As a mom, you never know when you may need a moment to yourself to decompress, drink some wine (hey; we don't judge), and send your kids outside to play. Maybe this explains why 63% of respondents in a landscaping survey say they’d pay more or an apartment or house if it is located near open green spaces.
Even though you may love the time you get to yourself when your kids go out and play, unfortunately not all parents feel the same. Kids today spend 50% less time playing outdoors than their parents did, according to a new survey of parents from the National Trust.
All in all, The Guardian reports that 96% of 1,001 parents between four and 14 thought that it was important for their children to develop a relationship with nature. They also believe that playing outdoors is important for their social development.
So if the majority of parents are thinking this, why are we seeing so many children and toddlers playing with iPads and smartphones? Why aren’t more kids outside?
The research found that children were playing outside for a meager four hours or less per week, compared to eight or more for previous generations.
Four hours. Per week. We need to send our kids outside!
Think back to what you were doing when you were your child's age. Most likely you were playing outside, playing with bugs, and getting dirt between your toes. Do you regret that time you spent outside becoming one with nature? Probably not.
All in all, the National Trust has complied a list of 50 things for children to do before they turn 11 to get them engaged with the outdoors, and possibly become a bit more like their parents. The list includes climbing a tree, building a den, playing with sticks, hunting for bugs, and stargazing.
However, more and more people are calling the authorities when they see kids playing outside unattended. One parent in the United States is in hot water after an angry neighbor threatened to report him to Child Protective Services because their child was playing football outside in the rain.
The story goes like this. According to Sheknows.com, the angry father took to the Internet site Reddit to complain about his upset neighbor and his wet children. The man and his wife decided to let their five and seven year-old sons play in their front yard during a mild-summer storm. They lived in a cul-de-sac neighborhood with a picket fenced yard and didn't think too much about it.
The neighbor came outside and told the children to go inside because of the rain. When she was confronted by the parents, the neighbor said that letting the children play in the rain is considered neglect, and that "CPS has been called for less."
Not one to not cause a scene, the neighbor came through with her threats and a family was investigated by a social worker the following week.
Really?
It’s safe to say that the social worker left pretty quickly, because playing outside in your front yard is not a crime.
Let's say it again for the people in the back. Playing outside in your front yard is not a crime.
While yes, this story is a bit dramatic, it does shed a light on the phenomena that is happening around the world. Children need to spend time outside and not on their mobile devices, but when they go outside their parents are shamed into child neglect?
What is even happening?
So to all the fabulous moms out there: Let's leave the haters behind and let kids be exactly that, kids. Let them play outside, get muddy and wet, and let them have some fun.
In the spirit of childhood creativity and imagination, why don't you print out the list by The Trust and have your children amuse themselves while being outside? Plus, it will be good for your child's health.
It is no secret that childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic worldwide. Children nowadays are inside on their electronics, sitting on the couch all day, and not getting active. They're eating junk food by the handfuls, and not exercising enough to burn all those calories.
Not only is this epidemic extremely unhealthy, it is incredibly expensive. Recent estimates are hard to find, but in 2005 the total cost of obesity was at least $4.3 billion a year. In America, the United States spends closer to $14 billion every year on the direct healthcare costs of childhood obesity alone.
Moral of the story: Let's send the kids outside, because our children need to play.
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