No Child Left Inside

No Child Left Inside
A movement is afoot throughout the nation to get our children moving again and get them reconnected to the earth. Researchers always have to prove what we already know. Yet, there has been a great amount of research regarding the effects nature has on children. It stimulates their brain function and creative functions, their coordination and balance, not even taking into account what it does for them physically.
As an adult some of my fondest memories are of times spent in the creek near my home walking with my Collie. Thinking of it again I can see the trees, the rocks, the flowing water I can almost smell the earth’s mustiness as I sit here today. Don’t you remember your forts, tree houses, creeks, lakes, capturing fire flies, or watching earth worm’s squiggle after a good rain?
More often than not schools keep their focus indoors with auditoriums instead of an open field and little physical education. Many schools have cut not only athletics, but many of their creative endeavors like band, choir, art, and field trips.
Parents are fearful of child abduction so bike riding, walking to school, even playing in the yard is minimized. Not only are the parents fears involved but many children are getting the mind set that they are too good to walk, ride their bikes, or even walk to the local bus stop.
Science is barely keeping up with the social networking effects on children. One recent report shows that the streams of information offered to children are too fast for the brain to process. Children are losing their moral compass.
How often do we see reports of young girls beating each other up for fun, young boys trying the tricks they see on a TV program like surfing on the top of a car, and the saddest reports of children’s idols being the Paris Hilton’s? Ask a young person what they want to be when they are grown up and many of them will answer, “rich and famous.”
The science will not be in, until possibly too late in the “game” so to speak, regarding the violence in video games. It has been proven that violent video games raise blood pressure and increases the heart beat. Science does suggest that some video gaming helps children develop better visual skills, interest in computers, and therefore opens them up to greater learning.
Personally, I am dismayed at how much time my seven grandchildren play video games, watch videos, have music blasting in their ears or, are otherwise entertained. It is as if they are not entertained they are being hurt in some way. I get tired physically just listening to my daughter’s three boys schedules. Between football, baseball, camps, and homework there is only time for dinner on the fly. In between times they always seem to have a video game in their hands or, plugged into their I-pods.
Ironically, our grandchildren, when visiting, love to walk with us in our local park as is our daily routine. Picking up a stick and stirring things up, chasing lizards, or just having the opportunity to talk with no noise is priceless.
Maybe some of the most disturbing “no child left inside” is the early introduction regarding sex. Sexual feelings and exploration are a very natural thing for children. Yet, parents are embarrassed to talk to their children openly and honestly about their body parts, natural sexual feelings, even the naturalness of pleasuring themselves. Surely, we could teach our children about the natural nature of sex and yet still teach them to honor their bodies by waiting and therefore honor their minds and souls. If not waiting, at least teach the imperative nature of protection.
Instead, oral sex is considered no big deal early on and for most they don’t even consider it sex. Young girls learn to gyrate their little bodies sexually while cheering or dancing early on, with their mothers smiling proudly behind the scenes. Then parents are shocked when over 22% of young girls have admitted to the risky behavior of “Sexting.” Through Facebook, other networking sites, MTV, even simple cartoons, or TV women and girls are very sexualized. Who remembers Betty Boop? When was the last time you saw a real woman doctor, lawyer, police officer, or CSI showing as much cleavage as humanly possible?
We have created a perfect storm through commercialism, sexism, violence, busyness, trying to be our child’s friend, and not allowing “No” to be a complete sentence. We then look for the child and there is “no child left inside”