Calling families to return to nature, Josee Bergeron offers simple solutions for how to increase outdoor time and, as a result, overall mental health.

Parents are stressed, anxious, and exhausted. Their children are spending an average of five to seven hours on screens and mere minutes outside each day. This book is for every family who is desperate to detach from screens and find some fun and engaging family time together. Whether you live in a big city, in the suburbs, or out in the country, Josee Bergeron will help you find creative and simple ways to bring the rhythm of nature into your daily routine, just beyond your front door. Following the four seasons, each section contains unique themes and topics to bring families closer to the outdoors in order to improve their mental health and happiness. Bergeron encourages everyone to feel at home in nature and she offers practical ideas for helping you connect with nature through curiosity and relatability. Families can incorporate cultural traditions when interacting with nature and can honor the inherent attributes of the particular land they live on. Whether it’s welcoming spring by weaving a wildflower crown, celebrating summer by building a bug hotel, appreciating autumn by preserving leaves in beeswax, or creating a magical ice wreath in winter, families will learn how to embrace nature’s seasons and be more in tune with each other and their communities.Learn how to teach Nature Journaling! Join our weekly discussion and idea-sharing for teachers, homeschool parents, and other educators interested in teaching nature journaling skills. Each meeting will have a theme. Most of the conversation that day will revolve around this core idea, but expect interesting side routes and trails.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JOSÉE BERGERON, founder of Backwoods Mama, is a freelance writer, photographer, and influencer dedicated to helping parents get outdoors. As a parenting expert, she’s been interviewed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio news, and her work has been referenced by parenting books and university courses. Bergeron received her BSN from the University of British Columbia and The Writer’s Studio: Creative Writing Certificate through Simon Fraser University. She is a member of the Canadian Indigenous Métis tribe and lives in Kelowna, British Columbia.

All ages and experience levels are welcome. No registration is necessary. If you are new to Zoom or are having trouble with the meeting controls, please see these notes and suggestions on Zoom Tips for Online Classes with John Muir Laws to help you get more out of the online workshop. When possible I will also make a recording of the workshop and post it on my blog. I look forward to seeing you there!

NOTE: Start time is 12 PM Pacific, 1 PM Mountain, 2 PM Central, 3 PM Eastern Time