Thursday, December 15, 2016

Unplugging the Family




Do the Millennials spend as much time outside as people in their 50’s and 60’s?  Timothy Egan (2016) discussed that the younger generation is predicted to not visit the National Parks like the Baby Boomer generation.  In an article in the October edition of National Geographic Magazine, Egan talked with Jonathan Jarvis, the director of the National Park Service, who stated, “Young people are more separated from the natural world than perhaps any generation before them (Egan, 2016, 38).”  One of the reasons he gives is that they are distracted by technology more than ever before.  This is not just a National Park issue.  For Elk Lake and Northern Michigan in general, the same problem exists.  Many Millennials are too busy staying up to date on social media to stop, put down the phone, and breathe in the experience that nature provides.

So how do we help our children appreciate nature and all it has to offer?  For beginners, have a time each evening, or at the very least, once a week where the electronic devices go up and you do something together as a family.  This may be working on the house together, playing games, talking, singing, dancing and various other activities.  Be creative! If you have time, go on a short vacation, up North to Elk Lake and the region is an excellent place to unplug.

Elk Lake is a great place for families.  Whether you want to rent a cottage hotel or you like to camp, this is the place to make unforgettable memories.  Even though getting internet connection is no problem, you’ll want to have a put the phones and tablets up rule because family fun on the lake is way better. 

During the summer, there is nothing better than swimming in the lake and playing in the waves.  If you have small children, Elk is a good place to teach the little ones to swim.  In most places, the lake gets deep gradually so you don’t have to worry about any sudden drops in depth.  This way the children can play with their toys on the beach or in shallow water, without the parents worrying.

For older children, there is kayaking, wakeboarding, paddle boarding, fishing and hiking.  Boating on the lake is a must and gives everyone in the family time to talk and just be together.  This is the time you can connect with your children.

In the fall, hiking in the myriad of parks around the lake is fun and absolutely gorgeous as the trees peak in color.  The cooler temperatures make hiking comfortable.  Be sure to layer clothing as you tend to get hotter the longer the hike.  A good place to go is the Sand Lake Quiet Area.  There is also backcountry camping there as well.  Another place to camp is right on the lake down Park Road.  Here there is a campground, hiking trails and a boat ramp.

During the winter, skiing and snowboarding are in order at the several resorts nearby.  You can visit Nub’s Nob, Boyne Mountain and Crystal Mountain just to name a few spots.  Once the lakes freeze over safely, there is ice fishing and of course one of my favorites, ice-skating.  My grandmother lived on a lake in the southern part of Michigan.  It froze over every winter.  This is where my sister and I learned how to ice-skate.  It was such fun to have the whole family out on the lake, bundled up and skating together-even grandma.

This year with all the snow so far, Elk Lake or Traverse City would be a fantastic spot to have a White Christmas.  In fact, the snow has been falling the past couple of days.  It is a wintry wonderland with the trees snow-covered, the hills bleached white with new-fallen snow and the lake slowing down as it gets ready to freeze.

I encourage all to have a family time when being unplugged is looked upon as fun and memorable.  After all, seeing nature online is not actually experiencing it.  In fact it pales in comparison.  Teach your children that nature needs to be experienced in person, and not just documented on electronic devices.  A healthy natural experience is a legacy that we can leave the younger generations.

Egan, T. with Egan, C. 2016. Unplugging the Selfie Generation. National
     Geographic, Oct. 2016., Vol. 230, N. 4, National Geographic Society.   




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