Comments on: Follow My Lead

By: deb

deb — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:19:40 +0000

You are so so right. Being a good parent is not about connecting the dots but about being about to live in the moment. Well done you (and all of us who do the same) for noticing.

By: Mama Urchin

Mama Urchin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:13:27 +0000

We have a “policy” that we always tell our kids the truth, even when the question is difficult. Certainly sometimes we don’t always include scary or complicated details but I really think children are smarter than a lot of people give them credit for. Thanks for the comment, I hope you have a great weekend.

-Jennifer

By: Visty

Visty — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:07:53 +0000

This resonates with me because my husband and I sometimes admonish ourselves about not getting the kids out enough, but then, at other times, we are reminded how much more our kids are able to connect with nature than a lot of kids around them. Even the kids we meet out IN nature are frequently being led around in a way that has no good effect on them at all.

I remember being in Washington, near the Ice Caves, and a boy was asking his father why the ice was there. The father said, “The ice was here so all the Indians could put their food in the cave, before they had refrigerators.” He wasn’t trying to be silly; he was making it up specifically to put the child off.

Not mentioning this to bash another parent, but we looked at each other and realized that the one thing we were doing right was to take time to answer our children’s questions, about nature and space and how the world works, whenever and whatever they asked. That small gesture, every time, means a world of difference in so many ways.

By: jodi

jodi — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:58:47 +0000

1st time to your blog. And I can say 2 things over and above the “it’s great!” 1 – this post makes me continue to cry for happy. 2 – the pictures are amazing. That baby bird in April. How how how did you get that. Wasn’t the mom on her way to peck you. So beautiful and SO SPRING. Thanks for the warm feeling and I’ll visit often.

By: Kristin

Kristin — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:01:42 +0000

It still amazes me too that so many kids are cut off from the natural world….especially when it’s so good for them! I especially love it when we get to go visit my parents, and we can safely turn the girls loose outside without any supervision.

By: Stefani

Stefani — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:20:25 +0000

This is SO exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you so much for speaking into my day today, friend!

By: erin

erin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:06:42 +0000

lovely, jennifer.

By: Grace

Grace — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:06:30 +0000

Amen.

By: aliciaalferman

aliciaalferman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:16:56 +0000

Wonderful, Jennifer.

By: melissa bridgman

melissa bridgman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:14:05 +0000

You are an awesome mother. And it does matter. All I know about nature I learned from being out in it with my mother. And in nature is where my bull-headed son gets along best with his bull-headed mother. When we’re observing and learning together. This was a beautiful post. xoxo