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Becky Parker
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| Posted: April 09 2010 at 8:03am | IP Logged
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I've really been compelled to get back to the habit of nature hiking. When my oldest ds was homeschooled we went on a regular basis because he is such a nature enthusiast. He would beg me daily to go hiking. I would give in, just to stop the badgering! I have to admit though, that those hikes were the sources of some of our best memories. The kids all got along, I was peaceful, we were getting fresh air and exercise ...
Then, this ds went to highschool. I realized not to long ago, that in the 2 years he has been going to school the other kids and I have only hiked once or twice  . Of course, we camp in the summer alot and we do lots of hiking then, but I'm talking about during the school year when the pressure and stress of getting things done gets a bit too much around here and we really need to hike!
In this thread I talked about the new nature backpacks I got the kids for Easter. I really want to get back into the habit of these hikes and this has been the ticket to get everyone else enthused about it.
AND, better yet, I think I found the key, for me, to make sure these hikes happen. I had to "peg" it to something else! (Remember when we talked about pegging our homeschool days? It was a while back but that concept has always stuck with me, and helped me.)
So, every Friday, on the way home from piano lessons we are going to stop at one of the three places we enjoy hiking, and just do it! I told the kids that this isn't going to be an "extra" anymore, like a special field trip. It's going to be our weekly habit. Now, I know that's easy to say in the spring, but here in Michigan we have snow today and what are the kids doing? Pulling out the warm coats and mittens so we are all ready to hike on the way home from piano.
Just thought I'd share what I think will work in case there is anyone else that wants to make the nature hikes happen, but is struggling with that like we were!
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: April 09 2010 at 3:44pm | IP Logged
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Yay! You go, girl! 
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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cathhomeschool
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Texas Bluebonnets
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| Posted: April 09 2010 at 8:54pm | IP Logged
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We have really gotten out of the habit of nature outings too. I like the idea of pegging it to something else, Becky. We will definitely add that to our routine now that the wildflowers are beautiful and the weather isn't yet hot.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: April 10 2010 at 7:52am | IP Logged
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Becky, I really appreciate your idea of pegging nature hikes with some other aspect of your day! We tend to peg hikes with morning prayertime during nicer weather....we call them "walk and prays"....it really helps that we have nature paths mown all around the back of our 20 acres. In the Summer we have 3-for-one early morning hikes, picking wild blackberries for jam along the way!
Pegging hikes with some other activity that takes you away from home is brilliant! It's a sure sign that you've discovered something that works for your family when the kiddos automatically get ready for it, in spite of cold Michigan weather, huh! Enjoy your special times together!
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: April 13 2010 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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Servant2theKing wrote:
| It's a sure sign that you've discovered something that works for your family when the kiddos automatically get ready for it, in spite of cold Michigan weather, huh! |
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Yes! My dh and I decided a long time ago that if we're going to live in MI we better learn to like winter too! That day turned out so nice! When we started it was cold and windy but the sun came out and we soon shed our coats. We found a new trail so it was kind of an adventure! On the down side, I think it was a trail used by people who were drinking and things because there was alot of litter. Instead of noticing alot of nature, we noticed alot of trash. (Not so common on our usual hikes.) It turned out okay though because we had long conversations about how litter ruins it for everyone else that might want to enjoy nature. We talked about it's dangers to the animals too. The kids wanted to clean it up, but I was a bit worried about what they might touch  . There were beer cans, cigarette butts, etc. I told them next time we come there I would bring some gloves and we could pick it up as we hiked. So, while people had messed up the beauty of the trail, the kids still got a good nature lesson - in what NOT to do.
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: April 14 2010 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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Becky, your experience reminds me of my dear grandmother "G-ma"....she used to tell her grandchildren, "Leave the world a little better than you found it"....a phrase oft repeated while cleaning up litter on various family excursions! It's too bad others haven't been taught the importance of not spoiling the beauty of all that God has created. I always appreciate groups who volunteer to clean up stretches of local highways in the Spring and Summer (not possible with littles in tow) or hikers sporting walking sticks with spikes for collecting litter. Hmmm, perhaps I'll ask our boys to fashion new walking sticks for litter-picking walks along our road...after the longgg winter, even our country dirt road has wayyyy too many fast food cups and other sundry litter spoiling the view.
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Nature Hiking
