Mother's Nature Journal: Wild Child

The surge of life force is almost overwhelming to me as we near the sun's zenith.  This close to nature I can feel the planet's pulse like a low blood-pressure head rush.  Solstice is an experience of the poles, in summer: extreme light, extreme vitality.  As I drive Ban-ko and E.P. to camp I realize summer solstice is the experience of my son.  Unbridled wild fire.

I worked for a decade as a yoga-therapist with women in recovery.  When I left that work, I held a child's hand in each of my own and a new mission in my heart - one focused on prevention and girls. I got to work in planning a new red tent that would protect girls and their authentic-selves rather than shelter them later in life while they struggled to recover what they had lost.  I began my revolt with vigor by preparing a "Girl's Gone Wyld" curriculum to reclaim what I believe is one of the most valuable treasures our culture has plundered; the authentically wild woman.  As my second child entered preschool I saw a window of opportunity opening for me to begin my new path.  I used the newly free hours in my day to start the very first stitches of a new red tent.  Almost immediately my first initiate arrived.

And he was a boy.

When my window of opportunity opened, my son flew back in.  By kindergarten, only one first step away from our nest, and my son was ready to come back.  It turns out that a "healthy relationship with going wild" isn't something that just needs to be healed and reclaimed for women and girls.
From what I've seen so far it is an equally complicated culture wounding that is inflicted even earlier on boys.

Our family's need-fire this summer solstice illuminated that my path into the wild must be forked with my attention to prevention being divided equally between both boys and girls.  While I raise this next red tent to help protect the natural wild-life of girls and women, I will also need to raise something to protect my son from the harsh judgments and treatment that often accompany his "hyperactivity".  It is my charge to protect two children and their birthrights to be healthfully wild.

Why Warthogs?

Because childhood is naturally magical and wonder-full.

It is especially so when a child is given a supportive environment that honors and nourishes their capabilities and potential.  We are born to wonder, we are naturals at enchantment, and yet rather than being encouraged to grow these gifts we are usually educated out of them.

We’ve created an environment, that true to the roots of the word education, is supportive of “drawing out” the knowing in each child.  It is an environment that embraces “place” and is filled with loose parts, open ended play opportunities, emotional coaching, and nourishing food.  Each day plays out in front of the mirror of nature as a seasonal curriculum ever directs the children to reflect upon the macrocosm surrounding and supporting them.

Why Warthogs? Because a wonder-filled Childhood nurtures ecological literacy and affinity for life.

Warthogs live together in a sounder and occupy a home-range where they either wallow in mud or huddle together to cope with environmental changes.  Drop in on us on any given day and you will see that we’re encouraging our children to do the same.  Our children share something in common with the warthog: they are both susceptible to extreme environmental temperatures and changes.  A shared situation that will be the defining challenge of their lifetimes.

Born at a pivotal time, the class of 2030 and beyond are in line to inherit unprecedented ecological hardships.  We believe that they deserve a childhood and an education that will prepare them to be the stewards that will transform and prevail rather than despair in their inheritance.  It is up to us to provide them with what they need, which we believe is ecological literacy.  

Ecological literacy cultivates the type of intelligence tested by “what you do when you don’t know what to do.”  A type of intelligence that will be duly tested by the future our children must boldly, yet lightly, step into.  We believe ecological literacy can begin at home, as a way of life, and at a very young age.  It is a serious matter that begins by getting serious about play and the wonder and creativity that it cultivates.  It also requires that we take very seriously our children's innate biophilia. 

We believe that this in-born affinity for life is their greatest gift and our greatest hope.  It is as essential as clean air and fresh water for all of our futures.

The Warthog School is a chance to give our children the childhoods that they deserve while helping them prepare for the future ahead.  As long as nature is still willing to hold us, with our children hand-in-hand, let’s wallow in the mud, huddle together over all the loose parts, and build from our imaginations the new possibilities this world needs.