My wife and I recently read a book by the name of "There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids" which was nothing short of fascinating and has inspired our family to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Scandinavian babies take naps outdoors in weather below freezing! They even have "forest schools" where the pre-k and kindergarten learning is done outdoors instead of a classroom. So cool.
We have a 7 month old son who loves being outside, so the concept was especially intriguing for us. But even without kids, there are countless benefits to spending time outdoors, in all types of weather.
This year, we have our home rented out on AirBnB, which in 3 months has paid the mortgage for the next 15 months. Since we have 43 acres and a teardrop camper, we've spent the entire summer camping on a portion of our ranch, or traveling. The teardrop camper has a bed, an air conditioner, a radio, and an outdoor kitchen. Essentially there are 3 of us plus 2 large dogs living and sleeping in a 40 square foot camper. But the outdoors is our new living room. Our "office" is a 10x10 ez-up shade canopy from Walmart, where we bring our laptops and a mobile hot spot to work while our son and dogs play to their heart's content, eating pine cones and getting covered in dirt. It's been the best summer of our lives.
The Challenge:
Find ways to get outside. Come up with a list of challenges for yourself and your family and post them here to inspire others. It doesn't have to be a 10-mile hike up a mountain (although more power to you if you combine the challenge with physical exertion). It can simply be eating your breakfast out on the front porch instead of the dining room. It can be taking the laptop outside and finding a shade tree to work under instead of sitting in your sterile, climate-controlled office. It can be reading this forum at a local park, the backyard, the beach--anywhere in the fresh air, instead of wherever you may be reading this right now.
If the weather isn't ideal, consider it an extra challenge.
Anyone on board?