Put your Kids to Work
Despite the fact that the iPads and various gaming consoles reign supreme in the department of ‘kids leisure time’ during this Technological Age, there are more constructive ways that can keep kids occupied in their free time that also help teach them basic life skills. Developing a sound work ethic is practically the backbone of New England culture, as well as, let’s face it, the premise of just being a good human.
If you want the kids in your life to come into possession of a good work ethic and also discover a way to center themselves and reconnect with nature, there is nothing better than outdoor manual labor to help impart this important virtue.
The tactile and sensory experiences of outdoor gardening and landscaping work can help children self-regulate; it works for adults too. Spending time working manually on the land can help children begin to work independently as they plant seeds/bulbs, rake leaves, create flower beds or prune bushes. They can practice patience and learn the rewards of investing time and effort to yield a result as they wait for seeds to sprout, new growth to bud, and experience the benefit of delayed gratification as they watch produce ripen or bushes and flowers bloom next season, knowing they had a hand in making it happen.
This Fall, when you consider the outdoor to-dos, look at the leaves falling in your backyard not as a thorn in your side but instead, as a glorious opportunity to introduce either your own children or neighborhood kids to the satisfaction of a job well done!
Here’s a few ideas you can employ kids to help with:
Clean up the yard before mowing: remove stones, rocks, sticks, leaves, toys, etc.
Pull weeds.
Plant flowers.
Water plants and vegetables.
Sweep up grass clippings after mowing and edging.
Use the leaf blower.
Rake up leaves.
Mulching the Leaves. When your little helpers have finished raking (and re-raking), don’t waste all the leaves by burning or bagging them. Because they consist of up to 80 percent of the nutrients absorbed by the trees they fell from, mulched leaves can be a great winter garden protector. Place the mulched leaves around trees and in flower beds to protect plants from the cold weather to come. This should be just a thin layer and only done if there are no concerns about disease and children can easily assist with this task while also learning about bio science! (And, make sure they are really mulched into small pieces!)
If you have a whole lot of leaves, just call us! We don’t use our lawnmowers to shred the leaves because it dulls our blades and prevents us from being able to get through the day’s roster of work with our equipment. but we can get rid of them for you, or we can convince you to keep them at the borders of your property. And of course, we can do all of these things listed, but if you want to take a crack at it first, it could save you some money and give the young ones a lesson of a lifetime.
If you make the effort to bring your kids into the Fall To-Dos, you will not only teach them the importance of a good work ethic, you’ll make lifetime memories on your land by taking care of it together. If you need a little guidance on how to do this, or if you need a little back-up on your bigger, more ambitious projects, give us a call; we’re happy to help you in any way we can!
Love your land.