I recently finished There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Åkeson McGurk, a book on “a Scandinavian mom’s secrets for raising healthy, resilient, and confident kids.” The author, who grew up in Sweden and then moved to the United States to raise her family, puts a lot of focus on exposing kids to nature, which is a big part of Scandinavian parenting. I’ve noticed that more and more Americans are placing emphasis on outdoor education as well. We still have a long way to go, but there has certainly been an increase of “forest schools” and nature-based preschools in recent years. (If you’ve never heard of forest schools, you should definitely read the book to learn more about them. I first heard of the concept several years back and have been fascinated with them ever since.)
The storytelling and details in the book around this whole concept of education in nature just seem so dreamy to me – I couldn’t stop thinking about it. In fact, it brought me back to my own childhood – of skipping rocks on the river, of playing with the minnows and opening up clams in the lake, and of creating a “home” for an injured lacewing on some leaves we found with a soft, fuzzy underside. Nature really is magical, isn’t it?
The book covers other parenting topics as well, but nature remains a prominent theme throughout the book. I’m about as far as you can get from a parenting expert given that I have zero children, but as I’ve mentioned before, I enjoy learning about different ways of life, different cultural customs, and different parenting techniques, and I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to try some of these in practice. My 5 favorite parenting points discussed in the book are briefly described below:
- “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.” As the author says, this is “one of the most useful semi-true parenting sayings ever to come out of Scandinavia!” The point is, when dressed in the appropriate attire, all kinds of weather can be enjoyed, including rain or snow. This is such an interesting concept, as it seems like here in the U.S., the only sensible thing to do in very cold or wet weather is hibernate. Growing up in Texas, we had very mild winters, and yet it’s a known fact that people don’t really go out much when it’s cold or rainy, but instead cozy up to a fire and wait for warmer, sunnier days. I know that Americans in most other states are accustomed to much colder weather, yet I’ve noticed that even far up north (like South Dakota, where my husband grew up), it’s pretty standard to rely on drive-thrus, heavy-duty vehicles with seat heaters and blankets, and an overall indoor culture in winter, because it would be crazy not to, right?! Or so it seems. But in Scandinavia, the outdoor culture is real – rain or shine. Tiny babies in full winter gear sleep outside for hours in prams, and preschool kids spend a majority of each day outside playing, no matter the weather. It is a cultural norm, and Scandinavian people swear that it makes both kids and adults tough, resilient, and happy. I have dreams of putting toddlers and school-age kids in full rain suits, slipping on my rain boots, and going out to jump in puddles and get muddy outside together. I know that it all sounds fun in theory, that is until it’s actually cold and rainy and all I will want to do is cuddle on the couch, but I’m determined to develop a more hardy, nature-embracing side of me as I age (famous last words). But the key is to have (and wear) the right clothes, so that will be next on my list!
- “Fresh air is good for you.” The book discusses how various conditions and infections that can be reduced with more time outdoors – there are many. I know from experience that my overall mood can be improved by just getting some fresh air, and it made me think of how I’d like to prioritize outdoor time on a daily basis for my family as we grow.
- “Just let them play.” It’s not a race for your preschooler to learn to read and write and spell – let them be little while they can! They will learn valuable lessons through play, and the academics will come soon enough. It’s easy for little ones to get burned out on the serious stuff, and it can even happen with school-age kids if you pack in too many extracurricular activities and forget about free time for play. Kids need to play!
- “A little dirt won’t hurt.” Our modern, first-world society is so clean – maybe a little too clean. It’s good to let children be exposed to some germs and play in the dirt. One of my #momgoals is to try not to panic when I see my child put those dirty hands in his/her mouth… they are going to be okay!
- “Freedom with responsibility.” No need to be a helicopter parent – it’s okay to give kids the freedom to make their own mistakes, let them engage in “risky” play – which might look like climbing a tree by themselves or using real tools – or encourage them to do something in a group with no adults, such as walking together to an ice cream shop a few blocks away. I can imagine that this will be so much more difficult than how it sounds right now when I don’t have kids, but I hope that I can keep this in mind when I do become a parent, as it’s okay to let go and trust my kids. It will make all of us better.
You’ll have to read the book to learn more about Scandinavian parenting and some of the author’s other parenting principles – I really enjoyed it, and it inspired me in unexpected ways. What are your thoughts on these 5 points above? Was nature and outdoor time a big part of your childhood, or is it something that you are less comfortable with? Do you have any ideas for encouraging kids or families to get outside more? I’d love to hear.
P.S. Everything you ever wanted to know about sleep, and how to prevent picky eaters.
