Parenting Reflections

“Nature is good for people: let’s recognize the right of every child to live and grow up in a wildlife-rich world.”

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.  The Convention generally defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen.  During the 30^th anniversary of its Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the convention adopted the Rights of the Child on September 2, 1990.

While the importance of nature in a young child’s life was not in the original Convention of 1990, Tony Young, head of the Scottish Wildlife trust, is now proposing an amendment that would consider access to nature as being included in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In his proposal he states;

“Governments can and should articulate a new right: that every child and young person has the right to grow up and live in a high-quality, wildlife-rich environment with ready access to the physical and mental health benefits, developmental advantages, and play opportunities it affords.  There is a growing and compelling body of evidence that regular and ready access to a wildlife-rich environment is essential for children’s health and wellbeing.

As you consider nature in your own child’s life, how important is it for the children of the world to have access as well?  While this question may seem easy to provide an answer for, how would you take a step forward in your neighborhood, community, city, state, nation or world to do?   Advocacy starts small-lets share ideas so we of Parenting Reflections can assure a place in nature for all children.

For more information on the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child go to http://www.unicef.org/crc  As of November 2009, 193 countries are party to it, including every member of the United Nations except Somalia, South Sudan and the United States of America.

As children are allowed to explore outdoors, one can expect bumps and bruises to occur.  Who doesn’t reflectively look back at outdoor adventures and not remember a bruised knee or a skinned elbow as the result of climbing a tree or racing a bike with another down a sidewalk?  With encouraging active experiences in the outdoor environment for your children also comes the obligation of keeping a child safe.

It is nearly impossible to allow active learning while keeping children free from harm.  Teaching children safety rules is a necessary part of encouraging them to explore while at the same time remembering personal safety habits.  The following are a collection of rules to adapt in your home as you encourage playful learning outdoors.

• For young children, the presence of an adult is still the most important safety tool they have.  There is no substitute for adult supervision and attention.

• Keep children well hydrated.  Always bring bottled water outdoors and encourage your child to drink from it frequently throughout the day.

• Require that your child wear a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard, skates or scooter.  Because modeling of adult behavior is the best teaching tool, make sure adults wear helmets as well.

• Examine the outdoor area before your child plays to assure safety.  If your child is playing in a public park, playground, or beach take a walk around to make sure there is no broken glass, tripping hazards hidden in the grass, ant hills, wasp nests or slippery surfaces.

• If you have a home swimming pool keep the area locked unless an adult is present.  Hide the key in a spot where children are unable to reach it and be firm on the rule of “no adult-no swimming”.

• Use insect repellant.  Common insect bites are a big concern now that many carry diseases.  Use the repellant as a necessary part of your outdoor routine.

• Use sunscreen.  The sun’s UV rays can be especially damaging to a child’s young skin, and the summer sun is especially harmful.  Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and apply every 2-3 hours to sustain proper potency on the skin.

• Identify poisonous plants.  If you live near wooded areas or go with your children learn to identify plants such as poison ivy and poison oak so they will know what to avoid.

What safety rules do you encourage with your children to assure their safety?  Please share with others so children are safe and protected in the great outdoors.

Beth Gausman C.F.L.E.

Licensed in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education

As the spring weather continues to warm, the opportunity to bring what might be considered as indoor activities for children to the great outdoors.  For those Parenting Reflection friends who live in year round warm climates, you may be familiar with some of these activity suggestions so please bare with those of us who have huddled indoors during the last cold winter months.

The following are suggestions of activities that parents can participate in outdoors with their children.  Make modifications as necessary for your children and their likes and interests.  When you have read the list make a list of your own and submit in the comment section.  Lets keep this list going for the benefit of all.

• Make an old fashion mud pie by getting your hands in dirt and water

• Camp in the backyard-sleeping overnight is an option

• Draw a map of your backyard or other natural area.

• Invent a nature game-find six circles, five straight lines…etc.

• Build a boat from a leaf and a stick and go leaf boating in a puddle

• Walk through your yard in the evening with a flashlight to guide you

• Lay on the ground and listen

• Read outside under a tree

• Collect stones and build something with them

• Collect natural items to make a “wonder” bowl

• View wildlife without keeping them

• Look for animal tracks

• Make shadow rubbings with crayons and paper

What are your favorite things to do outside with your children?

Beth Gausman C.F.L.E.

Licensed in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education

Spring is here and its time to get outdoors and reacquaint ourselves with all that nature has to offer!

While adults may already be familiar with their favorite outdoor activities, the young child sees the outdoor world as a fabulous blank slate of countless places to explore. Interactions with nature begin the moment the child goes outside with a bug found on the front step of their home or school and will end with a cool breeze that brushes their check before going in for the evening.

The need to be outside to experience the ever-changing world is a necessity for the developing child. While the indoor environment contains their behaviors with walls, doors, and windows, the outdoor environment allows total body freedom that simply can not be replicated indoors; running, jumping, loud voices, dirty hands and toes in the grass to name a few.

Research tells us that the child’s ability to interact with the outdoor environment has developmental benefits that extend beyond those physically observed.  Children are found to be more imaginative, creative and cooperative when playing outdoors. Additionally, children experience less stress when playing along side others in nature.

Richard Louv, author of the international bestseller, Last Child in the Woods, has coined the phrase nature-deficit disorder to describe the growing gap between children and nature.  After the first publication of his book, in 2005, he heard from many adults who agreed with this descriptive phrase for children but added adults are suffering from the disorder as well.

Have we become a society hesitant or even afraid to be outdoors?  How much time do you as an adult spend outdoors both for your own well being and along with your children as a way to promote a healthy lifestyle for your family?  Our blog this month will focus on the outdoor environment as a place for life long learning and health.  Lets begin our conversation with your thoughts on children and outdoor play and how it is promoted in your home.

Beth Gausman, C.F.L.E.

Licensed in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education