Why Take a Kid?

[Heartland]

Someone asked me this question the other day, and I had to come up with a good answer......I still owe him, maybe you can help.

Why take a kid fishing/hunting/paddling/hiking?
Why not golfing, or to the movies...or.......?
The guy asking me is a proficient golfer, dabbles at poker and basically doesn't get out to the Real Outdoors very often.

[Dand]

I'm sure there is a more eloquent way to answer but I'll try:

I think in the true fishing/hunting/trapping outdoor environment encourages a closness, sense of interdependence (need to cooperate), reverence for the resources, and opportunities to communicate closely that one wouldn't find in most alternative activities.  At least that was certainly the case with me and my dad.  Golf might come the closest but its an artificial environment compared to real woods, or fishing spots.  I think f/h/t and related outdoor sports are so similar to our deep historical past that they are better for reaching the cores of our being and souls.  

Hope that doesn't seem like a bunch of BS but there's nothing like a great time outdoors to touch something deep in me. Now that I have 2 boys 2 and 6 its fun to see them enjoy it with me.

HTH

[Heartland]

Great answer...thanks for that.
As you are from Alaska, I'll be willing to bet you see alot of the outdoors that those of us in the lower 48 can only dream of!
 

[rwng]

Dand, I couldn't agree more. Besides my boys enjoy nothing more than fishing.

[leverfan]

My dad did all those varied activities with his kids, and hunting and fishing are the ones we still love the most.  It also gives my dad more time with his grandkids.  

I don't call my dad up and say, "Hey, Pa, I believe Abby's old enough for you to pass on that old deck of cards to her.  It's time she learned the difference between a flush and a straight."

The old guy does get frequent hunting and fishing invites, though, because I want my kids to have some shared experiences with me.  My fondest memories are of hunting and fishing with my dad, not movies, golfing, or playing cards.  My kids love to spend time with their grampa, especially outdoors.

My preference may be colored by the $120 that I still owe my dad after his "lesson" on how to play black jack.

[Zulu]

I know this is a very old post but I have the perfect answer.  This is why you take a kid fishing.  Can you imagine the same look on a kids face if he was holding a golf club?  I can't.
Zulu

[bulldog1935]

[hillbill]

why not take a kid fishing? sum of the best memories of when my kids was little was from when we were fishing.when i was a kid my gpa took me fishing a lot and later i spent a lot of time fishing, catching bait, getting my gear ready, actually going fishin in creeks and ponds around here. but hell i could of just been smoking weed and drinking down on the corner.