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    <name><![CDATA[Nell]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Denton, TX]]></location>        
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  <read_at>Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Mar 11 14:07:06 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Apr 11 10:28:30 -0700 2008</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[The idea that struck me the most is that it is not just good for children to be outside in the grass, in the trees, in the creeks, wandering and unstructured--it is vital, as necessary every day as is food, water, and sleep. The accounts of how disconnected today's society has become from nature were dispiriting, although there were also many examples of communities and schools striving to reconnect children to the natural world. I also enjoyed the arguments against several things that drive me nuts: over-scheduled children, housing association rules/city codes that discourage free use of public green areas, schools that are cutting back on recess, and kids that are kept inside because of parents' fear (of predators or the idea that nature is dangerous or whatever). And, of course, there's the whole subject of ADD, which I won't even get started on. Several of the studies the author referred to showed a marked improvement in concentration, centered-ness, etc. amongst people that had been outdoors or even just exposed to views of trees and growing things. Fascinating stuff...]]></body>
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