My home has become a battlefield. My three child have drawn their lines in the proverbial sand, sharpened their tongues and unleashed their campaigns to destroy each other…and my sanity.

Lucky for me, I just learned – courtesy of a University of Rochester study – that all I need to do is immerse them in nature. Nature, it turns out, makes us nicer.

We’ve known the benefits of nature for some time now. We’ve heard of the studies in which patients healed faster when they had a window in their hospital room that allowed them a view of nature. We know that getting kids outdoors reduces evidence of learning disabilities. And we know that just a walk a day in a natural place (ie. not a mall) has been proven to improve the health and moods of seniors.

However, to date, there’s been no evidence – certainly not in my house –  that indicates that nature makes us nicer. At least until now.

It couldn’t be easier. The next kid to mouth off, take a swing at a sibling or let loose with the “s” word (“stupid,” of course), gets dropped off in the nearest forest. By the time I pick him or her back up, I expect someone a whole lot…nicer.