Mother Nature Is a Reliable Homeschool Helper

From the very beginning—I struggled with adjusting to being a mom. 

It’s a good thing we had another baby fifteen months later and still another one seventeen months after that. But whether it was one child or three kids under age three, I felt as though I was drowning. I struggled during those early years of motherhood, and it was disappointing because I wanted so desperately to love it. But I didn’t. I just floundered and stumbled my way through.

Head Outside

I signed up for different child-focused programs because everyone else seemed to be doing that.I would return home from that day’s child-focused program utterly exhausted. 

I joined MOPS during those years (now called MomCo International) and loved the moms at my table. I made some enduring friendships at MOPS. It was so thoughtful that it included two hours of childcare—however, my kids were the kids who were always crying and would often be brought back to me.

One day, I was sitting at my table with my crying baby and crying toddlers, and a friend who had been doing some educational research told me, “Charlotte Mason says kids should be outside for four to six hours a day whenever the weather is tolerable.”

That sounded like a punishment. Four to six hours at one time? Everything we’d done never lasted more than forty minutes. My friend asked me, “Will you try it with me?”

My mind screamed, Absolutely not! But my body reacted differently. Answering my clamoring desire for friendship, my mouth smiled and said, “Okay.”

Nature Helps Us Thrive

In September 2011, I had a three-year-old, a one-year-old, and a six-month-old. My friend had three children roughly the same age, and we made plans to go to a park from nine in the morning until one in the afternoon. I knew emphatically that this was not going to go well. When my friend threw in the kicker that I wasn’t supposed to bring anything but a large blanket and lunch, I knew we were doomed.

But I had committed to a friend, so I arrived at our meeting spot on that crisp fall day—a park in Farmington Hills, Michigan. While I wasn’t aware of the distinction then, I learned there is a difference between a park and a playground. This was a park without a playground. Translation: grass. As in a field of grass. Here’s what happened:

The kids played.

What I thought would crash and burn turned out to be the best day of my life because it was the first good day I had as a mom. My blood pressure dropped as the kids played and engaged in these simple surroundings. For the first time, I could truly exhale and let it all go.

I got to have an entire conversation with a friend, one where we finished most of our sentences. The kids came and went, getting snacks or their lunch, and our babies slept, nursed, grabbed for the grass, or watched the vibrantly colored leaves swaying in the autumn breeze.

And just like that, I’d survived most of the day—and not just survived but thrived.

Extraordinary Moments

That simple day drastically changed how we were living our lives. I figured being a more present and peaceful mother would be better for our family. But I quickly noticed that our kids were thriving too. They were eating better, sleeping better, feeling happier, getting along better, and more.

My observations of our children led me to learn more about what happens when we take our kids outside. I realized it helps them in every facet of their development: cognitive, physical, emotional, and social. And it helps us adults, too. What an amazing thing.

Time in nature became a foundational element of our family’s homeschooling, and we relied on it for everything from cognitive growth to relationship building to emotional respite. Over a decade later, it continues to be all that and more.

Extraordinary moments happen on ordinary paths. See you outside!

Reflection: 

Have you ever tried spending multiple hours a day outside with your kids? How did you feel afterwards? Make a plan to try spending more time outside this week and track how moods improve throughout the week.

Did you like this post? Check out the book Homegrown edited by Amber O’Neal Johnston with essays from contributors like Ginny Yurich.

Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in America, and it’s here to stay. If you’re a homeschool veteran, finishing up your first year, or are just homeschool curious, Homegrown is destined to become a go-to resource.

Amber O’Neal Johnston is an established authority on infusing culture and a love for others into an intentional home environment. She shares her observations on education, living books, and worldschooling at HeritageMom.com and through her books A Place to Belong and Soul School. She is a regular contributor to the Wild + Free homeschooling community, a frequent podcast guest on popular shows, and a coveted speaker at homeschooling, education, and parenting conferences.

Ginny Yurich, MEd, is the author of Until the Streetlights Come On, a homeschooling mother of five, and founder and CEO of 1000 Hours Outside, a global movement to reclaim childhood and reconnect families. Along with her husband, Josh, Ginny is the creator and curator of the 1000 Hours Outside lifestyle brand, which includes a robust online store, a top-ranked mobile app, and multiple books. She is a sought-after national speaker and also hosts the top-ranked 1000 Hours Outside podcast. An advocate for nature-based play and its benefits for children, Ginny lives with her family in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan.

100 Words of Affirmation Your Son/Daughter Needs to Hear

Matt and Lisa Jacobson want you to discover the powerful ways you can build your children up in love with the beautiful words you choose to say every day–words that every son and daughter needs to hear.

These affirmation books offer you one hundred phrases to say to your son or daughter – along with short, personal stories and examples – that deeply encourage, affirm, and inspire.

So start speaking a kind and beautiful word into their lives daily and watch your children–and your relationship with them–transform before your eyes.

Similar Posts