“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” ~ Dr. Seuss

Last month, I wrote a different type of New Year’s Resolution post — one that focused on more balance, joy and play rather than deprivation, which is the usual theme. 

What I’ve discovered over the years is that if I don’t check back in on what I wrote down, then the process of writing down goals or resolutions — new year’s or otherwise — doesn’t do a bit of good.

So, let’s have a check in, shall we? How are you doing in your quest for more balance, joy and play?

To refresh your memories, here is the list of items to pursue with abandon in this glorious year, 2012.

What should you Do More of in 2012:

1. Laugh (to the verge if incontinence)
2. Play (like your life depends on it)
3. Dance (whether there is music or not)
4. Hike
5. Skip
6. Hop
7. Jump (for joy)
8. Frolic
9. Make time for your friends
10. Garden
11. Walk barefoot
12. Sing
13. Soak in a bubble bath
14. Stargaze
15. Camp
16. Make s’mores
17. Bike
18. Cook
19. Be kind
20. Travel
21. Try new things
22. Trust yourself
23. Shoot for the stars
24. Be fearless
25. Dust yourself off and begin again

What have you been doing to make sure you put some LIFE into living?! Please share.

I took a break from blogging for a few weeks to regain some balance. It was really important to give myself that time to have some fun and make time for friends and play. Definitely recharged my batteries.

Play on, my dear friends. Your life, as it turns out, depends on it.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: wolleydog

New Year’s resolutions are often filled with Do Less Statements (eat less, drink less…). This year, turn 2012 on its ear with Do More Statements!

What should you Do More of in 2012?

1. Laugh (to the verge if incontinence)
2. Play (like your life depends on it)
3. Dance (whether there is music or not)
4. Hike
5. Skip
6. Hop
7. Jump (for joy)
8. Frolic
9. Make time for your friends
10. Garden
11. Walk barefoot
12. Sing
13. Soak in a bubble bath
14. Stargaze
15. Camp
16. Make s’mores
17. Bike
18. Cook
19. Be kind
20. Travel
21. Try new things
22. Trust yourself
23. Shoot for the stars
24. Be fearless
25. Dust yourself off and begin again

And always remember, Danny O’Dare wants to dance with you. And so do I.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Danny O’Dare by Shel Silverstein

Danny O’Dare, the dancin’ bear,
Ran away from the County Fair,
Ran right up to my back stair
And thought he’d do some dancin’ there.

He started jumpin’ and skippin’ and kickin’,
He did a dance called the Funky Chicken,
He did the Polka, he did the Twist,
He bent himself into a pretzel like this.

He did the Dog and the Jitterbug,
He did the Jerk and the Bunny Hug.
He did the Waltz and the Boogaloo,
He did the Hokey-Pokey too.

He did the Bop and the Mashed Potata,
He did the Split and the See Ya Later.

And now he’s down upon one knee,
Bowin’ oh so charmingly,
And winkin’ and smilin’–it’s easy to see
Danny O’Dare wants to dance with me.

 photo credit: Elaayna

photo credit: celine nadeau

This year, instead of vowing to go to the gym more or give up caffeine, make a resolution that will impact your physical and mental health and that of your children – PLAY MORE!

Make a resolution to:

1. Get down on the floor and play with your kids more often.
2. Pick up a new hobby or dust off an old one.
3. Laugh harder and dream bigger.
4. Start a garden in your yard, on a balcony or in window boxes.
5. Get in the kitchen and cook with your kids. Start a family recipe book together!
6. Unplug and connect with your family. Substitute game night for another night in front of the TV.
7. Spend more time in nature – hike, ride a bike, camp, fish – whatever you and your family enjoy.

Need a little inspiration? Check out this beautiful video that will have you ready to head outdoors and enjoy a beautiful day with the children in your world.

Happy, happy 2012, my friends! xoxo

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

Dear beloved readers and friends:

Thanks for spending this play-filled year with me. For every tree you climbed, fort you built, trail you hiked. For everything that required crayons, glue and glitter. For every Mystery Critter case you cracked. For every belly laugh and gasp of awe-struck wonder you uttered. For every minute of playful spirit you modeled for those around you, I thank you. Gold stars and grass stains to you all! 

Here’s a little fun I’ve cooked up for you this holiday season. xoxo Bethe

On the 12th day of Christmas TGSG gave to me:

12 perfect snowflakes
11 stones a skipping 

10 stars a twinkling

9 children giggling
8 frogs a croaking
7 kites a flying
6 rainbows gleaming
5 forts to build
4 scampering squirrels
3 trees to climb
2 box turtles

And a grass stain on each knee!

No matter what you believe, or don’t, the holiday season is truly special.

May yours be filled with much love and laughter, and warmest wishes for a happy, healthy 2012!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

<— Little GSG with her trusty stick. (In case you are wondering, I finally grew into that chin.)

 photo credit: seelensturm

“Childhood is the fiery furnace in which we are melted down to essentials and that essential shaped for good.”

~ Katherine Anne Porter

As a speaker and writer, and I hope, a thought-leader on childhood issues, I spend a lot of time speaking to parents, educators and other grown-ups. People who work with kids, have kids, care about kids.

But today I want to speak to the kids. Because they deserve to be part of this conversation too. As we advocate for a healthy, happy childhood let’s keep those we are advocating for in the loop.  Hopefully, some of their grown-ups listen in.

10 Things I Wish for Today’s Kids:

1. That the media stops scaring the crap out of your parents 24-7, so that they think the only place you are safe is tucked away in the house.

2. That the decision-makers get down to business with true education reform so that you have the opportunity to learn to LOVE to learn, and not just learn (um, maybe) what will be on a test.

3. That we “grown-ups” stop being so lawsuit happy, so that liability is not the first thing on the minds of educators, parks and recreation professionals, community associations, and other parents. I hope with all my might that you are actually allowed to play, take risks and have fun in this life.

4. That you realize that you have choices, and the right to make mistakes — and the world will not stop spinning when you do. I promise, even when it feels that way.

5. That your parents set a limit on screen time. I know, you don’t want to hear this, but trust me on this one – it’s a must. The view on life when you lift your eyes from the screen is amazing.

6. That you learn to LOVE to read. Even if they do make a movie about it, you can bet the book is better. Learn to get lost in a story and try your hand at writing your own.

7. That you spend every moment you can outside. Check out the woods, the beach, the mountains, and everything else in between. Let nature awe you.

8. That you learn to be fearless, bold, and let your freak flag wave. I don’t mean live dangerously — but I do mean have the guts and gumption to really live and don’t be afraid to be yourself.

9. That you don’t get everything you want, that things don’t always come easily to you, that sometimes you fall flat on your face, and that you figure out (um, eventually) that these are all good things. (And that your parents LET you fail sometimes.)

10. That you get the freedom to breathe and the space to explore the world and figure out who you are in it.

So, that’s it. I have a lot of hopes and wishes for you guys, but what I want most of all is for you to grow up knowing how to appreciate life as the rich and fascinating ride that it is, and to know how to dust yourselves off and pick yourselves up when things get tough, because they will.

Oh that, and to really know how to laugh – deep, from the belly, bone-stirring laughter. It’s one of the greatest skills you can ever learn.

Enjoy the ride and great good luck, kiddos. I will be rooting for you.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: Dottie Mae

TGSG Note: I wrote this post a few years ago after the loss of a friend. Today would have been his birthday, so naturally my thoughts are drawn to him once again.

Coincidentally, I have never needed to read the words that follow more. In one of life’s rough patches, I find myself almost a stranger to the good these days. But, I am ready to practice what I preach and let my capacity for joy blossom.  After all, this ain’t no dress rehearsal. – Bethe

This post is dedicated to the memory of my dear friend, Craig Tufts. He taught me so much about nature and wildlife, and was so full of joy and life.  He was a man that knew how to live and to share joy with others — the best sort of man. My thoughts and love are with Jean and his family.

Gather up your telegrams
Your faded pictures, best laid plans
Books and postcards, 45s
Every sunset in the sky

Carry with you maps and string, flashlights
Friends who make you sing
And stars to help you find your place
Music, hope and amazing grace

Maybe what we leave
Is nothing but a tangled little mystery
Maybe what we take
Is nothing that has ever had a name

- Mary Chapin Carpenter

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Slow down. Live your life to the fullest. Laugh until you can hardly breath.  Increase your capacity for joy. Enjoy the feeling of the breeze on your face. Focus on experiences and people versus things and labels. Wiggle your toes in the sand and mud. Unplug and PLAY. Jump for joy, and pass it on.

In your pursuit of happiness you have to remember that it’s always there inside of you. Even on days you scarcely believe it possible. Sometimes, you just have to kick off your shoes and look for it.

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go feel the sun on my face and walk barefoot through the grass.

See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: Tawheed Manzoor

Weird-Bird by Shel Silverstein

Birds are flyin’ south for winter.
Here’s the Weird-Bird headin’ north,

Wings a-flappin’, beak a-chatterin’,
Cold head bobbin’ back ‘n’ forth.

He says, “It’s not that I like ice
Or freezin’ winds and snowy ground.

It’s just sometimes it’s kind of nice
To be the only bird in town.”

 To all my fellow weird-birds:

Be bold and fly whichever way your gut tells you. Find your flock(s), no matter how small. Travel light and remember that “…sometimes it’s kind of nice to be the only bird in town.”

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru 

Once upon a time the universe decided I was a good little guru and I had the great good fortune of meeting Penny Wilson. As all too infrequently happens in adulthood, within five minutes I felt like I had known her forever, but more importantly, knew I needed to know her for always.

A playworker. A trainer. An advocate. Penny wears many hats, and luckily for all of us her most recent hat is that of a TEDxEastEnd speaker.

So spend a few minutes with my friend Penny and challenge yourself to keep both water and sand in your cupped hands.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” ~ Celia Thaxter

TGSG Note:  As readers of this blog will know, I am a HUGE fan of summer. In fact, I love it so much that I truly struggle with the changing of the seasons. It’s not that I don’t like fall per say. I mean I get it —  it’s colorful and beautiful in its own right. But the coming of fall means that I have to say goodbye to summer for so long, and all the rich and wonderful bits of magic and play that only summer can bring. Heavy sigh. 

I originally post this two years ago, and if anything, I mean it more today than I did then. Like a child getting out of school for break, summer will always hold a magical place in my heart. ~ Bethe

As summer draws to an end, I can’t help but be a little sad. I am a sunshine girl –  a true lover of summer and spring. As much as I love Mother Nature, I am not fond of her winter dress nearly as much.

When I read this beautiful quote, I decided that this year, instead of being sad to see summer go, I would be grateful and give thanks to summer — celebrate its glory and let that celebration and those memories keep me warm in the cold days ahead.

10 Grateful Summer Thoughts:

1. The bright burst of summer colors everywhere the eye goes
2. Glorious sunsets, striped candy-colors of orange, pink, and purple
3. Warm summer rains, just made for puddle jumping
4. Walking barefoot through the grass, in the sand, and across warm sidewalks
5. Picnics and paddle boats
6. Orange popsicles enjoyed on a walk-about
7. Stargazing on warm nights
8. Dangling my feet off the dock
9. Cookouts and volleyball games with friends
10. Bright blue skies and seemingly impossible puffy white clouds. Skies so welcoming, you can hardly believe your luck at being alive and having such a day given to you.

Surely, these thoughts and sense of joy will keep me warm this winter.

What are some of the things you are grateful for about summer? I would love to have you share them in the comments section.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have some late summer fun to go enjoy. Get it before it’s gone, folks!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

 photo credit: pasukaru76

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I have been a bit discouraged lately. I have met so many children in the last couple of years who have no idea to play — or at least no interest.

I’m not gonna lie, it breaks my heart.

Whining about being bored. Showing no interest in non-electronic play. Melting down if they are told they cannot watch TV, surf the web or play video games. Children in national parks who never look up from their hand-held devices. Sadly, I could go on. But I won’t — you get the picture.

My little grass-stained heart needed a lift. And lucky for me, I got one.

I was lucky enough to spend a week in the English countryside with four amazing children ages 8 and 10 who really knew how to play. KNEW. And not only did they know how, they initiated it.

No really. And I have the proof. Check it out!

Wands were whittled and spells were cast.

Rocks were tattooed, then hidden around the garden for the best rock hunt ever.

Soap was made and Crazy 8s were played.

Masterpieces were drawn and secrets were shared.

Nature was explored and cherished.

HOURS were spent in the tent engaged in flights of fancy. And sometimes even sleep.

The swam until they were pruney. The played games with no names. They went for nature walks. Point is, they played. Real, honest to goodness play. And related to each other.

No batteries required.

Thanks to these wonderful, spunky, funny and slightly kooky kids — and to the parents who are raising them with screen time limits and unscheduled time to just play and be kids.

You all did my little grass stained heart good.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru