April Mama Message
Maria’s April Mama Message
I sat down to write today, but the gorgeous Spring day in Northern California called me outside! I skipped, I gardened, I played with my goats and cat, and I wandered and daydreamed… The fruit trees are in full bloom, the gophers are pushing up earth, baby spiders are hatching, and flowers are everywhere. I spoke with my daughter and grandsons in Hawaii just as they were heading out for an adventure, and I checked the Montana weather (fresh snow) where my son lives. Everyone was heading outside, and that is what I want to encourage you to do!
I recently read a great book There’s No Such Thing As Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk that chronicles her adventures as a mom in the US and Sweden. She compares the two, and it is fun to see the similarities and differences. (They spend much more time outside in Sweden…) I heard yesterday that the Nature Conservancy surveyed a group of young people in the US, and only two out of five went outside on a weekly basis! As a child and young adult that spent as much time as possible outside, I find that statistic so difficult to believe! Yet when I drive through neighborhoods and see empty streets and empty playgrounds, and talk to people regularly, I begin to see the truth to this in many areas in the US.
I have been researching the amount of time children are spending on screens, and learning more about what this is doing to their developing brains. Not surprisingly, the antidote for screen time is the myriad shades of green in nature. I love to watch children in nature… they need nothing more than their imaginations to create hours of unstructured play! So as we head into Spring take the time to get outside as much as possible. Breathe the fresh air, run and play at the beach or in the mountains, in the park or at the vacant lot nearby… Get down on the ground and explore what is right in front of you. If you have children, let them dig and climb trees, give them lots of unstructured time to let their imaginations soar, and let them build forts out of items from nature. Children need hours and hours of unstructured time to inspire creativity and to help their brains develop fully. Give the gift of outdoor time and space to your families!
My essential oil choice for this month is TerraShield. This is a wonderful blend that repels mosquitoes, ticks, wasps, and other insects. Energetically it is all about helping create boundaries, and I find that to be important when I have to say no to another activity that keeps me inside. I can summon the ability to keep to my plan, and get outside to play!
Have a fabulously healthy month!