In April last year we travelled through the Kalahari in a group of 14 , including children aged 4 to 14. It was their first 4x4camping in Africa experience. Not once did the 3 teenagers lift their eyes off their cellphones on the 18 hour long journey

from Gordon's Bay to the Kgalagadi National Park. I found this very strange and wondered what on earth they could be doing without cellphone reception. It also appeared that their ears were plugged with ipods.

Fortunately we had a major breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Little did they know that this moment would be a blessing in disguise. They sat in the sand trying not to ruin their 'cool looks' and watched with disgust how my little children played like roaring lions. Suddenly there was a shift in attitude - perhaps the cellphone batteries were flat - and the girls started writing love letters in the sand. Little by little they discovered the texture of the beautiful Kalahari sand and how it turns deep orange under the setting sun. When eventually the teenagers started rolling down the dunes, their hair thick with sand, we stood still and marveled at this extraordinary, unexpected scene. From that moment on, they put their phones

and ipods aside and went on a journey of their own; one of discovering the most precious gift all living creatures are meant to enjoy: nature.

This experience made me wonder how the next generation of decision makers is going to handle climate change if they don't know, let alone love, the natural environment in which we all live. Also, being disconnected from nature affects one's emotional well-being. Richard Louv, best-selling author of “Last Child in the Woods” coined the term Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD), the alienation of children from their natural environment resulting in emotional imbalance, violence,

mismanagement of natural resources and climate change. In Europe and the States urban children are developing strange ideas of what nature is. 

A while ago, a friend of mine said it's just too big a challenge to save the environment and consequently, humanity. “So, shall we then just sit back and watch the world go down?” I asked him. “No,” he replied and this is why he and many other people are joining Kids of Nature and together make a difference to help build a better future for all.

Kids of Nature addresses this key issue of today's society. There are many projects that focus on green actions, but Kids of Nature believes that not enough is being done to enable children to actually feel connected with their natural environment.

In dealing with NDD, parents increase true happiness in their children's lives and help restore values like respect and care. In so doing, they create a solution against climate change by building a new generation of globally responsible decision makers who's love for nature will enable them to combine technology and profit in a context of global environmental sustainability.

As the co-founder of the initiative, and more specifically as the mother of two young children, I call upon all parents to spend more time as a family and to do it in a way that the children can bond with their natural surroundings. Engaging in a national conversation Kids of Nature inspires parents, carers and educators through a wide array of beautiful multimedia productions, talks, travel and an informative website. 

Let's engage in a conversation on the importance of nature in our lives, and specifically in the lives of our children. Let's stop the time every now and then to give our souls a break from the rat race, let's leave our cellphones and ipods for what they are. And most importantly, let's celebrate mother nature! Show the world you care and join Kids of Nature.

by Petra Vandecasteele