Our kids, like most kids,
love to play outside. We have been blessed with extremely mild weather and unless it is raining we are outside for at least an hour almost every. single. day. I really believe that it has helped us be more healthy and the kids have enjoyed everything from wagon rides, bike rides, walks, picking up sticks and acorns, playing with leaves, playing with friends, and even a few soccer games with both Mommy and Daddy (and Silas in our arms!).
I thank God that even though we are in an apartment we have a back door that goes right out onto a lawn. If it weren't for this, it would be much harder to get out as we would have to time it around Silas' sleeping schedule. Thanks to the easy access, though, unless we are headed out on a walk, we can always go play. It has been an unexpected blessing that I didn't know I would have in apartment life.
I've found that if the kids are getting extra whiny, or temperamental, the fresh air does wonders. Really, though, doesn't it do that for us adults? For me anyway, just going outside and breathing in fresh air and soaking in some sunshine lifts my spirits and, in general, helps me have a better outlook on life.
I also love that when we're outside our kids need very little to entertain themselves. Sure, we have bikes and a wagon, and sometimes we bring out a ball, but for the most part it is leaves, mud, grass, flowers, rocks, and whatever else they can find that provide the fun. That, my friends, is a beautiful thing. We don't have to worry about sharing toys, because there are always more than enough leaves to go around. Their imagination is able to run wild because the "toy" does not dictate a specific kind of play. It is such a part of our day now, that our kids wonder what is wrong when we don't go outside. I am thrilled with that. Going outside is normal for us and that is how I hope to always keep it.
For awhile I was worried about the time I was "wasting" outside, but then I realized, it wasn't wasting at all. This is part of raising my kids. This is good for them. With the ages of my children and our current living situation I can't just "send them out" to play. I have to be present, but I have learned to just plan on it as part of our day and make sure everything I need to get done gets done at other times. It is worth it to me. My kids are happier, they sleep better, and really I benefit from the fresh air just as much as they do.
I am actually sad at how little kids play outside these days. (Listen to me, I sound so old. Can't you hear me now: "Back when I was a kid..." Ha!) It is unfortunately not part of our culture to spend hours playing outside. I think that is why I have been conditioned to think that it is wasting time. But I am working at adjusting my own thinking and realizing that this is just as much a part of raising my kids, as feeding them nutritious meals, and making sure they get adequate sleep.
So if you see me outside kicking a ball with my kids, or pulling them in a wagon, or sitting and watching them play with leaves and rocks,
I'm not wasting time.
I'm not neglecting my duties.
I'm raising my children.
