It’s hard to imagine a kid growing up in Maine and not spending hour after hour in the outdoors.

Unless you’re the parent of one. Then you probably know how tough the competition can be.

The notion of “Nature Deficit Disorder” has been kicking around for a couple years. Richard Louv’s 2005 book, “Last Child in the Woods,” gave the name to a trend that had become plain to parents and park rangers - kids are spending less unstructured time in the back yard or the back woods, and it’s affecting their bodies and minds.

Studies show kids who do get outside are more likely to do well in school, have better self discipline and tend to become more conservation-minded citizens, among other things. The Nature Channel isn’t quite as good as the real thing, it turns out.