Hiking With Children
|
|
There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The thrill of introducing these young ones to the wonder of nature is matched only by their eyes as they take it all in. If you follow a few simple rules when hiking with children, things go extremely well. Forget these simple rules and your treks with the young can be a recipe for disaster.
The first thing to remember is that young ones don't understand or know the dangers of a trail that might seem the most basic of realities to anyone else. Poison oak, snakes and wild animals seem fun to the youngest of hikers. You know better and need to make sure that your partners do as well. You'll need to be the eyes and ears of those who eyes and ears aren't yet up to the task. You'd be surprised how quickly they can get themselves into trouble so you'll need to keep on your toes.
Secondly, you'll want to bring lots of snacks. Little legs burn a lot of energy when they're hiking and their little stomachs require that you feed them often. Obviously, go without quick fixes of candy and the like. Nuts, whole grains and dried fruit all taste great and work well for all ages. Make sure to bring lots of water as well.
With so many snacks, trash will be a big issue. Teach these young ones about the power of packing out their trash and keep the environment as clean and pristine as possible.
Know that a good first aid kit with Band-Aids, ointment and insect repellant is always a good idea. There is no reason to let an entire hike go bad, just because someone fell down and went "boom." If your crew is young enough, diapers and a change or two of clothing is also well worth the effort.
If one or more of the children are brought on the trek in some form of backpack, make sure that the pack is fit for you before you take off on your trip. Adjustments, for some reason, are always easier to make at home than they are in the middle of your trek. If you are purchasing a new pack for your adventure, consider shying away from the cheapest option ? they are the cheapest option for a reason. A good resale shop or a trip to ebay.com can find you high quality at a price you are willing to spend.
No matter where you are hiking, waterproofing is a must. A couple of ponchos have been know to save the day more times than not. They weigh next to nothing but are life savers when needed. Umbrellas are more awkward than anything else.
Finally, take lots of pictures ? these are memories that you'll want to look back on for a long time.
When you do take small children on a hike, the rewards are plentiful: an early respect for nature, good exercise, family memories and the like. Keep these simple thoughts in mind and you'll find that this is an activity enjoyed by everyone that you'll want to do again and again.
About The Author
Linda Jones is the Webmaster of FirstHiking.com. She's loved hiking since her parents took her on her first hike at just 14 months. Visit her site at www.firsthiking.com.
|
|
|
How To Teach Your Children Love
I was in the life insurance sales industry for over 8 years. One of best teaching that I have learned from the industry and found in all top sales p...(related: Parenting)
?i?m Overwhelmed? -- 5 Tips On How Parents Can Take Control Of Their Lives
Are you feeling overwhelmed being a parent? Do you want to feel more relaxed and empowered raising your child? Working parents, stay-at-home parents, visiting parents ? it doesn't matter which one you are because these days almost every parent feels overwhelmed by their daily day. Parents every day experience anxiety, stress and despondency because they feel as if they are losing control of their natural balance. The natural balance that once allowed them to walk, talk and chew gum slowly - all at one time! Now you are running to work, picking up children, grocery shopping, doing laundry, paying bills, taking your child to some lesson, etc. Those days when you had control over your life, can be re-lived again by knowing how to create a structured life that incorporates extra time, a swing to your step a...(related: Parenting)
The Adhd Parents Guide: Questions For The School
Here is something that you might want to keep if you are thinking about changing your child's school next fall or if you are planning to have your child tested by the school in the near future. Let me say this, if you are planning to have your child tested by your district, do not put off doing the paperwork. Sign them up today! Typically districts have ...(related: Parenting)
Time, Stress, And A Baby
The main thing we noticed since having a baby is that time is a more valuable good. We do not have enough time for many things or time is really tight to accomplish certain tasks before the next feeding time has come. Think about feedin...(related: Parenting)
The Graceful Art Of Defrazzling - For Mothers
"I wipe my baby's chin with my college diploma and wonder, 'How did I ever get here?'"-- Joy Rose from the band "Housewives on Prozac"I'm sure any mom on the planet can relate to that quote and the sense of exhaustion and bewilderment that it implies. Let's face it, ladies, after cooking, cleaning, caring, chauffeuring, and "career-ing" we're pretty frazzled - physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. We dream of lives...(related: Parenting)
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream, But Not For Ice Cream!
We all scream for ice cream. Or, we don't, at least not anymore.Before moving to this sleepy suburb as kids, we lived in the city. We'd walk to the corner store for an italian ice. I barely kindergarten age when we moved south of Boston, but I remember the cool lemony goodness on a wooden stick like it was yesterday.When we moved to the 'burbs, we didn't have to go to the store anymore for a treat. The ice-cream truck would come to us, (though I seem to remember calling it the slush truck?) Of course, looking back, I see that an ice cream truck was just one more hurdl...(related: Parenting)
Learning My Childs Way
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to you? How do you home school? These were just some of the questions I had when we started thinking about home schooling our children.While our daughter was a baby, I started reading articles in the paper about the local schools. Our school district was in financial trouble. They were cutting services and staff over and over again. The elementary schools were eliminating librarians, day time janitors, band, and the parents were fund raising for a crossing guard. That's when I realized that the local public school would not be anything like the school I went to.Our first step was checking out the private school options. There are three Montessori schools within a 20 minute drive, a variety of Christian...(related: Parenting)
Blended Families Can Be Successful
Many families today are blending members from past relationships. It would be easy to give up when faced with all the conflicting methods of parenting and discipline that come to a family who has joined forces together.As I was doing research for a recent book, I interviewed a young counselor at a youth camp. I was impressed with her sincerity, maturity, and gra...(related: Parenting)
Raising Teenagers? Stay C.a.l.m.
Parents of teenagers frequently ask what can be done to improve their relationship with their kids. This can be a challenging time, and a time when parents sometimes feel rejected, out of touch, and unclear about what to do. Here's a simple strategy that can help set you up for a smoother ride.Stay C.A.L.M. Why "calm"? When teenagers are asked what parents can do to help keep communication open, teens invariably reply: "Don't freak out!" Evidently, teens' perceptions are, when they are sharing something important, or sensitive, parents too often go off the deep end. There is no surer way to shut down communication than to over-react. Parents may have difficulty not reacting to information that touches upon a nerve, so this can be tricky for ...(related: Parenting)
Road Trip With Kids
Boredom, limited space and overflowing energy are a source of nuisance for a child when in a restaurant - how much more in th...(related: Parenting)
Public-school Teachers Know Best --- They Send Their Kids To Private Schools
A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found that nationwide, public-school teachers are almost twice as likely as other parents to send their children to a private school. The study also found that more than one in five public-school teachers send their kids to private schools.In the biggest cities across America, the statistics get even more startling. In Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and 16 other big cities, more than 1 out of 4 public-school teacher's kids attend private schools. In some cities, almost half the public-school teachers do this. For example, in Philadelphia, 44 percent, and in Cincinnati, 41 percent of public-school teachers sent ...(related: Parenting)
10 Ways You Can Advocate For Your Child With A Learning Disability
Did you know that you are the most important person in your child's life? Of course you did.
But did you know that parents of children with learning disabilities can also be their child's most effective advocate.
What exactly is an advocate? An advocate is someone who speaks up for someone else, or who acts on behalf of another person. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else, and you are in the best position to speak for him and act on his behalf.
Here are 10 ways you can do that:
1. Realize from the beginning that advocating for your child takes a lot of time. Advocating involves a great deal of research, meeting time, and communication. That's a given. But the end result will be a successful,responsible, happy young...(related: Parenting)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Baby Care Info | All Rights Reserved. | Parenting