Virtual Experiences have taken over the fun of going out and exploring the world outside should this disconnect between children and their natural environment be an issues of concern?

Long school hours, tuitions, homework, tests and semester exams. Not much leisure time left for the school children, is there? owever, media and technology have simplified things by providing easy access and variety in entertainment. Internet, satellite channels and video games have ensured that one need not go out to have fun. Our lives are, however, a part of a larger system and not just divided between hobbies and academics. This is the world around us, which contributes to our physical and intellectual growth. Despite this, many of us are getting detached from what exists outside the boundaries of our home and school. Does that lead to a disconnect? Do you agree that one needs to understand the immediate environment before reaching out for global concerns? Find out how strong your bond is with the world around you.

How do you analyse this human-nature link? Do you think its important to nurture this connection at all? If yes, how do you (or intend to) stay connected with what lay outside your door? Share your views and innovative ideas with us at: Panditji@cseindia.org

• Can you name two sources of your daily water supply?
   
• What kind of pesticide does the gardener in your school/home /society use?
   
• Several products you buy from the market claim to be farmfresh. Do you know where these farms are located and how they reach your market?
   
• Does your family buy organic/eco friendly things? Do you know where they are grown/made?
   
• Do you know where your household sewage and garbage is disposed off?
   
• Do you use cosmetics/toileteries which have been tested on animals?
   
• Name any three energy sources in your house. Do you know how they are produced?
• What are the Euro-III standards for private vehicles?

Richard Louv (Journalist and Writer) talks about Nature Deficit Dissorder (NDD) in his book titled “Last Child in the Woods”.The concept of NDD emerges from the fact that for the generation of parents, one very crucial aspect of interaction with natural environment came in the form of evening breaks in their childhood.
    
This could mean going out with friends to the field, cycling, or just taking long walks in the neighborhood. NDD denotes a trend that children are spending less and less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of behavioral differences. Caused by factors such as fear of accidents, working parents and restrict access to open spaces. The lure of the small screen and computers then take over the break time. This can lead to physical and mental disorders such as fatigue, obesity, anxiety, attention problems and depression. On the other hand, the positive effects of treating NDD has displayed better attention span, stress reduction, creativity and cognitive development, says Louv.

While it is justified for parents to feel that their child is safer indoors, this attitude sometimes disrupts the child’s ability to relate with nature. GT spoke to a few people to know what they felt about these emerging problems in urban india.

Ms Baran Farooqi
Associate Professor, Deptt of English –Jamia Millia Islamia
“My daughters bond with nature through their love for animals. We have pets at home and also look after the stray animals. Their school (Amity International, Noida ) conducts many activities to build conciousness and sensitivity towards one’s environment. But the real time spent outdoors has drastically reduced if I compare it with my childhood days”

Ms Anita Syed
Housewife
“My daughter studies at Frank Anthony Public School in class V.The academic pressure leaves very little time for any other activity, we
make up for it by taking her out for a movie and dinner on the weekends”.

What Experts have to say:

Ms Shivani Chander
Councellor- Sanskriti School.
“Online social networking is not the same as playing cricket outside. Its far better to let your child with a big group of friends outside rather than allowing him/her to chat online with a stranger.Children learn to deal with different kinds of people and situations outside of their protective homes. I ask my daughter Yamini (who also studies in Sanskriti) to go out cycling when she doesn’t have any one to play with.

Dr Utkarsh Narang
Narang Clinic, New Delhi
“Lack of outdoor activities is leading to complications among children. Just being out in open can be very relaxing. Children need physical activity for their all-round physical, emotional and mental growth”.

How we interact with nature determines how we deal with it and how we treat it. If nature is all about a few words in a page of a textbook or a lesson to be learnt in schools, the students cannot forge an enduring bond with it.