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#242547 - 03/06/12 04:53 PM Re: Multiple hikers rescued using 911 [Re: Hikin_Jim]
AKSAR Offline
Veteran

Registered: 08/31/11
Posts: 1233
Loc: Alaska
Originally Posted By: Hikin_Jim
Originally Posted By: bacpacjac
One kid finally got to join us for a camping trip, afterwhich his parents pulled him out of Scouts completely because he had to use... shudder... an outhouse!
I'd laugh except that I know you're serious.

And I'm all for getting kids into the outdoors. My daughter (yes, pretty thin excuse for putting up a photo of her, I know). smile


In all seriousness, I try to let her make some mistakes (hopefully not near 40 foot drop offs!). And I try to, well, educate her when things don't go well. She's turning out to be quite the little hiker.

HJ


Hikin_Jim, I love your kid photos! Regarding getting kids into the outdoors, my approach was just to get my daughter out doing stuff. When she was small, we were fortunate to often go car camping with a big group of friends to a nice place on a somewhat out of the way beach, where we all went fishing. It was a perfect place to just let the kids go wild around camp. There was always at least one or two adults around in the background, keeping an eye out that the kids didn't get into anything too life threatening. Moderately life threatening was OK wink ....just kidding there...you know what I mean. smile She would get muddy and cold, I would take her into the tent, dry her off and warm her up, put some more dry clothes on her, and away she would go. And get muddy, cold, and wet again.

A few parents were abhorred that we (most of the parents) were so casual about the kids safety, worrying about every tiny thing: "What if they fall down on a sharp stick?"..."What if they get too close to the campfire?"...."What if they catch cold?" We weren't really that casual about their safety, it only appeared that way. We were just OK with the idea that bumps, scratches, bruises, and colds happen sometimes. Usually those overprotective parents lightened up after a bit. A few just quit coming on these adventures.

My daughter, now grown and well launched on her own life, loves the outdoors. She doesn't always like to do exactly all of the same activities as her old dad frown but she has found her own things she loves to do outside smile I still see some of the other kids who were part of that group. They have all grown up to be awesome people. All different, but all great young men and women.
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#242595 - 03/07/12 02:12 AM Re: Multiple hikers rescued using 911 [Re: AKSAR]
bacpacjac Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 05/05/07
Posts: 3601
Loc: Ontario, Canada
Originally Posted By: AKSAR
bacpacjac:

All I can say is You Rock!



Haha! Thanks Aksar. I'm not so sure everyone would agree with you but I'll take the compliment with thanks and a big nod to my parents, and theirs.

My mom and I talked today about the not-so frozen creek incident tonight, and she said that she had to just hold her breath sometimes and be thankful she decided to become a nurse. :-) She said that their theory was to weigh the risks I wanted to take and ask themselves:

What's the worst that could happen?
How likely is that to happen?
How bad would it be if that happened?
What can we do to avoid that happening?
What's the plan if that does happen?

Slowly, sometimes painfully, I learned that decision-making process for myself. ("Heck, you made it out of that creek, so you must have learned something!" Says my mom. FYI - my dad and grandpa were SAR that day, thanks to my cousin who went back to the farm to get them.) I'm not always great at it, and it's way harder to do as a parent, but I always fall back to EDUCATE. EDUCATE. EDUCATE. Turn fear into knowledge and then decide. When it comes down to it, there are basically three choices: say no, try it right along with them, or close my eyes and hold my breath.

Personally, I try to avoid no until I've hashed through all the other questions and I'm certain that it's absolutely necessary. Of course, I also keep my first aid training and emerg plans current too. wink


Edited by bacpacjac (03/07/12 02:16 AM)
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#242604 - 03/07/12 05:15 AM Re: Multiple hikers rescued using 911 [Re: Meadowlark]
Mark_M Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/19/09
Posts: 295
Loc: New Jersey
I think the lesson learned here is that even experienced hikers, climbers and snowshoers aren't immune to overconfidence. I wouldn't think about going on a fair-weather hike without my daypack containing the 10 essentials. But I find that most people don't think that way.

I see folks on the trail all the time in shorts and a t-shirt carrying nothing more than a single bottle of water. I've often shared water, food and directions with people I found struggling along the trails, in a few cases helped them find their way back to the main trail or trailhead. In fact I see more and more of this today than I did 30 years ago (maybe because there's more people enjoying the outdoors now than ever?). Most people act like I've got a learning disability when I tell them what's in my pack.

I also spend some time answering questions on some general public forums about camping and hiking. It is startling to see so many people argue that "real" camping or hiking is going out practically naked. As if planning for one's own survival and self-sufficiency is somehow "unmanly," [no offense, gals]. I fear that shows like Bear Grylls and the like are sending the wrong message, particularly to younger adults.

I agree that EDUCATION is the key. The question is, what's the right forum?
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