Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m talking about some vital skills our future generations will need to survive on our planet.
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Our kids are going to inherit this messed up world we inhabit and they’ll inherit all the problems our greedy society has created in our quest for more. More money. More possessions. More power. More. More. More.
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The thing is we’re teaching our kids that striving for more is the only way to be. It’s not. We need to teach our kids the concept of enough and the concept of balance.
Why?
Because being in Striver mode all the time is not good for our health. If we continue in Striver mode and we continue to reproduce at the rate we are, we’ll soon be fighting over smaller and smaller space. We’ll be producing more trash and our landfills will overflow. This is a problem. By any chance did you see the movie “Wallie?” The Trailer is below.
In the movie, humans have to leave earth and move out into space into a floating world because earth is no longer able to sustain life. It’s covered in garbage and all the humans are too heavy to move or exercise. It’s an awesome movie and I’d recommend watching it with your kids if you get the chance.
That’s where our society is headed if we don’t start taking care of our planet and each other. Haven’t you heard? Obesity is an epidemic.
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We need to teach our kids to slow down and take care of themselves. Because we’re in Striver mode, we eat fast food and processed food. We do this because it takes less time to prepare and gives us more time to work. What happens when we reach that pinnacle of success? We have more money than we ever dreamed of, but we can’t enjoy it because we don’t have our health.
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Sad.
We need to slow down and teach our children to garden and how to cook for themselves so they can control what they put in their mouths. By doing this, they control their health.
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We need to teach our kids to be fair. We can do this by teaching them to empathize with their fellow man. Empathy? How do you teach that? By encouraging a love of reading. By reading about different characters, our kids step into their worlds and learn about them.
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The more knowledge and tolerance they have for others, the better they’ll be at getting along with their peers. A vital skill when space is becoming smaller and smaller, wouldn’t you agree?
Reading you say? Yes reading. It’s also an awesome coping mechanism when you’re dealing with stress. Just an FYI. 🙂 Sadly, it isn’t a cure-all. We need to teach our kids how to communicate, using I messages so they can resolve conflict without a lot of negative feelings.
These Negotiation Skills will be in high demand in the future.
How can we teach this? By having our kids interact with their peers. Don’t let them play video games all day long. Don’t let them use their phones as their only means of communication. Arrange play dates and get them outside, playing games, and solving their own conflicts.
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Last but not least. Teach them a love and respect for nature. Walking in nature is good for you. It’s called “Forest Bathing.” This practice originated in Japan, and there’s scientific proof it’s beneficial. Something I’ve known for a long time, but didn’t know there was actual proof of it.
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“A 2010 research review found that forest environments promoted lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than city environments. [6]
Forest environments have been found to be advantageous with respect to acute emotions, especially among those experiencing chronic stress.”[7]
Nature isn’t just good for you, we as a species need the trees and the bees in order to survive. The bees are our biggest pollinators. Thirty percent of our food crop depend on them to grow and ninety percent of our wild plants depend on them to flourish. That’s a tall order for those tiny bees wouldn’t you agree?
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And trees? They provide oxygen. It takes TWENTY-TWO trees to provide enough oxygen for one person. There are 7.442 BILLION people on earth. That’s a lot of trees. Now do you see why it’s important to have a love and respect for nature?
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So there you have it. My view on some of the essential skills our kids will need to survive on a shrinking planet. Are there any vital skills I’ve missed? Share your thoughts! I’d love to hear from you!
Love this post, Lisa! Yes, the future generations are going to have to deal with the mess this and recent generations have created. Foresight is a wonderful thing, and hopefully we can get our children on the right track. Cheers!
Yes! My fingers are crossed for them! Thanks for stopping by, Sharon!
Solid post Lisa and in tune with many a conversation I’ve had with close friends whilst walking river banks and lake sides. Not to mention discourse on blog posts on subjects like these. Media seems to be doing a poor job of educating the public; too much blame culture there and not enough saying social responsibility; come people, it us that make decisions to litter, eat the wrong foods, avoid this and that and then blame corporate giants; thing is they are easier to lead than we might think. Stop buying crap and they will stop selling it…market forces except society hasn’t quite woken up yet to taking the blame for where we are. You can see what I mean on a daily basis. Council clears litter; two day later its back…obesity on the rise…just because fast is convenient doesn’t mean we have to buy into it; out fault as with the litter; Silly things tell me society is losing its reality grip. Even in supermarket carparks; trolley to car, empty and leave it where it is; even if the trolley park is nearby. This tells me self same people have become habitually lazy and want to blame someone else for everything. You are so right in that we need to educate the new generation and try to get the message out to our peers. Seems to me bloggers know this and we need to get the politicos to bat from the same wicket and not from ivory towers shouting at each other.
Sorry about the rant…I’m just in tune with what you say and soap boxing!!!
No worries, Gary! I’m just glad to find so many like minded people in the blogosphere! I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees this! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and ranting. It does me good to know I’m not the only one who feels this way. 🙂
You are definitely not alone; its just getting the message out and trying to get the media to stop blaming everyone in power when some of the core issues are down to social responsibility…ie us. Suzie did a similar themed post a few weeks back and I ranted there too 🙂
Glad to hear I’m not alone, Gary! Thanks for your support! 🙂
I really enjoyed reading this; ‘forest bathing’ – what a great concept! I’m so lucky to live close to parks and woodlands – it’s amazing the difference it makes to my frame of mind when I’ve been able to spend some time enjoying nature.
Yes! I plan on increasing my time spent in the woods, that’s for sure! Thanks for stopping by and reading my post, Ruth. I appreciate it!
As a teacher I wish more people in power would realize what you have just laid out. We brought up a plan for a multi grade outdoor classroom to the higher ups. The idea was you would “check out” the space and teach there a couple times a month. It didn’t have to be for long, a 30 minute reading time or an outdoor Earth Science lesson. It was denied however saying it would be too expensive. So we figured out a way to build it ourselves. It was then deemed a distraction. It was frustrating. If the kids are never in nature, they can’t appreciate it. If they don’t appreciate it, it will be ill used until it’s too late. Thank you for this post!
You’re so welcome! And kudos to you for trying to get the kids outside. I wonder if you could make it some sort of lesson plan? Maybe teach them something about nature while you’re outside? That way it can’t be deemed a distraction. Just a thought. I’m always looking for a way around obstacles! 🙂 Keep trying. Something will work eventually!
I loved the forest bathing post and this is an important subject. We need to learn to live with less. It’s so interesting about the research own plots and forest life being able to feel acute stress. I’m vegan and people don’t believe when I say even a fish and a worm -Indeed anything that is responsive to touch -can feel- so that means they can feel pleasure for pain. Who are we to determine wether it’s just an instinctive response? Humans respond instinctively… Great post -Shared this on my personal fb page
Thanks for your kind words, Daisy! I appreciate them. You are so right, we’re all connected. It’s been proven that trees and plants have a way of communicating with each other. Hey, that’s another idea for another blog post! Thanks for leading me to that idea. Synchronicity! 😉
Lol. Glad to be of inspiration. Let’s get the message out there
Definitely! 🙂
Oh, and thanks for sharing on your fb page, Daisy! 🙂
A n absolute pleasure. Have a great Saturday
You, too!
*on plants
So many great ideas here Lisa! There is so much that we need to be preparing our children for!
Yes! I agree. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I appreciate it!
No worries! Have a great Saturday!
This is so in line with everything I believe in. Great post! Would love to share😊
Awww…that’s so sweet! Share away! Thanks for stopping by and for your support! 🙂
I love the term “forest bathing” as I love to hike in the forests around here. Bathing seems appropriate as I do feel cleansed and refreshed when I return from a hike.
Yes. I feel the same way when I return from a hike. I always feel so much better because of this, I always knew hiking in the woods was good for you, and now, we have scientific proof. 🙂
I agree with you 100 percent. We probably should teach our children to the ability to be tolerant in a world where world leaders are not. What a pity this must be a lesson x
Yes. It is kind of sad, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by!
Great post. We all have an obligasjon to do our best to teach future generations to learn from our mistakes.
Definitely! Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate it!
I’ve nothing to add to this vital post, Lisa. All I can say is thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to see so many people on the same page in the blogosphere. It gives me hope we can make a change for the better. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Well said!
Thanks, Cynthia! I’m so glad you stopped by!
Awesome!!! Love this post!!!:)
Awww…thanks! I’m glad you stopped by!
Great post and we could all do with refreshing our own values to pass on to our extended families. Honesty, compassion, empathy and dignity to name but a few. X
Yes! You’re so right. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
A great read Lisa, you’ve summed it up really well! I walk and run in a forest every day, now I’ll be able to say I’m going forest bathing instead of simply going for a walk. Love it!!
Thanks for stopping by, Debbie and sharing your thoughts!
Well said. We want it all and we want it all now. Travel for me has always been eye opening. Different cultures, scenery you want to hold on to for future generations. I think we all should be putting the phones, devices down and communicating face-to-face and yes getting out doors. Well said.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words!
I recently heard about Forest Bathing on NPR–it sounds goofy, but I think there’s something to it. One thing I try and do as a parent is affirming empathetic behavior. Even other people’s kids get a “I really like how you shared your cupcake with your buddy,” from me if I see it happen. Striving for “things” rather than focusing on “enough” definitely leads to all kinds of grossness. I really enjoyed a book called “The Art of Possibility.” Have you read it? I found it helped frame up actionable, simple steps for encouraging the kinds of behaviors you’re referencing here. Thanks for the post. As usual, you keep me thinking!
Hey Angela, thanks for stopping by. I haven’t read that book, but I’m certainly putting it on my TBR file. I’m glad my posts are making you think and It makes me happy to find so many like-minded people in the blogosphere. 🙂
I LOVE that you include respect for nature on your list here, Lisa. Let’s honor the earth around us! Excellent advice for parents, leaders and… everyone really ❤
Awww…thanks Christy! I appreciate your support! 🙂
I agree with every single word of this post, Lisa. Am trying to instil all of this into my daughter. Though I think I need to get off my phone more to be a better role model for her. I’ve Stumbled this post for you x
Awww…thanks so much! I appreciate your kind words! 🙂
Excellent, insightful points Lisa. Can’t really add more to what has already been written. Just wanted to say I agree totally with what you have written!
Thanks for stopping by and your kind words!