Mom of 4 Showed What Childhood Is Like Without TV and Gadgets

Niki Boon began taking photos as a hobby while living in Scotland. However, she later had to give it up because of changing life circumstances. Her passion for photography rekindled after she settled in one of the rural areas in New Zealand and gave birth to four children. Boon started to observe how her kids interacted with nature and perceived the world around them, and this became a major source of inspiration for her art.

Niki called the photo series of her four children’s technology-free life "Childhood in the Raw." With the author’s permission, we at Bright Side publish some of the photos that impressed us the most.

"My kids live without TV and modern electronic devices."

"This is a lifestyle that may seem a bit unconventional to some...

...but I’m so happy that I chose to live in this magical place with my family."

"I document their days in an environment full of nature and uninhibited play."

"It’s the physical record of their childhood, life as it is...

...the reality."

"And it’s also a reflection of a childhood rooted deep in my own past...

...when I enjoyed absolute freedom."

"It’s a childhood I now pass on to my own children."

"I really want others to recall some aspect of their own childhood through my photos."

"I believe it is best when my children come home all covered in mud."

"They run and play wherever they want and live in harmony with nature."

"They belong here — wild and free...

...and nothing stands between their young souls and nature."

"Living in the countryside involves lots of work, that’s true...

...but it’s great for the kids to gain a sense of what it is to have to work to enjoy what we have."

"They learn where our food comes from and about life and death."

"They perceive and fully understand this world and learn important, yet not always easy, life lessons."