Books to Love: There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather
“Most of what children need to learn during their early childhood years cannot be taught; it's discovered through play.”
Ruth Wilson
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather, by Swedish-American mother Linda Akeson McGurk, documents her family's return to the Scandinavian way of life that embraces “open-air living” for both children and adults.
Some takeaways . . .
Has American Culture Become Indoorsy & Risk Averse?
Having grown up in nature-loving Scandinavia, comprised culturally of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland, the author experienced culture shock upon marrying and raising kids in Midwestern America.
No matter the weather, it appeared that the American parks, playgrounds, sledding hills, neighborhoods, and outdoor recreation areas were empty of children. She was the only parent walking her children to school year round rain or shine, and well meaning strangers would often ask through a car window if she needed a ride.
Meanwhile, school recess was cut to make time for standardized test drills, her older daughter began whining for more time on her tablet, and her preschooler was plopped in front of the daycare TV much of the day.
Fined nearly $200 when her girls waded into a creek on a nature preserve, she felt that was the last straw. Could her own childhood freedom to roam, explore, and cultivate a love of nature be passed down to her daughters by taking them back to Sweden? She decided to take a six month trip revisiting her hometown to find out.
Nature & Outdoor Living are Integral to Scandinavian Cultural Identity
What Linda McGurk found was a relatively unchanged Sweden. Kids still walked and biked to school, ran around the neighborhood and surrounding woods for hours a day, and went fishing and sledding at every opportunity.
The whole community in fact still actively engaged in the outdoors, just as she remembered: cross country skiing, ice hockey, and skating on ponds in winter; hiking, biking, soccer, and Scouts the rest of the year.
Truly, anything can be done outdoors with the right clothing and a little forethought: socializing, meals, academic lessons, reading, exercise, cooking, chores, errands, and even napping. In fact, Swedish babies often take their daily naps in lambskin lined prams on porches to reap the benefits of extra fresh air.
Specially for schoolchildren, there are over 1000 tracts of land in Sweden made available by private owners for classes to study nature and practice outdoor skills. Even further, “forest schools” bring the classroom outside full time, utilizing teepees and log shelters with campfires for warming up.
This enthusiasm for the outdoors may at first seem surprising for a region of the world so far north (Stockholm is 59° N in latitude, nearly identical to our own Ketchikan, Alaska’s 55° N).
But the affinity for friluftsliv, the open-air life, makes sense, as Sweden is defined by its ubiquitous woods and wilderness. Common law dating back to the Middle Ages called allemansratten allows everyone access to private lands for hiking, camping, and berry picking, as long as landowners are respected. Further, natural parks, nature preserves, green spaces, playgrounds, and pedestrian zones within cities expand the ways to engage with the outdoors as simply part of everyday life.
Ironies of the Modern World
Having spent 15 years in America as a dual citizen, it is clear that the author loves both her home and adopted nations. But there were some stark ironies that shone favorable light on the more old-fashioned, common sense attitude of Scandinavia. For example:
The American trail ethic of “Leave No Trace,” when taken to extremes, can actually separate kids from nature, if they're no longer allowed to pick flowers or collect rocks or shells on their outdoor adventures.
U.S. parents are often worried about their children “falling behind,” and likewise, preschools and kindergartens tend to be hyper focused on skill mastery. However, Nordic preschools and kindergartens take extensive walks in the woods, allow much unrestricted time, and do not worry about hitting milestones at this age, and yet their test scores are among highest in the world.
Swedish children are not pushed early academically and generally learn to read later (age 7), but Sweden has one of the highest literacy rates in the world and its children report more enjoyment in reading.
Scandinavian society participates more in casual, non-competitive outdoor activities like hiking clubs, while Americans emphasize organized sports, yet obesity is epidemic in the U.S.
Many American parents worry greatly about child abduction by a stranger, the chances of which are .00007%, and yet are unconcerned about how many hours their children spend in cars.
The Far Reaching Benefits of Living an Open Air Life
Physical fitness: spending time outdoors tones our bodies, strengthens our heart and lungs, and lengthens our life.
Immunity: exposure to life-giving sunshine and contact with mycobacteria in soil, water, and air make us more resilient. Fewer allergies, asthma, colds, and flu.
Socialization: playing outdoors with others teaches conflict resolution, negotiation, and patience.
Mental acuity: nature inspires imaginative, open-ended play and abstract thinking.
Calm: the pace, rhythm, and subtle natural noises outside are calming and put children in “quiet alert.”
Kids Learn & Become Competant One Step at a Time
Rather than let children simply run wild, Scandinavian parents are generally reflective about their children's freedoms, loosening the reins over time.
For example, a family might decide that their child may be ready to walk to the neighbor's alone at age 5, bike to school at 7, play with a younger sibling in the woods at 8, and take the bus into town at 10.
Swedish children are introduced to tools and skills in due time as well: an ax to chop wood, a match or flint and tinder to start a fire, a saw to down tree limbs.
This all seems very common sense to me. After all, how else are children supposed to graduate into adulthood with poise and competence?
Being Out in the World on Foot Expands Our Comfort Zone
Big Country and I have purposely gone car-less for three different periods in our marriage, for 5, 18, and 7 months at a time. And we look back to those times fondly.
When our normal way of interacting with others, going to work, procuring food, and getting things done was by stepping outside our front door rather than revving up an engine, life took on a new pace and rhythm.
We simplified, bundled outings, problem solved creatively, occasionally traded favors with someone with a car, and were strengthened by the fresh air and exercise.
We even met friends and interacted with people in the community more. I still smile when I remember the little boy hanging out his car window wishing me “congratulations!” as he passed me walking in town, eight months pregnant with my first baby.
Similarly, kids need these real experiences in the open air to truly engage and participate in their world, too.
The Great Outdoors Strengthens and Inspires Us
Big Country himself is half Scandinavian, 25% Swedish and 25% Norwegian. We love traveling, hearing other people's stories, and seeing the landscape of their lives, and this extends to the Nordic countries. I've read the kids tales of Lief Erikson sailing the stormy seas from Norway to Iceland to Greenland to Newfoundland, and we've listened to music from the Viking era, evoking images of singers around a campfire long ago.
Linda McGurk notes toward the end of her travels in the far north reaches of Lapland that for most people, the majority of memorable experiences and adventures occur outdoors.
Perhaps someday soon we'll take the kids to see the mountains, fjords, meadows, forests, and lakes of Scandinavia . . . for if we learn to embrace both the sunshine and the rain here in Alaska, we can surely do so anywhere.
“Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars.”
Psalm 148:7-9
Until next time, happy reading! 📚
Liberty