Many times I receive comments on this blog that I do not publish. It is amazing how many people feel the need to criticize my personal thoughts about nature and being a mother. I don't know why they bother to read my blog if they feel so angry about the encouragement to families to spend more time outdoors.
One recent commenter felt that even doing things like picking berries and building forts was abusing nature. Yes, you heard me, he felt berry picking apparently is one way that humans "exploit" nature. I had to scratch my head at that one.
One commenter felt that it doesn't matter how much we expose our children to nature at a young age, some will grow up to be "developers of land" and actually want to build a house out of wood no matter what. That is weird logic to me but I guess we all are welcome to have our own opinion. I personally live in a house made from wood but I truly have a great appreciation and respect for the natural world, trees included. Owning a house made from wood does not make me anti-nature. (Isaiah 65:21)
I approach the whole idea with a different point of view. My experience has been that the more we connect our children and ourselves with nature outside our own doors, the more chance there is that they will develop a love for God's creation. My point in spending our time each week outdoors is not to make my children into environmentalists; it is to bring them to a better understanding of the Creator, the world they live in and to provide opportunities for them to learn how to be more confident and skilled in being outdoors.
In real life, I am the most eco-friendly person you can imagine. We hung up our water skis for kayaks and a canoe. We ride our bikes and walk whenever possible. Most vacations are to national parks where we camp and hike and take photos. I recycle *everything* and use thrift shops and garage sales and ebay whenever possible. I hang my laundry outside to dry whenever possible. We no longer use paper napkins or paper bags. I pack my husband's lunch each day in reusable containers. We use the library and don't subscribe to a newspaper. My car is just about ten years old. I have read The Green Book and have implemented lots of the suggestions that I had never heard of trying before. You get the idea. :)
So this post is sort of a response to those that are taking shots at my "get out into nature" approach to helping homeschooling families. I don't dispute that there are things we all could do to have less impact on the environment. But I also know that the key to making this situation better is to keep on adventuring into the woods, hills, oceans, deserts, gardens, parks, and our own backyards as much as we can with our children. The more we get to know what is around us and under our noses, the more likely we are to develop a respect and awe for it.
Feel free to comment as much as you wish but if you are just going to criticize and not explain your solutions, please know I will not publish your comments. The focus of this blog is to share our family's experiences in nature study using the Handbook of Nature Study. If I encourage others along the way to start down the path with their own families using the Outdoor Hour and any other means of nature study, I have been successful. This was meant to be a positive experience for all who are involved. Debating methods is not constructive.
Thank you to everyone else that leaves notes and ideas that are constructive and upbuilding. I truly appreciate your time and energy and positive words.
It's summer! Get outdoors a little each day!
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
20 comments:
While I don't consider myself an environmentalist, I think the best way to teach children to respect nature is to teach them to respect the fact that God made it. My children do not arbitrarily destroy natural things because they have been taught through nature study that these things are valuable and precious. Never once did I mention global warming or the ozone layer, in fact, I purposely stayed away from those teachings. If people read the book you included at the end of this post, Last Child In The Woods, they will see that the usual environmental teachings actually have the opposite effect than what is desired; they scare children away from nature rather than giving them a desire to save it. I love what the author says about people not caring to save something if they don't know the name of it. We should all give that a lot of thought.
That is a really strange comment. Someone actually thinks that by going out and studying nature we are destroying it? Is there something wrong with a wooden house? Picking Berries is now an environmental no no? Wow... I think just the opposite is the case. As we come to know better the world around us and appreciate this marvelous world and all that was created to beautify this planet it only helps us appreciate it more. We are more able to take care of the environment if we understand it and have a relationship with it. We understand more about how it all works together.
Yes, I have had some really outlandish comments lately that I just reject and not subject all of you to reading. :)
I think there is a balance to what we do in our lives and in any area we could go too far to one side and sound nuts.
Anyway, I am so happy that there are still families that feel as I do about nature and getting out and enjoying it....let's go pick some berries okay?
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
Yes, let's pick berries! I'm sorry that you have to weed through those comments. You sound incredibly environment-friendly to me. And, I love teaching my daughter about nature - and all the other children and adults I come into contact, too! If they are "awed" by God's magnificent creation, they will be more likely to treat it with respect.
I can't thank you enough for your efforts to encourage us to go into nature and explore. Having moved from a very green Pennsylvania to the desert it has been difficult. What on earth is there to explore here. As I read your entries, I find myself and my children going out more and more to explore our new environment. While I don't know much about the birds, insects and animals here, I'm learning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Beautiful pictures! You are so talented! :)
Bless you, Barb, for all you do. I couldn't tell you enough how much you have encouraged out family by sharing your heart/thoughts with all of us.
For example, just today, my oldest dd was being the "teacher" and took my youngest dd for a "nature walk" in our woods, they sat down by the creek, and sketched for a while.
You have helped instill a love for nature in my children and I couldn't thank you enough.
Blessing~Tina
I think your blog is beautiful and learn from it every time I visit. Some people just feel the need to be critical no matter what. You're taking time to encourage and teach others about the natural world around us. I, for one, appreciate it. Keep up the good work!
Tammy
I'm scratching my head, too.
I think the whole point here is to learn to appreciate nature, and like Sandy said, the fact that God made it all. When we appreciate nature, we are worshipping and praising God! And as we learn to appreciate nature, we will quite naturally want to take care of it, and therefore, learn to be as environmentally responsible as possible.
I just want to say thank you again for what you're doing here. It continues to be a huge blessing to me and my family, and many other families as well. God bless you!
Dear Barb,
Perhaps when you describe your family's joy in nature, and gratitude to the creator, you irritate the folks who see the creation as a deity itself. Perhaps this irritation can be redemptive for them, they may envy you your freedom to enjoy the creation even as it groans.
Carry on the good work!
Christine in MAssachusetts
Well, I, for one, just found your blog two days ago and LOVE it! It is exactly what a friend and I were looking for in our desire to do a nature co-op with our two families.
So, ignore the naysayers and keep doing what you're doing. It IS appreciated by homeschooling families who are trying to use nature study as a means to learn more about God and His Creation.
Hi Barb,
I think you do a lovely job of teaching children (and adults) to appreciate nature. It never fails to amaze and confound me when an environmentalist takes the position that whatever we humans do to "impact" nature is always bad; that we are intruders on the earth. Sadly, I think their position stems from a worldview that excludes God, because if you believe in God, you know that He created the world and all things in it FOR us! We are SUPPOSED to be here!!! Our loving God provided everything we need, wood for houses and furniture(trees being a renewable resource, last I checked), fruit-bearing plants, trees, and bushes, and even plants for medicinal use to keep us healthy. When I give my children a gift, I expect them to use it, but also to take good care of it. It is the same with Our Heavenly Father. We are supposed to use the wonderful things he gave us, but we are also to be good stewards at the same time. I try to point out to my children the magnificent order that exists in creation and the way the God provides for us through it. (Trees and plants give off oxygen during photosynthesis, which we breathe in. We exhale carbon dioxide, which trees and plants need for photosynthesis...God is so good) I always chuckle when we make our own maple syrup or visit a sugar house...I picture Our Heavenly Father on the day of Creation, smiling to Himself thinking, I wonder how long it will take them to discover this!! (the sap inside the maple tree that makes syrup!) OK my kids think that is cheesy too, but it makes me laugh.
Anyway, keep up the good work and God bless you!!
It astonishes me to think people would oppose what you are doing here. I agree with all the other comments. And I, too, appreciate all you do to encourage us here.
Jenn :-)
WOW...your "hard" week is the week that keeps on giving.
Just remember:
You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.
Though, I must admit, I'm one of the people you please all of the time, lol.
Please, keep doing what you do and disregard those comments. I know our family appreciates our world a little more since you've started this "challenge"...I mean hour.
I absolutely love what Jamie said..."When we appreciate nature, we are worshipping and praising God!" I've just recently begun to actually see that what we do in nature appreciation and study to be a form of praising God. But it makes perfect sense now. I also agree with everyone elses comments so far too.
Barb, you have sure been under attack lately. God bless you for hanging in there and continuing to do His work despite all the nonsense! My children and I have been blessed over and over by your inspiration!
Funny thing, my kids just recently found a wild black raspberry bush on the edge of our woods, and yum were those berries delicious! Thanks to God!
Blessings,
Melissa
www.homeschoolblogger.com/melissal89
Barb,
It makes me so sad to hear that people would attack the wonderful work that you are doing. I agree with most of what has already been said. There are people that worship the creation and not the Creator. God has given us this world for our enjoyment and yes, we should be good stewards of it. Not picking berries? I guess the real question is what are we supposed to do with them? Or better yet, what are we supposed to eat??
At any rate, I absolutely love your blog and I am thankful for how you encourage us to get out into God's world and most of all how you lead by example. I have been wanting a garden for so long and it reading your blog that has inspired me to get up and do it!!
Thanks!!!
I really like the trees in that first photo!
I was searching for info. on how to start an avocado from seed and a comment from someone said something to the effect that this world would be perfect if we could get rid of the people. She was referring that the animals would balance out nature if left to their own. It really opens my eyes to my worldview, a Biblical worldview as opposed to those who don't. A fool is wise in his own eyes... Proverbs 26:12
I'm learning that it is becoming more and more accepted to think that animals and 'nature' are more important than people. It re-affirms my resolve to teach my boys that we are stewards of what God has given to us. And he gave us the gift of work to take care of our animals and our farm which in turn affects our community, etc.
Amen to Christine!
What kind of childhood would it be without picking and eating berries?
I don't comment much but I really want you to know you have encouraged me to keep going with art, music and nature study when I was feeling overwhelmed and ready to give it up. I was always promoting this aspect of CM and I believe in it with my whole heart. My boys are still young, 9 and under so I guess I'm learning that there are highs and lows in hsing. :o)
Teresa
Thanks so much to everyone who posted a response to this post. I originally posted it with a sort of hope that those that are finding fault will see that there are many that feel like I do and try to balance our love for what we see in nature with an appreciation and respect for the Creator.
Thanks again,
Barb
Barb,
I thank God for you. You have been such a blessing to our family. I am so sorry that people find it necessary to leave such comments. Hopefully now they will get the message and move on. The must have something better to do with their time!
Keep up the good work!
-Phyllis Bergenholtz
We are called to be good Stewards ... not to worship or idolize creation, but to utilize it without destroying it. God said: Go forth and subdue the earth.
God is THE Master Artist ... He created ... we are to tend ... and we SHOULD appreciate.
Sorry you have had a rough time of blogging lately ... please don't take it to heart.
God Bless.
MomToCherubs
Wow. Who are those people? I've been reading your blog long enough to suspect that you and I are probably quite far apart both politically and in religious beliefs. I've been (lovingly) called a tree hugger by many of my friends. Yet I find your blog to be a wonderful way to explore nature and learn about our amazing world. There are "out there" types from all walks of life. Sorry you have to be subjected to some of them.
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