Braving the Boys - A Conversation with the Brave Ski Mom

Through my blog, I’ve come to meet many other moms who write about their family adventures in the outdoors. Today, the Brave Ski Mom and I share a short dialogue we recently had about camping, hiking and getting outside. We both have two sons. My boys are young, hers are both teens.  So what do we have in common? Are their some universal family experiences? Here’s a bit of what we found out. (Note - BSM will also be publishing this interview on her blog so feel free to pop over there if you have questions for her!)

How old are your children? When did you start taking them on outdoor adventures?

MM: Our boys are three and one.  They are happy, needy, BUSY and stubborn!   Our oldest was camping at about 10 weeks (and even though it was July, the nights were still freezing!) and our younger son went on his first camping trip at about 4 weeks (after 6 weeks of bed rest for me, I was desperate to get out so we didn’t wait!)  Both boys were preemies, but strong and healthy. 

Thanks to a Moby Wrap and my Boba 3G (both baby carriers) we were out hiking with both of them within three weeks.  Nothing strenuous and I was certainly checking them often, but they were out there (and so were we!)

BSM: Our boys are now 15 and 13. I am not sure how that happened, but it did and it does! Our oldest went on his first expedition when he was four weeks old. BUT, we didn’t go camping. Instead we went to the family cabin at 10,000 feet. He spent the entire weekend in a Patagonia fleece bunting, but we were out there hiking. He also slept through the night for the first time on this  (thank you high altitude air). Our younger son was born in April, so I think he probably went camping at about 8 weeks.

BSM 

When they were little, we carried them, but by about age 2, both boys were done with being carried and wanted to hike on their own. When they were little, we were very respectful of their size and stamina. As they grew, a big challenge for us was not interpreting their enthusiasm for strength and ability. We made some big mistakes talking them into “death marches.” These hikes were too long, in both distance and time, and they almost stifled our boys’ desire to hike. Just because a child CAN hike a long distance, doesn’t mean they should.

Move Those Kids! (+ Onya and Tula Baby Carrier Reviews)

We're in a brand new town, discovering new mountains around us and spending a lot of time tromping (or riding) through the ground to get a feel for the area.  We truly believe the best way to get to know a new place is by experiencing it.  That means leaving the house every day by foot, bike or carrier/stroller (if walking isn't your forte yet....)  It means talking to every local you can find (and weeding through a lot of tourists to get to them), dodging Bison dung (and keeping an inquisitive almost-toddler with an oral fixation from tasting it), braving the rain and snow and just getting out there.  

Both Mtn Papa and I have lived a lot of places where you really have to work to get to know the community.  It requires engaging in whatever happenings are out there, being ok with the fact that you may have to (gasp!) make your own fun, and just being ok with where you are at.  I find it a great tragedy to run into people who HATE the small town they are in, and yet choose to not go out and discover, explore and BE a part of the community.

As a family, we have a variety of ways to cart around our kids.  We justify the strollers, kid carrier backpacks, wagons, bikes, trailers, and soft structured baby carriers by the fact that they are helping us move as a family and enjoy the great outdoors.

Previously on the blog, I reviewed our Chariot, Osprey Poco Plus, Kelty Pathfinder, Deuter Kid Carrier III, Boba 3G and today I am happy to introduce you to the Onya Baby carrier and Tula Toddler Carrier.  Both are unique in their own respects and have opened up new elements of freedom for us.  Don't get me wrong - I don't think every family needs 100 baby carriers, every framed kid carrier backpack and a variety of bike trailers.  You do what works for your family.  I just take it as my "job" to help you know what is out there!

*Guest Post* The Importance of Trekking Poles!

Please welcome Adam Nutting of Hiking the Trail to the blog today.  Adam is a avid hiker and backpacker working toward his dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail.  He also happens to be a Cancer survivor, an Eagle scout and a self-proclaimed "tech geek."  He has some great tips and I am pleased to have him on the blog sharing them.  This is a two-part series.  Check in next week for the rest!

When I think of walking sticks I think of all of the old guys at scout camp with the wooden walking sticks with the metal emblems embedded into the stick.  Never mind the fact that I think they have always been cool but who wants to look old walking around with a walking stick.

Over the years technology has allowed the trekking pole industry to explode with lots of different styles, materials, and weights. As the technology has grown so has the comfort level of the trekking poles.

Now some of you are saying that you would never use them because they are a pain and you would trip over them. Sure they do take some time to get used to and they can be rather cumbersome at times. The main purpose of the trekking poles is to help remove the stress of hiking / backpacking on your hips, knees, and ankles. This is done by transferring some of the weight from the pack through your arms down the poles. It also allows you to use them as leverage for those ups and downs of the trail. They can also help give you better balance while going up or down hills and rock scrambles.

*Guest Post* No Touch Plants + Giveaway

Please welcome Teresa of Mountain Mama: Expecting Adventure once again to the blog!  She wrote a guest post for us back in February about the joys of a post-baby body (and being proud of it!)  Today she is introducing a brand new, ingenious T-shirt for kids.  BUT, since we live in a place where poisonous plants are few and far between, I wanted her to tell all about them (since I am certainly no expert at all!)  As always, please feel free to leave her some love in the comments (and make sure you read all the way to the end for a chance to win!)

There are few things more rewarding for a mountain mama than watching their little ones take their first steps on a favorite trail. Even better are the many mountain milestones to follow. 

I beamed with pride the first time Fausto, now 4, rejected the kid-carrier backpack that was his perch on many trails over many months and insisted on walking on his own. He quickly accepted my rules: don't drink from the stream, pee away from water, sunblock is a must. One initiation I dreaded, though, was the first encounter with what we call the “no touch” plants. Where we hike, these include an abundance of stinging nettle and poison oak, though I'm sure it won't be long before we run into their cousins, sumac and ivy. 

Stinging nettle is pretty easy to spot, with it's almost fuzzy appearance and needle-like protrusions on the edges of the leaves. Poison oak is trickier. I still find myself ticking the traits off the list when I see a dead-ringer – leaves of three, oily appearance... But sometimes it's hard to be sure.

On one hike, while Fausto chanted “no touch, no touch” at every suspicious bit of flora, I thought, wouldn't it be great to have a cheat-sheet that he and I could both reference to make sure we were identifying these plants correctly. That's when inspiration struck, what could be better than having the littlest hikers be the cheat-sheet? 

Photo credit: Danielle Kaiser

A lesson from Katmai (and Other Beloved Dogs)

We are proud dog-owners.

 Katmai (named after my very favorite National Park in Alaska) is a yellow lab, 7 years old, and full of "loyal lab traits".  He will do anything to chase a ball, hates being left at home, happily bikes with us, is best-behaved on the trail, loves the boys (usually) and has a tendency to drive me crazy with his neediness for the outdoors and activity with us.

I was thinking this weekend that we would all be a lot better off if we could follow a lead like Katmai's.  We would always feel like a long run, would just be happy with the simple things like playing and eating, and would know how to love with no limitations.

As humans, we have a innate tendency to be lazy to an extent (at least if we are well-formed by our American society.)  We will do anything we can to get what we want, and get it now (with the least amount of effort possible.)  And yet, we (meaning Americans, in the most general of terms) are suffering immensely from that instant-gratification motivation.

Multi-Family Adventures

This past weekend for the very first time we went hiking with a couple other families.  Funny that we have really never done that before (despite knowing it can be great fun)!  We have certainly hiked/skied with other people, but not families with kids.

We had six kids between us (all under the age of 8), three dogs and a gloriously beautiful "spring" day  (quotations around spring because winter is far from being over here in the mountains.)

We definitely had our share of falling, whining, laughing, whining, jumping, whining, exploring, whining, and lots of great peer pressure....oh and whining.  It really wasn't that bad, but we have to be honest here: all kids are not going to be great troopers for a three hour hike (and that is ok!)

Making Time for the Outdoors.

We are all busy.  Everyone has jobs, family, work, cleaning, bills and things that just have to get done.

Yes, it is certainly cliche, but those things will be there later too.

One of the most difficult parts of getting outside is just getting out the door.  Believe me, I know.  With two kids, it is not unusual for it to take me 45 (FORTY-FIVE!) minutes to get out the door.  Snowsuits, hats, meltdowns, gloves, pacifiers, meltdowns, snacks, KLEENEX! (I have had that yelled at me a lot lately as we fight colds), CHANGE ME! (another fun one), meltdowns, bribes, meltdowns and a huge sigh as we all tumble out the door.

How can it be possible to have time to get outside every day (yes, I even ask myself this question...daily)?  And again, I will say, how is it NOT possible to make the time (for the good of all involved?)  It makes us happier as a family. 

Last Friday we planned a family hike/walk for as soon as Mountain Papa got home for work.  My job was to have myself and the kids ready to walk out the door when he arrived (again, not an easy feat.)  His job was to be home before dark.

We both carried a kid (thank you, Kelty and Deuter!) and spent 45 minutes in the badlands behind our home.  As a couple it gave us some time to decompress from the day (between talking with J and fielding his questions and comments, of course.)  It gave the boys some fresh air and chance to just watch (or sleep).  We are blessed to have such a landscape behind us, but there is certainly nothing wrong with a family walk around the neighborhood (and we have certainly done this too!)

Yes, I should have been making dinner (or planned well enough in advance to have that dinner ready to go.)  Yes, dinner was late.  Yes, I nearly gave up and decided fighting the meltdowns wasn't worth it.  But, the truth is we never regret being out there and things (almost) always calm down once we are.

How do you fit it in?  How do you make getting outside happen amidst the craziness of life? Any tips to share?

*Guest Post* Getting Reluctant Kids Excited about Hiking

I am very honored to welcome Rob to the blog today.  He is a wealth of information when it comes to hiking with kids, and the first in a series of dads to join us here (because really this blog is about families, not just Mamas!) Please feel free to leave a comment for him (and us too!)

=) Amelia

Most children will find fun the idea of a hike and explore. Still, kids can be fickle creatures. Their lack of knowledge and experience in the world often makes them cautious about suggested activities. And in today’s video game-oriented, 300-cable channel, Internet-connected world, some kids may be reluctant – or even afraid – to get outside.

You want to sway kids to at least entertain the notion that a hike might be fun. If they hit the trail thinking a long stretch of boredom awaits them, they’ll make the experience miserable for both themselves and for you.

Here are some easy steps any mom, dad or grandparent can take to get their kids excited about being outside.

Your new assistant planner

To entice kids, let them help plan the hike. They can assist in selecting the destination, trace out the trail on a map, choose which snacks to bring, and more.

Coloring pages

For younger kids, find coloring pages about hiking on the Internet that you can print for free. Coloring pages showing children having fun and some of the scenery on the trial often gets kids excited about the adventure ahead. Just type “hiking coloring pages” in a search engine for images.

Boys and Mama Hike

Husband is a brave man and spent the weekend chaperoning the local middle schoolers on a trip to Yellowstone (his 6th? year!)  Which meant it was me and the boys this weekend!  

I love that we can literally walk from our home out to the Badlands and hike.  It is a great place to run too (unless it has been wet and then it is much to mucky-slippery-gloopy to manage anything.)  The temperatures have been cooler, but the wind wasn't too bad and so we went.  J always gets excited about an "adventure" and I literally had to bribe him to get him to agree to get BACK in the pack after running around a bit so we could make it home before it started to rain (though it never did....)