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For many of us, childhood was filled with outdoor wonder:  playing outside, riding bikes, exploring nearby woods, creeks, lakes, or parks.  However, those memories may not be a part of childhood for millions of American children growing up in this generation.  The internet, video games, highly structured time, and fear are alienating Americans, particularly American kids, from nature at an alarming rate.  Richard Louv explores this phenomena in Last Child in the Woods, where he describes American kids as suffering from “nature deficit disorder.” Louv doesn’t use the term in a clinical sense, but as descriptor for the loss of community, wonder, and health benefits that have arisen from our societal disassociation with nature.  With stunning rises in ADHD, obesity, and diabetes, all of us need to unplug and reap the restorative benefits of a nature experience, even if that’s nothing more than a bike ride around the neighborhood. 

At times a bit dreamy, Last Child in the Woods brings a message that all of us--especially parents--need to hear:  that nature isn’t just important to us, its imperative to our well-being; that there are things that can’t be counted that still count; and that no one will care for the environment or conservation tomorrow if they’ve been disconnected from it today by apathy, hurry-up living, and doom-and-gloom prophecies of environmental catastrophe.

I think it has more to do with the parents irrational fear of the great outdoors. People see predators (both animal and human) behind every tree, so mom and dad would rather have their kids become brain-dead zombies playing “Gears of War” for twelve hours a day rather than get some sun.

estee - 04 January 2007 02:52 PM

I think it has more to do with the parents irrational fear of the great outdoors. People see predators (both animal and human) behind every tree, so mom and dad would rather have their kids become brain-dead zombies playing “Gears of War” for twelve hours a day rather than get some sun.

I agree--fear (along with highly structured time) is a major factor in kids disconnection with nature.  The whole “stranger-danger” business has just been catastrophically overblown.  It’s important that kids be aware of people and things in their surroundings, especially those that don’t send out the right vibe.  But the statistical possibility of being kidnapped by a complete stranger in the United States:  1 in a million, literally.

I think the “doom and gloom” presentation of environmental issues hurts, too.  Positive messages about ecology have nearly been completely consumed by warnings of a looming environmental apocalypse.  Don’t get me wrong--global warmning is a serious issue that needs to be adequately addressed.  However, the country has made great strides in cleaning itself up since the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Protection Act, and other federal acts came down the pipe in the 1970’s and after.  People often forget that environmental regulation in the United States (and elsewhere, for that matter) is younger than most of the country’s inhabitants.

Mary Pipher touched upon parts of this in her book, The Shelter of Each Other. The healing power of nature has shown up in quite a few psychology texts as well.

Our drive for convenience has created a situation where Americans become lazy and selfish. If the forest isn’t brought to you then you don’t care about it.

The more we try to create a safe environment the likelier we are to panic when a problem surfaces, thus making things worse. It’s ok for our kids to go through the rough and tumble nature of childhood. This teaches them new ways to navigate our world. It can also be an unforeseen chance for both child and parent to learn something new. I have scars from childhood mishaps. From these events I learned not only what not to do if I get hurt, but to also judge risky situations better. Insulating ourselves from fear is deadlier than dealing with a situation head on.