Why do we hike a lot as a family?
Why do we hike all day hikes? Or backpack to hike several days?
One reason is that we love it. But there’s so much more.
Hiking for more than an hour provides the perfect setting for conversations with our kids.
There’s no other distraction and nothing else to do but talk and get really present with each other and with nature.
We tell stories from our past and discuss topics the kids are interested in. We find ways to teach life skills and lessons. We tell silly stories and create inside jokes.
Hiking is hard work on the mind and body and as we learn to process this together, we grow closer. When you share your weak moments you bond.
Being able to conquer challenging sections of a hike or summit a mountain can be life changing.
Those moments of struggling over massive boulders at 13,000 feet or clinging to the rock next to a drop off OR continuing to put one foot in front of the other when its SO hot, windy, cold, or wet OR when you just don’t think your body can continue OR when you had a horrible attitude or were afraid and found you could actually do it. . .
Those are the moments that change you and when you do it as a family, it glues you together.
Do my kids always want to hike?
Have they always enjoyed it?
Of course not.
When our kids were really young they had a lot of fears and did not like being physically active
Outings didn’t happen much then because of all the tears and complaining or later teens wanting to be with friends or wanting headphones.
There’s been a few hikes where they said things like, “Dad, I’ll never hike with you again!” “you are SO Crazy!” as we’re struggling up or across a really difficult section.
But we kept trying. And fueled them with gushers and storytelling. And when they were teens sometimes we let their friends come too.
We invited George on all our hikes. He’s an imaginary character that has done amazing things in our stories, told once sentence per person at a time.
The most amazing is how often he dies in outrageous ways (thanks to Dad) and comes back to life (thanks to the girls) George and his sister Georgina have amazing abilities and go on their next adventure whenever a hiker just doesn’t think she can go on.
What do you do to connect as a family? Do you make time to talk and laugh together? Start today by doing something you kids are interested in, whatever it is.
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