At first I thought this book was a series of selfcongratulatory essays written by the worlds greatest tree hugging dad. I'm ashamed to own such meaness of spirit, but I am please to admit I was wrong. Anyhow I am now motivated to read Thoreau, to invest in maps and field guides, to find a place to swim outdoors, to learn to ski, to buy rubber boots, to hike the east coast. Really though I just want to be outdoors with my kids more. Van Noy shares some of his triumphs, and some of his mistakes. He tells about all the cool adventures his famly has had, and reveals that his kids still have mundane toys and watch too much TV. He admits to mistakes, and swearing, and yelling. He offers practical advice and he subtly hints that raising kids outdoors takes work. Plus the Notes at the end of the book is great place to look for more reading ideas.
While Van Noy wants parents to turn off the TV and even park the car more often so that children can connect with nature, he's also concerned about the health of our planet. He believes that if our children learn from nature and love the natural world they'll take better care of it. I agree with him.
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