Wetinhappen Magazine Nigeria's #1 Exclusive Information website
In bygone days, parents encouraged their children to play outside as much as possible, especially during the Christmas times when play was not interfered by rain.
For the rest of the time, the playground was outside,on the sidewalk, in the alley ways, the park and vacant lots for those who lived in the city.
The fields and forests were also good play areas for families who lived outside the suburbs, closer to the countryside.
Many city dwellers spent Christmas at the cottage or holiday homes, or at least, the children and the mother while the father remained in the city to work, joining them during the vacation weeks.
In those days, it was clear to everyone that children needed to have contact with nature in order to enjoy healthy growth and development, even if this was only possible for that part of the year.
Since that time, everything began to change gradually, so gradually in fact that we have not noticed it or foreseen the eventual consequences.
Today in many technologically advanced countries, a large portion of children and adolescents spend their time in front of television or computer screens or on their mobile telephones.
They are no longer forced, as earlier generations were, to go and play outside, as a consequence, many now suffer obesity and other physical and psychological problems.
This unhealthy trend can no longer go unnoticed or be ignored,so that measures should and are being undertaken to reverse the situation.
We must encourage our children to play outside just as we used to do in earlier times. However, in order for this to work, we must first practice what we preach because, much more than our words,it is who we really are and what we actually do that will truly influence our children.
In order words, who we are speak much louder than what we say. Therefore, let us spend time outside as much as possible, starting this Christmas vacations and then also during the other seasons as well, making good use of every opportunity open to us.
Let us also try and replace our noisy machines, where we can,with our muscle power, for instance, by using a rake instead of a motorized leaf blower as just one example.
We will feel much better not only physically, but also psychologically. In addition, we will not only reduce unnecessary noise and energy consumption but also save money in the bargain.
Let us take a break from our cars,along with all of our electronic gadgets that cut us from the world around us, all of these things will find their way back into our lives surely enough but they should always remain our servants and not our masters.
In the meantime, let us rediscover nature where our body and our spirit can unfold and blossom forth In a completely “Natural way”.
