In May 2026 I wrote an op-ed for The Globe and Mail about something I keep thinking about as both a parent and someone who works with young people: what happens when there’s almost no space left for boredom, reflection, discomfort, or unstructured time away from screens.
The piece looks at the growing conversation around phones, attention, overprotection, and youth mental health, but through the lens of outdoor education and time spent in the wilderness. Not as a magical cure or nostalgic “kids these days” argument, but as a real environment where young people are suddenly faced with silence, uncertainty, social connection, and their own thoughts again.
A lot of the article was shaped by what I’ve observed through my work at Outward Bound Canada, where I’ve seen how quickly young people change once the constant noise and stimulation disappear for a while. Sometimes the hardest part for them isn’t the hiking or canoeing. It’s being present.
The response to the piece was fascinating. It sparked conversations about parenting, independence, technology, risk, attention spans, and what childhood is becoming.
Read the full op-ed in The Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-teens-phones-screen-time-wilderness-outdoor/
Read the full op-ed clipping
Project Details
- Publication: The Globe and Mail
- Topic: Youth mental health, technology, outdoor education
- Role: Writer / Opinion Contributor
- Focus areas: Editorial writing, public discourse, thought leadership, storytelling
