ASK MOM: I can’t get my kid to go outside. She’s 11 years old, and all she wants to do is watch TV, scroll her feeds, or chat with friends on the computer. Even when she gets together with friends, they’d rather go to a mall or a movie. One time she said to me: “I can’t stand nature. It’s so dirty.” This frightens me. I worry about our planet, and I can’t see how anybody could NOT worry. And it breaks my heart that she’s missing out on the most joyful thing to do—go outside
MARY SAYS: I share your concern about this. So many children are spending so little time outside there’s even a name for it: Nature Deficit Disorder. As human beings, we’re designed to commune with the great outdoors, not hide from it. And as horrified as your daughter may be to hear this, she’s actually part of nature in all its amazing—yet imperfect—glory.
Don’t worry, your daughter will most likely develop an appreciation for nature (as most people do) when she matures, but right now, she’s into what 11-year-olds like to do—screens, friends, and tween activities.
But still. How can you encourage your child to go outside now?
We know she likes screen time, so let’s move it outdoors. Show her how to take photographs of landscapes with her phone (or yours if she doesn’t have one yet—she’ll love that). Sign her up for a photography class so she can actually develop her skills and learn how to recognize what makes a good shot: purple-pink sunsets, intricate cloud formations, twisted tree trunks, and close-ups of flowers.
Experiment with some of the outdoor apps. There’s an app for everything, such as identifying birds by recording their songs or learning about unusual foliage by uploading a photo.
One activity your daughter might enjoy is geocaching for kids. This outdoor scavenger hunt combines high-tech (GPS) and good old-fashioned time outdoors. Kids love it because they find real ‘stuff,’ and mom and dad like it because it often involves the surrounding terrain and natural history.
Whatever you choose, don’t give up. Most people find nature a source of strength, peace, and solace. If they don’t, somebody probably never showed them how.
ASK MOM offers parents two perspectives on today’s child-rearing issues—one from a mom with grown children (Mary), the other from a mom raising a small child (Erika). If you’re looking for creative solutions, or your mom isn’t around to ask, drop in!
If you have a question for Mary and Erika, we’d love to hear from you! askmomyourquestion@gmail.com
Read more ASK MOM advice.
Mary Follin is the author of Teach Your Child to Read™ and ETHYR, winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and the Gertrude Warner Book Award. She is mom to two grown sons and enjoys sharing her more seasoned perspective with parents of younger children.
Erika Guerrero is a freelance hair and makeup artist, Erika K. Beauty, and mama to one amazing boy and a darling daughter.
Suzanne Johnson, mother of five children and grandmother of eight, is an illustrator, book cover designer, and author of the Realms of Edenocht series.
