tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post2095939005847072480..comments2009-02-24T04:15:24.058-08:00Green Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03133847111288382381noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-19200224511523426732009-02-24T04:15:00.000-08:002009-02-24T04:15:00.000-08:00As I read your post, I kept thinking about Stephen Covey and other time management gurus all saying that where people spend their time shows what is most important to them. A corollary seems to be where we allow our kids to have time. <BR/><BR/>BTW, your grandma sounds awesome. How sweet of her to donate freezer space to expired birds for the neighborhood kids!Steph @ Greening Familieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05879918886616914115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-26434345238235650042009-02-22T16:49:00.000-08:002009-02-22T16:49:00.000-08:00Joyce - glad to hear that your kids look back fondly on their walks to school. My kid walks to/from school each day and the block-long walk takes, er, a lot longer than 3 or 4 minutes. Agreed on the daily experience being worthwhile - it's one of my favorite things about our neighborhood. There's something pretty magical about the swarms of kids and parents all ambling along in the morning (and then getting to 'splore on the way home).<BR/><BR/>Bmillerkittredge - yup, sad to say - X is in a greener field (happened really fast in the fall). Awoooooo...JessTrevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11000531822628182708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-45727842929043483522009-02-20T10:53:00.000-08:002009-02-20T10:53:00.000-08:00"so that our dog, may he rest in peace"<BR/><BR/>what?! no!!bmillerkittredgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08275944153464534809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-8252812856160805452009-02-20T10:19:00.000-08:002009-02-20T10:19:00.000-08:00I popped back to say that, in talking with my kids, they mentioned that just having to walk to and from school each day, and delivering papers when they were older, gave them some experience with the out of doors that some of their friends missed. They learned to dress for the weather, splashed through puddles, threw snowballs, found "favorite" sticks and rocks, and observed the changes in the flowers and trees seasonally, all within a couple of blocks of home. So, again, not a wilderness, but a daily experience that too many kids are missing by getting rides to school these days.Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463831506588682774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-19651894419536316832009-02-20T06:47:00.000-08:002009-02-20T06:47:00.000-08:00Great job puting together the carnival! This was my first, and I love being a part of such phenomenal group of green moms. It is amazing to me that so many different women living in so many different places seem to be reading each other's minds. I'm go to go fill up my coffee now and start reading!!<BR/><BR/>Thanks!!!Jenni at My Web of Lifehttp://myweboflife.kuzuka.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-58981191748380611202009-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:002009-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:00I hear you on this one. Obviously, given my earlier post on the same subject. I do think camping trips and similar outings help for those of us in more urban settings.<BR/><BR/>Joyce, I wish I could say that my kids are entranced with spare time in the backyard. I really really do. I've got one big time nature boy and one loafer but neither are willing to spend much time back there. I grew up in a "suburban" back yard as well but it was a heck of a lot more "nature" than we have here. I suspect that is because it was much bigger, with trees for climbing or a tire swing, and bordered a vacant lot. Any unstructued outdoor time here usually morphs into a trip to the next door neighbor's house or riding bikes up and down the side walk. Not bad but I do ache for a climbing tree at least. :)Green Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03133847111288382381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-65552807806556139772009-02-19T17:45:00.000-08:002009-02-19T17:45:00.000-08:00beautiful post!lorihttp://www.heywoodsmeadow.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-47609988137354817932009-02-19T12:19:00.000-08:002009-02-19T12:19:00.000-08:00One of my favorite things to do is to take a hike with an expert of any particular terrain. Not a professional, but just someone who takes an interest like your Father in the area California you referenced. I love nature. I take my young child on bike rides, and talk about what I see to her. She really seems to enjoy it.EcoLabel Fundraisinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02455649047737533864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-18096175983570322472009-02-19T07:55:00.000-08:002009-02-19T07:55:00.000-08:00Joyce - I agree - unstructured time is fantastic. Mine have it every day after school until dinner - outside every day barring bad weather - but somehow I'd love for them to have some unstructured time without a grownup in the background! Not possible in the city.... But yes, 'hang time' is much defended in our house too!<BR/><BR/>Daphne - I love the sounds of your camping trips! Multiple families *and* the cleanup projects. Definitely want to head down that path. Thanks for sharing!JessTrevhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11000531822628182708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-35290962336513866442009-02-19T06:09:00.000-08:002009-02-19T06:09:00.000-08:00Oh yes, get the kids on some camping trips. We have one fabulous one that we go on every year. A group of usually about six-eight families goes together. We often do a service project together (usually picking up trash or fixing trails), which helps give the kids a better respect for their impact on nature. There are lots of kids to run around with, trails, ponds, and rocks to climb on. My kids are now off in college, but they still come on this trip every year.Daphnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305049560953735881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1941312662522172460.post-79991168767561709902009-02-19T05:50:00.000-08:002009-02-19T05:50:00.000-08:00As I've been reading all the posts people are putting up for the APLS Carnival, I'm struck by a common theme: unstructured time for children. A simple fenced-in suburban yard works as well as living in a wilderness for this, although a nearby woods (or in my case, open grassland) sure could enhance the experience. So, maybe what we really need for our kids is to turn off the tv, stop siging them up for umpteen activities, and try to make sure there's grown-up around in the background after school so they can just go out and play by the hour. Mine were raised without tv when they were little, and even after we got one, it was not to go on until after supper. They entertained themselves pretty well with whatever was at hand for many hours at a time.Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463831506588682774noreply@blogger.com