Growing up too protected?

I spotted an online article from the UK this morning about how kids are losing touch with the natural world.

A poll done by the BBC Wildlife Magazine found that "playing in the countryside was children's least popular way of spending their spare time." Instead, kids said they'd "rather see friends (indoors, presumably) or play on their computer than go for a walk or play outdoors."

And this from the same article:

"Experts blamed the widening gulf between children and nature on over-protective parents and the hostility to children among some conservationists, who fear that they will damage the environment. They said that this lack of exposure to outdoor play in natural environments was vital for children's social and emotional development."

Sad.

But now for the antidote.

After reading that, I checked in on the "Bentley Farm Gazette," the family web page of my friends Tom & Janet Angell & their 8 kids who grew up on Bentley Farm in the Hudson Valley, New York.

Sarah, the oldest, now teaches science and has a recent post about the joys of A Day of Farming:

"Let's hear it for the hard-working folks (cows, family and friends alike) that keep this country fed!"

The photos she posted give you a feel for what growing up on a farm has meant to their family. Family farms once were a common setting for kids growing up. I grew up as an outdoor-loving California suburban kid, but I still remember the fun my cousins and I had on visits to my uncle's farm in Iowa. 

A series of great photos go with Sarah's post. But since this is a "pets" blog, I'll share this one of Sarah's brother Isaac. Isaac is home on a "working" summer break from his studies at Cornell Veterinary school and enjoying some special time with his faithful dog of many years, Bentley, a border collie (nach!).

  

I've posted more pictures from the Bentley Farm work day on the jump.

Related posts: What dogs can teach kids; and Prevent allergies -- get a dog.