Devaluation of nature by adults
Until recently, there has not been much research done on the lack of exposure to nature and its effects on child development. Parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, therefore, undermine the values that nature provides in buffering the signs of NDD in children. This has resulted in:
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- shorter playtime outdoors,
- a lack of nature-integrated school curriculum,
- and inequality in exposure to green spaces across children in different socioeconomic backgrounds.
With fewer daily experiences in nature, there are fewer chances for children to reap the benefits that it provides for their development, leaving nature devalued and unappreciated, further lowering the perceived need for nature in children’s daily lives.
Nature has simply become viewed as a “nice to have” and not a “need to have” for a child’s healthy development.
Devaluation of nature within children
The devaluation of nature can also occur within children themselves. Minimal contact with nature during childhood can develop the notion that they are separate from the natural world. This disconnection breeds the value orientation of dominion and control over nature.
This value set was also associated with aversions, discomfort, and fear of nature, causing children to express disgust towards anything not man-made or managed, further reducing their contact with the natural world.