Family

It’s occurred to me that the older I get, the more content I am to simply be a spectator.

Don’t get me wrong: I never pictured myself as the soccer mom or camping enthusiast. Truth is, I’m kind of allergic to anything that isn’t labelled 4-star (it’s a real illness, I checked – it’s call “snobism”). However, I’ve noticed more and more, on the rare times we are outdoors as a family, I tend to hold back. I’d rather watch the action unfold than be part of it myself. And, having two energetic, boisterous boys… that means I’m often on the outside looking in.

This is not a post declaring that I’ve changed my ways.

Because I haven’t. Although we’ve had so much fun crossing items off our Rediscover Nature Summer Bucket List, I can’t say that I immersed myself in the activities much beyond being present for them. However, something did occur to me on #RediscoverNature Day; the realization that my boys HATE being a spectator. Being on the sidelines is a punishment; they always want to be part of the game, in the middle of the action. Whatever the activity, they need to be involved. And when it’s time for a time out, it’s not always pretty.

I captioned this photo, “He hates being a spectator.” It was taken during a hike in our local park on September 20th – #RediscoverNature Day.
When will it happen? When will they decide that they’d rather be tethered to their electronic devices than playing a game of freeze tag in the park? I’m not naive; I know the day will soon come. But it’s my duty to cultivate my boys’ love for the outdoors, and ensure they remain part of the action for as long as possible. Because statistically speaking, less than 10% of kids today are spending time in nature. …

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This morning, I did something I swore I would never do: I checked the long-term forecast.

I know, I know – it’s not exactly a high crime to peek at the anticipated probability of precipitation. However, I’ve learned that I often schedule my life around the weather (“We can’t go to the park, it might rain!” or “I wish I could make it, but the humidity is too high next Tuesday”), so I’ve cautioned myself to ignore what the meteorologist is forecasting and simply GET OUTSIDE.

It’s been working for me. Earlier this summer, you’ll remember that I published a bucket list of family-oriented outdoor activities. Near the top of the list: a visit to Niagara Falls, as the boys are at an age where they can appreciate this wonder of the world, and I couldn’t think of a better connection to nature than feeling the cool mist of the falls on a hot summer day. We had so much fun, and can’t wait to return next year!
In fact, we crossed four other items off our Rediscover Nature Summer Bucket List, including picnicking by the lake, glamping in our backyard, riding our bikes in my childhood neighbourhood and spending a weekend in cottage country. We just missed fruit picking, but there’s always the opportunity to visit apple orchards in Fall! …

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