Thursday, August 26, 2010

Making Nature-Girls

When Jack was little, we were constantly outside.  I think the fact that he walked at 9 months and that it was much cooler weather when he was learning to walk enabled us to walk around outdoors much more.  We also had a screened porch at the house we were in.  The girls, however, learned to walk during the hottest months of summer which made it much more difficult for them to spend a large amount of time just roaming around the backyard...  Additionally, we had nice grass when Jack was younger.  Now, we've got glorified weeds and rocks.  With no shade.  It's just a pretty abysmal lot and it's not a ton of fun for kids.

So that's what I'm going to claim as my defense as to how in the world I, lover of all things outside, have managed to raise two very prissy girls who pout and whine at the mere mention of grass.  They'll do water (though, Addie much more than Jordan) and the beach, but you can forget anything else.  Last weekend we tried to go for a lengthy walk to a park, play for a bit and head back.  They wanted nothing to do with it.  This past weekend we tried a different park, and I switched my tactics a bit.  Where I had previously thought fewer clothes would be better to keep them cooler, this time I put them in (way too big) jeans and shoes to insulate their delicate skin from the offensive... air?  Grass?  Bugs?  Sun?  Whatever... I also brought towels for them to sit on and lounge in the shade of a tree.

The result?  Slightly happier twins.  Though, even still, Jordan was far more adventurous than Addie who only ventured off the towels towards the end and only then because I was holding her hand.






So I dunno... what do you think?  Can I convince them that nature really is okay?  Sigh.  I'll keep trying.

9 comments:

Misty said...

They're so cute! I love the folded up jeans with adorable pedipeds! I need a girl someday... Good luck with the nature girls in making =)

Kate said...

Aww! I love that your girls are prissy! I don't like being outside much either. Bugs, bugs, bugs!

Katie said...

It's okay, I'm still trying to figure out how I, an independent and everything but helicopter Mama, have managed to get a clingy princess for a youngest child. They'll get there...someday :)

Sherri said...

EAch kiddo is sure different, aren't they? My daughter was climbing trees almost as soon as she could walk; my son would rather read a book.

Christy said...

aww, so cute! I'm sure they will be loving nature before you even know it!

Mama M. said...

Oh, let them continue to know that nature is grody. Have you watched Cheaper by the Dozen? The girl says, "Ew...it smells, like dirt, and worms, and water, and fish" (or something like that...) and the dad says, "er...that's called 'fresh air'."

I'm with your girls! There's just so much...nastiness out there. You just never know what's gonna getcha.

Julie said...

I have no idea what to tell ya...I'm sure it will change. When we first adopted S-girl..she was one year old and I really think she had never been outside. She would just sit on the blanket and rarely venture off...but it was only a matter of weeks and she turned "nature lover"!! As for the boys...they might as well have been born in a cave. They have always been happiest outside!

Shannon K. said...

You can! Get them to love it more, that is. Addyson used to have an aversion to the grass. I think it's because it felt so strange to her feet. Now, my kids would gladly play outside (even in the heat) all day! They come inside covered from head to toe in dirt. Just what I need. Maybe their aversion is a blessing for now ;)

Jami said...

I have no advice worth giving. My poor 2, almost three year old, gets very little time outside. I was thinking the other day how much he gets cheated. I was all about experience and exercise and whatever when early in my parenting career and I think now I am just busy and a bit lazy about it all. And I am a total priss myself. I don't sit in the grass, so why should my daughter? LOL

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails

What I Write About...

babyfood making (14) blogging (30) Brain Vomit (11) breastfeeding (3) bugs (2) children (88) cooking (5) crafts (1) family (28) friendship (10) germs (4) house (6) housework (41) humor (50) life (60) manners (3) marriage (12) me (40) parenting (46) pet bunny (5) photographs (64) politics (1) pregnancy (15) recipes (2) reflections (50) relationships (5) school (2) summer (10) toddler food (5) TV (3) twins (19) weird (4)