Saturday, May 12, 2018

Happy Mother's Day: Spending It Outdoors & Modeling Environmentalism

My son recently went on a Middle School field trip where half of it was environmental stewardship in nature, and the other half was spent on the water doing stand up paddle boarding (aka "SUP"). He loved it. We're making plans to go sometime this summer, and if money were no object, he'd be buying a paddle board right this very minute!

The company he SUP'ed with is brilliant...they just sent forth a mother's day deal, where moms paddle board for free this Mother's Day. We'd be totally on board (pun intended) if it weren't an already-filled calendar with a mid-day lacrosse game and plans with the extended family, some of whom wouldn't be so into the paddle boarding.

Truth be told, I'd blow off the LAX game in a heartbeat, given kid sports on Mother's Day is not my personal favorite. We've fallen victim to that time and time again over the last dozen years, irking me from a sports scheduling standpoint, but I certainly digress. The spirit of a family bike ride, a water adventure, a hike in the woods, a visit to the park is far superior to that of an organized sport for both outdoor family fun and together on a holiday. It kind of reminds me of how wonderful our Father's Day camping trip was a few years ago.  (This year, it looks like we'll be at a Father's Day soccer tournament! Insert growl & more digression here.)

This year, whatever you do to celebrate Mother's Day, perhaps it will include some outdoor adventure.

These articles & websites may also help with the inspiration... and may they include a little education along the way:

  • Check out Hike It Baby, where their mission is to raise "a generation to love the outdoors" and change the world "one little hike at a time"
  • For some eye-opening stats, check out this 2016 Treehugger article "Children Spend less time Outside Than Prison Inmates."  If the title alone doesn't get you yearning to go outside, the "Free the Kids: Dirt is Good" video on the site will make you want to head outdoors (and make you count your blessings)!  You can also check out the Dirt Is Good website for other resources (including their Wild Explorers app) to help influence you and your kids of all ages to get outside.



Mother's Day outdoors photo from http://www.austinkayak.com/blog/2012/05/mothers-day-2012-give-the-gift-of-the-great-outdoors/; paddleboarding image https://goo.gl/images/rWWxmD, Mother's Day quote image from http://happymothersdayimagess.org/mothers-day-sayings.html/happy-mother-day-sayings-2017-2

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