Absolutely the greatest contribution I can make toward Earth's stewardship is to raise children who care.

It makes sense to me that raising my children in a caring family environment will grow in them a greater capacity for empathy and compassion not only toward themselves and others but also their communities and world. Children generally care more deeply about what their parents hold and express as family values. To nurture my children's interest in nature, I began early in my parenting to take them outdoors and to share in their curiosity and wonder. 

It's not enough to say we care for the planet: We must live it and model it to our children, and I've learned that this is best done together. Here are some ways I've found to get my whole family out into nature:

• Plant a tree.
• Pick up litter in the park.
• Construct bee, bat, and bird houses.
• Participate in citizen scientist pollinator, bird, and toad counts.
• Watch nature documentaries.
• Visit the local natural history museum.
• Go camping.
• Turn over a log to discover insects underneath.
• Go to the zoo.
• Watch the birds and squirrels.
• Take a walk.
• Go cloud-watching.
• Pick wildflowers.
• Wade in a creek.

What are your favorite activities to do in nature? What is one activity you can share with your child this week? 

#normalizenurturing

I breastfed both of my babies. Once we got the hang of things, it was easy. When they were hungry, or wanted comfort, they nursed. It was simple.

Then I introduced solid foods. The world changed. Feeding my babies with love and respect took on new meaning. Food altogether took on new meaning. Suddenly there was the question of what and how much to offer? Suddenly I could see exactly how much my child did, or didn't, eat. Frequently, I worried.

Thankfully I found a lot of gentle and commonsense wisdom on feeding kids. I realized that, just as at the breast, I could trust my children to set their own pace and schedule with solid foods. As long as I generally offered them healthy food, I could leave the rest to them.

Yet, even after making this realization, I am not as zen about my kids' eating habits as I would like to be. Sometimes when they're being really picky, I still sweat it. Sometimes they chafe against the healthy options presented. 

I decided that presenting healthy options wasn't enough. I wanted to get them involved in the food they eat. After all, I am raising people who will hopefully feed themselves one day.

I want them to know where their food comes from. I want them to appreciate the impact of their choices on their own health and the health of the planet. I want them to have basic food preparation skills. I think there are steps I can take now that will help.

I involve my children in their meal times in a few ways:

• They help me prepare meals - This doesn't always go smoothly, but most of the time, I can find tasks that are age-appropriate and fun. Sticking fruit on skewers, stirring, and pouring are three favorite food prep activities for my preschoolers.
• We work in the garden together - No food tastes better than the food you've picked fresh yourself. Growing your own fruit and veggies provides the ideal window into where food actually comes from.
• We visit farmers markets and buy fresh, local, whole foods - I chat with the growers, sample heirloom tomatoes, and give my kids a window into a world where food doesn't come in boxes with cartoon characters on the front.
• We visit farms - Our home is in the suburbs, so my kids don't get to see chickens or cows in their daily life. By heading out to the country, they can see where their milk and eggs come from and how the animals live.

By following my children's own hunger and thirst cues, I am teaching them that I love and respect them. By providing them with healthy options, I am trying to ensure that they eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet. By involving my children in the food we eat, I'm teaching them that there is a whole lot of backstory to every bite they take. I hope that by knowing that backstory, they will come to appreciate their food much more.

How do you involve your children in their food?

#normalizenurturing

One of the many reasons parents find their way to Nurturings is that they're seeking a community, and Nurturings can connect them to local parenting groups. As a parent, I can relate: I enjoy and have come to rely on the parental support of like-minded individuals who may be going through the same joys and challenges or seeking guidance from others who have been there in the past. 

While social media has made constant and instantaneous connection easier, there is nothing quite like going to a face-to-face meeting and interacting with other parents and their children in real time. It is so much more personal than an online encounter.

With April being Month of the Military Child, I want to take a moment to talk about how important a sense of community can be to military families and how much of a difference "finding your village" can make. 

It is not uncommon for military families to move every year or two and have every child born in a different state or even a different country! As a military spouse, one of the first things I do when I find out that we are moving again or going somewhere for a lengthy training is to look for similar-minded parents' groups in the new location. These groups often become our lifeline; they are where we find an extension of our village, which can make transitioning to our new address easier.

However, sometimes it can be hard to break into these groups since everyone in the group knows each other and has been friends for a while. Especially for families who have recently had their first child, or who have just started to find their groove for leaving the house after a spouse is deployed, the support and comfort to be found in a parents' group or informal meetup can make a huge difference in the lives of the parents and children. I know, and love, that everyone is parenting their children in their own way but having a parents' group means having a common thread with other families to help us create a safe, still space when it seems that our world is constantly in motion.

There are two big move cycles every year in the military, during which many families are moved to new stations; the summer cycle is coming soon. Having a village to belong to is one of the most vital "survival tactics" of being a military family.

I encourage parents' group organizers to outreach to any military installations they may have locally. If you see parents, military or not, who look like they may benefit from a support system like what is offered through your group, be the one to invite them to your next meeting. They may not have found you yet or might not have known exactly what they were looking for. Whether you are someone who already has a village or is trying to create one, don't be afraid to say "hi" to the new mom with her baby at the grocery store or at the library story hour. The benefits, to all, are priceless.

Who is someone you could reach out to about meeting up at the park for a playdate and parent-to-parent conversation?

#normalizenurturing