Let Kids Take the Lead
While we are stuck around the house a lot more these days, our general rules on what is or isn’t allowed has softened a little. It’s hard not to rely more on technology to entertain when trying to balance work and the schooling of my kids. Just in schooling I’m very reliant on technology and the screens that I disliked so much before have become a necessity.
When I’m done with work for the day or on weekends I’ll ask the kids what they want to do. It inevitably results in two answer “bike riding” and “exploring”. My son even wrote a poem for his school work on how nature makes him feel.
“The Outdoors
The outdoors is forest green
The outdoors tastes like roasted marshmallows
The outdoors smells like tall pine trees
The outdoors smells like tall pine trees
The outdoors looks like Grinnell Glacier
The outdoors makes me feel calm”
Boo ~ age 11”
So how did this love for the outdoors come to be? My philosophy has always been to let my kids take the lead. I try to be an observer in their world and chime in when the interest is there to let it go to the next level. One of my first excursions where this solidified for me was to Wildwood Trail. A simple trail with lots to explore where there is easy access to streams, edible plants, and tree stumps to climb. This short trail entertained us for almost two hours. It started with the kids wanting to put sticks and rocks into the water. That made me think of beaver dams so I explained how the beavers build their dams, only to realize how little I knew with the million questions they asked. But those questions showed interest. Five years later they still build dams in the creek behind the house.
Which way to go? When there’s no trail the kids have to look ahead and assess. Life skills in the making!
The kids still take the lead in most adventures. While we often do have plans to go places, they get to set the pace in most of our locations too. Letting them take the lead lets them build the love for outdoors. And as we’re Sheltered in Place on Day 34, I still haven’t heard any of them ask to watch TV or play video games. They will inevitably walk in by 2pm asking me when we’re going to go out, which is also good for my soul!
