Has anybody read this book?

J

Jamus

Member
"Last Child in the Woods." Apparently it's a call to get more kids out of doors, referencing in part a growing irony that kids today will know more about the rain forest in Brazil than a creek in the backyard.

I heard about it the other day and suspect that someone here might have a view on it... Has anybody read it?

http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods
thanks
Jamus
 
I bought it for my sister in law when she was preggers with her first. I don't think she's finished it yet, but she said it was good so far.

It's gotten rave reviews from a lot of outdoorsy people.

I know several folks who have read it and none of them said anything negative about it.

NR
 
I just emailed a link to my wife. I'm sure the book will be in our house by the weekend. She can't resist buying books :)

A couple of non outdoor related books I'd recomend on kids for anyone interested: Both by Meg Meeker. I read 'Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters'...about the bond between dad's and their girls, and how a fathers reaction to the smallest things can make or break how they turn out. The other, 'Boys Should be Boys'...my wife is currently reading, even though we don't have a son, but in a nut shell (from someone who hasn't actually read this book) is about counter acting the whussyness that society has imposed upon boys to raise them into men...rather than the girly-boys that seem to be overpopulating us now.

http://www.megmeekermd.com/books/


Chuck
 
Jamus, Nick, or Chuck, this is not directed toward you guys, but..........
Has it gone that far where people need to read books on how to introduce your kids to the outdoors? I guess it depends where you are. But man o manaschevitz, just get outside maybe? Maybe I should write a book, hahahahaha ?
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Hey William--
No offense taken and boy I hope not. I found it interesting though that someone thinks we have gotten far enough to write what I hear is a well researched and intelligent argument to kick kids loose in the woods and fields. It's along the same lines as the backlash that was leveled at the Newsweek columnist who let her nine year old ride the subway alone http://www.newsweek.com/id/133103/page/1 which led to the book free range kids. 15 years ago this stuff was normal; today it's outrageous. Hopefully the pendulum is swinging back.

In either case I'm interested in any information that supports a public perception that skinned knees, jackknives, bullfrogs, unsupervised sandlot games and dirt are as natural as breathing.

Cheers
Jamus
 
There is nothing like a nature hike with kids. The more you make it like a game the better. A couple of guide books on trees, birds, flowers insects. And who can find the most of this or that. Once their curiosity is aroused it can be a life long thing. If you get excited, they get excited, like "Wow look at that"

One of the fun times I had. A young man who I had never met was working on a merit badge on reptiles and anphibians. He had done all the paper work and just needed someone to sign off. I could tell he didn't have any hands on experience. I told him after school go home and put on some old clothes and shoes. I picked him up and off to a small lake we went. Of course I knew that lake had some trout in it. So I took along my fishing rod.

Once we got to the lake which had a small bog around it. I turned him loose. I said to him catch a frog and then we will identify it. I knew after a few minutes he had never ever caught a frog before. It was a site to behold. I could hardly keep a staight face as I fished. Him bouncing on the bog. Finally after a half hour or forty minutes he had frog. He was wet up to his knees and mud all over but a smile on his face. Gave him a guide book and he identified it. Next are there any other kinds of frogs. By the time he was done he had identified three kinds even if he didn't catch them. His next project was to identify them by sound with a little guidance he did. On our trip back home I told him I would sign off on his merit badge but when he had found some snakes he had to let me know. Later one day while I was walking down the street I heard this excited voice " Mr Engel Mr Engel I found them. I found them."

That's what it's all about. Show or have some one have a positive experience in the out doors that they will never forget.
 
I've read the book and heard the author speak. He is a wonderful speaker and is very convincing with the argument that kids spend too much time watching TV, playing video games, shut inside. Kids in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s spent time playing outdoors, catching fish, going hunting with dad/grandpa/ favorite uncle and now they learn about everything on Facebook or TV. Its a good argument to get kids outdoors again or we'll loose any chance of maintaining outdoor activities or combating childhood obesity.
 
Jamus, Nick, or Chuck, this is not directed toward you guys, but..........
Has it gone that far where people need to read books on how to introduce your kids to the outdoors? I guess it depends where you are. But man o manaschevitz, just get outside maybe? Maybe I should write a book, hahahahaha ?
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Click to expand...


Uhhhhhh, are you aware of the transition of the human population from farms and rural areas into cities that has been occurring since the industrial revolution? Sorry to be a smartass, but unfortunately, yes people do need a book. (Do people need a book to carve a decoy, train a dog, etc?) The general population doesn't have a clue about the outdoors and, if I'm not mistaken, one of the main points of the book is that parents are downright SCARED of the outdoors - be it getting lost or a little scrape on the knee. If the parents don't have a clue, it's nearly impossible to get the kids into it because they won't even be exposed to it.

You should read it, I'm waiting my turn, but everything I've heard about it has been very good - you might change your mind . . . and become inspired to write a book!

Best Regards,

NR
 
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