Save our Boys and Girls! Nourishing Activities for Young Boys and Girls

Ever seen your little one's eyes light up with sheer awe and unbridled enthusiasm when they step outside the confinement of the their home? Little people have a natural affinity with the outside world and it is written all over their faces, in their eyes and even in their behavior. That is right, children that play and experience more time outside among nature are often better behaved and generally happier all round.

So why do we deny them so much of what is best for them so often these days?

Technology has shuttled us all into the future - today. The rate in which our mobile phone becomes obsolete is faster than our brains can get use to using them. No wonder why for so many of us, we struggle to keep up and as a result our brains are constantly under fire to maintain our spot within a consumerist society. Make no mistake, this is NOT natural. Not for Grandma, not for you, and not for your children. Now I hear people often say that children are "born into technology" these days and they adapt with lightning speed. Unfortunately that theory could not be any more wrong.

A hand held device is not a substitute for a parent, babysitter, family, pet, book, sandpit, playground, garden path, bike, scooter, building blocks, toy, ball or any other traditional, positive, nurturing type of entertainment.

The Risks.

These forms of technology can be harmless in very small amounts of exposure; the problem is just like liquid crystal display crack it is exceptionally difficult to just. have. one. hit.
Toddlers and young children who have rapidly developing brains, can be seen soaking up endless supplies of information around them and can be easy pickings for the tasty tablet or the glowing allure of the mobile phone. When a child is subjected for more than a short burst of interaction on one of these devices, strange things begin to take place in their minds. Over stimulation is a major of those things. A hand held device can fill your child's learning centre within minutes and leave them agitated, emotional and void of emotional regulation. Ever tried confiscating a hand held device from a child? Most will be met with the sheer fury of a small tornado in a tearing through an origami convention. This, is not normal.

Here are some of the other risks associated with overexposure to technological devices.

• Rapid brain growth: Between 0 and 2 years, infant’s brains triple in size, and continue in a state of rapid development to 21 years of age (Christakis 2011). Early brain development is determined by environmental stimuli, or lack thereof. Stimulation to a developing brain caused by overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV), has been shown to be associated with executive functioning and attention deficit, cognitive delays, impaired learning, increased impulsivity and decreased ability to self-regulate, e.g. tantrums (Small 2008, Pagini 2010).

• Delayed development. Technology use restricts movement, which can result in delayed development. One in three children now enter school developmentally delayed, negatively impacting literacy and academic achievement (HELP EDI Maps 2013). Movement enhances attention and learning ability (Ratey 2008). Use of technology under the age of 12 years is detrimental to child development and learning (Rowan 2010).

• Obesity epidemic. TV and video game use correlates with increased obesity (Tremblay 2005). Children who are allowed a device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of obesity (Feng 2011). One in four Canadian, and one in three U.S. children are obese (Tremblay 2011). 30% of children with obesity will develop diabetes, and obese individuals are at higher risk for early stroke and heart attack, gravely shortening life expectancy (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2010). Largely due to obesity, 21st century children may be the first generation many of whom will not out-live their parents (Professor Andrew Prentice, BBC News 2002).

• Sleep deprivation. 60% of parents do not supervise their child’s technology usage, and 75% of children are allowed technology in their bedrooms (Kaiser Foundation 2010). 75% of children aged 9 and 10 years are sleep deprived to the extent that their grades are detrimentally impacted (Boston College 2012).

• Mental Illness. Technology overuse is implicated as a causal factor in rising rates of child depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, attention deficit, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis and problematic child behaviour (Bristol University 2010, Mentzoni 2011, Shin 2011, Liberatore 2011, Robinson 2008). One in six Canadian children have a diagnosed mental illness, many of whom are on dangerous psychotropic medication (Waddell 2007).

• Aggression. Violent media content can cause child aggression (Anderson, 2007). Young children are increasingly exposed to rising incidence of physical and sexual violence in today’s media. “Grand Theft Auto V” portrays explicit sex, murder, rape, torture and mutilation, as do many movies and TV shows. The U.S. has categorized media violence as a Public Health Risk due to causal impact on child aggression (Huesmann 2007). Media reports increased use of restraints and seclusion rooms with children who exhibit uncontrolled aggression.

• Digital dementia. High speed media content can contribute to attention deficit, as well as decreased concentration and memory, due to the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex (Christakis 2004, Small 2008). Children who can’t pay attention can’t learn.

• Addictions. As parents attach more and more to technology, they are detaching from their children. In the absence of parental attachment, detached children can attach to devices, which can result in addiction (Rowan 2010). 1 in 11 children aged 8-18 years are addicted to technology (Gentile 2009). 

**Bare in mind that these figures above are now outdated and the numbers are far more worrying**

The Alternatives.

Children need space, fresh air, exercise, dirt, wind, sun and the opportunity to engage with the elements. Sure, expensive toys and gadgets may be nice and all, but the fact is; especially when it comes to young children, less is actually more. Ditch the laptop for a bug catcher and butterfly net, swap the mobile phone with a pair of gumboots and a magnifying glass! It really is that simple, but the secret weapon is to buy these things whilst they are still young and wild at heart. Not when they are frothing megabytes at the mouth, otherwise, you will soon know what it is like to look the devil directly in the eye at this point.

Here are some of my top activities for young children.

• Water play. Children LOVE water! they will do a sweet job of helping you in the garden too. Garden hoses are a big attraction and many toddlers will happily water your plants, you and anything else they can reach with the ferocity of it's stream! They will splash, jump, swim and soak anything with water they can. Try a big container with water and watch your little one experiment with what items float and sink. The beach or pool is another top notch option.

• Sand. Sandcastles! digging, shaping, tunnelling, creating! Kids love the texture and the possibilities that come with sand. Just add water and you get a whole new set of wonderful creation. Kinetic sand that can be purchased at a toy shop is also a good option inside on hot or stormy days, just put down a tray and go for it. 

• Rock climbing. I do not mean abseiling or tackling a sheer cliff! I mean climbing over a few boulders or jumping from rock to rock under supervision. Look for a smile built on their self accomplishment!

• Outdoor exercise. Skipping, running, jumping, rolling, spinning, cartwheels, handstands, somersaults!! Mum, show them how it is done!! 

• Pets. Take the dog for a walk! throw the Frisbee or ball, wash the dog, 

• Rough housing. Yeah, I said it. I know some of you may find it a little "controversial" Mothers?. But for boys especially, activities like wrestling, play fighting and games of strength and endurance is a good thing, when done right. In fact it is a very good thing. I do not advocate knocking your brothers teeth out or using malicious intent but when the boundaries are respected, self regulation is achieved. Boy's can wrestle with their Fathers and it can be one of the most amazing bonding moments in their life. The benefits far far outweigh the few negatives that may take place. Trust me on this. 

• Sport. This I feel is a no brainer. Bonding, team building, fitness, coordination, confidence, the list goes on. 

• Bush walks. Get out in nature for a few hours! It can literally be anywhere. Find a lake, track, national park, beach, forest. Put some shoes on, pack some water and first aid supplies. Show the young one what wonders can be experienced when you see it, feel it and smell it in real life. The memories that this will embed in them will last forever, unlike their devices. 

• Fishing & Camping. Go on big Daddy do it. Leave the mates at home and see how much fun your toddler can be whilst swinging a lead weight tied to a line. 

See a difference.

This is something I can guarantee. You will notice a change in your children both in the immediate and long term. If there was ever a way to give them more than your wage could ever do for their growth, development, character, minds, emotions and soul, I am yet to think of it.

Be present for your children, connect with them, introduce them to their entitlement.. and their entitlement is nature. Nature offers something nothing else with a chip can replicate or offer.

My Father was never around much when I was a young boy as he worked away a lot. I also do not remember a great deal of trivial moments around that time but there are things I will never ever forget. These were the times when he was around. What made those times so memorable? He took me out to connect with the natural world, I smelt the air, I saw things that you could only witness in a documentary, I grazed my knees, I stacked my bike, I got stuck waist deep in a muddy lake with leeches making my legs a dine in meal, I caught thousands of crabs with my bare hands, I found indescribable creatures washed up from last nights storm, I watched my dog catch a Wobbygong shark in a reef hole, I fought off imaginary army platoons in the pouring rain, I picked shellfish off the rocks and ate them fresh, I walked for kilometres through the bush with no thought of walking back again, I discovered limestone caves in the middle of the forest and explored them - spiders and all. I did all of these things without a care in the world and I did them thousands of times, and I remember every single one of them.

Grab your kids, cuddle them right now, look at them in the eyes, tell them how amazing they are and how much you love them. Then break the news to them. Tomorrow you are going somewhere magical, tomorrow you are going to become an explorer. Relish the adventure and watch them grow.