Innate need to nurture
By Kari Richardson
Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Children seem to have an innate need to nurture living things. In summer it’s easy to satisfy that need by dedicating a sunny corner of the yard to growing a tomato or carrot crop.
But growing plants indoors, whether due to inhospitable weather or lack of space, is another, often-overlooked option.
“Plants bring a house to life,” says Sharon Lovejoy, an author-illustrator who enjoys connecting children with nature. “Having a green, growing thing to tend is a wonderful relationship for a child.”
Houseplants offer some advantages over garden beds. Living in close proximity to plants allows children to play an even greater role in their care, as well as to observe things that might go unnoticed in an outdoor setting, where interactions are more sporadic. Plants might be kept in a child’s room, too, as long as there’s sufficient light.
Caring for a houseplant may teach life lessons, says Randy Seagraves, curriculum director for the International Junior Master Gardener Program and extension program specialist with Texas A&M AgrilLife Extension Service. Children learn how to consider the needs of another living thing and the consequences if you don’t.
“Growing something teaches kids the concept of delayed gratification,” Seagraves adds. “When you plant a seed or take care of a plant, you have to take care of it over a period of time.”
If the plant thrives, it could be around for years. If not, the consequences aren’t terribly serious, but they are tangible.
Kids can benefit at almost any age, taking on more responsibility as they mature. Preschool-age children can mist leaves with a sprayer or clean dusty plants with a sponge.
Older children will be able to help more, removing dead leaves or repotting a plant that has outgrown its container. They can also create a calendar with notations for when it’s time for a weekly watering or monthly fertilizing.
When a plant fails to thrive, provide a magnifying glass, and kids can play detective, looking for clues to the root of the problem. Use the acronym PLANTS – place, light, air, nutrients, thirsty (water) and soil – to figure out what the plant might need, Seagraves suggests.