HOW DO WE NURTURE OURSELVES WITH NATURE?
Parenting can be tough. We are often looking after everyone else’s needs and putting our own to the bottom of the pile. To be the best parent you can be, it’s essential to nurture our own well-being to help us stay centred through the day-to-day challenges.
Nature is an affordable and feel-good option to help you nurture yourself throughout your week.
- Spend regular time in nature. Be present in the moment and let it nurture your mind, body and soul. Feel the sun on your face, and the wind in your hair. Close your eyes and place your hand on your heart and just breathe.
- Walk outside barefoot and find somewhere to stand on the grass or earth – feeling the earth beneath your feet, the mud between your toes, or the tickle of grass on your feet. It’s a wonderful grounding feeling and connects us to the moment.
- Meet friends at your local park or reserve. We are social beings. Even if it feels hard to get out of your house, once you are there and talking with another human being, it will all feel worth it. We need to connect with other humans and this will definitely help you to nurture your mental health.
- Sit outside in the sun and have a cup of tea. No phone, just you and the warmth of the sun for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Do some gardening. It’s a great way to clear your mind and connect to nature at the same time. If you don’t have a garden, go for a walk and smell the flowers along the way.
Nature is our teacher, food provider, and home. By connecting our children to nature we are helping develop their resilience while developing positive mental health strategies for years to come. So get outdoors and let them play in nature every day.
Celia Hogan, Founder of Little Kiwis Nature Play is a Nature Education Specialist, Consultant, Speaker and Parenting Coach. She is passionate about connecting children to nature and is a strong advocate for nature play, risky play and improving mental health and well-being through nature. For the past 23 years she has worked for a variety of outdoor education organisations internationally, setting up, developing and running outdoor programmes, wilderness expeditions, leadership development programmes and establishing risk management and safety systems. She splits her time with professional development training for teachers, coaching, running her Bush Kindy and taking her own tamariki on lots of adventures. She is chair of Nature Education Aotearoa, co-chair of Education Outdoors New Zealand and is an advisor for ECE Reform. Visit littlekiwisnatureplay.com to find out more, and join her online communities on Facebook and Instagram.
