Super Eco

Photo credit: ConneCTKids

If we want kids to appreciate nature, first they need to experience it. That's part of the logic behind the No Child Left Inside Act. When kids are outside, their physical and  psychological health also improves. They exercise more, resulting in better fitness; their attention spans expand; and their play gets more creative. So get these kids outside already!

Here's the rub: It's always easier to tell kids what to do than make them do it (or to do it with them). While TV, computers, and other electronic devices have had a hand in causing the Nature-Deficit Disorder, supervision is also a big factor.  As our fears have grown—sunburn, Lyme Disease, frostbite, poison ivy/oak/sumac, West Nile, and especially "stranger danger"—so has the need for supervision. If we want our kids to go outside, we have to go outside with them.

Part of the appeal of the No Child Left Inside Act is that teachers are the ones who have to put their coats on, not parents. With overcrowded classrooms, fresh air and outdoor space probably benefit all parties. But, of course, parents have to do their part, too.

It almost always feels good to get out. I used to never walk unless I had a concrete destination. As a parent, that's changed. You won't confuse me with Wendell Berry or Thoreau anytime soon, but my concentration and patience are generally boosted by outdoor time. And concentration and patience make parenting a whole lot easier. Which, in turn, makes indoor time better, too.