Nature Deficit Disorder

"I like to play indoors better, because that's where all the electrical outlets are," said a fourth-grader quoted in Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods. Computers, television, video games and Wii are great inventions. However, electronics, combined with a fear of the outdoors, have created a lifestyle for children where they spend the majority of their playtime indoors. Surely, there are valuable skills learned from electronics and indoor activities. But unstructured outdoor activity should be incorporated to promote a healthy balance.

The myriad effects from this social trend of alienation from nature have taken us all by surprise. In addition to the concern that as adults they won't care about conserving the environment, children's physical, mental and emotional well-being are being compromised. Childhood obesity, diabetes, depression and attention deficit disorder are escalating. Problem-solving skills, creativity and the use of one's senses are diminishing. Joysticks, keyboards and monitors are causing Repetitive Strain Injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and eye strain. An unusual repercussion of too much time spent indoors is allergic reactions to indoor air pollution, which according to the EPA can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution.

Kids are being taught in schools about the environment and ways to take care of it. But for these lessons to take hold they need to be put into practice at home. One way to get started is to enforce a time limit that your children spend on computers and video games and create an equal parameter for time spent outdoors. If you don't have a yard or if the environment outside your home isn't safe, take them to the many parks, rivers, woods, and lakes Milwaukee has to offer. For a guide to the Milwaukee County Parks System visit their website. For further inspiration, go to GreenHour.org, which offers creative ideas for outdoor activities. Also be sure to check out the wide variety of children's camps and activities that the Urban Ecology Center offers for all ages, located in Washington Park and Riverside Park.

And parents need to participate, too. Reminiscing about our own childhood experiences will hopefully remind us how kids thrive on uninhibited time spent getting dirty and exploring the outdoors. Get outdoors with your kids and help them thrive.