As other parents may understand, finding activities that are fun and satisfying for kids and adults alike can be challenging. If you ask my 7-year-olds on any given Saturday what they’d like to do, it’s likely they’ll respond with answer that starts with “Stay home and…”, usually followed by something like “build a shop” or “play school”. You will definitely not hear them respond with “go on a hike” or “ride bikes on a trail”. These latter activities are the things that my wife and I would most like to do on a beautiful Saturday, but elicit the same reaction as if we had proposed going to the dentist or eating at a fancy restaurant.
Usually, we try to make everyone happy. We start out with free time in the mornings for the kids to do what they want to do and set expectations that later in the day we’re going to do something that everyone (but mostly mommy and daddy) will enjoy. However, it seems that no matter how hard we work to make sure they know what’s coming, the transition from kid play time to adult play time is met with groans, crying, and feet-dragging.
Eventually, we arrive at our trail, start our hike or ride, and things start to change. Once they get going, they start to remember and realize that these activities aren’t so bad. Eventually, the groans are replaced with smiles and laughter. The shared experience of being outside in nature and exerting physical effort overcomes the kids’ earlier expectations of boredom and exhaustion.
Lately, something really surprising regularly occurs. When I’m walking or riding alongside my son or daughter, they will turn to me, mid-stride or mid-pedal, and say, “I love you, daddy.” Completely out of nowhere. And it seems to happen every time. I feel so good when this happens that I almost want to sing (and sometimes do). Nothing compares to the unexpected “I love you.”
Of course, expressing love is easier when their expectations of misery don’t pan out. More than that, though, I feel like it’s a rare validation that we do know how to find things to do that end up being great for everyone in our family. Best of all, we’re encouraged to go through the pain of setting up these experiences again and again. The payoff of (eventual) happiness and feelings of togetherness and love are more than worth it.
Plus, someday they might really be excited when we say it’s time to go for a hike! 🤞🤞🤞