Last Child in the Woods Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder By Richard Louv

What are our kids doing right now? In the US… Average time spent online or in front of a screen… Age 8 to 10 - 8 hours a day Ages 8 to 18 spend more time in front of screens than any other activity in their lives except sleeping. Source: Psychology Today (2012)

Bring Down The Barriers URBANIZATION WITHOUT NATURE We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are loved. Unknown 2. A CULTURE OF FEAR Regulations, Lawsuits, Media, Ecophobia

Bring Down The Barriers 3. SILICON FAITH The messages… technology is the only way to go… technology is what’s most important…technology will solve ALL our problems. 4. CULTURAL DEVALUING OF NATURE We’ve stopped caring about nature.…as if we are not nature.

Bring Down The Barriers 5. THE POST-APOCOLYPTIC VIEW OF THE FUTURE Hey Nature stop messing things up… Whatever, we’re F***** anyways… Nobody did a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. Edmund Burke

Nature Deficit-Disorder Alarming Rates in… 1. Obesity - Has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. 2. ADHD 5.1 million children (8.8% or 1 in 11 of this age group 4-17 years) have a current diagnosis of ADHD 3.5 million children (69% of children with current ADHD) were taking medication for ADHD. The U.S. has become the largest consumer of ADHD medications in the world. Source: Centers for Disease Control

Nature Deficit-Disorder 3. Depression & Suicide 1 in 10 children (age 5 – 16) suffer from a mental disorder - three children in every class.  Pediatric prescriptions for antidepressants have risen steeply. More than half of all adults with mental health problems were diagnosed in childhood. At the rate of increase, it will be the 2nd most disabling condition in the world by 2020, behind heart disease. Depression is the #1 psychological disorder in the western world. 80% of suicide deaths are in sufferers of depression. Source: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Try it – try going outside. Red Flag Checklist Anxiety Attention difficulties - concentrating, remembering details, and staying organized Disorders like ADD or ADHD that effect length of attention span Depression Myopia, or not being able to see objects at a distance, but seeing them fine close-up Obesity Loss of a sense of wonder and creativity Lower grades Try it – try going outside.

Let the Children Play Research shows that it…. Body Increases fitness levels and builds active, healthy bodies. Raises levels of Vitamin D, helping protect children from future bone problems, heart disease, diabetes and other health issues. Improves distance vision and lowers the chance of nearsightedness. Mind Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms. Schools with environmental education programs score higher on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and listening. Significantly increases student performance on tests of their critical thinking skills and are more creative. Spirit Children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces. Play protects children’s emotional development whereas loss of free time and a hurried lifestyle can contribute to anxiety and depression. Children tend to have higher levels of confidence. Source: Last Child in the Woods

Helping Children Learn to Love the Earth Before We Ask Them to Save It As parents we can… Stop thinking about nature time as leisure time Start Early Be the Change Inspire curiosity by being curious Fact: The amount of water on Earth is constant, and continually recycled over time: some of the water you drink will have passed through a dinosaur.

Helping Children Learn to Love the Earth Before We Ask Them to Save It As teachers we can…   Bring class activities outdoors. Bring nature into the classroom. Teach the teachers — and the principals, superintendents, and school board members, too. Turn Your "Ugly Schoolyard" into a Learning Garden

Helping Children Learn to Love the Earth Before We Ask Them to Save It As a community we can… Support No Child Left Inside And Support Initiatives Our children need Nature, and Nature needs our children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g8cmWZOX8Q

Supporting Initiatives For Happier, Healthier Kids—Get Outside Pledge to get outside and make your family healthier and happier. I pledge to Join the community by following Nature Rocks on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Visit Nature Rocks for fun and creative activity ideas for spending more time in nature, whether in a backyard, a local park, in the forest, or at the beach. Get my family outside! https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/for-happier-healthier-kids-get-outside Or Search: Take part take action healthier kids get outside Or Go To: Takepart.com / Click Tack Action (Top Right) / Filter Topic: Education / Filter Type: Pledge ***(safe site, no donation just a pledge)

Thank You! Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can never learn from books. - John Lubbock It’s our responsibility to find different ways to help our children.