Several years ago we were deciding whether to go to Disney World for a family vacation or to Yellowstone National Park. At the time I was starting to develop a greater appreciation for our environment and a disdain for corporate greed. So in a moment of clarity I summed up my reason for choosing the National Park over Disney with this statement, “with reality, comes a little dirt”. Not that there is anything wrong with Disney, but they pride themselves on cleanliness and reproducing “reality” in an artificially safe and sterile way. This was the beginning of our choosing National Parks over corporate destinations for family vacations. Since that time everyone of our family vacations have included at least one National Park.
I recommend everyone read this book. Louv book develops several theories about the cost of children not playing outdoors. Among these theories is the risk of losing our protected lands and natural parks due to the lack of appreciation the next generations will have for such spaces. He also builds a theory around the “nature deficit disorder” in which he believes that many of today’s health issues with children (ranging from increased allergies, obesity, depression, to attention deficit disorder) are the result of children spending all day indoors and not engaging in “natural play”.
Having had the benefit and freedom as a child to play and roam beyond my backyard, and spending my summers on a lake exploring, playing and catching turtles, I fully endorse Richard Louv’s book and the theories he puts forward.