Parenting Under the Stars

Yesterday I was listening to my local NPR affiliate where Fred Newman was being interviewed. Newman is the guy who does the sound affects for the popular radio show “A Prairie Home Companion”. He was talking about the power of listening, and how our culture doesn’t sit and listen anymore. The sounds have changed in the past 25 years and the speed of our hectic lives makes an ongoing symphony of sounds around us. There is little time for peace and quiet and just listening.

I agree with Newman that sounds have a lot of power over us, and that listening should be more important than ever. But with kids in the home, there isn’t much peace to be had, let alone quiet. To pique your children’s interest in listening, what about going to the backyard in the morning and listening to the birds? Can they identify some of them? Better yet, can they imitate their songs? And at dusk when the crickets and cicadas start their serenading, can they identify which is which? What other sounds are trilling from the bushes, what other creatures are honing their music talents when the stars come out? Here are some links your might want to try: Closer To Nature and Nature Songs.

Maybe your kids won’t talk to you much during the chaos of the day’s activities, but if you’re sitting there listening with them, they might just open up. They might just tell you something you’d really like to know or you really need to know.

Just listen.

I think of all the nights I slept under the stars with my family when we were river running in Utah, Colorado and Idaho. The stories my Dad told me about snakes crawling into my sleeping bag with me were fresh in my mind as I lay listening to the rush of the river and the drone of crickets and other creeping things. There were the weeks at the summer cabin in Montana with the lake a stone’s throw away and fresh scones with honey butter for breakfast. These are a few of my memories of being in the out of doors with my family, memories I hope to share in this blog along with ideas, tips and activities for you to use with your own families today. Sitting around a campfire with the family is my version of peace on earth. It’s my goal to inspire you to want to get the fire crackling and the marshmallows roasting. Don’t forget the honey butter for the scones! Here are some topics I will blog about:

* Fun travel destinations exploring nature’s beauty
* Camping 101
* Talking about conserving resources with children
* Fun nature crafts using things you have at home and in the backyard
* Teaching children to respect the world around them
* Day hike ideas–where to go and what to bring
* Fun snacks to take on picnics and hikes
* How to have a near-perfect picnic
* Dutch oven basics
* Going camping without blowing the diet
* Checklists–what to pack when camping or hiking
* Finding good deals on outdoor gear
* Keeping all the kids happy on outdoor adventures–from babies to teenagers
* Night games with the neighborhood
* Simple backyard games

And much more!! See you tomorrow!