That was a beautiful article Erin, I actually read it a few days ago. I've always been impressed/inspired with your approach to taking your kids on adventures.

As many know I dragged my oldest son on most trips I went on from when he was very young. He is 14 now. He was a rare kid, capable of adult miles even at 4 years old - mostly due to being tall and Autistic. But I also pushed MY wants on him - by 11 he was burning out. I wanted more, more - crazier trips and he was done. He had seen so much and been through crazy things.
But what stands out most to me was one of our last long trips when he was freaked out on a river ford and I got him through it by walking backwards through the river, barking at him. What had I come to? He was 11!!

I quit pushing it after that trip. He needed to be able to choose if that was what he wanted. Then he got a vacation while I had 2 brothers in a 3 year period. Now he is more open to coming hiking. I haven't taken him backpacking now since 2008 and that is OK. He is excited to take his little brothers now.

My point is have fun but don't overdo it with kids. Just because they can do death marches doesn't mean they need to hike 1K miles a year or more - unless they truly want to be there. I learned that lesson and won't be so apt to repeat it with the next kids.....

My 12 yo often picks up things in stores and laughs and says " this is way too heavy ".

On his first trip ever, did effortless 12 mile day. He says "You know, we could do this every weekend" as we pitched camp.

Even a 125lb 12 yo understands the benefits of a 10 lb base wt, and a 15 lb pack.

Spend some money on them. Buy them the lightwt high quality gear you have so that they also can ENJOY the experience. Teach them why to be light, and how to be light. Teach them what you know. They will take it to heart.

I think they really also enjoy having lightweight knowledge and abilities that a lot of others dont. Makes them feel special, knowledgeable, capable. That enhances their enjoyment.

When they're young it is not about the destination so much as the journey. The more there is to touch, see, climb, and hear the better. I started early and we are up to about 4 miles a day now, depending on the terrain. Here are some pics from the last two trips recently:

Ready to go, he has ~5.5 lbs including his sleeping bag, some clothes, his stuffed animals, some books a journal and some crayons and his journal. Overall almost everything of his, I had to carry some of his clothes do to the 60 degree days and the high 30s at night. I had about 25lbs.





Meditating (his words not mine) in a secret off trail location.


Heading home:

Edited by cwitter on 04/12/2012 18:34:23 MDT.

I had two girls by a first marriage, and took them on day hikes and backpacks from the time they could walk. But when they got to middle school, they were pretty much done with backpacking. We went on a backpack each year, but they were not really into it.

New marriage, and as a couple we had a more unified interest in outdoors stuff. We had a girl and a boy, and did car camping till my son was 6, when we did his first overnight.

Thereafter, we did more and more backpacks each year. When daughter #3 was 16, she said "no more backpacks, ever". We went on one last one, with her sister, my #2 daughter, by then 26. They both were bored, but had a great time in spite of themselves.



After the trip, #3 daughter said "now I get it Dad. I'll go on a backpack with you anytime I can. We are planning one for this summer.

My son joined scouts when he was 11, and he's 16 now. Scouts was a great venue for father son backpacks, and we are still getting out on them, with some trip reports here.
(http://backpackingtechnology.com/)

I just heard from daughter #2, a senior in college, that she is going on a camping trip with friends at college. So I guess her boycott wasn't "forever".