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Parenting & Farm Kids:  Kids Stay Inside Too Much  |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 04:49:25 AM
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Tara, you remind me of one of the funniest things when my daughter brought home her new boyfriend, who would become her husband. I was out cleaning stalls, and my daughter said something flippant, and I picked up an old turd with my hand and lobbed it at her. She laughed and dodged, and then we went in and made lunch. He was aghast.
Now his boys dig in the dirt here, help with chores to the best of their ability, and ride their little pony. In order to let them stay outside as much as possible, I even pack little lunches for them so they can eat outside. They love the novelty of it, and my daughter reminisces about sharing tuna sandwiches with barn cats when she was younger.
I've been involved with horses for many years, and horsemen understand well the problems associated with keeping a horse stalled all the time. They begin to chew wood or crib, weave, paw, or just get really irritable. They can get absolutely crazy when finally allowed out. No wonder; they're made to run and roam the plains and be social, not stand isolated in a tiny stall.
Little kids are made like that, too. If they can't develop their muscles and intelligence as they are hardwired to do, they develop behavior and health problems, too.
I kid my daughter about taking her boys and longeing them.  |
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Rebekka Mae
True Blue Farmgirl
965 Posts
Rebekka
Moscow
ID
USA
965 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 11:00:08 AM
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a must read for farmgirls!!!
I am just finishing 'Last Child in The Woods- Saving our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder'- while it seems cliche to me to even have a book on this toopic I firmly believe that everyone who breathes (seriously) should read this book. It is eye-opening and has many very powerful solutions that will take place because of individuals. I was most amazed by the points that Richard Louv brings up with respect to adding wild spaces to cities- PLEASE FARMGIRLS- check this book out from your library or buy it and make one change in your life to help kids (and adults) in your community to have access to wild spaces, if you live on a farm find a way to let kids from a nearby city come to experience your lifestyle on a regular basis. I will be sure to share our thread with the author so that he can see what farmgirls are doing to return our children and ourselves to nature. From what you have already written I know you are doing this but we can all do a little more I am sure. I am inspired by this book to help local schools create wild spaces on school grounds and to have the children work to create them by collecting local plants and re-planting them (while meeting state standards in science, math and PE) since I am a teacher by training. Seeing these huge lawns and blacktops with children standing around makes me so sad- they don't have an environment that encourages play or imagination and we are paying heavily to water and spray chemicals to maintain a 'dead space'!
Please let me know what you think of this book!!!
Be Well, Rebekka |
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Mrs Tiggywinkle
Farmgirl in Training
36 Posts
Sara
Spokane
WA
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2006 : 9:57:42 PM
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I just ordered the "Last Child in the Woods" book for my mom. She has a farm in VA which is rapidly being surrounded by housing developments. She's "safe"; her land's protected in a conservancy, but she's so worried that all the open places are being cemented over & the kids living in the projects (I mean subdivisions) won't have anyplace to play. Parks seem to be low on the list of priorities... She's wondering whether the kids or dogs will end up causing havoc on her property, since there's nowhere else to go, but mostly, she's worried for the kids, & the whole idea that they have no unstructured time to just "piddle around," or a place to do it.
I know most of my non-school time was spent piddling around, and it was great! Even though I lived in town, I had private places & time to just come up with wacko ideas & carry them out. (Like "growing" hamster food in old milk cartons- my sister & I were laughing about that the other day.)
Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: Kids Stay Inside Too Much |
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Kids Stay Inside Too Much
