Right now my husband and I are in the thick of raising our two little Wildlings, both are under five years old. These early years have been filled with joy, but they haven’t been the easiest in a lot of ways. So many of you out there are in the same position, and it seems like everyone I talk to is missing the village. Sadly we probably won’t get back to that level of community in our life time, but that doesn’t mean we are completely alone.
These past few weeks spent watching my kids play in the summer light, a thought has slowly taken shape in my heart and profoundly shifted my experience as their mother. Nature is their third parent.
When the girls scale rocks and branches, nature is helping them build resilience and strength.
When they play in the mud, nature is nurturing their creativity and building their immunity.
When they encounter death on our farm, nature is teaching my girls about the fragility and value of life.
Suddenly I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, I didn’t have to do it all. I didn’t have to be EVERYTHING.
When the flowers bloom, my daughters know beauty.
When they forage for wild edibles, they are being fed and nourished.
When the seasons shift, they experience impermanence, patience and change.
Nature has been there beside through it all, occupying the kids when they get “bored”, aiding in their emotional and physical development, and most importantly giving them the space and freedom to play.
It might not be the traditional village of our dreams, but the closer we get to nature the more chance we have of recognizing it as one of our biggest allies on this parenting journey. Only in modern times has nature been passively backdropped against our busy lives. In the past, nature was characterized and understood as a force, an active participant playing a vital role within the context of the family and wider community. And she’s still there, patiently waiting for us to ask for help.
I would love to read in the comments below how nature has supported you in your journey as parents and caretakers. Thanks so much!
Your Woman Gone Wild,
PIN IT FOR LATER!
GET WILDER WITH MY NEWSLETTER
Sign up to receive my recipes, tips, and more right in your inbox.
Thank you for signing up! You'll hear from us soon.
Love your stories, even I support outdoor learning for children, and also doing a study on it as a Ph.D student in one of the University in Michigan. Want to know more about you and your experiences, so that I could include that in my study. How can I contact you?
Hi Sweta,
Thank you so much for your interest! You can contact me at nicolette@wilderchild.com
Thanks for sharing. The environment is certainly an under rated teacher/parent!
Hi,
I have been exploring the parent-child-nature relationship with in my own family for the past couple years! Journaling about our outdoor adventures has been an insightful experience! I recently finished my MA- my topic was “Family Nature Clubs: Exploring the Parent-Child-Nature Relationship” – where nature is identified as another partner. One of the big take aways for parents was learning to follow the child’s lead. Anyways there seems to be a lot of synergy here! I have posted some of my reflections and will be posting study results soon. Feel free to check out my blog at http://www.urbanwildparent.com
This is the best parenting article I’ve read in a long time. Thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words, and it means the world to me that this message resonate with you!
I totally agree with you. Our lifestyle might not be the wildest, but we try our hardest to connect our kids with nature in every way we can. Because at the end of the day, it makes parenting easier.
Hello Nicolette,
I do absolutely agree with you! Nature is sooo important in our life with two little ones (6 and 8 months) too. I just made a experience with my 8 month old,.. after a long 5 months of winter where we are somewhat enclosed (or at least we don’t spend as much time outdoors as we do during the warmer months) – my little one would often get cranky inside – but as soon as I dress him and went outdoors he’s fine. Just content. Even if the winds hauling and the snow swirling.. he’s fine. Also his sleep is way better if he sleeps outdoors in the stroller. … aah… there is something to nature and the energies of it for sure. Just so sad we got to dull to understand!!
Anyway, thank you so much for your post and sharing your heart and mind! Also for interlinking the huffington post article (I almost shed tears when I read it) ! I wonder – have you ever hear about “The Ringing Cedars of Russia?”