One of the "Boys"?

I saw this meme on a friend’s page and initially, I simply laughed and agreed with it. Then I realized something: running outside barefoot shouldn’t be associated with any particular gender.

Give me 100 random young people, with shoes, barefoot, or even without feet, between the ages of 4 and 9. Put them in an outdoor setting- trees, rocks, dirt, grass, flowering plants, sunshine, insects, wind- the whole nature thing.


Some of those kids will, and should, immediately start exploring.


Some of those kids will, and should, hesitate at first but eventually begin to explore.


Some of those kids will, and should, remain still.


Some of those kids will, and should, feel so shocked or overwhelmed they may start crying, getting angry, huddling up, trying to escape, hitting themselves or others, or having some other reaction as equally energetic as the kids in the first group but in the opposite direction- away from the new stimuli.


Among these four groups, some children will, and should, engage with others, while some will, and should, prefer to do things alone. Some will start in one way and end up choosing another.


None of these children are wrong. I used the phrase “will, and should,” on purpose.


As adults, we don’t all react to the outdoors the same way, and neither will our children. What we MUST do is adapt our approaches to each child’s response. If the moment feels right, we can offer a “stretch” action to try something else. That’s part of the amazing art of teaching others.


The first response needs help with safety; they cannot just act on their impulses. Their exuberance needs to be tempered with an understanding of cause and effect and the interconnectedness of everything. They need to learn that their volume and energy can negatively impact others (including other species), so if an adult suggests they adjust their behavior, there’s a good reason: everyone and everything deserves a place to thrive.


The second and third responses need time and space to adjust. As adults, we can offer them suggestions, but often, simply providing a safe zone for observing is enough. Their experience may not seem “enough” to others (both peers and adults may be tempted to think so), but it can be enough for them. We can gently test the waters with these children, sharing our observations or questions to draw them into the situation a bit more. But again, it’s more about providing a safe place for what each kid needs to and can experience. Sitting with a friend telling stories may be just what they need, and that’s a valid and beautiful thing.


The fourth response is likely feeling completely unsafe and/or overwhelmed. Adults need to focus on ways they can reduce those sensations and perceptions. Kids reacting in these ways may need a vast reduction in what’s coming into their brains and bodies until they can reach a level of control and calm that will allow them to try again.


It’s vital for us adults to understand that moving from one response to another is entirely normal. A young person in the first response group may shift to the third, or even the fourth. They may start alone in the first and end in a circle in the third.


None of these kids are “bad”.


None of these kids are “good”.


I never mentioned gender, age, or religion.


I never called out any of these kids on appearance, physical or academic abilities, or who their parents are.


They are all just kids. Each beautiful in their own way. 
I'll also suggest that what I describe here about children in nature should be things we apply to our adult lives in our daily lives. <3

Ahead of the 2024 DNC

It’s Sunday, August 18, 2024 (Edit: my cat wouldn’t let me finish on Sunday so this is being finished and posted Monday.) and I just read the daily themes set for the convention that starts tomorrow. I’m going to write my thoughts simply based on each of those 4 basic main ideas and see how I may or may not mesh with what unfolds in the upcoming days.

Monday: For The People

I have to look at today and into the years ahead when I read that line. We must redefine what that phrase means to us because it really is about us.  Who the hell is this “us” and what exactly do we want? What is that “For”?

There are about 345 million of us people in the US. Sometimes, I wish we’d all take a few minutes and just think about who they all are- who WE all are. 345 million children, parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, babies, elderly, teenagers, and neighbors. 345 million roles being played every single day. 345 million laughing, crying, eating, breathing, pooping, and peeing people. Our physical details may differ, but I believe we all want to be loved, valued, and have a sense of purpose. We are all here, together.

Tuesday: A Bold Vision for America’s Future

I saw an article in the news today that people died in a landslide in a garbage dump in Uganda. The US has environmental and humanitarian crises of our own, but we don’t face anything like that. I bring it up because Ugandan people are just as valuable as any one of us. People are people and there are over 8 billion of us around the globe (yes, the world is a 3D sphere). 

Americans, Palestinians, Indonesians, Ugandans, Russians, Israelis, Ukrainians, Potawatomi… 

Today, there are 195 countries recognized by the United Nations. We Americans must work within all those people and the countries they all find themselves in. We must invest continuously in global connections and diplomacy and seek mutually beneficial arrangements- for the people first, then the countries because we (like many other countries) do have peoples in the US who aren’t equal parties. Perhaps we’ll be able to help negotiate an agreement that will finally get everyone to a 2-country solution between Israel and Palestine. Hopefully, we can find ways to get leaders of countries like Russia to respect borders and negotiate issues rather than grab what they want. The world lived through European and American colonization and we should understand that and fight against allowing those types of injustices to expand once again. 

To me, a bold vision for America is one where we use our brains and our hearts above all else and only consider fists as an absolute last and worst option. A bold vision would have us see EVERYONE, including the poorest of the poor anywhere and everywhere (here and around the world) as valuable human beings. And as valuable beings, if someone needs help and they aren’t seeking to control and manipulate others, we work to get them that help.

Wednesday: A Fight for Our Freedom

So, if I take the 2 previous ideas, that this country should be for ALL, and we should connect positively to all people around the world, how can we achieve those things? By institutionalizing modern interpretations of our rights and responsibilities and a modern understanding of key concepts like “liberty and justice for all”, “all men are created equal”, and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

National corporate laws and international agreements to properly tax and regulate corporations with an emphasis on transparency? Yes. (See Christina Park’s Corporate Personhood: A Limit to Corporate Empowerment) Guarantee a certain level of health CARE for all US citizens, including medically-based reproductive care that encompasses all current medically-approved practices (yes, even abortion)? Yes. Implement the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to help everyone with the right can vote? Yes. Support and modernize the rules and regulations of public schools to ensure all children have a safe place to learn about this wonderful world we inhabit? Yes. Why not add 2 years of free post-secondary education as well? Establish a national weapon safety system and include mental health and social-emotional learning funding in that universal health CARE system? Yes. Maybe even a tax on weapon-related goods & services to help fund that. Revamp our law system to put significantly deeper penalties on crimes with weapons? Yes. Revamp the law system to slash the inequality of punishments and eliminate for-profit prisons? Yes. Yes. Yes. Incentivize clean water, air, and soil practices in general and move our agricultural support away from monoculture monoliths and factory farms? Yes.

Thursday: For Our Future

The first 3 days all support the final day’s goal:

For = today’s actions.

Our = everyone and everything.

Future = together.

That's where I'm at today. Not the most detailed and clearly not the most educated of essays, but it's me.