One of the tenets of my parenting practice is to go outside everyday. Fresh air clears the congestion that builds up from being inside too long. When the house starts to feel stressed and chaotic, it is time to bundle up the little people and get out the door as quickly as possible for a fresh shot of oxygen.
I usually have no plan, except to get us outside. I let the clean air and natural world lead us. Sometimes we poke around in the garden, let the chickens out to play, ride bikes, walk to the end of the street to visit the horses, or just wander into the forest. The destination is never the goal, the journey is where we experience. I heard somewhere that, “Children need to have time everyday to be surrounded by nature”. I like to hang back and let them explore the environment on their own. They have the freedom to run ahead and stop at what interests them. We like to observe together, discuss the bird’s songs, the bark on trees, and the many different varieties of moss we come across. Each time we walk past certain trees, we notice how they are different because of the season.
The world is constantly changing, especially in nature. There is always something new to experience when we step outside. I hope that I am helping them develop this sense of observing wonder, and that it never gets old. There are so many things we can cram into a day being busy, it is easy to forget to enjoy your own front yard. Their childhoods are fleeting, soon they’ll have much better things to do than take a walk with me. But for now, we can’t pass a patch of dried thistles without everyone getting a magic wand.
Did I get everyone outside today? Nope. Some of us did, and that’s ok.
