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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Scary Future For Our Children!
mickey2 09:11 AM 05-14-2011
These are quite eye opening and so scary! 
Nature Deficit Disorder Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtdh...&feature=share
Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKH4Y...eature=related
Nature Deficit Disorder Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtdh...&feature=share
Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKH4Y...eature=related
nannyde 09:49 AM 05-14-2011
Originally Posted by Children First:
These are quite eye opening and so scary!
Nature Deficit Disorder Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtdh...&feature=share
Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKH4Y...eature=related
"I want more"These are quite eye opening and so scary!
Nature Deficit Disorder Presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAtdh...&feature=share
Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKH4Y...eature=related
That's the basic consumer identity
It's shallow
It's about me
It's about ME NOW
It's about me and these things.
"We need a proactive... forward looking way as a society to say how is this changing us? How is this changing our society and do we want this?"
"This is alot more than about selling products and services. This is about the direction in which we are going as a culture as a society and as human beings."
This is what I have been saying for a long time about how we are changing as a society. This is the main reason I spend as much time as I do trying to get people to THINK about what we are doing... in an incremental way... and how it is now really coming to the surface in ways we CAN NOT deny.
The change in the last two three years is greater than any time span I know in my three decades of caring for kids. It's happening now... right now.
it's about me NOW
Michael 01:40 PM 05-14-2011
While TV has been an incredible invention I believe it is also the reason why we have many of the problems our kids have today. Think about it. We place that box in the middle of our homes. We become "friends" with the actors and they all show us what we don't have. Many don't think they can be happy unless they have what everyone else has. It is a marketing masterpiece but a false reality and we end up the worse for it morally, socially and civilly.
KEG123 05:22 PM 05-14-2011
Great videos. Thanks for sharing.
Crystal 05:38 PM 05-14-2011
It really is sad that children are experiencing much less interaction with nature. I try to provide a natural envrionment indoors in addition to outdoors and we spend a lot of time outdoors becasue so many children are not getting those opportunities elsewhere. It's sad. I remember spending well over half of my day, EVERY day, outside playing, and then going camping nearly every weekend with my family -those are some of the best memories of my life and we regualrly camp/hike/bike with our own children. To bad they are growing up and moving out.
Anyways, I highly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Child-Woo...5419833&sr=8-1
to anyone who is interested in this topic.
Anyways, I highly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Child-Woo...5419833&sr=8-1
to anyone who is interested in this topic.
PitterPatter 07:39 PM 05-14-2011
I noticed 1 of the issues blamed was overprotective parents. Yes I am VERY overprotective and even fearful at times BUT not of nature. I allow my child every oportunity to have free access to nature. In the summer I encourage it more often. We go to the nature center and take walks thru the woods and do scavenger hunts. Some of the daycare kids are afraid to touch things but most will try if they see the rest of us exporing and enjoying it. 1 child was extremely fearful of ants and caterpillars anything that creeped or crawled. 2 months later she was picking them up.
Sadly what I see a lot of in the neighbor hood kids is abuse of nature. Things like breaking trees and beating flowers down with a stick. I just don't get it. I find beauty in just about any living thing. JUST ABOUT everything!
Thank u for sharing these links!
Sadly what I see a lot of in the neighbor hood kids is abuse of nature. Things like breaking trees and beating flowers down with a stick. I just don't get it. I find beauty in just about any living thing. JUST ABOUT everything!
Thank u for sharing these links!
ammama 09:12 PM 05-14-2011
nature deficit disorder is something that I have been researching (personally) for a few years now. I highly recommend Last Child in the Woods as well!
It's been a really depressing journey for me - I went to my child's school principal last school year, and talked about the absolute lack of nature in the curriculum - for which there is no excuse in her school, as they are very near to one the largest urban natural environments in Canada (Edmonton River Valley system, Millcreek ravine park). She basically told me that they were not willing to take the chance that someone might get hurt on trips down there, that it was too much work to organize, that parents didn't want their kids tromping through the mud, and that it would be too much work to try to work 'curriculum outcomes' on field trips that didn't have a purpose like that.
I was so depressed. I bought her a copy of Richard Louv's book (Last Child In The Woods), but she never mentioned it again. This is one of the reasons why I am now homeschooling my daughter (starting in the fall). It is really sad that many professional educators cannot see the value in getting our kids back into the woods. My own long term dream is to open an urban forest kindergarten here in Edmonton
It's been a really depressing journey for me - I went to my child's school principal last school year, and talked about the absolute lack of nature in the curriculum - for which there is no excuse in her school, as they are very near to one the largest urban natural environments in Canada (Edmonton River Valley system, Millcreek ravine park). She basically told me that they were not willing to take the chance that someone might get hurt on trips down there, that it was too much work to organize, that parents didn't want their kids tromping through the mud, and that it would be too much work to try to work 'curriculum outcomes' on field trips that didn't have a purpose like that.
I was so depressed. I bought her a copy of Richard Louv's book (Last Child In The Woods), but she never mentioned it again. This is one of the reasons why I am now homeschooling my daughter (starting in the fall). It is really sad that many professional educators cannot see the value in getting our kids back into the woods. My own long term dream is to open an urban forest kindergarten here in Edmonton
nannyde 05:02 AM 05-15-2011
Originally Posted by ammama:
nature deficit disorder is something that I have been researching (personally) for a few years now. I highly recommend Last Child in the Woods as well!
It's been a really depressing journey for me - I went to my child's school principal last school year, and talked about the absolute lack of nature in the curriculum - for which there is no excuse in her school, as they are very near to one the largest urban natural environments in Canada (Edmonton River Valley system, Millcreek ravine park). She basically told me that they were not willing to take the chance that someone might get hurt on trips down there, that it was too much work to organize, that parents didn't want their kids tromping through the mud, and that it would be too much work to try to work 'curriculum outcomes' on field trips that didn't have a purpose like that.
I was so depressed. I bought her a copy of Richard Louv's book (Last Child In The Woods), but she never mentioned it again. This is one of the reasons why I am now homeschooling my daughter (starting in the fall). It is really sad that many professional educators cannot see the value in getting our kids back into the woods. My own long term dream is to open an urban forest kindergarten here in Edmonton
Wownature deficit disorder is something that I have been researching (personally) for a few years now. I highly recommend Last Child in the Woods as well!
It's been a really depressing journey for me - I went to my child's school principal last school year, and talked about the absolute lack of nature in the curriculum - for which there is no excuse in her school, as they are very near to one the largest urban natural environments in Canada (Edmonton River Valley system, Millcreek ravine park). She basically told me that they were not willing to take the chance that someone might get hurt on trips down there, that it was too much work to organize, that parents didn't want their kids tromping through the mud, and that it would be too much work to try to work 'curriculum outcomes' on field trips that didn't have a purpose like that.
I was so depressed. I bought her a copy of Richard Louv's book (Last Child In The Woods), but she never mentioned it again. This is one of the reasons why I am now homeschooling my daughter (starting in the fall). It is really sad that many professional educators cannot see the value in getting our kids back into the woods. My own long term dream is to open an urban forest kindergarten here in Edmonton
The first thing I thought when I read this was "but Canada has free health care". If there was an accident the medical would be covered. She must mean they are worried about being sued for the injury????
MN Mom 08:37 AM 05-15-2011
I agree. It's sad to go to the nearest town (where my children attend school) and see ZERO kids out and about the neighborhoods playing. No kids riding bike, playing on the sidewalks, no sounds of kids laughing...NADDA. It's nothing like when I was a kid. Not. Even. Close.
My oldest daughter is in the 6th grade. She spends 100% of her day indoors during school hours. She often complains about not getting enough fresh air, and getting headaches from the lights and stuffy atmosphere.
I picked her up from school last week, and we had to pull over on the highway because she felt she was going to vomit. She was not sick with a stomach virus, she had been inside ALL day doing mandatory scan-tron tests on the computer. She was dizzy and her eyes were sore. She stood outside the car for 5 min doing deep breath exercises and was fine. She stayed outside for 2+ hours when we got home and said...I'm fine mom, I just needed fresh air.
I think the lack of nature, fresh air, sunshine is making our children sick on more than just a mental level....
My oldest daughter is in the 6th grade. She spends 100% of her day indoors during school hours. She often complains about not getting enough fresh air, and getting headaches from the lights and stuffy atmosphere.
I picked her up from school last week, and we had to pull over on the highway because she felt she was going to vomit. She was not sick with a stomach virus, she had been inside ALL day doing mandatory scan-tron tests on the computer. She was dizzy and her eyes were sore. She stood outside the car for 5 min doing deep breath exercises and was fine. She stayed outside for 2+ hours when we got home and said...I'm fine mom, I just needed fresh air.
I think the lack of nature, fresh air, sunshine is making our children sick on more than just a mental level....
ammama 08:44 AM 05-15-2011
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Wow
The first thing I thought when I read this was "but Canada has free health care". If there was an accident the medical would be covered. She must mean they are worried about being sued for the injury????
Worried about being sued is less of a worry here than in the US, but it does happen, especially to bigger institutions like schools. I think she is more worried what her bosses will say when a child gets hurt. Funny - I take my dck's down there at least once a week when it's nice, less so in the winter, and NO ONE has ever sustained more than a scratch on the leg from not watching where they were going and tripping over a fallen branch.Wow
The first thing I thought when I read this was "but Canada has free health care". If there was an accident the medical would be covered. She must mean they are worried about being sued for the injury????
Cat Herder 09:30 AM 05-15-2011
This topic is a very personal one to me as well. 
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now. We live in a cage.
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now.
We live in a cage.
PitterPatter 12:42 PM 05-15-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
This topic is a very personal one to me as well.
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now. We live in a cage.
Wow your home is a dream home! Can I come play? This topic is a very personal one to me as well.
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now.
We live in a cage. Are u serious about all the changes like swinging on swings and using chalk and sprinklers?? Why did they change that? These poor kids will have no life experience at all! What is the state thinking?
AfterSchoolMom 05:47 PM 05-15-2011
Originally Posted by Catherder:
This topic is a very personal one to me as well.
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now. We live in a cage.
Wow. See this as my answer for "why you choose not to be licensed". I'm so sorry.This topic is a very personal one to me as well.
A major portion of my program was nature. I purchased this property because of the acres of hiking/foot trails, the dry creekbeds, the river, the large hardwoods and the two natural bubbling springs. I almost sold my soul to be able to afford it.
I built tee-pees, a natural wood obstacle course, tree swings, a large eat-in tree house and a community of huts for hiding and imagination play. It is a kids paradise, I worked hard to create it.
We are isolated in a large culdesac neighborhood with only 12 houses. One way in and one way out. We have NO major highways nearby on purpose. My property borders the national forest.
My state now says the kids are only allowed in the (4ft high) fenced in "back yard" with 3 inches on mulch to prevent injuries from falls. If I have climbing/swinging equipment the depth of mulch goes to 10 inches.
We are no longer allowed to go for walks, play in the springs, mine for gold in the river, set up our own community in the huts, swing on the swings, have lunch in the tree's, ride tricycles on the drive, color with sidewalk chalk on the walk ways or even play in the sprinklers on the grass covered front lawn.
To sum it up, our life sucks now.
We live in a cage.
Cat Herder 04:33 AM 05-16-2011
Originally Posted by PitterPatter:
Wow your home is a dream home! Can I come play?
Are u serious about all the changes like swinging on swings and using chalk and sprinklers?? Why did they change that? These poor kids will have no life experience at all! What is the state thinking?
Thank you Wow your home is a dream home! Can I come play?
Are u serious about all the changes like swinging on swings and using chalk and sprinklers?? Why did they change that? These poor kids will have no life experience at all! What is the state thinking?
I wanted it like the play area my neighborhood had in Central Florida in the 70's. Back when kids got to be kids. 
My own kids and all their friends/classmates still get to enjoy it, though, so it was not a total loss. I also forgot to mention the huge trampoline and zipline off the big hill...
The State passed all these new rules in the last few years. The "country" daycares get penalized for tragic stuff that happens in our inner city...
Anywhere the DCK's play has to be surrounded with a 4ft fence and have a minimum of 3 inches mulch. That makes it financially impossible when you have several acres.
We do sidewalk chalk indoors with roll paper on the floor and I set up a tiny sprinkler/water table on the upper back deck...that is as close as it gets to freedom, now.
I also just stopped keeping anyone over 4 (bathroom rules are prohibiting as well ). Because of all the absurd new restrictions I will be closing once this last group goes to pre-k in about 4 years. After 17 years.
It has stopped being fun, inspiring or exciting for anyone.