We’ve been there. Gauging your children’s endurance levels can be one of the most difficult tasks as a parent. Push them too hard and it can leave a permanent black mark on the outdoors. After all, nobody likes bonking. Yet, we all want to create outdoor experiences that create a sense of accomplishment. Things can’t always be easy – many of these pursuits appeal to us because they involve effort, problem solving and ultimately rewards. Every child is different.
After observing Caleb on an earlier hike, I devised an experiment for this trip. Caleb is a strong hiker — when he wants to be. He starts with a grumble and ends at a dead run. I just needed to find a way to distract or motivate him at the beginning of the hike.
Normally, I’m not a fan of electronic entertainment in the mountains. I’ll admit I’ve done long trail runs with my MP3 player. Music can, at times, be a powerful motivator and distraction from burning lungs, but in general, I think ear buds and circuitry interfere with one of the prime reasons for doing the trip in the first place – the ability to escape from a world of noise and look inside yourself for answers to life’s questions and the problems at hand. With our three-day Sawtooth trip, I didn’t need to worry about my kids missing out on the outdoor experience, so I figured, “Why not – let’s try some music.” They all listened to music at the beginning of the hike and started strong, as hypothesized. My kids favor soundtracks – Jack Johnson’s Curious George album, Pirates of the Caribbean and Kung Fu Panda. My hypothesis began to loose credibility when no one showed much interest in musical distraction at other difficult sections. In fact, they didn’t listen much at all, even when I strongly encouraged it. I know I was ready to confiscate someone’s music to dull the pain of carrying three packs. So I guess the jury is still out on the effectiveness of music listening for my kids.
What are your tips for motivating your children through the difficult portions of your family’s outdoor adventures?
Postscript:
At the suggestion of a friend, we stopped for ice cream on the way home in the small town of Challis. Actually, it was fortunate the hotel café served ice cream because this friend was actually thinking of an ice cream shop in Ketchum, a hundred miles away in the opposite direction. Two TVs blared “The T.O. Show” as we sat in air-conditioned comfort waiting for our dessert. My boys, who don’t watch much TV and definitely don’t know who T.O. is, stared at this ridiculous show like rapt little zombies. Ah, civilization.
-Steve Bohrer
