a peek inside the fishbowl

Hello Fishies! I’m doing something new at the Fishbowl this week. I’ve asked each of my amazing Fishbowl patrons to write a post on a topic that is important to the parenting community. This one is by Pamela Kirk, Science Educator at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

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(Photo by Emma Kirk for the Canadian Museum of Nature)

When I’m asked to describe how I approach my work, I think of Ms. Frizzle.

Yes, the “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” one.

To me, there is no better way to understand something than to immerse yourself in it.

People are generally a curious bunch—myself included. There is so much joy in discovery! As a facilitator in a natural history museum, I have the privilege of guiding people in their discovery of the natural world. My reward is seeing the look on a person’s face at the “Aha!” moment.

I grew up in the city, but managed to find little patches of “nature” to play in. My parents encouraged this by taking me on camping trips and promoting outdoor play. They fostered my love of nature by sharing theirs.

It became apparent to me at an early age that my experience was not the norm. Few of my friends knew the names of the trees, if they even noticed them at all. Fewer still were allowed to dig a hole, or pry open a rotten log to see what lived inside. Their parents didn’t understand that tactile exploration and immersive play are essential parts of well-rounded childhood development. It is summed up by Rachel Carson this way: “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”

Children are conditioned to not touch things that don’t belong to them. While this is a necessary social skill, it limits the ways in which they can explore and understand their natural environment. If you are never allowed to pick up a stick, how will you know what the bark feels like? How will you experience the sticky sap of the new leaf buds? How would you ever get to marvel at the industry of ants if your fear of grass-stained pants is greater than your curiosity?

My parents didn’t schedule my free time. I explored my world at my own pace. Watching clouds, racing the autumn leaves in the wind, and walking in the woods. I loved the feeling of independence. It gave me the confidence to explore the things that interested me.

People seem to think of “Nature” as a place, or a thing, when really it is everywhere and everything! I have had people say to me “I don’t like nature.” and then tell me how much they like watching hummingbirds, or seeing a rainbow.

We, as a society, have become disconnected from our environment. We are separated from each other, from our food sources, from our natural resources. This separation inhibits our understanding of our interconnectedness, and of nature as a whole.

I see my work as finding ways to reconnect people with their natural environment in ways that are relevant to them. That’s the really important bit. A person can think sharks are cool, and seals are cute, and bees are weird, but if they can’t see how the existence of these creatures impacts THEM, they aren’t going to really care. One of my mentors shared this saying with me: “In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.” (Baba Dioum, 1968.) Teaching, guiding, and facilitating discovery are some of the best ways to encourage “big picture” thinking about our world as a whole.

Nature is vast and intricate and complex—and can be intimidating. I like to see what I do (and what science educators, Parks workers, bird watching clubs, mineral collectors…do) as opening a door on to a manageable, relevant aspect of nature, and guiding people through it. I have gotten people to put dirt in their mouths to differentiate between textures. I have put fossilised dinosaur poop in my mouth to drive home the fact that it REALLY IS A ROCK NOW. I have held a child’s hand so they would feel secure enough to have a Northern Walking Stick climb up their arm. The experiences are impactful and empowering. Because knowledge is power.

I like nothing better than when one of my children asks me the whys and wherefores of the local flora and fauna. My favourite answer is: “Let’s go find out!”

My children (a.k.a the Horde) love Polar Bears, so I took them to an exhibition on Canada’s Arctic (since we can’t easily go there ourselves, it’s the next best thing). While there, we saw a video of Belugas. My son remarked that they were fat. Then I saw his light go on. He said “They’re fat—just like Polar Bears so they can stay warm in the ocean!” “That’s right,” I said, “and they use sonar to help them find their food—just like bats.” (Well that took a minute to process LOL).

My oldest daughter and her friends once spent the afternoon watching a beaver build its dam. They had gone off for a few hours of unsupervised, unstructured play, and came home bubbling over with stories of their adventure.

Sometimes, with the Horde, it really isn’t about the learning. A fond family memory is of an afternoon that we spent chasing butterflies. As my daughter put it: “Just peaceful interaction with the planet.”

I think we could all benefit from regular afternoons of butterfly-chasing.

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I agree. Thank you Pamela!
p.s. You can read other guest posts right here!

Hello Fishies! I’m doing something new at the Fishbowl this week. I’ve asked my amazing Fishbowl patrons to each write a post on a topic that is important to the parenting community. This one is by Erin Forget of terra20.

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We’ve put together some awesome activities designed to teach kids that caring for the environment is not just important but rewarding and a way of living that is healthier and more sustainable.

1.) Make an Earth Day jar for all year!

Cut strips of scrap paper and use them to write down some simple Earth-friendly activities that kids can do. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Make a sock puppet from a singleton sock
• Help Mom make a healthy dinner from local ingredients
• Get eco-crafty with the garden signs. See these adorable ideas!

Store these fun projects in a recycled jar, and choose one activity every week or month – it’s up to you!

2.) Birds of a feather

Birds help spread seeds of various plants, aiding bio diversity and they also boost tree growth by up to 30% by eating parasites and damaging insects. Attract birds to your backyard by making your own birdfeeder from a recycled plastic bottle and some twigs or old wooden spoons. (See instructions here.) Or it can be as simple as applying peanut butter to a pine cone and rolling it in bird seed.

3.) Speak up for the planet

Encourage older children to start an eco-blog – on their own or with classmates – packed with tips, ideas, crafts and facts. Children learn to express their opinions, as well as devise new ways to be environmental stewards. (Be sure to review these safety tips first!)

4.) Get them involved

The best way to help youngsters grow to be environmentally conscious is to get them involved in school and community activities. Kids can:

• Work with classmates and teachers to promote a school litterless lunch campaign.
• Start a WWF-Canada student club.
• Organize a park or neighbourhood cleanup with adults.
• Join the youth Change the World movement.
• Write letters to local and national politicians expressing their concerns about current environmental issues, or become involved with local advocacy groups such as Citizens for Safe Cycling.

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Thank you Erin! These are great things to do over March Break, or anytime for that matter!

p.s. You can read other guest posts right here!

Hello Fishies! I’m doing something new at the Fishbowl this week. I’ve asked my amazing Fishbowl patrons to write a post on a topic that is important to the parenting community. This one is by Molly van der Schee, owner of The Village Quire.

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We live in an age of email, texting, voice mails and Skype. We’ve been going this way for a while now and I fully admit to being a super-texter. My kids are very impressed with my super speedy fingers.

But taking the time to put pen to paper and write a quick note and then popping it in the mail… this is something I love to do. I keep some stamps in my wallet and all it takes is a quick 10 minutes to write a note. If you need a reason to write, consider a thank you note. Did a friend take you for dinner? Did a neighbour shovel your driveway? A thank you note is the perfect way to get the ball rolling. Finish your note with a question. Did that person take a recent trip? Ask how it went. You might find a card in your mailbox in the next few weeks.

One tip I would offer, is keep the note short. Don’t set yourself up to write a three page, 1500 word essay. You are just getting started and if writing doesn’t come easily, you don’t want to make it harder than it already is. Plus, you want a note back! If you write a three pager, you might scare off your potential pen pal.

I’ve always got a card at the ready. If you like shopping for individual cards for individual people, then you can certainly do that. But you can easily pick up a box of blank notecards. You can choose a theme – dog or cat, doughnuts or macaroons, or maybe just a simple art scene. Be sure to consider the size of card. It costs more to send an oversized card. You can always look up the size on the Canada Post website or you can ask your friendly card-seller! ;-)

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Thanks Molly!

p.s. You can read other guest posts right here!