Green with your Offspring is a narrative nudge to get outdoors with youngsters. That can be challenging in an urban area where many of us live. In my case that’s Tampa. But the benefit of being Floridians is water within reach, often five or ten minutes away by car. And where there’s water, there’s wildlife. It might be a park or a retention pond at your nearest big box store. But find a shade tree, focus on the water and wildlife, and suddenly a city setting becomes
Weedon Island
a backdrop, not a stage.
Proximity is prime, too. I’m a parent of young ones with evolving attention spans, so nearby outdoor experiences are golden. In case of melt-down mayhem or unpacked snacks, I can hustle home.
Check back regularly for Offspring posts (they begin with pieces written in 2008 for paddleandpath.com) And feel free to recommend wildlife settings, urban or rural, near your Florida home. Be funny, insightful, whatever fits your style.
