Nature Deficit Disorder

I remember as a kid I used to spend hours and hours with my brother in our front and back gardens, building houses, cooking "cakes" and "soups" with whatever berries and dirt we could get out hands onto, and playing our own invented games that often lasted for the whole weekend or school holidays.I remember on cold early mornings my dad would take my brother and I to the big park next door and we would search for mushrooms and feed the ducks and turtles. All my best memories are from being outdoors with my family and its a memory I want my children to grow up with too.

But research has shown that there is this ever increasing rate of children with "Nature Deficit Disorder", the new generation of "Pampered Prisoners"; children that go to school by car, and home by car, that aren't allowed to play past the front gate, and any play dates with friends must be scheduled by parents first. Parents are becoming ever more worried and protective over the safety of their children to the point where out door play is almost like a distant memory. With the rapid bombardment of video games, computer games, iPods, iPads, mobile phones and indoor toys, children are brought up in a world that is ever more detached from nature and the outdoors.

So What Can We Do??
Stephen Moss, author of The Natural Childhood Report, believes that children should be given priority within neighbourhoods, with strict speed limits and a way of allowing children to play in the streets, by getting out the mass of children into parks and streets so that parents don't feel so insecure about letting their children play; safety in numbers.

Another, much larger possibility is creating 'child-friendly villages', where new developments are created around families with young children. A village of sorts where cars are restricted to the perimeter or underground parking, making the streets a safe environment for children and families. Create facilities that encourage outdoor play, not just a playground, but parks and activities, and a culture that inspires parental engagement and community engagement. By getting to know the people who live around you and getting to know your neighbours parents can feel more secure that there is someone going to be looking out for their kids.

Creating community gardens or houses with porches and gardens that allow interaction with the street and neighbours, or traditional townhouses which encourage people to get out of the house for entertainment rather than sitting at home in one of their many theatre, games or study rooms will create an environment that is closer to what many of the Y gen and above grew up with.

I think that it is as much the parent responsibility to engage with their kids and play with them, or make the conscious decision to not let their children own video games. It sounds like an extreme idea in these days but I grew up without any form of video game, toy guy, or computer game that wasn't educational, and I couldn't be more grateful for that. If parents encourage creativity and imagination through outdoor play and worked for a safer community I believe that there would be fewer social and behavioural problems in children in the generations to come. An awareness of the environment and a fond connection to the outdoors may also result in a greater respect and appreciation for nature in later years.

Click this link to listen to the full interview with Stephen Moss: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-07/nature-deficit-disorder/3938178

Share your thoughts in a comment below..!

- Em

PERTH SUPAFEST 2012

I'm going to start by saying I had my doubts, this being my 3rd Supafest....but IT WAS FANTASTIC!! :D


The line up was:

Big Sean
Naughty By Nature
Lupe Fiasco
Ice Cube
Kelly Rowland
Trey Songz
T Pain
Chris Brown


Leading up to the big day I had been following the goings-on of the concert on Twitter, and it was a MESS. Missy Elliot didn't know she was coming, so her name was pulled off the list, then P Diddy didn't get his contract fulfilled so his name was pulled, Lil Wayne dropped out, Ludacris only played in the eastern states and Rick Ross dropped out half way through. So I obviously had my doubt about it all, and if it was going to be worth it with such apparent lack of organisation compared to previous years.
But I must say I was thoroughly impressed!
The whole event ran on time, the artists put on amazing and energetic performances, especially seeming they had all just stepped off a plane having performed in Melbourne the previous night.

The crowd was crazy as usual and the security wasn't as tight, I was (accidentally) strangled, got my hair pulled out, almost dragged into a fight that broke out next to me, crushed and generally went with the flow...

Kelly Rowlands Towel - Photo by Emily Wilkes

This towel is what almost killed me hehe
It was thrown into the crowed by Kelly Rowland and happened to land on my neck, before I knew it two people had grabbed either end and were pulling it around my neck :( one let go and it went over my head causing another person to grab it along with a chunk of my hair and one tug later...there goes my hair...
I was a bit shaken up by the strangling so I turned and said a few strong words then turned back and tried to get back to the show, a moment later one of the boys handed me the towel and apologised :) That was really sweet.

Not long after that a (possibly drunk) girl next to me started causing trouble and generally "disturbing the peace", her siblings tried to control her but one thing led to another and a fight broke out...causing everyone around us to become (even more) squashed together. Not long after everything evened out and people just got back to enjoying the show. It was a shame I missed most of Kelly Rowlands performance because what part I did see she was brilliant!

Kelly Rowland Supafest 2012 - Photo by Emily Wilkes

Big Sean...I am a BIG fan as of last night!! I do admit to asking my friend when is Big Sean coming on halfway through his performance, its just...I expected him to be bigger..hehe. He was so energetic and really lifted the energy of the whole arena!

Big Sean Supafest 2012 - Photo by Emily Wilkes

The whole event ended with a climax performance from Chris Brown, cant say I'm a huge fan but he was definitely entertaining :D
For anyone into RnB/Urban/Hip Hop I would say get your tickets for next year because it is one show you don't want to miss!! Cant wait for Supafest 2013!!