Confession, sometimes I get struck with a bout of imposter syndrome. The truth is, science was never my strong point. I have some vague memories of refusing to dissect a frog in eighth grade, and doodling stars all over my chemistry homework. And even now despite my experience and countless hours spent in nature, I still wrestle with those insecurities. It’s especially raw when some seemingly obvious question comes up that I don’t have the answer for (i.e. why is the sky blue?).
But when it’s just me and the kids in nature all of that noise gets blurred out and rewritten. And in those moments of pure connection, here is what I know and want to share:
You Know Enough
Your kids don’t care if you know Latin names of all the plants, they simply want to stop and smell the flowers together. You don’t need to recognize an animal’s track in order to follow it. You know enough. Whether it’s a frog or a toad, a child just wants to hold one in their hands.
You Have Enough
Don’t obsess over activity sheets, guide books, curriculums or binoculars. Just go. You have enough. Don’t wait to find the ultimate destination, the perfect trail is the one directly on the other side of that door. The perfect shoes are the ones you are wearing.
You Are Enough
Just go out together right now, just as you are. You are enough. No one can speak to the landscape of your daughter or son’s childhood better than you. NO ONE is more prepared to get the kids out and connect them to nature today. Everything you need is already teeming within you.
Yes, science is an important lens to develop a relationship and understanding of nature through, but trust and experience more than knowledge is a prerequisite for connection.
So take a deep breath, and I’ll meet you out there!
Your Woman Gone Wild,
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This is so perfectly true! it conjures two quotes ~
of course Rachel Carson ~
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” – because, I always say, that as a parent YOU are that adult!
And also reminds me of the saying by John Burroughs ~ “Leap and the net will appear.” Just get out there and start asking questions with your kids! As you said recently – it is not in the answers, but in the quest for finding them that we have the experience! Thanks for this beautiful reminder.
Oh my! That looks fabulous. I found your blog through a comment you left on mine and my eyes were imdmtiaeely drawn to the popovers! I love making popovers and my family loves eating them!! I am definitely going to have to try that strawberry butter. It sounds amazing and I know my son would love it. . .the kid LOVES pink! 🙂 Thanks again for visiting my blog and I look forward to following yours. . .and trying some of these amazing looking recipes! 🙂
This is lovely!
Thank you, so happy you enjoyed it!