Becoming a Child of Nature: It's a Twofold Task ofParents and Children.
做大自然的孩子——父母与孩子双方的任务
1. If children discover the beauty of nature while they are young, they will respect nature and try to preserve it when they are older. Parents play an essential role in helping their children make this discovery. Although young children are not able to understand the complex relationship of man to his environment, they can be educated in this aspect and learn how to respect nature and gain a simplified understanding of the importance of a healthy ecological environment. Helping children to gain such an appreciation and understanding can be an exciting adventure which is available to all that are willing to explore and use their senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and heating.
1、如果孩子们在年幼的时候发现了自然的美，他们长大了就会尊重自然，保护自然。父母亲在帮助孩子们发现这种美的过程中起着关键作用。尽管孩子们不能理解人类和环境之间的复杂关系，但他们可以得到这方面的教育，学会尊重自然，简单地理解拥有健康生态环境的重要性。帮助孩子们获得欣赏自然之美、理解环境之重要性的能力可能是一种令人激动的经历，所有愿意开发和利用触觉、味觉、嗅觉、视觉和听觉的人都可享受这种经历。
2. Wonderful phenomena of nature are all around us. For example, have you ever awakened early to watch the sun rise? Have you ever stopped to observe a setting sun, a star-filled sky, or an October moon? Have you ever gone out after a rainfall and delighted in the scent of the fresh air? Have you ever taken time to listen to the song of the birds, the trees' rustling in the wind or the music of the crickets? Have you ever held a seashell to your ear and heard the roar of the ocean? Have you ever tasted fresh berries, melon or spring water? Have you ever shared the above experience with your children?
2、我们身边到处都是奇妙的自然现象。比如，你曾清早起床到外面观看过日出吗?你曾停下来观察过夕阳西下、繁星满天或十月夜空的明月吗?你曾雨后外出，享受过清新空气的滋味吗?你曾花时间侧耳倾听过鸟儿婉转、风吹林梢或蟋蟀鸣唱吗?你曾把贝壳贴在耳边，倾听过海洋的呼啸吗?你曾尝过新鲜莓子、瓜果或泉水的滋味吗?你曾和你的孩子们分享过上述的经历吗?
3. To help children gain an understanding of the world around them and the importance of ecology, parents can use interesting objects from their children's everyday lives. For example, most children are familiar with rocks. They have seen them, touched them, and played with them. However, they will not discover the beauty and uses of rocks unless you help them. Collect some rocks and point out that some rocks are minerals, others may be used for decorations, like marbles used in building houses, and still other rocks are used to build roads. Visiting mountains if possible can help them gain a better understanding of rocks.
3、父母可用孩子们日常生活中见到的令人感兴趣的具体东西来帮助他们理解周围的世界，理解生态的重要性。例如，大多数孩子都熟悉石子，他们亲眼见过石头，摸过石头，也玩过石头。然而，如果不帮助他们，他们不会发现石头的美丽和用途。收集一些石头，告诉他们有些是矿石\有些叫以作装饰用，像用来建造房子的大理石—样，还有一些可以用来铺路。如果可能，就去看看山，这样能帮助他们更好地认识岩石。
4. Most young children love to play in dirt. You can help your children to gain the concept that soil is not just dirt but something necessary for life. Most plant life grows in some form of soil. Take your children for a visit to gardens and farms where food is grown. Perhaps your children can have their own plants or gardens. You can explain to them that plants are necessary not only for food but also for controlling floods. During a time of heavy rain or snow, plants help to absorb the moisture.
4、大多数孩子都喜欢玩泥土。你可以帮助你的孩子获得这样一个概念：土壤不仅仅是“泥土”，而且是生活必需的东西。大多数植物都在某种土壤中生长。带孩子们去参观花园和种食物的农场。也许，你的孩子有自己的植物或花园。你可以向孩子们解释，植物不仅是制作食品所必要的，而且对于控制洪水也是不可少的。下大雨或大雪时，植物有助于吸收水分。
5. It's difficult for young children to gain an appreciation of rain because rain to young children means that they can't go out to play. However, you can try to help your children realize that rain is vital to life. Without rain, plants and animals would die of thirst. Your children know what it feels like to be thirsty. If you have plants and allow your children to help you water them, this will help them to start recognizing the importance of water to life.
5、要小孩子欣赏下雨是很困难的，因为下雨对他们来说意味着不能出去玩。但你可尽力帮助孩子们认识到雨水对维持生命是不可缺少的。没有雨水，动植物就会干渴而死。孩子们知道干渴是一种什么感受。如果你有一些植物，那么让孩子们帮你去浇灌，这有助于他们开始认识到水对生命的重要性。
6. You can also help your children gain some understanding of the importance of clean oceans. Even young children realize that an ocean filled with garbage is not good for sea life. Many fish can die or become contaminated from the trash that is thrown into the ocean. People, who unknowingly eat fish contaminated by pollutants in the water, can become seriously ill.
6、你还可以帮助孩子们理解海洋清洁的重要性。连小孩子都知道，充满垃圾的海洋对海洋生物是有害无益的。很多鱼会因扔进海洋的垃圾而死去或受污染。不知道实情的人吃了被水中污染物污染的鱼可能患重病。
7. Many children, through the examples, can begin to become more aware of man's relationship to his environment. However, even more importantly, you can help them by example to learn to respect their environment. Young children learn not only from first hand experiences but by imitation. If you show your children by your actions that you respect the environment in which you live, this will start them on this path.
7、通过这些实例，许多孩子可能开始对人类和环境的关系有更多的认识。然而更重要的是，你可以以身作则，帮助他们学会尊重环境。小孩子不仅通过亲身经历，而且通过模仿来学习。如果你用行动向孩子们表明你尊重你所生活的环境，这会引导他们走上爱护环境的正道。
8. Do you avoid putting pollutants in the air by never burning your leaves? Have you ever stopped smoking? Do you respect plant life? Do you stop anyone from carving in the bark of trees? Do you avoid walking on fresh grass? Do you conserve water and energy?
8、你从不烧树叶以免污染空气吗?你曾戒过烟吗?你尊重植物的生命吗?你阻止人们在树皮上乱刻吗?你避免从新鲜的草地上走过吗?你节约用水用能吗?
9. By setting a good example for your children, you are not only giving them a good model to imitate, you are also helping them to increase their chances for survival. It is not too soon to help your children to appreciate, understand, and respect the environment in which they live.
9、通过为孩子们树立好榜样，你不仅给他们提供仿效的好典范，而且帮助他们增加生存的机会。帮助孩子们欣赏、理解并尊敬他们所生活的环境越早越好。
