Last Child in the Woods

Following advice from Andrew McGuckian I started reading Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods on the flight from Melbourne to Brisbane this morning. I have to say it is an enthralling read so far.

I have very fond memories of my childhood in Warrnambool riding my bike around with my mates, climbing trees and time spent waist deep in water at the swamp catching frogs and tadpoles. These are things I have sadly discouraged my children from doing to my eternal shame. Maybe my efforts to protect my children from harm will have long term consequences that I haven' t factored in until now?

Perhaps we are focusing too much on the immediate threats to our children's well being - bumps, bruises & bad men - and not enough on the long term impacts of "bubble wrapping" our children - obesity, mental illness and a lack of resilience to deal with the undoubtedly turbulent times ahead.

"A kid today can likely tell you about the Amazon rain forest - but not about the last time he or she explored the woods in solitude, or lay in a field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move". (Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods 2005 pp1-2)

Louv also talks about the "criminalisation of natural play" whereby we move to protect the natural environment by restricting access, when the best way to do this might instead be to encourage interaction - if our children's only experience of the natural environment is via the Discovery Channel, then how can we expect them to value and protect it?

"Countless communities have virtually outlawed unstructured outdoor nature play, often because of the threat of lawsuits, but also because of a growing obsession with order". (Louv p28)

"The cumulative impact of overdevelopment, multiplying park rules, well meaning (and usually necessary) environmental regulations, building regulations, community covenants, and fear of litigation sends a chilling message to our children that their free-range play is unwelcome, that organized sports on manicured playing fields is the only officially sanctioned form of outdoor recreation". (Louv p31)

I have a clear memory of a careers counsellor addressing my Year 11 or 12 class in 1977-8 and advising us that we should all consider a career in the leisure and recreation industry because, with modern technology, we would all be working 3 or 4 day weeks by the turn of the century (2000). Therefore people would have 3 or 4 day weekends - the possibilities for leisure would be endless! Well it hasn't quite panned out that way has it.

And finally "Based on previous studies, we can definitely say that the best predictor of preschool children's physical activity is simply being outdoors...and that an indoor, sedentary childhood is linked to mental-health problems" (James Sallis, Active Living Research Program in Louv p32).

I will keep you up to date as I work my way through this book - so far I am finding it thought provoking.