Summer used to be my favorite season. Summer meant popsicles, mosquito bites and time spent with my dad. The church where we attended Vacation Bible School was walking distance from our house, and when he could, we’d make the trek together. We’d take his big red Chevy Tahoe to the Carthage drive-in, where he’d set up a pallet in the trunk for us to watch the movie. He’d even set up a tent and made a small fire in our backyard for us to have a not-so-far-away camping trip.

Now, I’m a much bigger fan of fall, while my dad is more of a spring guy. The greatest thing about the different seasons is the amount of outdoor activities dads and kids can do together. From building a snowman in the winter to picking dandelions in the spring, there’s no shortage of fun to be had.

For over-the-road fathers, you can teach your children the value of nature, especially with the different places you’ll be traveling. Keep scrolling for more tips and advice, straight from the truck driver’s daughter. 

Spending time and caring for nature: some potential scenarios

Aaron taught his kids from a young age to pick up after themselves. He keeps a neat and tidy truck, and whenever he’s at a rest stop, he likes to stretch his legs, get some sun and throw away any trash in his cab. Along the sides of the roads and at these rest stops, he always spots pieces of litter scattering the ground. It bothers him, but not enough for him to pick it up. It’s not his job, and besides: he wasn’t the one who littered.

Eddie’s daughter, Natalie (11), is interested in science and nature, and cares a lot about helping the planet. While working on a school project about pollution and carbon emissions for school, she begins asking some tough questions about what he’s doing to help the cause. He wants to encourage his daughter to care about the planet, but feels as if he’s part of the problem as the driver of a diesel-powered truck.

Franklin’s two kiddos, Jamie (8) and Halley (6), live in an apartment with their mom, Gwen. He worries they aren’t spending enough time outdoors. The apartment complex doesn’t have a space for children to play, but he wants his family to connect with nature.

Don’t be a litterbug!

My dad is very passionate about the importance of picking up litter. In fact, when I first started writing for the Prime Good Dads blog, he asked if I could cover the topic of littering! He believes it’s become worse over the years, saying littering is a sign of disrespect.

My dad always had a saying (not of his own invention, but taken from the 2005 animated movie Robots): “See a need, fill a need.”

I still catch myself adhering to this sentiment: if you see something that needs done, even if it wasn’t you that caused it, take the time to fill that need. My dad says he picks up trash wherever he parks, and watches out for nails or any other sharp objects that could puncture tires. It’s his way of helping the planet–and other drivers.

For Aaron, it may be frustrating in the moment, the feeling of doing someone else’s job. However, by taking the time to make a rest stop look a bit nicer, you’re setting a good example to others, getting some physical activity and doing your part to make a greener planet. He could even document some before/after photos to share with his kids. Who knows: it might inspire them to “pitch in.”

Helping the planet: it’s all about the baby steps

Learning about pollution and climate change can give us a sense of dread and can make us feel small. Given our country’s car-dependent infrastructure and reliance on over-the-road drivers, it can sometimes feel as if there’s nothing to be done.

A good (and easy) first step to caring about the planet is to spend more time in nature. Take Prime driver Roy Romo, who used to diligently bike wherever he stopped on the road, even taking pictures of people waving at him on bike paths. Check out his blog post, all about the power of optimism.

Plenty of Prime drivers have also found themselves in a similar situation as Eddie, where curious kids have questions about how themselves and their families can help live greener lives. Prime has a few green initiatives of its own.

It’s all about the baby steps: Eddie can start small, such as utilizing cruise control and reducing idle time. Doing this will improve mileage and reduce fuel consumption, reducing the costs associated with this. He can also encourage his daughter in her own at-home efforts, such as using a reusable water bottle or conserving water/electricity.

Creating memories through nature

My dad was always the one to take good care of the yard, even offering to mow a portion of the neighbor’s lot! Using the limited time he had off, he would make the yard look nice for us kids to play in, even clearing a space in the woods for my sister and I to have a little clubhouse.

I was fortunate enough to have a larger area of space to play in, but the same can’t be said for those who live in more urban areas, such as Franklin and his family. That doesn’t mean that memories can’t be created in nature!

Spending time in nature is important for young minds. In an episode of “The Difference a Dad Makes,” the Director of the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, Rudy Martinez, says exposing kids to nature sparks curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

“Children are like sponges—they absorb everything from us (parents),” Rudy said. “The way we react is the way they may react, too.” You can watch the full episode here.

Finding local nature trails, collecting small pieces of nature while you’re over-the-road or creating simple nature scavenger hunts are simple ideas for families who live in more urban areas. Even growing some plants and sharing the growth through photos and videos is a way to connect with nature.

Final Words

Being in nature is important, preventing us from experiencing “cabin” fever over-the-road. Ensuring your children spend time in nature and have a desire to take care of it is a great way to

connect with each other and the planet. Being kind to nature around us allows us to spread kindness to others, something Prime driver Buddy Gray values.

“Be helpful, be polite, help others out when needed, especially other drivers that are on the road,” he said.