Confession, sometimes I get struck with a bout of imposter syndrome. The truth is, science was never my strong point. I have some vague memories of refusing to dissect a frog in eighth grade, and doodling stars all over my chemistry homework. And even now despite my experience and countless hours spent in nature, I still wrestle with those insecurities. It’s especially raw when some seemingly obvious question comes up that I don’t have the answer for (i.e. why is the sky blue?).

But when it’s just me and the kids in nature all of that noise gets blurred out and rewritten. And in those moments of pure connection, here is what I know and want to share:

You Know Enough 
Your kids don’t care if you know Latin names of all the plants, they simply want to stop and smell the flowers together. You don’t need to recognize an animal’s track in order to follow it. You know enough. Whether it’s a frog or a toad, a child just wants to hold one in their hands.

You Have Enough 
Don’t obsess over activity sheets, guide books, curriculums or binoculars. Just go. You have enough. Don’t wait to find the ultimate destination, the perfect trail is the one directly on the other side of that door. The perfect shoes are the ones you are wearing.

You Are Enough
Just go out together right now, just as you are. You are enough. No one can speak to the landscape of your daughter or son’s childhood better than you. NO ONE is more prepared to get the kids out and connect them to nature today. Everything you need is already teeming within you.

Yes, science is an important lens to develop a relationship and understanding of nature through, but trust and experience more than knowledge is a prerequisite for connection.

So take a deep breath, and I’ll meet you out there!

Your Woman Gone Wild,