Enjoy the Nurturing Power of Nature!

There
are only a few weeks of vacation before school begins and about six weeks until
summer is officially over. Make the most of your more flexible
schedule and the warm weather by spending time with your child in nature’s
beauty.

Nature
is one of the most empowering, centering experiences you can give your
child…and yourself. It invites you and your child to slow down, to fill
your senses with tantalizing fragrances, sights, and smells. It gives you and
your child space to hear yourself more clearly and to re-connect with your
deepest inner truths.

Being
in nature with your child is a joy! It is my favorite place to spend time with
my son Orion, both when he was a child during all of his growing-up years and
now as an adult. We’re surrounded by nature’s beauty and peacefulness, barriers
go down, and a more trusting connection naturally occurs between the two of us.

Important
things get talked about when you’re in nature with your child. You have
heart-felt conversations you wouldn’t have sitting at the dinner table, in a
restaurant or in a theme park.

According
to Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children
from Nature-Deficit Disorder," compelling research confirms the power and
importance of nature in your child’s life. Today’s children
spend dramatically less time in nature than previous generations, creating what
Louv and I believe are harmful, long-term effects in children, including
childhood obesity and ADD.

If
your child is like many, she spends a lot of time inside, often in front of a
screen or on the phone. Perhaps your child is busy with her own
classes and activities on a daily basis, leaving little time for free play or
nature. Or your schedule is so full it’s hard to find time. You may be afraid
to let her play freely outside because of fear about what might happen.

Nature
is accessible to all of us and with a minimum of cost and effort, if you are
willing to create the time and the intention. You can go to a
beach, lake, or river. Perhaps there is a nearby meadow you can explore, an
open space park, or even a small creek that runs through your town. Nature is
even in your front yard if you take the time to look.

Quality
time in nature is essential to your child’s healthy emotional and physical
development.
Give your child and yourself an empowering, nurturing retreat in nature soon!

Love
Joyously!

I
hope I’ve convinced you to make some time to be in nature with your child. Here are some
guidelines on how to make the most of your time in nature.

1. Take a deep breath, relax your mind and body, and be present in nature with all five of your senses. Soak up nature’s beauty.
2. Let your child be your guide. She will discover beetles and beautiful rocks and interesting things in the water you might miss without her fresh perspective.
       
3. Take off your parent hat and be a fellow human being, exploring, discovering, sharing. Be willing to be surprised.
       
4. Be aware of your surroundings and trust that nature is a safe environment for your child. Let him experience this natural setting with a minimum of "No," "Be careful," and "Don’t do that."
5. Enjoy and cherish every moment of this delightful time with your child. It is one of life’s most magnificent experiences.

Before you get home, plan your next outing
together.
Perhaps next time you’d like to invite a friend and share the awesome beauty of
our natural world with her.