There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Conversation with Linda Åkeson McGurk

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This episode of The My Outdoorsy Mom Podcast is a true full-circle moment for me.

Today I’m joined by Linda Åkeson McGurk, author of There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather and The Open-Air Life. Linda’s first book found me in the middle of a very full season of motherhood, when I had three kids under three and was trying to figure out how to get through the day without leaning quite so hard on screens.

Her work gave me the nudge I needed to start small. Fifteen minutes outside. One ordinary day at a time.

And eventually, those tiny outdoor rhythms changed everything.

What Sweden taught Linda about outdoor childhood

Linda grew up in Sweden, where outdoor play is not treated as optional or extra. It is woven into childhood, schools, preschools, and family life. After moving to Indiana and raising her daughters in the United States, she noticed a major cultural difference.

Snow days. Canceled recess. Empty parks. Babies kept indoors all winter.

What felt normal to her as a Swedish mother often felt unusual to the families around her. That culture shock eventually became the beginning of her writing, her blog, and the message so many parents now know her for: children need time outside in all kinds of weather.

What is friluftsliv?

Linda also introduces the Scandinavian concept of friluftsliv, often translated as “open-air life.”

But as she explains, it’s more than outdoor recreation. It’s a lifestyle and a philosophy centered around connecting with nature in everyday life, especially through simple, nearby, affordable outdoor experiences.

It’s not about being extreme, checking off national parks, buying all the perfect gear. It’s about building a relationship with nature.

The OUT framework

One of my favorite parts of Linda’s work is the way she makes outdoor life feel practical for normal families. In The Open-Air Life, she shares the OUT framework:

O: Own the weather

Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, learn to see possibility in different kinds of weather.

U: Use your nearby nature

The places closest to home are often the most powerful because they become part of your daily rhythm.

T: Take the time

Outdoor time has to be protected in a culture that often glorifies busyness.

That framework is such a helpful reminder that outdoor childhood does not have to be complicated. It just has to be prioritized.

Why 15 minutes matters

In this episode, I share how Linda’s book helped me start with 15-minute pockets of outdoor time when my kids were little. At first, they stood on the patio and looked at me like, “Okay… now what?”

But after a couple of weeks, things changed.

They started venturing into the yard. They picked up sticks. They played in the snow. They started creating worlds of their own.

That’s the beauty of unstructured outdoor play. It may take time at first, especially for kids who are used to indoor entertainment, but the confidence and creativity that come from it are so worth it.

Nature through different seasons of motherhood

Linda also shares how her family’s relationship with nature has changed as her daughters have grown. When they were little, outdoor life looked like walks, hikes, and simple play. Later, it included Scouts, whittling, fire building, shelter building, and outdoor skills.

Now, as teenagers, her daughters connect with nature in their own ways. One goes trail running and tracks her steps. Another loves wildlife and wants to become a biologist.

It was such a helpful reminder that the seeds we plant when our kids are young may not always grow in a straight line. Sometimes kids drift. Sometimes they return later. But the relationship is still there.

The backyard is the sensory bin

We also talk about mud, snow, sticks, leaves, dirt, and all the rich sensory experiences nature provides.

Like many moms, I once bought the sensory bins and all the little plastic pieces, thinking I was doing something helpful. Then I realized the backyard was already the ultimate sensory bin.

Nature gives kids texture, resistance, sound, smell, movement, and mess. And somehow, that mess feels a lot easier to tolerate outside.

Want the full episode? Listen to Season 3, Episode 35

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