Last Child left in the woods? SAVING OUR CHILDREN FROM NATURE-DEFICIT DISORDER.?

When I was cutting up a pheasant a few years ago I was told by a friends nephew that chickens don't look like that because they don't have all that fluffy stuff all over them. What he was referring to was the feathers, which the ones his mother bought from the supermarket didn't have. I pointed out it was a bird and all birds have feathers, to which I got shot down and told how wrong I was.

This was a 14 year old young adult. Despite my showing him a live chicken from my coop and explaining the details of how they get to look like they do in a plastic bag I failed to convince him.

I explained that this pheasant was real food to which he indignantly replied "that's not real food" I asked what he considered real food and he replied "macdonalds"

When I went on to explain where all the ingredients for a macdonalds came from he told me I was basically lying and that they would never use such ingredients. The same young man asked me some weeks later why I was eating leaves. It was Chard from the garden.

These are not children from a big city, but are from Exeter UK which is quite rural and close to all types of countryside and the animals and agriculture therein. They have grown up going fishing and have been educated alongside kids from rural villages. Their level of ignorance is immense. He, his two brothers and sister are oblivious of the methods of food production and regard unpackaged foods to be unhygienic and unworldly. I somehow doubt they are alone and can only blame the supermarket culture that has removed the consumer from the source of the food they eat too far for them ever to grasp it.

My son was brought up foraging for wild mushrooms, fruit and berries, making home made jams and growing veg. His mother owns several acres of organic growing land on which she produces meat and veg for sale. Despite this he would sooner eat a pizza out of a box than prepare one for himself. That is NOT down to the example we set as parents,but down to society and the culture of laziness and haste. Until these ills are removed then our children will be ever removed from their source.

Good book. I missed a chance to hear the author speak recently, I was ill.

What's almost sad that California set up a task force to examine this issue, and issued the following decree last July:

The Bill of Rights provides that every child between the ages of four and fourteen should have the opportunity to:

1. Discover California’s past

2. Splash in the water

3. Play in a safe place

4. Camp under the stars

5. Explore nature

6. Learn to swim

7. Play on a team

8. Follow a trail

9. Catch a fish

10. Celebrate their heritage

The so-called "Bill of Rights" is intended to address rising childhood obesity and rising heart problems, as well as stress and mental illness. They are supposed to be achieved when the child is between the ages of 4 and 14. But these things are so basic it's almost laughable. I applaud the effort, but I don't know if any mechanisms were put into place to encourage this to happen. I do know that the state has boosted entry fees into their parks. A local state park charges $10 per car. This is not family friendly.

But speaking from personal experience, kids today spend so much time indoors they aren't as likely to play in the dirt/mud, explore, climb trees, etc. They are less likely to go camping or know how to use a map or compass, much less learn how to read animal sign or identify the local flora and fauna.

I pray that there is at least one person in every family who tries to expose a child to some of the wonders in the natural world around them. But it needs to start early, before that child is locked into the world of computers and Internet, video games, etc.

We bought a farm 9 years ago and moved the kids and grand kids here. Not only do my grand kids know where the food comes from they help grow and harvest it, butcher the animals and are the healthiest kid around. We live on the edge of a national forest and they spend a lot if time in the woods. Yes we are loosing our kids to game boxes and pizza pockets. 100 years ago 90% of the people lived on a farm, now we are pretty much screwed. I don't think we could win a world war with what we got today.

Well you have farmers you have city dweller ,beach front dwellers, mountain dwellers, woods dwellers and what ever dwellers that's just the way the world is growing . I really don't see why a city kid should know all about wheat when chances are he,s going to be working as a computer technician or something in that field . Besides if they need to know they can always look it up on the computer Other then that what use is it to them.

I believe so, most of all. Something has to die in order that you may live. Animal, fish, yes even plants go thru a life cycle and when you eat the seeds like corn, wheat or rice. You end that plants struggle as failing to do what nature strives to do hardest, procreate.

Killing is not at all like a Movie show. Now enjoy the popcorn.

I have a 4 year old daughter who hates to go outside. I am an avid gardener and spend most of my free time outside in the yard/garden. My wife works very long hours, so I watch our daughter every night until after dinner. No matter what I do I cannot convince my daughter to go out. When I finally get her outside, she wants to come back in minutes later. Maybe it's a girl thing. My wife spends very little time outside. I assume my daughter will outgrow her inside obsession as soon as she is old enough to run around the neighborhood by herself. Unfortunately, I rarely see any neighbor kids outside, so it looks like I will get the yard to myself for a few more years.

Myself being a young person, I can say anything about animal welfare or the environment, and no one will care. I explain why I'm a vegetarian and an environmentalist, and they say "OMG! OMG! OMG! did u c wat he did!?" The world is in crisis and the kids don't care. Adults should probably try to make environmentalism and nature seem more fun. Like they could do that.

Ya its sad but i thank god that ive had the chance to go to places like northern wisconsin where there are miles and miles of forests and clean lakes to fish in. I ride my bike on the trails near my house that run through about 8 square miles of forest.