homage to Children and Nature
Meeting a group of like-minded families was my goal for attending one of Janice and Ron’s Family Adventures in Nature hikes, on new year’s day 2009. What I didn’t realize was how much of a profound effect it would have on my life over the course of the next year! Having only lived in San Diego for a year at that time, with two very young children, my husband and I sometimes struggled to simply get out of the house, let alone find the time to familiarize ourselves with much of the outdoor opportunities in the area – hiking, tidepooling, puddle jumping, creek wading and camping. We were already a family committed to spending as much time as possible with our children outdoors, what we were missing was a community of friends to enjoy that time with and getting it on our calendar!
What began with a simple hike for our family has turned into countless benefits for us all! My kids have learned so much about the environment we now live in, the animals and plants that are part of our explorations, and of course made friendships with many other kids from our weekly outings. Hearing my 4 year old tell another child to “look at the moss, it’s so soft and moist!” and watching my 2 year old clamber over rocks with pride on her face as I tell her “great job hiking!” are some of the simple rewards of the time spent outdoors. We often enjoy the company of our kid’s grandparents, aunt and uncle and our nephew, and it has enriched our time with our extended family as well.
In fact, I now lead a subgroup of the family nature club, and have been enjoying the company of many other families on these outings, I have also become engaged with the SD Children and Nature Collaborative, joined the board and become part of the movement in San Diego and of the national C&NN movement as well. In addition, I have formed wonderful friendships with other parents and colleagues through SDCaN and Family Adventures in Nature, and have found a real joy in connecting others to our group, and enriching and expanding their lives as well.
Finally, because of this all, I’ve become engaged in my daughter’s preschool to ensure that the kids there are also able to experience more outdoor time, in the school garden, on the arts patio, and on field trips.
This last year has been a truly eye-opening and spirit-fulfilling one because of the children and nature movement and its impact on me and my family, both personally and professionally.
