“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

“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

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

 ”In order to succeed in the real world, you have to be

able to fail.” ~  Dr. Ken Ginsburg

For several years now, I have been speaking and writing on just this topic. On Super Kids. On education reform. On the importance of play and time in nature. On the need to fail. On the need for parents to relax and let kids be kids. In fact, it’s why I started this blog — to create a place to talk about restoring childhood and saving ourselves in the process.

I am so excited to share this video with you. How powerful is the need for play and the need for parents to step back and help redefine success in a way that is not measured by test scores and achievements, but by happiness and resiliency? Let’s have a few voices from the medical field chime in.

We are raising a generation at risk and as a society we must change our course. It’s really that simple. Please watch the video below and share it with people you know. If you are a parent, step back and take a critical look at the childhood your kids are having.

The video features Dr. Ken Ginsburg, pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and author of Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Kids Roots and Wings, and Dr. Marilyn Benoit, Chief Clinical Officer at Devereux Behavioral Health and former president of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

I would love to know your thoughts on the video.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: Kazz.0

With tongue firmly planted in cheek, I offer you the following…

You know it’s time to unplug your kids when:

#5. The couch waits by the door for them to get home from school instead of the dog.

#4. Their TiVo/DVR list rivals the word count of War and Peace.

#3. When you tell them to go play they reply, “Is there an app for that?”

#2. They’ve taken to having their play dates on Facebook.

#1. Thanks to excessive texting and hand-held game play, they can bench press 25 pounds. With their thumbs.

In all seriousness, April is Children and Nature Awareness Month and those clever nature lovers at the Children and Nature Network are saying, Let’s G.O.! (Go Outside), and I couldn’t agree more.

So let’s unplug those kids (and ourselves!) and get outside! Mother Nature is waiting, and she has so much more to offer than any screen could ever dream of. And then some.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: AForestFrolic

And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

~Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Sensitive Plant”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Shake off the winter blues and embrace the unparalleled color and light of spring. Let it warm you inside and out, and free you to be the you that perhaps winter has let you forget.

Unplug and PLAY. Jump for joy, and pass it on. Welcome spring with all your might.

Sometimes, you just have to kick off your shoes and go look for it, even if there is still a nip in the air. Ask spring to dance.

See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru

PS: Yes, I know it’s still officially a few days away, but let me have this one!

photo credit: biggertree

“I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind.”

~ Leo Buscaglia

Thought I would take a minute so share this great video. Just a little more inspiration to get off the fast track and GO PLAY!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”

- Elizabeth Lawrence

In the last 20 years, we’ve gotten away from the garden that is — or should be — childhood. It’s been replaced by too much structure and too much screen time while play has been disappearing from backyards and schoolyards across the country.

Below you will find 10 thoughts on how we can work together to restore childhood to today’s landscape…and tomorrow’s.

1. You only get one childhood. It should be marked by as much awe and wonder as possible, and spent in supportive communities with plenty of time spent outdoors, just being a kid.

2. Play is at its best when it is child-directed and unplugged. We adults tend to muddle it up with too much structure, too many rules, and prescriptive outcomes. Electronic play takes much of the creativity out of the equation, as well as limiting the all important aspect of social interaction.

3. Givem’ a break! Kids need time to unwind, to play and run, and to decompress. I support recess in schools and a reduced homework load. Not only will it benefit kids’ physical and emotional health, but it will benefit them in terms of learning readiness.

4. You cannot bubble-wrap childhood. Kids fall down, knees get scraped, and sometimes worse. But kids also get back up again. They learn about consequences and to assess risk. They learn about how to interact with the world and learn their place in it, but only when they are allowed to experience it.

5. Screen time should be limited. TV, internet, video games, etc. You might be surprised at how much time you and your family actually spend in front of an electronic screen. It’s simply not just the quality of what kids are watching or playing, educational or otherwise, but the quantity.

6. It’s OK for kids to be “bored.” We seem to have gotten to a place where we think we have to entertain or have a schedule of activities for every minute. It’s important for children to learn to entertain themselves—to create games, to read, to draw, or to just daydream. Getting comfortable with the concept of silence or a bit of down time is an important lesson to learn.

7. Organized sports are great, but they do not count as play time or outdoor time. I know, some will take issue with this, and that’s OK. But truth is, sports are adult-directed, goal-oriented, and task-specific. While kids are getting fresh air and exercise, they are not getting the benefit of exploring their surroundings, free play, or connecting with the natural world.

8. Every child benefits from planting something and watching it grow. Whether it is helping tend the family garden, pots in a windowsill, a container garden, or a plot in a community or school garden. Dirt = good.

9. Adulthood comes all too soon. Don’t rush childhood. If your child’s schedule looks too hectic, rest assured it is. If you spend more time interacting with them in the car as you shuttle from activity to activity than in your backyard or favorite park, then it’s time to take a step back. Simplify, for both your sakes.

10. What children want more than anything is our time. It is more precious than any video game system, MP3 player, or expensive toy. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, mentor, aunt, or neighbor—making the time to interact with kids is priceless. Connect. Play. LIVE.

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please share them below in the comments section.

See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: Ernst Vikne