This week I am excited to share another guest blog from a fellow adventuremum Rachel Sanchez. She has taken time out of her adventures to explain why adventure is so important to her and her family. You can check out her travels on Instagram @Beboldlittleones, here’s her why.
My husband and I, along with our two brave little girls are always in search of a new adventure! We have been asked on multiple occasions why we take our littles everywhere with us. For us, the reasons are simple. Memories and connection.
Now I know what you may be thinking. “Your kid is only one-year-old. She won’t remember any of these adventures”. That may very well be the case. She may not remember paddle boarding up the Haleiwa river in Hawaii, catching hermit crabs in the tide pools, or even a recent hike in the mountains of Utah that led us to the most beautiful blue hot springs we had ever experienced. But I do believe she will remember the feelings. The feeling of security in knowing that her family is always there with her. The feeling of happiness that came from moments of uncontrollable belly laughter during these experiences. The feeling of excitement that comes from the anticipation of an upcoming adventure.
No, she may not remember the details of a vacation. But she will remember that we were always together. And that we value that time above all else. And so we go. We go on the trips to tropical islands that would be great “couple retreats”. We go on the hikes that could be deemed cumbersome to pack in small children. We sardine the four of us into a sleeping bag in a windy tent in the mountains. We do it so we can make the memories.
Our second big motivator is connection. And I mean this in a number of different ways. The first goes hand in hand with memories; the connection to each other. When we are out in nature, without the distractions of phones and T.V.s and jobs we are able to really get to know each other. I hear the most insightful and wise comments come from my four-year-old when we are on the top of a mountain. Not to mention she is witty. My word that girl can make me laugh. And I get an uninterrupted seat to her cleverness when distraction free. We also value the connection it brings to one’s self. Our children have become self-aware and self-confident while on the trails. They learn their body’s capabilities and limitations by attempting to scale the boulders and walk along the logs. They fall, they get up, they conquer. And as a mama, it is one of the most beautiful things to witness. Our third connection that we strive for in our adventures is connection to nature itself. Our little girls love creatures of all sizes and the times that they grab the unsuspecting water snake gives us the perfect opportunity to teach them about the importance of every creature big and small. They learn to handle them with love and respect. The same goes for the trees along the path or the rare petroglyphs we come across. It all has lessons to teach us and deserves to be respected and protected. This connection to the earth can only be learned by stepping into nature itself. Experiencing its peace and beauty in a first person fashion.
Adventuring with the tiny humans in tow is not always easy. It takes some flexibility, patience and a lot of family love. But it is always worth it. We will never wish we had less memories with our children. We will never regret having a close connection to them. And so, with great excitement, I am off to plan our next family adventure.
We agree wholeheartedly with Rachel about why adventure is so important for your heart, soul and your family. Where is your next adventure?
Don’t forget to follow Rachel’s adventures on Instagram @Beboldlittleones and head over to our shop for your kids adventure clothing HERE.
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