Quote of the Week
"When we heal the Earth, we heal ourselves." - David Orr
How To Protect Kids From Nature-Deficit Disorder
“Nature-deficit disorder” is not a medical diagnosis, but a useful term—a metaphor—to describe what many of us believe are the human costs of alienation from nature: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses, a rising rate of myopia, child and adult obesity, Vitamin D deficiency, and other maladies.
Because researchers have turned to this topic relatively recently, most of the evidence is correlative, not causal. But it tends to point in one direction: Experiences in the natural world appear to offer great benefits to psychological and physical health and the ability to learn, for children and adults. The research strongly suggests that time in nature can help many children learn to build confidence in themselves, calm themselves, and focus." [read more]
Reading Corner
Title: Heal The Earth
By: Julian Lennon & Bart Davis
Ages: 3-6
"Jump aboard the White Feather Flier, a magical plane that can go wherever you want. This time, Lennon’s interactive book immerses children in a fun and unique journey where they can:
-Bring medicine to people in need!
-Dive below the ocean to bleached coral reefs!
-Visit the city to cultivate green spaces!
-Help the rain forest return and give its animals a home!
-Explore the planet, meet new people, and help make the world a better place!
The Flier's mission is to transport readers around the world, to engage them in helping to save the environment, and to teach one and all to love our planet. " - Publishers
Recommended by Kindful Kids Editors
Be The Change
Based on the article and the book suggestion, here are some seed questions, to talk about environment and small actions you can take with your kids:
Engaging your children in problem solving: What good things are we already doing in our day to help the earth? What simple changes can our family make to take even better care of our planet?
Asking questions that prompt conversations about environmental ethics: "Why should we walk instead of drive to the park?"
Explaining that simple decisions can have an impact, like coloring on both sides of the page, turning off the water when you brush your teeth, or turning out lights when you leave a room.
Do you have an experience to share? Do share your story with us :)
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