A note from the founder
As we enter the Fall, my mind goes to the joy and value of spending time outdoors. As I pen this column, I am in New Hampshire enjoying the changing colors of the trees and being reminded that winter will soon be here.
During my trip, I have had the privilege of watching my cousin and his wife’s three boys soak up the adventures of playing with one another in the back yard, the woods, and what they call “the mine” where they look for new rocks. I’ve never seen children so excited about finding new rocks.
As I observe their activity, I’m reminded of the value of fostering intellectual curiosity and getting our children outdoors. I highly recommend a book titled “The Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. It highlights a term coined Nature Deficit Disorder. In a nutshell, our kids are limited emotionally, physically, and spiritually when they aren’t able to spend adequate time outdoors. It’s in their DNA (and ours) to explore, touch, smell, play, question, and experience nature. So don't just send them outdoors, go explore with them.
More to come on this topic. I will be spending more time making this an area of focus as it is near and dear to my heart.
Go enjoy some time outdoors this week!
Sincerely,
Josh Honaker, MD, MBA, FAAP
Founder and CEO
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