I always have a million thoughts. Projects to start. Books to read. Places to visit. Ways to conquer the world! Haha, just kidding. Or am I? Sometimes, it can be overwhelming to decide where to start on the bigger ideas. I’ll Google. I’ll research. I’ll fret. I’ll seek input from a friend or two. (Also, a joke—I don’t have any. I ask my teenager and husband.)
The answers I usually find are that you need to break up the task into manageable pieces—a checklist, a to-do list. That is all great and well. But… what if I do step 2 first and completely skip step 1? Does it matter? Or is there an easier way? I am all about streamlining the process. However, I usually just stumble through, making mistakes and learning lessons that I didn’t want to learn—lessons I wish I could have read somewhere in a handbook for life.
Have you ever felt this way when it comes to raising children? I’m going to assume yes. I have never met a perfect parent. But, I have met caring parents.
Parents who care about the right education for their children.
Parents who care about their children’s nutrition.
Parents who care about their children’s sports life and social life.
Parents who care about whether their child wears shoes.
The list goes on and on, as I assume you already know.
I am going to pivot from this thought—probably not in the most graceful literary way—but here I go on my first-ever blog post. I care so much about every aspect of my children’s lives. I truly care about getting them out into nature. After living in Alaska for 30 years, it’s literally ingrained into my entire being. Too much? I know.
Much to my surprise, there is not as much nature in Central Florida as there is in the entirety of my backyard in Alaska. I am having to seek the nature out—Google it. Natural parks. Playgrounds. I have met many great families along the way while searching for these moments in nature. They, too, want to reconnect with nature. Some don’t know where to look. Some aren’t as comfortable in nature. And that is OKAY! We all have to start somewhere.
We need to make goals and break them up into tangible bits of doable tasks (probably not a word).
That is also where I am! I am embarking on a new adventure to bring nature to YOU—and to myself and my five children—in a new way. I am reading books, listening to UAF podcasts on gopher tortoises, and looking for ways to make nature exciting and inviting to children of all ages—0 to 99! (We’ll do our best anyway.)
How will I do that? I will start with “A.” I’m going to bring you along with my family and me as we discover Central Florida and beyond with new eyes. I’ll bring the excitement, the ideas, and the how-tos! (And probably some of the flops as well! We learn best from our mistakes, I have discovered.)
I have wanted to start a blog for years. I always held myself back—researching, thinking—but never taking that first “A” step. So, if you have made it this far in this ramble-scramble, thanks! Come back next time for another amusing tangent from The Wildling Way. (I’ll explain the name choice… maybe.)