My son's first "real" hike.

[mavs00]

Hiking was also my parents idea of a great time...for years we all hated it! Well, my brother and I love to hike and backpack now, so hope is not lost if your kid decides they don't like to. My sister has never been the least bit outdoorsy, and has never come back to it.

That's funny............ I always wondered how my kids felt about hiking, particularly during some of the tougher hikes. Wondered if maybe we were pushing them to hard, or doing it more for us then them.

It sometimes can be hard to tell as they don't always verbalize it (enjoyment). But, they always found ways to let me know that it had become a very important thing in their lives as well. Subtle things, here is just one -CUTE- example. In the end, the woods & summits lured them in, just as it did us for us adults. We just game em a ride to the trailhead and were fortunate to be their hiking partners on their VERY SEPERATE (but similar) hiking journey.

I dread the day that nature takes it's course and our hiking time together gets limited. Until that day, I'll enjoy what they have to offer. I'm content with the fact that we were able to spend WAAAAAAY more quality time together then we otherwise would have if we didn't hike. At home, we all got "other crap" to do and can't find any time. In the mountains, we got trees, trails, ponds, summits, and most importantly EACH OTHER.

 

[percious]

Not a parent myself, but I'll chime in as a former recipient of the "take the kids along" practice. As I just wrote over on the "Why Do You Hike?" thread, I believe the positive associations I got from hiking w/ my dad as a pup have contributed greatly to my current enjoyment. In a recent e-mail exchange my dad wrote something about being proud of all my hiking, "even though he had nothing to do with it" He meant because he doen't really hike anymore.
I wrote back something to the effect of "are you kidding, you had everything to do with it."

Percious and all you others who have taken, are taking, or will take the little ones along, you have no idea the gift you're giving them. It'll last a very, very long time.

Matt

Thanks for the thoughtful remarks. I am glad to give back to my son because I feel like he gives me so much. His little laughs, simple phrases and almost always positive attitude is a great bonus after a long day. I really love hiking with him, as he gets older and is more excited about being out with me. This year is going to be great!

-percious

 

[ajtiv]

Precious
I started hiking with my dad when I was 4.
I have fond memories from the time I was 6-7 years of age.
Well I grew up married and my wife hiked 3 times with me before marriage.
Just not her thing.
It was a long wait but when my daughter was 5 and son 3 still in diapers I took them car camping and hiking by myself. The first Labor day weekend at North South Lake in the Catskills. I remember leaving the house Saturday morning and telling my wife I will either see you Sunday night or in the afternoon.
The kids loved it. they met other kids close to their age and a few friendly dogs to hike with. I carried my son half of the 4 mile hike my daughter insisted we kept on to stay with an older girl and her family.
They did not want to leave Sunday except for the fact they missed their mother.
We go 5-8 times a summer now and they hike well and ;ove it. we visited my brother in Seattle and they hiked with us in Rainier National Park this past summer. They now want to move there.
They have done Wittenberg and Cornell in and out which for their age is quite an accomplishment.
The key is to make it fun and slow it down for them.
They are the best hiking budies I have had except possibly my dad. Besides the fun aspect; it teaches great skill sets and themselves even better than other traditional sports they play at their age
Keep it up it is a great experience for them and you.
Al

 

[Everest NBD]

Yes dad I do love hiking but... you are not THAT slow at hiking, actualy yur faster than me... most of the time

Oh and if you were wondering, Im mavs son

 

[Neil]

Percious, Mavs and others,
Perhaps the best hiking partners are the ones you (or your spouse) give birth to. My situation is a bit like Mavs, my 16 year old and I are closing in on our Adk 46. He did Cascade when he was 3 or 4 and then we didn't return for 10 years. Then he and I did an UWJ-Armstrong-Gothics loop and very early on in the hike I KNEW I had found my ultimate hiking partner. Just for fun we ran most of the way from Armstrong to Gothics and had us one heck of a day.
Since then we've done some pretty wild bushwhacks, winter peaks and slides together and with friends. He has turned into an awesome hiking force. Just like me 25 years ago but even moreso.

Recently, I came home and there he was with the map spread open working out an impossibly difficult route he wanted to do with a friend (sans Dad no less). He wanted me to drive them to the TH and then pick them up at another TH! I gently pointed out to him that none of his friends would be able to do that hike without a few practice hikes first.

I know it'll end soon, I'm slowing down as he gets stronger and that is the normal way of life. Hopefully we'll do our 46-W together before he goes his own way.

 

[Hakuna Matata]

Thanks for bringing up hiking memories. Our grandson lived with us for his first year and we were the built in babysitters while his mother worked. Not willing to give up hiking we put him in a carrier and went hiking. He loved it. He sang most of the time and I don't know why. He didn't sing any other time. I think it was the swaying motion on our backs. We worried that he might not get enough fluids so we taught him how to drink out of a Hydration pack. That was a mistake because he wanted it all the time. He would toddle around the house with a camelback on his back and a little water in it. When ever he thought of it he would suck on the hose and get a drink. Don't all 11 month old do that while they are playing? We also learned how to change a diaper without laying the baby down. One person holds the baby and the other changes the diaper. Then you flip a coin to see who carries the dirty diaper the rest of the day. We even figured out how to climb down slippery waterfalls with him. We formed a baby brigade and passed him down without anyone having to move their feet.
Enjoy the outdoors with your son. You get to discover it's wonder all over again.