It’s true what they say, being a parent is one of the hardest jobs we could ever possibly take on, a job that even the most fit struggle with. 

When my daughter Hadlie came into my life there were few things I felt certain about: I certainly knew I was madly, deeply, truly in love with this little human who is 50% me. I was pretty certain that I was never going to sleep again (thank god the zombie parenting stage didn’t last very long, although I have never slept the same since becoming a mom.) And lastly, I was more than certain that I wanted only the greatest life for her (as most parents do for their children.) When I think about what that kind of life entails, I think about the things that are important to me and the lessons I would like to pass on and instill in my child. A strong relationship with the outdoors being the most important. 

Fast forward to today, there is no doubt that Hadlie is one very wild, “wild child.” Witnessing the positive difference in Hadlie’s behavior and personality when we spend most of our time outside compared to inside has only reinforced the importance of connecting with the outside world, mother nature. When Hadlie is inside, she tends to lack patience and can become more irritable because there is a limited outlet for her imagination and high energy. Where as being outside grounds her and provides an unlimited venue for her imagination to run wild. Because of this, I became inspired to want to share this message using the Born Wild Project with other families who may have become disconnected from the endless benefits and lessons that nature is here to provide us with. 

The Born Wild Project wants to encourage other parents to not only take their children outside more, but to participate in play; these are the moments that children will remember for a lifetime. They won’t necessarily remember the times they played alone with their toys. They will remember the times they ran wild on a mountain trail, slept under the stars and built sandcastles on the beach with their parents, siblings and friends.  … And they most definitely will not forget about all the s’mores.