Kids these days! All they want to do is play video games, watch YouTube videos on their tablets, and run with friends. And I don’t mean the physical activity, I mean the game. They call it running to make you feel better for being a lazy bum who lays around in your bedroom with the blinds drawn tight all day, every day.
I’m not describing the hippie down the hall from you freshman year in college, I’m describing my 13 year old son.
I used to play video games, but dude, I still left my house, I did things with my family, and I was one with nature. Often. I know, growing up in Southeast Alaska really lends itself to being outside all the time. There’s not a whole lot more to do there than to go hiking or skiing on your days off. Or you go fishing in your 19′ C*Dory and attempt to catch salmon and halibut all day. Or if you’re me, you sulk in the cabin and color all day long while your parents catch double-uglies all day long.
Having a teenager in the house who thinks he’s a better parent than I am has been extremely challenging. When he’s not yelling at the littles for something dumb, he’s tattling on them, and when he’s not doing any of that, he’s generally sulking in his room with his face stuck in a screen, and I’m lost. He’s a really great kid, but the last year has been painfully difficult for both of us and I don’t know how to deal.
The other day I was thinking back to my magical childhood. We were just let loose on the wilderness in Alaska and it was amazing. My parents sometimes had to force us out, but once we got out, we were blissfully happy. I realized that I needed to stop just letting Styles do whatever the heck he wanted to do, and force him to come out with us as a family to do something other than go shopping. I mean, let’s just be honest. Thirteen, testosterone, shopping. They aren’t really a recipe for a successful outing.
When we lived in Orlando, it felt like we were so isolated from anything green, but there were lots of green spaces there. North Carolina had tons of beautiful green spaces too, and we never went out and explored them. What a complete waste! So this week, I did what all good Alaskan parents do. I took my kids to a state park and we actually had a great time.
This magical thing happened when we got out of the car. We stepped right into a field of sand spurs.
Wait, wrong magical thing.
When we picked all of the burrs from our clothes, Madilyn and Styles ran off into the dunes and Grady timidly held my hand while tiptoeing his way through the sand, until all of a sudden he saw something that caught his eye and he ran off in an uninhibited wind. I was in my own little bubble for a good hour without the kids tugging on me, begging me for this or that trivial thing that they could get for themselves. I didn’t have to hear about a video game that I could not care less about. Instead, I heard delightful giggles from my kids and watched the three of them playing in ways I’ve never seen them interact with one another.
It was amazing.
The Grayton Beach State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, FL is home to coastal dune lakes, hiking trails, and gorgeous Emerald Coast beach access. Hiking dunes – don’t worry, I stayed on the trail – is similar to hiking up and down the bunny hill at a ski resort after a foot of powder.
It was a great workout and the sugary white sand was beautiful. It reminded me of hiking back home and the serenity that comes with being outdoors.
I realized something that I don’t want to admit out loud, but will because I’m all about transparency. I can’t call myself an outdoorsy girl anymore. I’ve turned into a lazy city mom who doesn’t even think of visiting the abundant green spaces that our country has to offer. I don’t know how I became this girl, or when I became this girl, but I don’t like her and I want her to go take a hike. Literally.
The kids didn’t want to leave, but the park was closing, and they made me promise to take them back.
I promised.
And I promise to keep that promise. For the first time in months, my kids had a really great time and it was next to free. They were exhausted and they spent significantly less time bickering and whining afterward than they normally do.
So this Alaskan girl vows to spend more time in the great outdoors. Being in Florida won’t keep me from doing that, the panhandle has SO many green spaces and I feel renewed and excited to think about raising burly little outdoors-men and -women.
Do you spend enough time outdoors? Stop making excuses. Run outside TODAY and snap a few pictures. Then head over to share your photo and the reason w hy nature matters to you . For me it matters because childhood should be lived outdoors. Don’t sit by and watch our green spaces become concrete pads. Visit the trust and get passionate about our land.
Andrea @ Momma in Flip Flops says
I haven’t been to Florida since I was a kid. I miss it. Adore the photos, the kids are so cute and looks like a wonderful place.
Summer says
Come visit us any time! It is really beautiful here. Something I NEVER thought I’d say about Florida.
Michelle says
We definitely need to spend more time outdoors. That’s all I did as a kid, but I see very few kids out playing these days. I need to make a promise to spend more time at our local parks!
Summer says
Yes! I spent my childhood outdoors! It is so important to get to know nature. Can you imagine a world without it? I am so grateful for the trust for public land!
robyn says
What a beautiful beach! My family and I love the ocean but I have to admit I really don’t like sand much.
Summer says
OH Robyn, I don’t love sand either! It’s awful! I was so mad when my husband said we were moving to the beach, but I’m learning to enjoy it. 🙂
Tina says
Well played Mom, Eden State Gardens as well as Watercolor’s Cerulean Park are both GREAT photo opps while exploring. Sowal.com is an excellent resource for what is going on locally with minimal/low cost most times too 🙂 let me know when you are going and we will meet you there!
Valerie Remy-Milora says
What gorgeous park and what a beautiful story! It is amazing how the outdoors can bring out the best in everyone. It’s so freeing, invigorating, relaxing… Magical! And the perfect way to get teens out of their books and their video games haha I know I have two of those!
Herchel says
This is ironic, Summer! We live in Florida now and are seriously considering moving to Alaska so that our kids can have that magical childhood. I am a diehard Florida native so it may be a huge transition for me but we hear such good things from people who have lived there.
Summer says
OH my GOSH Herchel! I LOVED Alaska and would go back in a heartbeat. It might be a difficult transition, but if you love the outdoors, you would LOVE Alaska. There are so many wonderful things to do there. It was a magical childhood, and I do miss it. Most people who live there never want to leave and many return after college. I was not one of the lucky.