The Care and Feeding of Born Naturalists
(Page 4 of 4)
TIME ALONE
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It happened one day when I walked outdoors and heard a
distant "Hey Dad, look at me!" in the wind. I peered upward
to see two small legs dangling from a thin branch high in a
wildly swaying tree. My parental heart leapt to my throat
and before I could stop myself the words "Get down from
there right now!" came flying out of my mouth.
Even as a teenager, I knew I was fortunate to have grown up
in a place where I could spend a lot of time outdoors. But
it wasn't until that moment, as a father, that I came to
fully appreciate the role my parents had played by giving
me the freedom to discover nature on my own terms (within
reasonable limits, of course).
Today's children are better educated in ecology and
environmental science than any previous generation. It's
important knowledge. But nature is more than academic
fodder. The sun's role in the carbon cycle is one thing;
its warmth on the back of your neck, another. One can be
taught; the other must be felt .
Occasionally, I'll notice one of my sons off by himself,
sitting by our pond, watching dragonflies, or wandering in
our small woodlot. I'm tempted to go tell him something
about dragonflies, or to point out the goldenseal in the
woods. But I resist.
I know there'll be many chances for him to learn
facts about the natural world. What children need
most, I think, is just the time and opportunity to
be in the outdoors—to feel the pulse of
nature, to exercise their connection to it on their own, no
help required. Given that sort of learning, they'll do
fine. They are, after all, born naturalists. Just like me.
Just like you.
Want to share your experiences with children and nature? Go
to http://www.motherearthnews.com/forums and register for
our Reader Forums, where you can post nature-exploring
ideas and swap stories with other readers.
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