Natural Development
What a gift to have a weekend space. After years of studying the importance of space and place in art, literature, philosophy, and architecture, James and I decided a weekend place was just what our young family needed. We wanted our children, Olivia and Jackson, to grow up walking down to a creek to search for frogs or reading a good book on a porch swing.
An intense search ensued, so when we saw an affordable cottage in an ad on Craigslist, we jumped on it. Despite a snowstorm and leaving for Florida the next day, our family packed into the station wagon for an adventure. Situated in the Hudson Valley, the windy country roads and the breathtaking mountain views captivated our imagination. The house itself was small and cozy. We liked what we saw, but it was Olivia’s response to the place: “It reminds me of Granddad’s camp house in Alabama,” that compelled us to made an offer within a half-hour of seeing the one bedroom, 665 square foot cottage.
Since then, we’ve spent more and more weekends there. Although we feel particularly fortunate to have access to hiking, kayaking, skiing, and antiquing, most of the time, we do nothing in particular. Surrounded by nature instead of television, phone, or Internet, the kids routinely spend more time outside than they do inside. From building forts to taking mud baths, Jackson explains, “You can do anything here.”
Our cottage is also where our family took up birding. By filling an array of feeders on our front deck, we look forward to see who comes to visit. This experience has had a profound effect on our children, especially Olivia. Armed with her field guides and her sketchbook, over the years she has spent many hours at the window identifying birds and illustrating them. This became her spot this past summer when she completed 500 drawings for her fundraiser, and where she sat the following autumn to write her book.
Many architecture theorists and child development psychologists would agree that one’s environment as a child influences the person she becomes as an adult. When asked why she liked going upstate, Olivia’s answer was “because I feel closer to God.” I can honestly say that by connecting our children to nature, it’s had a profound impact on the whole family.
Nadine Bouler is a high school English teacher and visual artist on Long Island, NY. Her daughter, Olivia, is the author of Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf (Sterling Children’s Publishing) and has raised over $200,000 for Gulf recovery.
