If ‘Adventure’ Sounds Daunting, Just Have Fun
This week as I was going down the social media rabbit hole of seeing what others do for adventures, I began to feel disheartened. I don’t think these adventurous people realise how daunting their Official Gear looks to everyone else. Those adventure brag reels can actually be discouraging for ‘the rest of us’. What was supposed to be exciting and inspiring research had instead made me feel useless. Not only did I have no knowledge of that adventurish world, I also had no desire to learn it. I don’t want to hike in the snow with a baby (hang on, I don’t even have a baby!). Does that make me unadventurous?
… (this is where I ponder the meaning of life and how I’m wasting my time and should give up…but then I have a sudden thought)…
Who cares?
Who cares.
I don’t need to be adventurous. The reasons I started ‘adventure days’ with my son weren’t about extreme hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, biking or camping. I started adventure days to:
Have fun with my kids
Get outside and get to explore what’s around my local area
Be active and fit in exercise/activity while with my kids
Bond and make memories with my kids
Give us something to do when the weeks are slooooow and unending
Spend time in nature
(Last week I wrote about all these benefits of mini-adventures)
It was never about me and whether I am doing awesome adventures. It was about having fun with my kids. And it can be for you, too.
Instead of thinking about, or researching, what other families do for adventures, try thinking what might be fun for your family.
In fact, my six-year-old daughter (who is inconceivably lazy unless she is swimming or on the monkey bars) literally scowls when I suggest “let’s have an adventure day!”
“Nooooo!” she responds, “I hate adventure days!”
Clearly, different tastes to her brother. Anyhow, that makes for a difficult start to any day. So instead I’m going to just rephrase it for the benefit of us all.
“Let’s have a really fun day!”
Fruit picking with kids is a fun family activity, especially when they’re allowed to eat as much as they want!
Her whole face lights up when I say it. So does my husband’s.
And it’s a great reminder for me along the way – this is supposed to be fun. When I focus on making it adventurous, everything becomes more serious and more about doing something photo worthy and cool. I get frustrated at them. They get frustrated with me. I focus on getting to the end (or the cool landmark), rather than the journey along the way.
At the end of the day if they don’t want to do it again, that’s a sign. It took years to convince everyone to go on a rainforest walk after our first attempt as a family. Lesson learned: focus on the fun, not the ’adventure’.
And the amazing thing is, when you focus on the fun, it becomes an adventure anyway.
Your Turn: plan for more outdoor family fun
If the idea of ‘adventures’ is daunting, then make a Fun List instead. It changes the way you think about it.
Here are some of my own ideas:
Climbing trees is a fun activity that modern kids don’t always get much opportunity to do!
Find a beautiful creek with rocks the kids can play in.
Find an awesome tree to climb.
Spot shooting stars together.
Watch the full moon rise.
Watch a sunrise together.
Go crab hunting with torches on the beach at night.
Toast marshmallows on a fire.
Sleep in a tent.
It’s about doing something different to routine, something that is a bit risky, maybe a bit uncomfortable, but fulfilling and a bit exciting.
What would be fun for your family, that could pass as a mini-adventure when you look back on it?
Make your own Family Fun List that focuses on outdoor activities. Think about what each of your family members would enjoy. Think about what will get everyone excited, help you to have fun and make great memories.