Our home is small, but fits us well. While an extra playroom would be nice, we love the fact that the space constrictions require us to stay closer as a family (there is no hiding!) It also naturally pushes us outside even more for a little extra room to breathe.
Today the house felt REALLY small (it is shocking really how many toys three kids under 4 can get out in a matter of 20 minutes.) I certainly had my own agenda (confession again) and it did not involve picking up toys a hundred times and breaking up quarrels.
And then it hit me: GET THEM OUTSIDE. You would think I would have this down by now, but for some reason today it was not the first solution I thought of. Also, the extra kids had come without any outdoor clothing at all (a big "no, no" at our house because there is no way they will be here longer than 2 hours and not be out there!) So, we rounded up what we could and dealt with camo gloves on girls and too small coats.
It made all the difference. Yes, for them too. :) My mood improved, Stressed Mama went away and we all joined in the fun. Because, you see - I didn't just shoo them outside; I went with them. Monkey See, Monkey Do, right? How could I expect my children to enjoy being out there when they saw it as me just getting rid of them and then continuing my own agenda?
Disclaimer: Yes, I know there are times when you just CAN'T be out there every moment. I feel particularly inclined to do so because of the fact our play area is not fenced, and I would prefer to keep all kids out of the way of traffic.
But, my point is this: Our kids follow what they see us do. If we want to raise children with a love of the outdoors, they need to see us love it too. Every day. Not just when it is a special trip or convenient.
Join in this week and get outside. With your kids. Amazing discoveries are made out there!
I actually thought of you & your family's rule of getting outdoors at least 15 minutes a day today. My little guy is just getting over 2 weeks of laryngitis and a cold, and I'm still managing my cold. Daddy had a fire in out back this evening, while H was inside with me getting a little antsy (aka whiney!) before supper. I thought of you and bundled him up and took him out back for the 15 minutes and suddenly all was right with the world. We showed him the fire in the backyard pit, walked around the trees and leaves, and touched the grass and dirt. Life was much better after that!
ReplyDeleteFunny how we sometimes have to learn those lessons over and over ;) Looks like it all worked out, though.
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