Comments on: Connecting Children with Nature http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/connecting-children-with-nature.html High Quality Montessori Materials Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:05:34 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v= hourly 1 By: Lori Bourne http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/connecting-children-with-nature.html/comment-page-1#comment-2054 Lori Bourne Thu, 28 May 2009 17:58:20 +0000 http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/?p=2288#comment-2054 I agree; I still marvel that my parents let us play outside for hours, riding up and down the block, through parking lots and parks, and had no idea where we were. I guess if we hadn't shown up for dinner they'd have been worried. I was reading an article by the "subway mom" (who let her 9-year old boy ride the New York subway alone) and she absolutely reamed parents who don't (in her opinion) give kids enough freedom. Her basic point was, most people are good and so bad things aren't very likely to happen to your children. However, I immediately wondered if the reason most American kids stay safe isn't because people are so "good", but because parents are so protective. Anyway, the point of this post is more along the lines of the benefits of nature. I think most outdoor activities/playtime should be supervised by an adult, even if the adult isn't actually with the child. Kids can still get a lot out of that contact, and of course the adult can often be the link between kids and nature, helping them discover and understand the world around them. I agree; I still marvel that my parents let us play outside for hours, riding up and down the block, through parking lots and parks, and had no idea where we were. I guess if we hadn’t shown up for dinner they’d have been worried.

I was reading an article by the “subway mom” (who let her 9-year old boy ride the New York subway alone) and she absolutely reamed parents who don’t (in her opinion) give kids enough freedom.

Her basic point was, most people are good and so bad things aren’t very likely to happen to your children. However, I immediately wondered if the reason most American kids stay safe isn’t because people are so “good”, but because parents are so protective.

Anyway, the point of this post is more along the lines of the benefits of nature. I think most outdoor activities/playtime should be supervised by an adult, even if the adult isn’t actually with the child. Kids can still get a lot out of that contact, and of course the adult can often be the link between kids and nature, helping them discover and understand the world around them.

]]> By: Bruce Bourne http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/connecting-children-with-nature.html/comment-page-1#comment-2053 Bruce Bourne Thu, 28 May 2009 17:40:53 +0000 http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/?p=2288#comment-2053 I have many fond memories of playing outdoors growing up, but I think of what I did as a kid, and I wouldn't feel comfortable letting our kids be in the same environment. One of my highlights was playing war in a swampy creek setting (known to occasionally have poisonous snakes and snapping turtles) often throwing sticks, dirt, and sometimes rocks at each other to 'tag' the other kid. I had so much fun in that environment, yet the idea of our kids doing those same activities...well, that's not going to happen! I think I felt a sense of freedom as a kid that unfortunately isn't possible for many in today's society for reasons listed in your post. Look at the stock photo of the kid hiking; how far away do you think the kid's parent is, 10 feet tops? We want our kids to be free to explore, yet as parents we also want them to be safe, and I think that's the rub. Kids don't want adults to define the environment, they want to define it. As a kid if I want to jump off a branch 10 feet in the air (which I did) I'm going to do it. If I saw our son or daughter trying the same thing, I would race over to catch them then scold them for trying something so crazy. Not trying to dissuade from having kids play outdoors, as it's absolutely essential for so many reasons (plus it gets them out of the house!). But when it comes to the amount of freedom of exploration that's when it gets tough as a parent. Just typing as I'm thinking.... I have many fond memories of playing outdoors growing up, but I think of what I did as a kid, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting our kids be in the same environment. One of my highlights was playing war in a swampy creek setting (known to occasionally have poisonous snakes and snapping turtles) often throwing sticks, dirt, and sometimes rocks at each other to ‘tag’ the other kid. I had so much fun in that environment, yet the idea of our kids doing those same activities…well, that’s not going to happen!

I think I felt a sense of freedom as a kid that unfortunately isn’t possible for many in today’s society for reasons listed in your post. Look at the stock photo of the kid hiking; how far away do you think the kid’s parent is, 10 feet tops? We want our kids to be free to explore, yet as parents we also want them to be safe, and I think that’s the rub. Kids don’t want adults to define the environment, they want to define it. As a kid if I want to jump off a branch 10 feet in the air (which I did) I’m going to do it. If I saw our son or daughter trying the same thing, I would race over to catch them then scold them for trying something so crazy.

Not trying to dissuade from having kids play outdoors, as it’s absolutely essential for so many reasons (plus it gets them out of the house!). But when it comes to the amount of freedom of exploration that’s when it gets tough as a parent. Just typing as I’m thinking….

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