’t attempt to relight it.

·         Make sure that all pets are indoors. Animals have very sensitive ears and can be extremely frightened by explosions.

·         Before disposing of fireworks, douse all dead fireworks with a significant amount of water. Fifteen percent of fires reported on Fourth of July start in the trash.

·         If someone gets injured, immediately seek medical attention.

Your fun can be easily spoiled by injury, so keep safety in the forefront of any activities. If you really want to be safe, relax and enjoy one of the free fireworks shows across the bay area.

 We hope you a have a blast, or more appropriately, lots of fun this Fourth of July!

www.tbparenting.com

Are We Living Disposable Lives? How Good Parents Can Give Their Children Priceless Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny

How Good Parents Can Give Their Children Priceless Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny
Litsa Bolontzakis thinks we’re all living disposable lives, and that our children deserve better.

According to the Family Online Safety Institute, young people spent an average of 6.5 hours with media on a daily basis – including TV, radio and the Internet – back in 2004. Today, that figure is up to 10.75 hours per day. Moreover, according to Fast Food Stats, more than 50,000,000 people in the U.S. rely on fast food each year. These are stats that worry Bolontzakis, author of the children’s book Summer: The Magic Blanket (www.hummingbirdpublications.com).

“We are a media-saturated, drive-through society, and it worries me that some kids never know what it is to go to a park, experience nature or just spend time with their parents that doesn’t involve being shuttled between school and soccer practice,” she said. “Time and money are the two resources most busy parents don’t have in abundance, but they operate on the mistaken belief that those elements are necessary to spend quality time with their children. It’s just not so.”   Bolontzakis believes that the best things in life we can offer our kids take little time, and cost nothing.

“I am blessed, because I had a near perfect childhood, despite the lack of perfect circumstances,” she said. “My parent’s were very simple people with limited means and life was hard like it is today for many families. My parents did their very best to make my life happy with simple things. They focused on the seasons of the year, and they used their imagination to make every season count by showing me how nature’s cycles relate to the lives we live. They didn’t need to take me to Disney World or fly me around the world to do it, and if they could do it, any parent can. It’s free.”  Her world as a child wasn’t cluttered with technology or the fast pace of life today. Instead, it was filled with lessons about how our lives are intertwined with nature.

“Nature has its cycles, just as people’s lives have theirs,” she added. “In nature, there is a time for the bringing of new life, as in the spring, and there is an autumn that sees it fade. There is a time for rest and renewal as taught to us by the animals that hibernate in the winter, as there is a time for abundance and growth in the summer. Our lives are tied directly to our planet, and each of the seasons we experience help teach us those lessons of love, generosity, patience and even forgiveness. We just need to be open to those lessons, and open our children’s minds to them, as well.”

Her message to parents is to take whatever time they can to turn off the TV, shut down the computer, leave the cell phones turned off and open their children’s eyes to a world that spun quite well on its axis long before any of those mediums existed – and will continue to spin well after they are all obsolete.

“You don’t have to travel the world to get away from it all,” she said. “Even in the most urban of areas, there are parks and zoos and bike trails that are all off the beaten path,” she said. “Sometimes it’s enough just to get outside, away from the video games and the computer, and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin as you read a book under a shady tree. When I think about my childhood, I get a warm amazing feeling that includes, joy, contentment and freedom, and I want all children to have the same. Children don’t need more things, bigger things or better things. They need love and attention. They need to slow down and see the more important things that are all around.”

Nature-Deficit Disorder: A Matter of Life and Health

By Peter A. Gorski, M.D., M.P.A. of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County

“Our children are the first generation to be raised without meaningful contact with the natural world,” warns Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, published in paperback in 2006 by Algonquin Books.  Sure they play on ball fields, skate through streets and manicured parks, learn about the Amazon rain forest and, on their computer screens and televisions, play in the heavens and get lost in the jungle.  Relatively few children today, however, spend much time aimlessly lying in the grass watching clouds pass overhead, wander free and safely out of sight of home or town, observe and collect tiny creatures (remember lightning bugs?), breathe in the aroma of fresh air, listen for sounds in the dark, learn the social behavior of wildlife or the signs of an immanent turn in weather.

Why should we care about such changes in the experience children have with nature? An increasing body of science and public concern claims that we had better reverse this trend if we are to endow our children with necessary skills to steward their own lifespan development, to promote community health, to guide the course of civilization and to safeguard the future of life on earth.   It’s amazing to learn how much natural exploration builds a child’s intellectual abilities, can prevent or treat attention deficits and can promote the development of personal responsibility, independence and relationship skills.

These are the subjects of Louv’s compelling appeal as detailed in his wonderful new book.  The 300 pages turn as quickly as did the patch of woods your community just converted to roads, condos or Walmarts.  Louv, a parent and journalist, has studied a growing body of research and interviewed leaders in the fields of environmental science, child psychology, community planning, health care and spirituality.  The book’s chapters first develop the case for concern on behalf of children’s mental, physical and spiritual health.  Subsequent sections account for the change in children’s relationship with nature and cite a number of hopeful programs, some educational, others community-centered and even faith-based, that, by reuniting children with the natural joy of discovery, are beginning to counter the potentially devastating consequences of losing contact with the natural world.   The book highlights practices that hold great promise, from schools that use nature as the anchor for learning all the academic subjects to terrific ideas each of us can do when we are spending time with a child.   The author’s own young son contributes one of the most endearing pieces of advice for adults:

Fishing Tips for Parents from Matthew Louv (age 12):
1. Fish with your kid.
2. Let your kids go fishing, even if you don’t want to take them.
3. Let your kids buy supplies and tackle.  That’s half the fun of fishing.
4. If your kids are young, take them to a place where fish are easy to catch and are small.
5. Let kids fish as long as they want.  Let them get obsessed.
6. Let the kids go off and do their own thing.  It can get to be incredibly annoying and/or frustrating if there’s an adult standing over them barking orders.
7. At least pretend to act excited when your kid catches a fish.  It can quickly ruin a day of fishing if the kid feels you don’t want to be there, and he’s just dragging you down.
8. If you know how to fish, don’t give your kid too much unsolicited advice, although it can be helpful if the kid is young.
9. Let your kid teach you how to fish; participate in the fishing.  This can be quality bonding time.
10. Remember that fishing and spending time with family is just as, or more important than, homework.
11. Have fun; that’s the entire point of going fishing in the first place.
12. And whatever you do, DON’T LET YOUR KID THROW ROCKS IN THE WATER!

Here’s the bottom-line message: early and enduring intimacy with nature may lay the developmental base for human beings to become more caring people, better scientists, moral politicians, community servants and devoted friends.  For all of us who raise or advise children and families, who care about the social health of communities and who recognize that time is short and responsibility for the well-being of children is both personal and shared, this instructive and inspiring book will become one of your most trusted resources.  Read it, share it and discuss it with your friends, colleagues and loved ones.  Send it to your local city planners and lawmakers.  Then go out and introduce some children to the magical mysteries and eternal truths of the nature we share with all living beings, the nature that produces life and shapes our destinies, the nature we must safeguard for our sake and for all time.  You couldn’t do our kids and their future a greater favor.

www.tbparenting.com
www.ParentingWithAngela.com

Expert Gardener Reveals 5 Tips That Will Save Your Shrubs
 There is nothing worse than a bad haircut.

The one thing you can’t do with a bad haircut is uncut it, so you just have to wait for it to grow out before you can fix it. That’s how expert gardener Carol Chernega views the art and science of pruning a shrub. If you trim it the wrong way, you’re only compounding your problems, but learning the right way is not nearly as difficult as going to cosmetology school.

“Instead of giving your shrubs a bad haircut, it’s actually very simple to give them a day at the spa, instead,” said Chernega, producer and star of the DVD Pruning Shrubs with Your Personal Gardener (www.onegardenatatime.biz). Her tips on pruning might not only change your style, but help transform your garden and landscaping, as well.

“For me, it would be a perfect world if pruning shears came with instructions,” Chernega added. “Just because one has a pair of scissors, it does not necessarily follow that you know how to give a good haircut.  And just because you have a pair of hedge trimmers does not mean you know how to prune a shrub. Now, that’s not to say it takes a PhD in horticulture to know how to prune. The basics are actually very easy to learn, and applying some basic tips can really help you improve the look and health of your garden 100 percent.”

Chernega’s tips for basic pruning include:

• Know What You’re Pruning – Before you make your first cut, look carefully at your garden and identify what you’re going to be pruning. Use the Internet to identify them if you don’t already know. You want to learn how the shrub should look so you can prune it to maintain that natural shape.
• Cut Back to the Branch -- Always cut back to a bud or branching point.  Never leave a long stub. A stub will not only look ugly, but it will also invite insects and disease that could cause long term problems.
• Cut the Dead Weight First – Before you cut anything else, cut out the dead or broken branches. Sometimes removing a dead branch will leave a big gap, so by doing them first, you’ll be able to tailor the rest of your pruning to compensate for that gap.
• Crossing Over – After you eliminate the dead branches, next you want to target crossing branches or branches that are likely to cross in the future. Once they start rubbing against each other, they’ll leave a wound that will invite insects and disease, so you want to eliminate that threat.
• Cut With the Flow -- Finally, cut out all branches that are not going in the natural direction of the plant. This is good for the health of the plant, as well as the look of your garden.
“After you master the basics, you’ll discover that your garden will have a crisp, clean look to it and your neighbors will not think your shrubs are having a bad hair day.” Chernega said. “Your garden will grow in accordance with how you prune it and you’ll do less work over time to maintain it. That means fewer hours of outdoor labor, and more hours of enjoyment.”

www.tbparenting.com

Why Are Women Given Anti-Depressants To Relieve PMS?
Six Natural Nutrients That Can Reduce PMS Symptoms
Nearly 10 years ago, the FDA approved the anti-depressant prescription drug Zoloft for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and one expert believes that’s 10 years too long, especially when natural alternatives have been proven to reduce PMS symptoms without drugs.

“It seems almost alien to me why someone would take a drug to relieve PMS when the drug’s list of potential side effects – drowsiness, nausea, headache, loss of appetite, anxiety, panic attacks, hostility, aggressiveness, restlessness and depression – are almost an identical match for the symptoms of the ailment they’re trying to relieve,” said Michael Mooney, Director of Research and Education at natural health company SuperNutrition Life Extension Research (www.supernutritionusa.com).

“There is a solid base of research that has shown that women can reduce PMS without taking a prescription drug. In fact, there are six simple, safe nutrients the body uses all the time that have been shown to reduce PMS discomfort – but they need to be taken in adequate potencies. These nutrients don’t have a list of side effects that sound worse than the PMS itself.”

Mooney cited six natural nutrients that have been shown to relieve PMS:

• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – According to a study of 630 women published in the British Journal of Clinical Practice, 100 mg to 150 mg of supplemental vitamin B6 reduced PMS in about 66 percent of the women, while 160 mg to 200 mg of vitamin B6 reduced PMS in about 79 percent of the women.

• Vitamin D – The Archives of Internal Medicine published a study in 2005 which concluded that women with a higher median vitamin D intake of 706 IU per day had significantly less (or no) PMS than subjects who got a median of the least amount of vitamin D, 112 IU per day. So it’s not just about getting some vitamin D, but rather getting a potent dose.

• Chaste tree berry (Vitex) – This extract has been shown to reduce PMS, based on a randomized placebo-controlled 3-month study of premenstrual syndrome in 170 women (average age 36) which was published in the British Medical Journal. The results showed that 20 mg of chaste berry extract reduced PMS about 28% better than placebo. The women noted significant reductions in irritability, mood disturbances, anger, headache, and breast fullness compared to the placebo group.

• Calcium carbonate – The Journal of General Internal Medicine published the results of a study that concluded that calcium carbonate could reduce pain and water retention before and during a woman’s cycle. This randomized placebo-controlled study of 78 women showed a 58 percent better reduction in PMS with 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate than with placebo during the luteal and menstrual phases of the reproductive cycle.

•Magnesium – Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies published in the Journal of Women’s Health showed that magnesium at 360 mg per day reduced headaches and pain, and at 200 mg reduced weight gain, fluid retention, swelling of extremities, breast tenderness and abdominal bloating.

• Vitamin E – The Journal of Reproductive Medicine published a study that showed vitamin E reduced 15 categories of PMS symptoms. This randomized, placebo-controlled study confirmed a previous study that showed all major categories of PMS symptoms are improved with a daily supplementation of 400 IU of vitamin E." In all 15 categories of symptoms, vitamin E supplemented women reported 27-42 percent reduction in severity.

“The effects of these nutrients start the first month and generally reach maximum PMS reduction levels by month three,” Mooney added. “Women deserve to share the fruits of modern nutritional science and be informed that they can reduce their PMS discomfort without relying on drugs with all their dangerous side effects, but instead, by using nutrients that are natural to the body in the proven effective potencies.”

www.tbparenting.com

Motherhood THE MUSICAL
by Ellie Hirsch for Tampa Bay Parenting

I sat down in the Jaeb Theater along with my girlfriends (whom are all mothers) with drinks in hand and cell phones on vibrate. We were ready to laugh and enjoy our kidless night out. Luckily, motherhood THE MUSICAL, written by Sue Fabisch, was everything we expected it to be…funny, entertaining, relevant and witty. The show centers around Amy, played by Juliana Black, a naïve first time pregnant mother who is excited about her future adventure with her soon to be born baby. Her friends, Tasha, Barb and Brooke, bring her back to reality and tell us the truth about motherhood from their different perspectives and life experiences.

Each woman represents a different type of mother, which makes the show very relatable to the audience. Tasha, played by Jayne Trinette, plays the divorced mother, dealing with sharing her children with her recent ex-husband. Her voice is truly amazing and my friends and I said she reminded us of Sherri Shepherd from The View. Tasha delivered her lines with oomph and gusto, and her expressions left us laughing out loud. The audience thanked her with a standing ovation and we all agreed she had done her job that night. Barb, played by Angela Bond, is a stay at home mother who is not shy about sharing how her kids drive her nuts and how motherhood has made her bitter. In the end, we find out that Barb really does love her children and cannot imagine doing anything else. Brooke, played by Becca McCoy is a hard working mother who juggles her job, her children and sex with her husband. She is a refreshing and realistic character whom the audience bonded with and related to very well. Juliana Black brings a fresh glow to her character, Amy, who like most of us moms, cannot wait to finally meet the little person living inside of us for nine months. Juliana truly shined in her dual role as the nosy, medaling mother of her younger self.

I discovered that there is a little bit of myself in Amy, Barb, Brooke and Tasha, similar to how I feel about the gals of Sex and the City. Sue Fabisch chose smart characters that every woman in the audience could relate to and share similar memories with. The musical performances left me laughing out loud and wondering if the songs were about my personal experiences as a mother. From boobs to sex to controlling bodily functions, the writing is hilarious and the cast delivered a wonderful performance. The characters didn’t spend too much time bashing the husbands but just enough to let us women in the audience know that while we love ‘em, sometimes they are like additional children. The show is the perfect length, the set is simple and not distracting, and the writing, while a bit predictable, is extremely clever. motherhood THE MUSICAL is the perfect girls’ night out and I recommend it for all moms who are looking to unwind and share some laughs. This show reminds us that we are never alone in this crazy world of motherhood and no matter how difficult, embarrassing or challenging we find parenting to be, someone else is experiencing it as well.

Motherhood the Musical, runs through July 10th at the Jaeb Theater at the Straz Center.  www.strazcenter.org

____________________________________________________________________________
Ellie Hirsch enjoys raising her two little boys and strives to master motherhood every day. Head to http://www.mommymasters.blogspot.com for great articles and monthly parentings tips, and check out http://www.facebook.com/mommymasters to participate in fun discussions, ask for parenting advice and read updates on Ellie’s children’s music, coming soon.

Help Your Teen Avoid the “Summer Math Slide
Students Lose as Much as Two Months of Learning over the Summer

Learning math is a lot like learning a sport; you have to practice to improve your skills. If you take three months off, you will get rusty. Students, especially teenagers, want a summer packed with fun, and typically academics aren’t on the list of to-dos for the summer break. But there are things every student can do over the summer (and yes, they can be fun) to prevent losing the days and days of hard work they’ve already put into math during the school year.

According to the National Association for Summer Learning, across the board, all kids lose some math skills over the summer. On average, students lose approximately two months of grade-level math skills in the summer months if they do not participate in educational activities. Additional research, provided on the National Association for Summer Learning website, states losses in math are somewhat greater than those in reading, and teachers often spend four to six weeks re-teaching material. Time lost becomes crucial as students enter more demanding math classes in middle and high school.

But teenagers, with the help of their parents, can prevent the summer math slide.

“Students do not have to lose the math skills they developed during the school year,” says Tom Reardon, a math adviser for Texas Instruments and a retired math teacher with 35 years of experience in the classroom. “Summer is the perfect time for teenagers to focus on tuning up skills, and it can be done in some fun and engaging ways.”

Learning Outside of School
Students can explore opportunities to practice math in a variety of settings such as math or science related jobs including tutoring or working at science museums, Reardon says. This allows students to stay current on skills throughout the summer while gaining valuable work experience. Students also can attend local educational events.

Other students may want to seek out summer camps that integrate math and science with challenging hands-on activities. Also, local libraries, parks and recreation departments, and similar organizations offer a variety of educational camps and events during the summer months and are a great local resource for students and their families.

“Activities can range from part-time jobs to volunteer experiences,” says Reardon. “Students who passed Algebra I might volunteer to tutor a friend who is retaking the course. Also, if a student did not do well in a math class he or she should consider taking a refresher course over the summer.”

Learning at Home
Math skills can be maintained, or even improved, through activities at home. Math-focused websites, such as Illuminations, http://illuminations.nctm.org/ sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, provide practice problems but also include interactive exercises to make math review more like a video game. Students can also experience interactive learning with WebQuests, (webquest.org) which allow students to explore the Internet and learn to use resources while solving math problems.

Students who own graphing calculators, such as the TI-NspireTM graphing handheld from Texas Instruments, can download activities at the Student Zone. They can also practice math skills using TI-Nspire™ Student Software on their own computer. This summer TI will also be posting activities on the Texas Instruments (TI) Calculators Facebook page.

Visual learners can watch content-relevant videos available on TeacherTube.com. Even sport-fanatic teens can incorporate math into their summer by finding the statistics of their favorite player or team.

“Teenagers should have freedom to choose their style and method of learning during the summer,” Reardon says. “Students need to remain involved in activities they enjoy that also focus on academic growth.”

Other Learning Opportunities
Reardon recommends students keep previous math and science tests and take time to review last year’s exams before returning to school. If students did not save their tests, many schools post curriculum outlines online, and students can use these as guides to review and preview for the fall.

Parents can help their students get a jump start on this fall by taking time during the summer to become familiar with the materials and technology their teacher will be using. Many school districts post textbook selections online, and some publishers offer on-line content that can be reviewed before school starts. If a graphing calculator is not specified by a teacher, Texas Instruments provides a guide on its website to help students chose the one that is right for them.

Parents can take an active role in helping students prevent the academic summer slide by encouraging them to observe and practice math in day-to-day activities, such as:

• Making learning an adventure by visiting science or art museums, libraries and places that stimulate critical thinking;
• Creating a summer budget or practice investing in the stock market.
• Planning the details for the family vacation such as determining the mileage of the trip, estimated time of arrival and amount needed for gas money.
• Practicing mental math by doing simple math percentages such as cost per unit during trips to the grocery store.

“Summer learning should not be separate from summer fun,” Reardon says. “Activities can be enjoyable while still adding educational value to a teenager’s summer. Doing a little bit at a time and more often is much better than doing a whole lot once in a while.”

For more information visit: www.ParentingWithAngela.com

Can Tutoring Reduce Bullying?

Can Tutoring Reduce Bullying?

How Confident Students Can Triumph Over Bullies

Most parents think of tutoring as a solution for a child with bad grades, but Beatrice Hair knows it’s about so much more than just the grades.

“Knowledge breeds confidence,” said Hair, founder of the Salisbury Tutoring Academy, www.staltd.com and author of the book, H3LT: The Hair Three- Legged-Table Solution for Education. “If it ended with better grades and test scores, then all we’d be turning out are book-smart kids who can pass a minimum skills assessment. That’s not the goal. The goal is to help a child realize their full potential both intellectually and personally. Showing them how to think for themselves in a way that fuels their ability to learn also boosts their self confidence, and when you have a child who is smart and filled with self-esteem, that child will be capable of accomplishing anything.”

Hair has personal experience with that paradigm. One of her students, William Scott, was suffering through a teenager’s worst nightmare – classes filled with failure and schoolyards filled with bullies.

“William was a special child who had moved from a school where he was succeeding marginally to a school where all he found was failure,” Hair said. “He told me what he experienced at his new school were cruel teachers and bullies. He wrote me a letter after he finished our course where he described that period as one of the darkest times of his young life, saying that the only thing he learned in that school was how to hate.”

Scott switched schools again, and his parents enrolled him at Hair’s academy for one-on-one after-school tutoring. That’s when he said his life changed.

“I’ve suffered through many hardships in my brief sixteen years on this Earth. Some of the things I’ve been through many people would understand, while on the other hand I’ve faced things that few could comprehend. I’ve faced bullies at many different schools and fought cruel and perverted teachers,” he wrote in his letter. “The entire time I faced these challenges, I had to deal with things on a much more personal level such as my lack of self-confidence and my learning difficulties. Luckily in this dark time of my life, I found a glimmer of light. I had found hope at a tutoring academy. I don’t want to go into all of the details, but when I first entered the academy, I barely had a seventy-seven average and when I finished with Algebra 2, I had the highest class average. I’m happier now that I know I can pass difficult classes and excel in them if I just put in a little more effort into my work. I’m not really sure where I would be right now if I hadn’t gone to the Salisbury Tutoring Academy, but I know for sure that it wouldn’t be a good place.”

For Hair, Scott’s solution was what she refers to as the “three-legged-table.”

“Most major problems encountered by parents, teachers and students can be solved by addressing the problems with what I call the three-legged-table,” she said. “The child, the parent and the teacher each hold up one leg of this three-legged-table. The table is the platform for transformations to occur. Imagine a three-legged-table with one leg broken. Will it stand, or will it wobble at the first sign of any turbulence? In our process, we approach problems by involving everyone who holds a stake in that child’s development, and that’s why it worked for William.”

Beatrice Hair is the founder and owner of the Salisbury Tutoring Academy, the One-on-One School, which is a franchised tutoring academy for ages four-to-adult.

Find out more about whether your child needs a tutor

www.ParentingWithAngela.com

Getting Kids Outdoors

Talk to a group of parents long enough and the question is sure to come up: How do you get your kids off their electronic gadgets and get them outdoors?

Parents will lament and complain about how hard it is to even have a conversation with their children because they are so distracted with their cell phones, their handheld games and computers. Of course, some children will say the same about their parents.

“When the whole family can get moving together, it makes getting outdoors more fun. And it gets everyone moving,” says mother Kathy McDonald, owner of Get Clear Get Going Coaching and author of Creating Your Life Collage, a self-help book regarding work/life balance. “So many times we make commitments to get moving more, and we think we don’t have time. But if you save a regular time with your kids, you’re more apt to do it.”

Besides playing tennis with her family, McDonald and her two children, ages 12 and 11, walk their dogs together daily. “For my kids, walking the dogs is a great check point. We talk about how their day is going, how their lives are going. We’ve turned this daily ritual of walking the dogs into so much more,” she explains.

Developing a habit of fitness and appreciation of the outdoors should start early, McDonald says. “If you can make it a habit when they’re young, you’re helping them develop a habit that will support them throughout their lives,” she says. Equally important is giving their minds space to think, to foster their own creative thoughts instead of depending on video games or television to provide a story, she says.

Alex Curtis Boyer, program director for the abcPROGRAM at Baby Bungalow, cites research showing that children lack the upper body brachial strength that older generations possessed, the theory being children used to spend a lot more time climbing on jungle gyms and participating in other outside activities that helped build physical strength.

Outdoor exploration utilizes skills not needed for more passive play taking place indoors, Boyer says. “When children play outdoors, they have to look for things in the grass, climb trees, pick up rocks…It takes a whole different skill set than sitting in and watching TV. All your senses are engaged in a different way,” she explains.

She has also noticed in her line of work at Baby Bungalow that today’s children seem afraid to get dirty. Whereas their parents probably grew up making mud pies, these children aren’t necessarily used to playing with mud and other natural materials. In tactile learning, children are introduced to interesting textures such as shaving cream and sand. “They almost panic; they don’t want to get their hands dirty,” Boyer observes.

Perhaps the greatest benefit to spending time outdoors is the spiritual component that Mother Nature can provide, Boyer says. “The child that is outdoors, in a quiet surrounding, is using his or her senses, without being overly stimulated by technology. A lot of peace can come from nature. It can help a child be more centered, feeling they are one with nature and connected to the world.”

Local pediatrician Dr. Marcy Baker, says some parents have an unnecessary fear of the outside. While there are reasons to be cautious, parents should look at the risk/benefit ratio and allow their children some freedoms, she says. She allows her sixth grader to walk a few blocks down the street to visit a friend, for example. Regarding the perpetuation of fear, “the media is a big part of the problem, honestly,” she says.

“Parents need to not be fearful of letting kids play outside. It really is sad if kids aren’t outdoors at all. It’s just not good for them. Beyond physical health, being outside is good for their mental health and it’s important to have creative free play,” Baker says, adding that many studies demonstrate the correlation between increased screen time and increased weight.

To other parents, Baker recommends a sunny day rule like she has adopted at home: if it’s a beautiful day, there’s no reason not to play outside. If the sun is shining a bit too brightly, go to the pool or a beach, “while wearing sunscreen,” she adds. If her daughter Samantha has a friend over, they’re not allowed to be on the computer or the TV. “I send them out to play,” Baker says.
Like Boyer and McDonald, she cites imaginary play as a reason to get them outside, and emphasizes that social aspects can be incorporated into outside play that are invaluable. If your neighborhood isn’t abundant with other children playing outside, Baker suggests starting an outdoor club with a group of families that will go together to explore the great outdoors.
So strongly does Baker feel about this topic, a few years ago she started a Health and Fitness Committee at her daughter’s school, with a main project being a day set aside for walking to school. The website www.walktoschool.org offers tips for setting up similar programs, such as the International Walk to School Day.

She recommends reviving old traditions, such as camping in the backyard, creating leaf collections and keeping an aquarium. One family she read about bought a truck load of dirt, plastic buckets and shovels – for the price of a video game – to let their children discover the joys of dirt exploration. Baker suggests setting up a tent in the backyard and leaving it there for convenient, repeated camping.

Sending kids to summer camps where they can spend an extended amount of time immersed in hiking, canoeing, and other wildlife activities can be a wonderful, safe way to let children explore and learn Florida’s true environment.

Executive Director of Wildlife Foundation of Florida Brett Boston recommends the bestselling book, “Last Child in the Woods,” by Richard Louv, describing an ailment he calls Nature-Deficit Disorder. His website, http://richardlouv.com/children-nature-resources provides ideas of getting children outside.

According to Boston, spending time outdoors helps prevent juvenile diabetes, increases life expectancy, helps children with attention deficit disorder, and is important for overall good health. “Everything is so structured. We don’t have unstructured play time anymore, so children don’t invent games anymore,” Boston says sadly. “It used to be if you had a ball and some grass, you could make a game.”

“As parents, we’re all in the same boat. Relax and find your limit on what you think is safe. Parents need to consider, is there unstructured play in their child’s week? Are they getting to parks? Somewhere, there’s bird watching and great nature trails,” Boston says.

The Tampa Bay area offers a great many natural places to explore that are engaging to children. A few nearby places to explore with children are the Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach, Weedon Island Preserve off Gandy Boulevard, Inchetucknee River near Gainesville and Crystal River.

More tips about getting children outside can be found on the website for the National Wildlife Federation, www.NWF.org and the website for the Florida Youth Conservation Network, http://fyccn.org