Nature deficit disorder

Just in case any copyright attorneys are monitoring our extensive blogging library, Richard Louv is the exclusive owner of the title of this blog, not us.  In fact, most everything posted here is explored better than we could ever explain in his book Last Child in the Woods; saving our children from nature deficit disorder.  Fascinating – a nature deficit disorder.  At least there is a simple and readily available cure.

We (those cleverly disguised responsible adults) should be absolutely mortified that our kids like playing inside better because that’s where the electrical outlets are.  In this sort of a Levitt and Dubner-esque Freakonomicsstyle approach, Louv connects the absence of nature in a child’s life to debilitating concerns like obesity, attention disorders and depression.  Powerful stuff.  

Louv idetifies how exposure to nature is essential to a youngster’s development including but not limited to the physical and emotional sort.  With all of those “pharmaceutical” “ask your doctor about” commercials on television, seems there should be one shouting at the couch potato to turn of the magic box and find a river, a tree, or a blade of grass as soon as humanly possible.

That said, shut off your computer or mobile device and go out and play – NOW.  Get outside and live it up.  Most important, when booking your next family vacation, forget the app and instead bridge the nature gap.

Tags: adventure, camping, excercise, healthy living, kids, nature deficit, outside