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I receive comments regularly about how much I am taking my son out and experiencing the outdoors from my social media post. Most comments range between " That is awesome" to " I want to do that with my kid." I have something to confess. Taking a child outside on adventure is damn hard.
In between, they constantly request help and guidance so they don't hurt themselves. They make it difficult for anyone to find serenity in a serene place. I understand this is a selfish opinion, but it is the truth. Between working all week, the hectic commutes, and the lack of downtime, you also want to have your serenity.
The induced disarray by children makes it difficult to see anything but through the eyes of chaos. I will use fishing as an example while you do your best Bill Dance impression to try catching a fish. Your child looks like they are auditioning for Hogwarts while simultaneously tangling the line. The rage that comes over you like waves of water is embarrassing. So while you untangle the line and try to avoid the holy grail of cuss words in the process, you remember why you brought them to the outdoors in the first place.
This rejuvenated excitement usually comes back when they do the most minor thing that brings them happiness and reminds you why they are there. As adults, we tend to ignore and see the little things and look for these earth-shattering experiences. Children are remarkable for giving us these reality checks and allowing us to see these experiences through their eyes. When this does happen, you usually feel silly that you even thought this way in the first place. My son will hook into the smallest fish possible, and the joy that washes him reminds you that there is light in the littlest of moments.
The frustration in the process it is to introduce children to the outdoors is outweighed by that when the experience becomes a memory. We are doing more than just fishing.