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

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