Growing Food and Kids

We parents knew that spending time outside did something positive for our kids (besides making them take a better nap). And now a new study shows that people who spend more time in the natural environment, as opposed to manmade environments, place greater value on personal relationships and community, and are more generous with money, than those who don’t.

“We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of," says Netta Weinstein, lead author of the study, which was published in the October issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit.”

The study’s authors offer a few good reasons why spending time in nature might make us more interested in other people. But I’d like to add a few of my own [which are completely unscientific but based on experience and a pretty good maternal instinct]:

• Nature reminds of our (small) size. When I’m indoors all the time, consumed by work, a book, the computer, or food, my thoughts tend to revolve around myself and the little indoor world I’ve created for me (my office, my kitchen, my playroom). But when I regularly spend time in the great outdoors, I can’t help but be reminded that the world is so much bigger than me, that there are so many concerns greater than mine, so much beauty greater than what I can create. The realization of my own smallness in the big scheme of things might help me take the focus off myself and lead me to show more interest in other people.
• Nature distracts us with discovery. There’s so much to learn and discover outdoors, especially with children. There are rocks to be overturned, hills to roll down, gardens to grow. The process of regularly discovering new things helps children develop inquisitive minds. And talking about those discoveries and ideas helps children grow into social people who love to share what they’re learning and hear about others’ ideas.
• Nature encourages us with its community. When we (and our kids) spend a lot of time outside, interacting with plants and animals, we observe the strong sense of community in the natural world. For instance, look at how bees and flowers work together to help food crops grow. Maybe our observation of strong community ties in the natural world makes us subconsciously more focused on building community in our own social world.

What do you think – does nature make you and your kids nicer? If so, why do you think so?

Photo credit: 123RF.com