Comments on: The Nature Gap http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/ Photos and Front Porch Musing from Floyd County Virginia Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:25:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Marion http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2519 Marion Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:10:43 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2519 Before my CA city grandsons came to visit, my son asked me if I could kill all the spiders first, as #1 son was frightened by them. "Uh, no, fraid not, but he'll be fine." We live on 12 acres of wooded land on the river...boys came & learned to love running free in the woods...grampie gave them walkie-talkies (remember those?) and they were thrilled, ducking behind trees, running with the choc Labs. Their Dad has now moved the family to Montana, near a big river. He understands the need now to have them experience the outdoors. My stepson is running into the same city-scape horrors of bumper-to-bumper traffic and children cooped up indoors. He called tonight to discuss other job options and locations such as ours. We can only hope~ Before my CA city grandsons came to visit, my son asked me if I could kill all the spiders first, as #1 son was frightened by them. “Uh, no, fraid not, but he’ll be fine.” We live on 12 acres of wooded land on the river…boys came & learned to love running free in the woods…grampie gave them walkie-talkies (remember those?) and they were thrilled, ducking behind trees, running with the choc Labs.
Their Dad has now moved the family to Montana, near a big river. He understands the need now to have them experience the outdoors.

My stepson is running into the same city-scape horrors of bumper-to-bumper traffic and children cooped up indoors. He called tonight to discuss other job options and locations such as ours.

We can only hope~

]]> By: Carole http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2517 Carole Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:49:57 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2517 I find that to be a problem in that we retired to a rural area and our grandkids don't want to visit because there is "nothing to do". I find that to be a problem in that we retired to a rural area and our grandkids don’t want to visit because there is “nothing to do”.

]]> By: Jim http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2516 Jim Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:21:23 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2516 Agree that this is a major problem that will have repercussions in the physical, behavioral, and political areas of our lives. I took my boys, not yet 4, camping this fall. They loved it. While in Floyd over Thanksgiving, we hiked and picnicked around the Rocky Knob area. The boys loved it, though they "didn't want to see a bear". But I think the responsibility falls on the parents to be nature mentors, rather than blame technology alone. Most urban parents don't have these "skills", and they are just "too busy". I often wrestle with whether it is better to live in an urban area and maximize my income or to move to a place like Floyd and let my children experience a more natural area at the cost of less earnings opportunities. Agree that this is a major problem that will have repercussions in the physical, behavioral, and political areas of our lives.

I took my boys, not yet 4, camping this fall. They loved it. While in Floyd over Thanksgiving, we hiked and picnicked around the Rocky Knob area. The boys loved it, though they “didn’t want to see a bear”.

But I think the responsibility falls on the parents to be nature mentors, rather than blame technology alone. Most urban parents don’t have these “skills”, and they are just “too busy”.

I often wrestle with whether it is better to live in an urban area and maximize my income or to move to a place like Floyd and let my children experience a more natural area at the cost of less earnings opportunities.

]]> By: Mark http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2515 Mark Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:49:27 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2515 How sad. There is nothing that can compare with wide open spaces, blue skies, tall trees in a forest, mountains that lift your spirits, and beautiful coastal views. Mark How sad.

There is nothing that can compare with wide open spaces, blue skies, tall trees in a forest, mountains that lift your spirits, and beautiful coastal views.

Mark

]]> By: Teresa http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2514 Teresa Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:27:45 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2514 Thank you for this great article. The grandkids are getting imagination exercisers and books for Christmas. I need a couple more things and your article reminded me of the clearance rack purchases I made in the garden dept. this fall. I will put together gardening baskets for them as well. Thanks again. Thank you for this great article. The grandkids are getting imagination exercisers and books for Christmas. I need a couple more things and your article reminded me of the clearance rack purchases I made in the garden dept. this fall. I will put together gardening baskets for them as well.
Thanks again.

]]> By: June http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/nutsandbolts/the-nature-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-2513 June Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:54:44 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/2007/12/10/the-nature-gap/#comment-2513 There's double trouble here: first, the kids lose the benefits of knowing nature; and second, these same kids will grow up not caring about nature. There’s double trouble here: first, the kids lose the benefits of knowing nature; and second, these same kids will grow up not caring about nature.

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