It may seem a strange thing to do when you live in the country, but today we took our kids into nature – in the city.

Although we have access to good nature right where we live, one of the advantages that city dwellers have – or let’s say town dwellers – is that they get given the equivalent of several hundred thousand dollars to create the ideal environment for their children to play in.

We were walking together following the path in the woods that we knew so well. This day, we walked together without saying a word. We could hear our feet touching the ground at each of our step. And we could hear the sound of birds or of rabbits moving in the bushes. We walked along the path looking at the trees around us and picking up some edible leaves on our way. We stayed silent.

How to help children understand some neuro-typical social conducts.

The following situation might be familiar to some: After a long day at work, mom comes back home, goes upstairs to her room, and realises her son has had a wonderful time spitting water all over the bathroom. The drops slide peacefully down the mirror, and she is happy she doesn't break a rib from slipping against the toilet bowl. True to her human nature, she succumbs to frustration and shouts:

-No Michael!! We don´t spit water all over the toilet! Bad boy!

My children have been walking this path for hours now. The talking and singing has quieted down. All I hear is the wind in the trees, our footsteps on the rocky path and every now and then a woodpecker or a black squirrel hurrying up a tree in front of us. I am tired.