Journal Entry 2: Last Child In The Woods

The last chapter in our text goes into great detail about a subject that I find extremely interesting and important going forward in the relationship between society and nature. This is the ever growing concern of attention deficit disorders, and the affect that nature may have on children facing these issues. "ADHD may be a set of symptons aggravated by lack of exposure to nature"(Louv Pg 11).This quote sets the premise of what this chapter is trying to explain. Throughout the chapter, it explains how different treatments known as nature therapy may reduce symptoms. Parents have found that children who spend more time being one with nature then watching television, reduces attention deficits but also increases joy in life (pg 10). I do believe that this is true, I know from personal experience as a child, that having my dad encouraging me to go outdoors and participate or at least try certain "green activities" such as fishing, or riding a bike, made me have a better understanding of nature and the importance of outdoor activities. I know that in the future, when I will have my own family, that technology is going to be even more advanced then it is now, and now we have 4 year olds using Ipad's! The chapter begins with a report on how schools are deciding to eliminate physical education and recess from curriculum. This is not just a factor to the issue of attention deficit disorders but it can also contribute to the untouched issue in this chapter of obesity. I understand why schools are doing this, they are trying to improve test scores but if children cant be given 30 minutes a day in the early developmental years of their lives then I think that is not worth it. Lastly I enjoyed the last piece in the chapter that described that positive impact that being out in nature did for "at risk" children. I understand that not all children are able to grown up in a great environment and this can cause behavioral issues, but I believe that if you show them fun activities that require venturing into the outside world and participating in green activities, you are doing much more then punishing them.