孩子们年龄越大，他们在户外的时间就越少
It's a worrisome trend that parents need to fight against.
这是一个令人担忧的趋势，家长们需要与之斗争。
It comes as no surprise that kids these days are spending less time in nature than previous generations did, but it's always alarming when casual observations are cemented by formal research. A new study out of North Carolina State University and Clemson University has found that middle-school students, even those living in rural areas, are spending more time indoors and less outdoors. The culprit? Screens.
与前几代人相比，现在的孩子们花在大自然上的时间越来越少，这并不奇怪，但当非正式的观察被正式的研究巩固时，这总是令人担忧的。北卡罗来纳州立大学和克莱姆森大学的一项新研究发现，中学生(即使是那些生活在农村地区的中学生)在室内的时间越来越多，在室外的时间越来越少。罪魁祸首是什么?屏幕。
CC BY 2.0. Mitch Barrie
Lincoln Larson, a co-author of the study and assistant professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at NC State University, said in a press release：
该研究的合著者、北卡罗来纳州立大学公园、娱乐和旅游管理助理教授林肯·拉尔森在一次新闻发布会上说：
"This is a problem because connection to nature plays a positive role in young people’s physical health and psychological development."
“这是个问题，因为与自然的联系对年轻人的身体健康和心理发展起到了积极的作用。”
One reason given for lack of time spent outdoors is parental concerns over safety, particularly for young girls. The outdoors is seen as dangerous, which is somewhat ironic, considering how insidious the Internet can be. I am sure we can all think of more examples of young girls running into trouble on the Internet than encountering threatening individuals on a forest hike.
缺乏户外活动的一个原因是父母对安全的担忧，尤其是对年轻女孩。户外被认为是危险的，这有点讽刺，考虑到互联网可以是多么阴险。我相信我们都能想到更多的年轻女孩在互联网上遇到麻烦的例子，而不是在森林徒步旅行中遇到威胁的人。
As parents, the duty falls squarely on us to ensure that our children spend as much time outside as possible. So how does one go about doing this? Having a daily ritual helps. Here are some ideas for getting started:
作为父母，我们有责任确保我们的孩子尽可能多地在户外活动。那么我们该怎么做呢?有一个日常的例行公事是有帮助的。下面是一些开始的建议:
- Have your child walk to and from school. If they complain that the walk is too long, they can ride a bike. This automatically packs in daily fresh air and exercise, as well as time for quiet contemplation, conversation with friends, and observation of the passing world. This is a priceless experience, even if it feels like a chore right now.
-让你的孩子步行上学和放学。如果他们抱怨步行时间太长，他们可以骑自行车。这就自动把每天呼吸新鲜空气和运动，以及安静地沉思，与朋友交谈，观察路过的世界结合在一起。这是一种无价的体验，即使它现在感觉像是一件苦差事。
- Copy the school system and implement daily recesses at home. Insist on 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. Inevitably these will get stretched as the kids get into games and the pushback will cease.
-遵照学校制度，即使是日常在家休息。坚持早上30分钟，下午30分钟。不可避免地，当孩子们开始玩游戏的时候，时间就会拉长，抵制就会停止。
- Set rules. My kids have to play outside for half an hour when they get home from school. That take precedence over homework, household chores, and reading time. Often I go out, too, to do yard work.
—制定规则。我的孩子们放学回家后必须在外面玩半个小时。这比家庭作业、家务和阅读时间更重要。我也经常出去整理院子。
- Create outdoor-to-indoor ratios. Perhaps kids can bank screen time by playing outside, e.g. an hour of outdoor play for a half-hour of Netflix.
-创造户外与室内的比例。也许孩子们可以通过在户外玩耍来积累看电视的时间，比如在户外玩一个小时看半个小时的Netflix。
- Establish a family tradition of being active outdoors every weekend. Go biking or hiking. Go swimming or skating. Tackle something new like skiing or snowshoeing. Take turns choosing an activity to keep kids interested and invested.
-建立一个家庭传统，每个周末都活跃在户外。骑自行车或徒步旅行。去游泳或滑冰。尝试一些新事物，比如滑雪或穿雪鞋。轮流选择一项活动，以保持孩子的兴趣和投入。
- Give them chores. Middle-school-aged kids may not be so inclined to 'play' outside like younger siblings are, but keep them out there by giving them jobs, e.g. shoveling snow, cutting grass, raking leaves, gardening, etc.
-让他们做家务。初中的孩子可能不会像弟弟妹妹那样喜欢在外面“玩耍”，但会给他们一些工作让他们待在外面，比如铲雪、割草、耙树叶、园艺等等。
However you choose to approach it, know that time invested in the outdoors is not lost time; it builds your child's confidence, fills them with great memories, improves their mental and physical health, and sets them up for success in ways that formal lessons never can. If you're in doubt, pick up a copy of Richard Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods, and let your eyes be opened to nature's powerful effects.
无论你选择怎样去接近大自然，要知道花在户外的时间并不是浪费的时间;它能树立孩子的信心，让他们充满美好的记忆，改善他们的身心健康，并为他们的成功打下基础，而这些都是正规课程所无法做到的。如果你有疑问，那就拿起一本理查德·洛夫的书，《树林里的最后一个孩子》，让你的眼睛睁开，去感受大自然的强大力量吧。
