THE NECESSITY OF NATURE

Crisp summer morning air.  Smell of fresh poplars.  Warm orange sun spot lighting the mountains.  Light breeze whispering through the trees.  Birds singing their morning lullubys.  Bragg Creek, Alberta is home to me and brings back many fond memories of my childhood growing up with nature.

Nature is something that I value and hold dear to my heart.  Nature heals.  Nature fosters imagination.  Nature inspires.  Nature develops respect, understanding and creates relationships with something bigger than ourselves.  Nature, in my opinion, is key to our children’s health on both a physical and mental level.

I am reading a book called “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder.” – Richard Louv

Richard does a phenominal job linking the absence of nature in today’s young generation who are “plugged in” to some of the most disturbuing childhood trends:

• Attention disorders
• Childhood obesity
• Depression

This book reinforces the necessity of early exposure to nature to healthy childhood development for the physical and emotional health of our children, and ourselves!

Regardless of whether you live in a rural area or urban jungle, nature can be found.  Get your tots out of the house first thing in the morning.  Expose them to the smells, sights, sounds and touch of nature.  Let them feel nature, explore nature, develop a strong relationship with nature.  Play on the grass, listen to the birds, walk to the park, count the trees, find shapes in the clouds…foster your little one’s imagination!  What a simple and incredible gift we can give our children.

With love,

Kelly, S & O xo