In an increasingly urbanised world where both adults and children alike are ‘always on’, connecting to nature is a brilliant way of letting the mind breathe.

Fostering a love of wildlife and the natural world early on in your child’s life can do wonders for their mental and physical health. Whether it’s a simple trip to the park to play spot-the-squirrel, or an excursion to a thriving nature reserve (with binoculars in tow), let’s discuss exactly what benefits the natural world can offer your children.

Loving Wildlife Means Loving The Environment

Let’s face it, planet earth is in a fragile state.Between global warming, pollution and the mass destruction of life-sustaining habitats, conservation has never been more vital. What better way to combat this than to inform and educate the next generation?

While it may be difficult to communicate these broader  concepts to younger minds, children have no problem understanding the beauty of nature and that their favourite animals must be protected. A family excursion out into the woods, for example, can offer endless amounts of fun whilst providing an opportunity to teach the little ones about the importance of habitat conservation.

Pond-dipping with an old glass jar can provide endless fascination for children of all ages. Explaining how each animal floating within the jar plays a key part in the food chain should prove both fascinating and easy to understand. Frogspawn should start to appear in the spring too, so why not plan a trip around its arrival?

Let’s not forget our feathered friends, either! An afternoon of bird-watching is as educational as it is relaxing. Better yet, they’re easily spotted in a myriad of environments, from wetland centres and meadows to your local suburban park.

Birds thrive in a variety of habitats, so a day spent admiring them from afar shouldn’t be too difficult to plan. Why not make a day of it? Once you’ve found your spot, hunker down, lay out the picnic blanket and encourage the kids to keep a list of all the different species they find. Of course, they’ll need the right equipment if they’re to spot ‘em all. RSPB offers a selection of binoculars perfect for the job. And buying from a wildlife charity such as this means your money is reinvested in important conservation work. Funding conservation whilst raising the next generation of conservationists — that’s a win-win!

You’re Encouraging A Healthy Lifestyle

The great outdoors is not only home to some fascinating creatures, but the natural landscape can (with a little imagination) become a playground all of its own. Whether it’s building dens or climbing trees, a love of wildlife is synonymous with a love of the natural world. Play in nature is far less structured and promotes creativity.

Let loose in nature, children can think more freely and approach play intuitively. Playtime in nature provides plenty of stimulation too. Many senses that are normally left dormant in the confines of their bedroom – sight, touch, and smell – are heightened outdoors. As such, spending even just a short time out in nature can reduce fatigue and stress.

Moreover, a study conducted by the Institute of Education concluded that spending time in nature can improve children’s confidence. The study examined 451 children who took part in various wildlife activities. Their findings showed that afterwards, 84% of children believed they were capable of doing new things when they tried, as well as reporting better relationships with both their teachers and classmates.

Summary: Don’t Delay, Get Out And Play!

It’s often easy to ignore the wildlife on our doorstep, but take the time to educate your children about the wonders of the natural world and you’ll be amazed by the results.

Whether they’re rock-pooling on pebble beaches or bird-spotting in the backwoods – we hope you’ll find some time to nurture within them a love for creatures both great and small. Let’s face it; the benefits are clear to see!

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Do you ever find yourself with your shoulders hunched, your eyes downcast, and your head down?

You have that hang-dog look of someone who feels the lowest of low.

Life can hit you hard with disappointments, challenges, and setbacks, and it’s hard not to want to crawl into a hole and avoid the world.

But doing that only makes you sink further into despair.

You may not think you have confidence and self-determination, but if you act as if you do, your confidence will grow, and you’ll find the tenacity to keep going. 

How Do You Encourage Someone to Keep Going?

Whether you or someone you know is experiencing a period of self-doubt and dejection, a little encouragement from a caring friend or even from some quotes about keeping your head up can go a long way.

If you want to encourage someone, read through these quotes, choose those that resonate the most with you, and use them in the following ways:

• Send a caring card that includes one of these quotes.
• Have a quote printed on a coffee mug to give to your friend.
• Give your friend this list of quotes and a journal to use the quotes as journal prompts.
• Have a quote printed and framed to display where they can see it often.

35 Keep Your Head Up Quotes To Encourage You

We’ve curated these 35 “hold your head up” quotes to cover a gamut of reasons why you or a friend might feel discouraged or depressed.

Words alone may not be enough to change your situation, but they go a long way in helping you find that spark of hope to keep moving forward.

Read through our list and see which of these “head held high” quotes inspires you to lift that chin a little bit.

1. “Keep your head up no matter what happens. You’ll be alright. If the moment hurts, do not fall victim to its pain. Look ahead. Focus on what can be. Focus on dreams. You’ll make it.” – Egypt-TheGoodVibe.com

2. “Always keep your mind strong with positive thoughts and your head up with full confidence, because you truly have greatness in you.” – Edmond Mbiaka

3. “Hold your head high and keep those fists down.” – Atticus Finch from To Klll a Mockingbird

4. “Don’t let anyone knock you down. Keep your head up.” — Greyson Chance

5. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas A. Edison

6. “Keep your head up, keep your heart strong. Keep your mind set, keep your hair long.” – Ben Howard

7. “Always hold your head up, but be careful to keep your nose at a friendly level.” -Max L. Forman

8. “I had to hold my head up high and put a bold face on things, but the thoughts keep coming anyways.” — Anne Frank

9. “Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes but morning comes…. Keep hope alive.” — Jesse Jackson

10. “Anyone can hide. Facing up to things, working through them, that’s what makes you strong.” — Sarah Dessen

11. “Keep your head up and be patient.” – A. J. McLean

12. “The only reason to look down on someone is to help them up.” – Jesse Jackson

13. “And I know this world is so cold and deceiving, but I keep my head up like my nose is bleeding.” — Lil Wayne

14. “Always keep your head up because if it’s down, you won’t be able to see the blessings that have been placed in your life.” – Unknown

15. “Forgive but don’t forget, girl, keep your head up. And when he tells you you ain’t nothing, don’t believe him. And if he can’t learn to love you, you should leave him.” — Tupac Shakur

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16. “Keep your head up and smile, because someone somewhere wants to see you fail.” — Burnell Taylor

17. “Don’t wait on approval, validation, and likes from others–always give yourself the highest of approval ratings and work from there. Hold your head up and be fabulous no matter what!” — Jody Watley

18. “Come on, you know, chin up, chest out, and best foot forward.” – Fred Astaire

19. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill

20. “Your body language can tell a different story from what’s going on inside of you. Hold your head high, shoulders back, and chest out. Others will see confidence, and soon you’ll feel confident too.” – Barrie Davenport

21. “You’ve got keep your head up, keep fighting, and do the best you can.” – Pablo Sandoval

22. “Keep your heal, head, and standards high.” – Coco Chanel

23. “No matter how much it hurts, you have to hold your head up and keep going.” – Brooke Addison

24. “Don’t let guilt or shame drag you down. Keep your head and look the world in the eye. Defy the voices in your head telling you that you aren’t worth it. You are.” – Barrie Davenport

25. “Pride is holding your head up when everyone around you has theirs bowed. Courage is what makes you do it.” – Bryce Courtenay

26. “When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.”  – Oscar Hammerstein II

27. “To everyone battling a difficulty or under attack right now, smile, keep your head up, keep moving and stay positive, you’ll get through it.” – Germany Kent

28. “Don’t let it get you down, you can take it, and if it hurts, don’t let them see you cry, you can make it. Hold your head up, woman. Hold your head high. – from Hold Your Head High by Argent

29. “Keep your head up because one day one person will fight like hell for you, the same as you would for them, and it will be a deep love. So, keep your head up.” – Carlos Salinas

30. “You can be poor and tired in raggedy clothes, but walk tall with your head high and nobody knows.” – Unknown

31. “Never let anyone tell you who you are, hold your head up high, look them in the eyes and tell them who you are.” – Sonya Parker

32. “C’mon man, stop shuffling your feet and looking down. Hold your head high and show’em what you got.” – Unknown

33. “We ain’t meant to survive, cause it’s a setup, And even though you’re fed up, Huh, ya got to keep your head up. — Tupac Shakur

34. “So keep your head high, your chin up, and most importantly keep smiling because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” – Marilyn Monroe

35. “Keep your head up in failure and your head down in success.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Now that you’ve read through these “keep your head up” quotes, what actions will you take? Will you send them to someone you know needs a boost? Or will you use them for yourself to inspire you to get past your challenges? 

Don’t just read these quotes and move on to your next task. Let them sink in, and then do something positive and productive today with your head held high.

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Keeping up with family can be hard, especially when your plate already has so much on it. Making time for your immediate family can be difficult enough, but finding time to encourage and communicate with your extended family can be even more challenging.

Still, you’ll find several benefits in helping your children keep in contact with their extended family as well as spend more time with you. In the United States, the average size of a family is 3.15 people. By forging stronger bonds with your immediate family and fostering relationships with your extended family, you set your child up to have an excellent support system and lasting connections.

Connecting With Immediate Family

Depending on your child’s age and emotions, you may find it challenging to connect with them on a personal level. Even if you have nothing in common with your children, you can find ways to spend time with them and teach them the value of family, especially in times when life might be complex or uncertain.

1. Tell Stories

While bedtime stories might be great, you won’t find a replacement for stories rooted in truth. Stories about your family can be passed down through generations and kept forever, even after you’re gone. Tell important stories to your children often, and they’ll do the same for their own families in the future.

Kids of all ages love to hear historical tales, and they will undoubtedly be interested in what your family did decades before they were born. It’s a little taste of the past that they can pass on to friends and family.

2. Ask About School

Especially during tumultuous times when in-person learning isn’t always an option, your child may need some extra help to stay attentive in school and on top of their learning. Making sure they’re engaged in both schoolwork and homework can help them be more successful. Do your part as a parent to help them remain excited about the content their teacher presents to them.

If they need help understanding the material at home, attempt to explain it yourself. If neither of you can find the answer, help your child make a list of questions to bring to their teacher the next day. You can offer your child the support they need during tough times and rapid changes in learning by simply asking questions and allowing them to express their fears and frustrations.

3. Answer Questions

When your child wants to know something, you should answer to the best of your ability. Giving them an honest answer to their question, no matter how tough it may be, can help them build trust in you and provide a model for honesty that they can emulate. It can also help them see you as a source of wisdom and someone they can go to with other, more intense questions or problems in the future.

While you might answer their questions, you should ask them questions, too. Conversing about their interests, favorite school subjects and friends can help children understand that you want to play an active role in their lives.

4. Talk About Emotions

Communication solves many problems. By encouraging your child to talk about their emotions from a young age, you can equip them to solve problems in the future better. Offering them the communicative vocabulary early on can prove effective as they grow and mature and enter into situations where they may have to utilize the problem-solving skills you taught them.

Through your open and honest conversations together, they will learn how to better communicate what they’re feeling and understand that their emotions matter and shouldn’t be bottled up. Get connected with your child and let them know that you can support them however they need you most.

5. Spend Time With Them

Carve out a chunk of time every week to spend as a family. You shouldn’t have any outside distractions, nor should you let anything distract you from this time or schedule any events that could upset the balance of your family ritual.

Whether it’s playing a video game your teenager likes, with them, reading a book aloud as a family, or watching a much-anticipated movie, you’re fostering bonds with your children. Your relationship with them will grow stronger as a result. You might also find something that you’re interested in by partaking in their interests!

Connecting With Extended Family

The pandemic may have affected how often your children see their extended family. If your family is spread out over several states or unreachable cities, you might have found it challenging to keep in contact with them during such an unpredictable time.

Now is the time to start planning to see loved ones again as long as it’s safe for everyone involved. Remember that it takes a village to raise a child. Keep your bonds strong with your extended family so your children have the chance to know them.

1. Choose A Contact Day

Pick one day out of the week to devote to contacting your loved ones. This process could be an exciting time for your children, too, if they love talking to their aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on.

On this day each week, reach out to family members via email or schedule a video call. Spending time with your children, even if it’s virtual, could mean the world to older family members who may not be able to see them grow in-person.

2. Plan A Vacation

While you may go on short vacations with your immediate family once in a while, when can you say you last went on a vacation with your extended family? You can stay connected to one another via a social media website or a shared calendar and pick what dates work best for you.

Creating a group with a news feed can also be beneficial to share your family’s accomplishments with others. Your family members can then comment on what your children may have achieved, and then you can read the comments to your child. Or, if they’re old enough, they can read them for themselves.

Knowing they have family in their corner cheering them on can give a child a significant surge of confidence when they try complex tasks in the future.

3. Take Pictures

Pictures are essential to capturing the memories and feelings of a special day. In uncertain times, you may not know when you’re going to see a family member again. While putting one another’s safety first, you should aim to capture moments in film.

You can create albums for your extended and immediate family so everyone, including your children, can remember the fun times you had when you were last together.

Spread Your Roots Wide For Better Branches

Family, including extended family, is a web that waits to catch you or your children when they fall. If your bonds are strong enough, that web won’t break, and you can enjoy knowing your loved ones will be there for your family through thick and thin.

By strengthening familial bonds, your child will have a more robust support system as they grow up. Until they can pick their chosen family in friends and other loved ones, your children’s extended and immediate family are their only authentic familial sources of support. It matters that they have a genuine, lasting connection that can withstand the test of time.

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