Guiding Kids to appreciate nature

Its time we need to remind our future…our kids that we human beings are formed out of the five elements of nature and feel at peace and happiest being closer to our roots…nature. What ever money one spends, the cool breeze or blue sky can’t be bought ever. With no offence to baffling technology, life should get easier with technolgy’s advent but not addicted and handicapped with it.

It was the month of May and my 5 yr. old daughters were home due to summer vacations in school. Days were getting consumed playing laptop games, watching TV sitting in air conditioned environment. And as a mom everyday was a challenge to provide my kids enough stimulation and keeping them engaged. We used to buy lots of games, puzzles and battery operated light and sound toys costing us lot of money and kids were getting over their toys in a week’s time. Their vacations were getting wasted indoors, and they demanded to play on the laptop than playing in the park. I felt lil’ helpless worrying about their physical growth and their addition to online games. 

Then a sudden plan to go to Mussouri with another friend’s family having kids came as an angel's blessing. It was a 4 days trip by road via Haridwar by road. We stayed in a hotel in Haridwar, with nice lush Green Park. After having breakfast, we were relaxing in the park and suddenly I see one of my daughters running after squirrel and trying to catch her behind the tree, there were birds chirping which delighted the little 2 year old boy of my friend and he started imitating. Kids were running, giggling, laughing all over. And then my daughter asked for the bubbles which we bought on the way from a street seller. Maansi was blowing big bubbles and rest of the kids was jumping to burst those with funny sounds. Then Mihikaa showed me the rainbow colors sparkling through bubbles in the morning sun. The entire scene was so irresistible that we also got up to blow and burst the bubbles. It was refreshing to breathe in the fresh air, with greenery around and chirping birds and bubbles. 

'Bubbles, which cost me nothing, failed the expensive battery operated sound and light gadget toys. Such is the power of simplicity.'

It reminded me that whatever money one spends, one can’t buy the blue sky or natural cool breeze. And I made a resolution to ensure my kids get exposed to the beauty of nature. Further, the happiness got multifold when kids heard their voice echoing in the mountains, smiled seeing so may blooming flowers, monkeys jumping around. And no gizmo can add the joy one gets near a waterfall; we went to kempty waterfall in a ropeway trolley and had mouth watering maggi with waterfall’s thundering storm and getting drenched in it. And I am no special nature lover, it comes naturally, In a mall, you need to teach your kid about how to operate a certain appealing game but with nature, kids will naturally run, laugh , giggle and find their own stimulation. 

So let children be children. As parents we remember our childhood days with so fondness about ‘Who Kagaz ki Kashti, wo bearish ka paani etc.” but are we exposing and telling out kids to appreciate nature. How our kids would be remembering their childhood about 100 channels on TV, laptop, favorite cartoon character games, branded toys etc. or about the good times spent in nature. The choice is with us as parents.

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