sarah, i think it’s true. and i think it extends to eco-issues. because if kids don’t have a feeling for what is “normal” in nature, why would they work to save it? i mean, i can’t believe that it isn’t safe to eat fish caught in my state, period. when did that happen? certainly during my lifetime.

of course, i just read an article this week about how kids have a feeling of doom about the earth and half of them think it might not be here when they grow up. it seems a shame if they grasp the importance of taking care of the planet but take it in only as doom and gloom and destruction and not as a responsibility to beauty and complexity and health.

dawn, i agree with you completely! what childhood experience *isn’t* packaged these days? i have had awkward conversations with other homeschooling parents who don’t feel comfortable with setting up certain experiences for their children (art, nature study) and are relieved when someone else — an “expert” — takes over. someone not only an “expert” in art or nature study or cooking or *whatever* but also an expert in *teaching*. i find that incredibly sad and frustrating!

i agree that there are some great environmental ed. programs — but there are so many *dismal* ones. a local program for young children was all about bugs; it was held in an incredible park with every sort of habitat right at hand. instead of tromping outside with bug boxes and nets, the kids sat in an air-conditioned space and crayoned coloring pages of bugs and made follow-directions crafts. *dismal*

agree, agree re: “just something else to learn about”. because adults seem to “teach” kids in one way only — with coloring pages, follow-directions crafts, games, etc. it doesn’t really matter what the topic is — space, bugs, *whatever*. it gets delivered in this very canned and predictable way.

adults are the ones who can’t stand open-ended time in nature — they want to introduce a craft or an activity or a science experiment — *something* to define the time and give it meaning. they just can’t relax and let their kids be at peace and play and explore. when i see your pictures on flickr, it is exactly the way i think most children should be able to spend time in nature — just exploring that sense of wonder, with none of the oppressive “okay, let’s start that activity now” mood.

i am also happy to see parents talking about wanting to get their kids out in nature; i just wish adults could learn a new way to be with children. as you say, allowing them that unstructured time and supporting them when they want to learn more. also, simply learning how to *be* without always having to *do*. i can’t help thinking that kids brought up with this steady diet of busy-busy-busy activity-activity-activity, always being injected with fun-fun-fun, are going to become dependent on being constantly entertained and diverted. and how is that any better than screen time?

dawn — as usual we are of one mind! :^)

another problem i have with nature programs (and i don’t mean to blacken them all with the same brush — there *are* some good and great ones) is that the kids aren’t together long enough to form relationships. i would rather get together very casually with the same handful of children over a season, say, to explore a particular park in a very relaxed way, supporting the kids’ interests. i think a lot of parents think more “learning” takes place in these programs, when really it is all just forgotten again — or impressions are made that you really would *not* want your child to remember anyway. it’s just another case of — you could do it simpler yourself at home and get a much better result!

and thank you. ;^)

tracey, that does sound like a great program! lol re: not having the confidence to leave home — it’s good you found something that works for you!