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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:11 am
by SoCalHiker
butitsadryheat wrote:

It is in young kids' nature to whine about all things hard and that require determination. I keep telling my kids that they are getting great exercise, and that "we only have a little bit to go" and they groan, but when we get to the top, or to the destination we were looking to get, they always want to stay a little longer and let a bit more sink in before we have to leave. It always turns out to be "my favorite trip ever," even though they complained the same amount as the time before. almost every trip has been a bit longer than the last, and they are growing to love it.



Nice...it's very similar to my kids. It costs a lot of nerves to endure the endless complaining on the way... but once we are there...yes "it's the best ever". However when asked "Do you want to do it again next weekend" the answer is usually "No way" :)

kids and outdoor stuff

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:20 am
by Norman
I have two kids, one goes with me the other doesn't , but tried them both out as a teens. Try getting your kids to invite a friend. You'll learn a little about their friends and maybe the friend will think the outdoors is fun. It's easier if the kids have peers doing things with. My Dad just signed up my older brother and sister with the Seattle Mountaineers and I took the Basic climbing course when I was old enough with a friend. Every one is different, but I'm sure glad my Dad got me going to the hills. Latter, I even took up snowboarding when my kids needed rides with their friends to Mt Baker. My thinking was if they want to do something that will include me...I need to do it. Tough to raise kids now...always. I wish you and others the best. Wow! I think I could write a book no one would read....

Re: kids and outdoor stuff

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:57 am
by SoCalHiker
Norman wrote:I have two kids, one goes with me the other doesn't , but tried them both out as a teens. Try getting your kids to invite a friend.


Thanks. That's actually a very good idea I think. I am sure my kids are not complaining as much when their friends are with them.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:01 am
by SoCalHiker
Dingus Milktoast wrote:For what its worth I don't think all those e-devices are evil or even necessarily bad for kids. Actually I think the opposite. I think they are good and empower kids to be part of their society, to actually MAKE that society.

The ties that bind.

I can talk Leave it to Beaver with many of my generation, and using the language of the Beeve can exchange meaningful information.

Now imagine if I'd never watched any 60s television... now try to communicate to a BOOMER without a generational anchor... good luck with that.

Embrace the technology. Oh... have some rules, to be sure. But don't cast technology out with the devil... next you'll be ranting about zippers!

DMT


I completely understand you, Dingus. I also think that depriving them from all the e-toys and online activities is not necessarily a good thing. I don't want them feeling estranged from their friends and not able to communicate about the latest online news and gadgets. But at times it's simply too much. There are times that my daughter sent 10 text messages before I can say "Hi" after school.

Re: Kids and Climbing/Hiking

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:02 am
by SoCalHiker
borut wrote:
The first pic is really tough, I thought.

borut


Yes, it was a steep part but they enjoyed the few minutes a lot, in contrast to the rest of the day which was much easier.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:43 am
by Stu Brandel
Most of the best ideas have already been mentioned

1 Scrambles over long hikes (See this trip reoprt for my discovery of this principal: http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/399576/Scrambling-with-an-11-Year-Old.html

2 Lots of Food as reward at end of day
3 Have them bring friends, or bring their fun crazy uncle
4 Relax at night
5 Plan for Swimming holes along the way if possible
6 Rest day to do tourist stuff (mini golf etc)

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:24 am
by phydeux
Sbrande wrote:Most of the best ideas have already been mentioned

3 Have them bring friends, or bring their fun crazy uncle


That's ME! I'm the crazy uncle that knows this stuff around L.A. Here's what my nephews/nieces have found fun and interesting:

Since you're in L.A., try some of the lower peaks with great views: Sandstone Peak and/or Malibu Creek in the Santa Monica Mountains, maybe the peaks around Big Bear Lake (crowded Bertha Peak or lonely Gold Mountain, both with great views on top). All are around 3 miles one way/ 6 mile RT.

Maybe drop a few $$$ and do the hike up Mt. San Jacinto from the Palm Springs Tram? Costly, and longer (11 miles RT at higher elevation), but the Tram ride is pretty cool for a noob, Round Valley Meadow looks cool, Wellmans Divide's view is great, and the summit view is always pretty spectacular for the first time. Also fun to go out to Josuha Tree NP and scramble around, drive up to Keys View for the great overlook of the Coachella Valley, and maybe mountain biking on the fire roads in the park, too.

Just some suggestions . . .

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:26 am
by SoCalHiker
Sbrande wrote:Most of the best ideas have already been mentioned

1 Scrambles over long hikes (See this trip reoprt for my discovery of this principal: http://www.summitpost.org/trip-report/399576/Scrambling-with-an-11-Year-Old.html

2 Lots of Food as reward at end of day
3 Have them bring friends, or bring their fun crazy uncle
4 Relax at night
5 Plan for Swimming holes along the way if possible
6 Rest day to do tourist stuff (mini golf etc)


...sounds like a plan :)

many thanks

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:30 am
by SoCalHiker
phydeux wrote:
Sbrande wrote:Most of the best ideas have already been mentioned

3 Have them bring friends, or bring their fun crazy uncle


That's ME! I'm the crazy uncle that knows this stuff around L.A. Here's what my nephews/nieces have found fun and interesting:

Since you're in L.A., try some of the lower peaks with great views: Sandstone Peak and/or Malibu Creek in the Santa Monica Mountains, maybe the peaks around Big Bear Lake (crowded Bertha Peak or lonely Gold Mountain, both with great views on top). All are around 3 miles one way/ 6 mile RT.

Maybe drop a few $$$ and do the hike up Mt. San Jacinto from the Palm Springs Tram? Costly, and longer (11 miles RT at higher elevation), but the Tram ride is pretty cool for a noob, Round Valley Meadow looks cool, Wellmans Divide's view is great, and the summit view is always pretty spectacular for the first time. Also fun to go out to Josuha Tree NP and scramble around, drive up to Keys View for the great overlook of the Coachella Valley, and maybe mountain biking on the fire roads in the park, too.

Just some suggestions . . .


Thanks for the suggestions. The tram in Palm Springs certainly will impress them. And I like the High Country in that area a lot. Joshua Tree sounds great too. A lot of bouldering there to do. Thanks again.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:25 pm
by Alpinisto
-Go at their pace. (I always have to watch myself here, as I'm a normally fast hiker.) Struggling to keep up with dad or make X miles in Y time to get to camp before dark prob'ly isnt' their idea of a good time.

-Make it fun for them. (We might enjoy "roughing it" in a bivy sack, but doesn't mean the kids necessarily will.) So far, I haven't made my kids carry their own packs yet, though they'll start with light loads this summer.

-Set low expecations at first, and then gradually work up from there. A fun two-hour afternoon hike will make them want to go out again more than a two-day slogfest through the rain and mud. (Hell, just getting the kids away from all the damned screens is a success in my book!)

-Know that, at the end of the day, all kids are different and some just may not dig hiking/climbing/camping and that's OK. Love 'em just as much anyway.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:10 pm
by SoCalHiker
Alpinisto wrote:-Go at their pace. (I always have to watch myself here, as I'm a normally fast hiker.) Struggling to keep up with dad or make X miles in Y time to get to camp before dark prob'ly isnt' their idea of a good time.

-Make it fun for them. (We might enjoy "roughing it" in a bivy sack, but doesn't mean the kids necessarily will.) So far, I haven't made my kids carry their own packs yet, though they'll start with light loads this summer.

-Set low expecations at first, and then gradually work up from there. A fun two-hour afternoon hike will make them want to go out again more than a two-day slogfest through the rain and mud. (Hell, just getting the kids away from all the damned screens is a success in my book!)

-Know that, at the end of the day, all kids are different and some just may not dig hiking/climbing/camping and that's OK. Love 'em just as much anyway.


Great advice, thanks. Nice words at the end.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 4:13 pm
by SoCalHiker
MikeTX wrote:
they both were complaining at the end, but they had fun exploring. exploring. ever since that day, i try not to use the h-word.



Good idea to avoid the word "hiking"; sounds boring and tedious. Adventure and exploring is more fun. Yeah, I can understand that. The pic where your kids are scrambling up the rocks...my kids would love that too. Thanks.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:59 pm
by SoCalHiker
gbeane wrote:I have a 1.5 year old son (born exactly 18 months ago today, boy that has flown by). We've been taking him out hiking and snowshoeing since he was about a month old. He loves it, and I hope he still does once he is older (and daddy isn't carrying him any more). He also seems to like spending time at the family camp (gas lights, no running water). I've just started taking up rock climbing (this winter, so all my time has been in a gym so far), and hopefully that will be something we can do together when he is older.

There was this one traumatizing hiking incident, but he forgave me pretty quickly - I was hiking with him in the fall in Acadia National Park, he was small (born in August, a month early) so he was still in the chest carrier, but had graduated to facing forward. I took a spill and caught myself with my hands with his face about an inch from the ground. When I was going down all I could picture was a broken nose at best, but he escaped without injury. That was one of the worst feelings in the world.


Yes, I was carrying my kids in these carriers all the time too when they were little. We went out basically every weekend. We did many really long hikes with a lot of elevation gain with these carriers. It was fun. Once they were old enough to walk by themselves they gradually lost interest over the years until they completely stopped enjoying it (at least that's what they tell me before the hikes) when they were around 8 years old.

I am glad that incident did not cause any injuries to your baby. I was worried about that many times myself.