Nature and Connection for Future Generations
Birdie might just be Jersey’s most Insta-famous toddler. She is best known for her groundbreaking work on sweet pea teapees, repotting seedlings and wishing a dead mouse a Merry Christmas at its funeral. Her mum, Nyah Whittingham, is a 23-year-old with a passion for nature, gentle living and slowing things down for the next generation. Since becoming a mother, she’s been drawn back to the outdoors, grounding herself in life’s simple pleasures and reconnecting with a childhood that existed before the rise of the iPad kid. For her, nature is more than just a backdrop, offering healing to anyone searching for calm in an increasingly fast-paced, tech-driven world.
When I heard that the theme for this issue was ‘time & generations’, my mind was immediately cast to the importance of how we choose to nurture future generations as parents. Because the way we show up today will affect not only our own children but the children who come after them, too.
In our modern world, many of us remember grandma’s recipes, the scent of a late loved one’s perfume, and perhaps some stories passed down by older relatives, but I fear we are losing touch with not only meaningful connections to one another, but also simple skills and understanding of the natural world.
In modern society, where convenience has taken the limelight and disconnection is rife amongst ourselves and also our children, I feel it is important now more than ever to highlight the ways we can inspire ourselves and the next generation to feel more grounded, seen and heard. Because a truly connected child understands their importance, knows their worth and recognises their role, no matter how small, in the way they relate to others in their family, their community, and in their world.
Taking Responsibility for How Children Experience Childhood
I am grateful for having spent years of my childhood building dens, climbing trees, and being more gibbon than I was human… but from around the age of 13, when smartphones came onto the scene, I feel a sense of loss. The overstimulation, constant pressure to compare myself and the rush of trying to digest the overwhelming flow of information definitely took things from me, so I want to acknowledge those things as I feel they resonate with what is being lost in the children of today: Hours of free time away from screens to explore their own interests, the chance to be fully present with the world around them, the moments when boredom and natural curiosity leads them to their next passion, the opportunity to build an unshakeable sense of self outside of societal pressures, time to explore nature, and most importantly- the innocence of NOT knowing everything.
We were never meant to be reachable all the time. Our brains were not designed to take the weight of instant access to everything negative in the world. We were never meant to lose touch with our simple nature. In a world where technology now plays such a large role in our lives, we find ourselves lacking what matters most: real connection.
As an adult, I have a lot of appreciation for the opportunities that are found online such as community building, contact with long distance friends and family, the ability to self-educate ourselves on what is happening in the wider world and the ability to learn new skills online. I don’t believe we should live in fear of the modern way, because technology and social media is here to stay. But we can set healthy boundaries and make a conscious effort to build a more real life for our children to witness and experience.
It only takes one scroll in the right comments section on Facebook to realise that older generations are wondering why our modern world is showing symptoms of dysregulation, loneliness and disconnection. People wonder why our children are losing their innocence, why they talk like angry adults, why some choose violence over play, why anxiety and depression rates are at an all time high, they wonder why our kids don’t play on the street anymore, and where, oh where are they adopting their negative thoughts? Some people simply blame the children and deem younger generations a ‘lost-cause’.
We need to do better in 2025, and take responsibility for how today’s children experience childhood.
A Generational Shift
In the coming decades, I predict that we will see a shift in how parents choose to introduce technology to their children. We are moving away from a generation of parents who had no experience of the impact of online exposure, and no option but to meet with friends in real life, explore nature and find their place in a community… To make way for a generation of parents who look back on their childhood and acknowledge how much they lost due to unnecessary pressure and unnatural stimulation.
Since healing from my own mental health struggles as a teenager, I’ve spent my motherhood reconnecting with my roots. I am dedicated to rediscovering the places and practices that bring me true joy, and the things I can do more of in order to model a woman who is truly happy and fulfilled by her real life, to my daughter, and one thing has become crystal clear: nature is our antidote to the disconnection we face in the modern world. What better remedy than remembering how deeply connected we are to every aspect of the natural world? Even though daunting, I find it beautiful to think about the power we have in raising a happier generation.
By returning our focus to the natural world and choosing to do more simple things like growing our own food, taking care of seedlings, celebrating seasonal change, learning the names of plants in our environment or simply walking outside more, we model an important connection to our children: one that is grounded in appreciation for the Earth, one another, and ourselves.
A More Grounded Generation
We are at a crucial point where parents have a say in whether the next generation is consumed by external pressures, or empowered by a sense of connection to the world around them.
It is our job as a community to ensure that children are held by a life that goes deeper than Snapchat and societal judgement. It’s our job to ensure their feet are rooted in self acceptance and the exploration of their own interests, to make sure they grow up to be fulfilled people who can sense how much they are valued, and find a purpose that drives them to understand our real world better.
Creating Our Children’s Future, Today
The pace of modern life is steadily increasing, pulling us further from the rhythms of the earth and deeper into cycles of stress, dissolution, and burnout. But as parents, we can choose a different path for our children. By embracing slower habits, connecting with nature and adopting a more present way of living, we provide the next generation with a foundation of balance, self-trust, and connection.
When we consciously choose to slow down and form habits that honour our connection to nature, we offer our children something invaluable, that can be passed on for generations- peace. By deepening our connection with the real world, we teach them that peace isn’t just a state of mind, but a way of life- a way of life we have become detached from over time. But one that we can get back. Modeling a curious relationship with the natural world and being present with our children in these moments is how we can find joy ourselves, but also show our children how to remain grounded in a fast-paced world.
When we prioritise our own happiness and connection with the earth as parents, we aren’t just raising children, we’re shaping future stewards of the Earth. We will raise a generation that will grow up knowing how to care for the world around them, and that their presence is valued in our real world.
We may not be able to stop time, but we have the power to choose how it is spent. The choices we make today will shape not just childhoods, but the world our children will inherit. Let’s make it one where they feel connected and empowered to care for the Earth, for each other, and for themselves.
@nnyyah
