“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

“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

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

“And we teach the power of consumption as an aid for social approval.” ~ Linchpin, by Seth Godin

I don’t usually weigh-in on such things. but the premise of HGTV’s new show, My Yard Goes Disney, really ticks me off. We’re talking full Grass Stain Guru White Trash Fit.

And mind you, nobody loves a fabulous gay making over a house on a $2,000 budget more than me. Nobody. But sorry HGTV, you deserve a little reality check.

So here’s the reality: Today’s children spend less time outdoors than any previous generation. In history. Ever. We are raising a generation of children that are disconnect from nature and plugged into screen time 7.5 hours a day (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010).

Consider this — “On average, preschool children see nearly 25,000 television commercials, a figure that does not include product placement.” (Federal Trade Commission, 2007.)

By all means, let’s put more product placements in their yards. It’s already on their yogurts and everywhere else they look. Frankly, the yards must be the final frontier.

Make. It. Stop.

So here’s the thing, HGTV. Society doesn’t need your help to further commercialize childhood. Its gorged itself in that department.  And parents  certainly don’t need your help to expose their children to any more product placements — it’s something you can barely escape.

Parents, your kids don’t need any more stuff, and they certainly don’t need to think the only possible reason to go outside is because their yard looks like Disney World or something off of television. In fact, that’s the whole point.

Nature — found in backyards and parks across the globe – is enough. It is wonderful, magical and stunning in its own right. And it also does something amazing. It challenges your children to think for themselves. To create and dream and experience the real world, versus some manufactured, commercialized and hyped version of it.

Shame on us if we have anesthetized children’s capacity for awe and wonder at the natural world, and our own. And double shame on us if we continue with this over-indulgent, unauthentic version of childhood that sadly seems to accepted as the norm.

So no thanks HGTV. No thanks Disney.

Do us all a favor, turn off the TVs and head out into your regular old yard with your kids. Hunt for four leafed clovers, make dandelion crowns and watch fireflies dance like fairies. Give your children something that is really worth remembering.

OK, Grass Stain Guru White Trash Fit over. And scene.

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

As I suspect is the case with most writers, I am a reader. My nightstand is always filled with books. Sure, I have a novel with a high body count (I can’t help it — I’m twisted!), but I always have a book or two that add something to my life, besides just being brain candy.

Right now, I have two great books going.

The first is The Nature Principle by Richard Louv. If you read Louv’s fantastic book, The Last Child In the Woods, think of this as the adult version of that. Why is nature so important to us as adults? As human beings? It’s an important book for today’s harried society, and I encourage each of you to read it.

I am also reading the re-released Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative by Sir Ken Robinson. I read (and loved!) the original years ago, but let’s face it, sometimes we all need a kick in the creative pants. And this book is giving me just that.

Of course, if you read this blog regularly, these titles will come as no surprise to you. Both men are personal heroes of mine — I respect their work and their capacity to capture an audience so greatly. If you aren’t already, follow them on Twitter — @RichLouv and @SirKenRobinson, respectively.

So tell me, what’s on your nightstand?

Happy reading!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: falldownmoon

There’s nothing I like better than getting outside and just being. It doesn’t really matter what I do. The focus isn’t on the what, it’s the where.

Play time is incredibly important to me, and recently I have had the opportunity to share some thoughts on that issue over at the great blog, Let Children Play.

So come on, take a walk with me over there. We’re sure to have a good time!

Check out the following posts:

The Right to Play

Have You Made an Outdoor Bill of Rights?

Tell Meg I said, Hi!

See ya outside! ~ The Grass Stain Guru

We’re a few days into the 2011 Screen Free Week. How are you and your family doing?

Let the TVs and video systems go dark for the week. Limit computer use to necessary work and school activities whenever possible. Join people across the globe as they take back the enormous blocks of time that our plug-in devices are stealing from us — that we are GIVING THEM all too willingly!

Instead, spend time reconnecting with family and friends in meaningful, face-to-face ways.

We’ve discussed screen-time here on several occasions, and it is without a doubt one of the chief barriers to unstructured play and outdoor time in the lives of today’s children. (And we grown-ups, too!) So here are a few ideas to get you started. Of course, you are only limited by your imagination. Make Screen Free Week your own!

An Idea a Day to Keep the Screen Away:

1. Have a cookout! Still snow on the ground where you live? Have an indoor picnic.
2. Have game night. Break out the cards and boards games and have some old fashion fun. Or, if the budget allows, pick out a new family game to master.
3. Go for a nice long walk after dinner. Stop and chat with neighbors you might not have seen all winter while we were all holed-up.
4. Take a trip to the library and everyone pick out a book. If age appropriate, get a book that you can read together as a family.
5. Visit a local nature center for a program. They often have evening programs on stargazing, night hikes, and nocturnal wildlife.
6. Take a day trip! Go hiking, biking, or to visit a nearby museum. Just get out there! (Weekend) Take advantage of National Park Week — admission is free all week!
7. Start a backyard garden or container garden, or spend time in one you already have. (Weekend)

Need more ideas? Check out Nature Rocks or my friend Debi’s great site, Go Explore Nature.

No matter what you do, make a real effort to unplug and reconnect. See if you notice any difference in your mood, or those of your children. Or changes in their behavior or sleep patterns.

Don’t worry — the TV isn’t going anywhere. And you all know that thanks to TiVo and web-streaming, you can catch-up on just about everything you will miss. But who knows, you just might find that you don’t MISS a thing!

See ya outside! – The Grass Stain Guru

photo credit: dionhinchcliffe

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