Teaching Kids the Skills to Find Themselves
This summer I was a guest on a local public radio program discussing Nature Deficit Disorder. Based on the number of calls and emails into the show, we were told afterwards it was one of their more successful programs. For many reasons, the topic appealed — and continues to appeal — with many.
One story, in particular, seemed to resonate with parents: It was the story of my two sons’ getting lost in 200 acres of woods on their grandparents expansive farm property. Clearly, that story could have had a terrible ending, but it didn’t. Instead, my boys used their brains and their senses to find their way back onto the property and into their mom’s worried and waiting arms.
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Although I couldn’t say it at the time, I was glad they’d gotten lost, as it gave them a real opportunity to use their wits to solve a potentially serious problem. Having addressed their situation themselves, they built self-confidence that is difficult to build any other way. But it also reinforced to us as parents our responsibility to teach kids the skills they need to solve the problems they’ll surely face as they grow.
We all teach our kids to read and write. We teach addition, multiplication and algebra. We teach them to ride a bike and to drive — all aimed at helping them figuratively find their way in the world.
Shouldn’t we also teach them how to find their way in the world LITERALLY as well?
I think so. That’s why, for our son (he’s five) who loves hiking the most, we’re giving him a compass for Christmas. (Ok, so maybe that sounds boring to you. Trust me, he’s going to love it!) But this skill building needn’t — nor shouldn’t — begin with orienteering. Rather, take simple steps to building these skills. It all starts of course, with getting on the trail with your kids. And while you’re out there:
1. Point out differences between on-trail and off-trail paths (packed earth, cleared of trees and debris versus the alternative).
2. Talk about natural landmarks as you pass them on your walk (e.g., If the giant boulder is on your left as you walk in, it should be on your right as you walk back out).
3. Look for trail markers or blazes. Have one child be in charge of finding the blazes and counting them as you hike.
4. Refer to a map repeatedly, even if you’ve walked a trail a dozen times, and share the information with your children frequently. Even better, give your child a map, too, and have her track your progress on the map with your help. Next step: have your child create her own map of the hike in her journal.
I feel certain that the myriad hiking expeditions we’ve taken together as a family gave our boys the confidence and the skills they needed to navigate their way back safely. I feel pretty good that they’ll be able to find their way in the world just fine: literally and figuratively.
Image: Irina Patrascu at Flickr under Creative Commons License
