Adventuring with Kids: Lessons & Tips from Our Semi-Nomadic Life

Our son, now nine, has already had some incredible adventures. For his 6th birthday, he went tandem paragliding in Patagonia! He has swum with penguins and baby hammerheads in the Galápagos, ridden horses through the dunes of the Sahara, rafted down rivers in Argentina, and even gone fly-in backcountry camping in Alaska—where a bear snuck into our camp at night and stole our food supply!  

He’s been fortunate to have these experiences, many of which are a by-product of our semi-nomadic lifestyle. I’ve seen how much they’ve benefited his development. He’s confident and capable while entering most situations, which is especially helpful as an expat kid navigating lots of tricky new environments—like starting 4th grade in a close-knit Spanish village, where most of his school day is in a regional language. He is quick to say "yes" to trying new things and loves being outdoors and exploring nature—all of which I believe are connected to many years of new experiences and adventures.

But here’s the thing: adventures don’t have to be far-flung or exotic to be meaningful—kids can benefit from all kinds of experiences, big or small. Whether it’s scrambling over rocks in a nearby national park or camping together in the backyard, doing something new together is great for the whole family. I once read that psychologists found new couples feel closer after doing new activities together—there’s something there for families too! Shared adventures bond us in ways nothing else can.

So, how do you make the most of adventures with kids? Here are 6 tips I’ve learned along the way:

1. Don’t Underestimate Your Kids
   Kids are naturally inclined toward adventure, even if they don't always show it. They have an innate curiosity and love for exploring the world. Give them the opportunity to embrace that. Whether it's hiking, climbing, or even just playing in the dirt, they thrive when they’re outside doing things. Don't be afraid to challenge them a bit—you may be surprised at what they can accomplish.

2. Plan Activities with Variety
   A lot of kids (even older ones) may not love walking on a straight, flat trail for long. Look for paths or destinations where the environment changes—like trails with rocks to climb on, streams to explore, or areas that bring a bit of unpredictability. These natural “adventure zones” will keep your kids engaged and curious.

3. Consider Private Guided Activities
   If you're doing a guided activity like a hike, rafting, or wildlife tour, consider going for a private experience. This way, you won’t feel pressured by other groups, and your kids can take their time to stop, explore, and interact with their surroundings. For example, my son loves turning over rocks and checking out insects—something that might slow down a larger group but brings him joy and wonder.

4. Talk About the Adventure Before It Happens
   Especially if you’re doing something new, build excitement before the activity. Show your kids videos of what they’ll be doing—bonus points if it features other kids, not just adults. Help them visualize how cool the experience will be. This can help ease nerves and get them pumped for the adventure ahead!

5. Accept That Family Adventures May Be Slower
   Doing an adventure as a family may take more time than if you were doing it with just adults. Don’t fight it, or the experience won't be fun for anybody; just plan for it. When we go hiking, for example, I usually double the estimated time, knowing we’ll want to stop and explore along the way. This is also why we try to get private guides whenever possible.

6. Bring Lots of Snacks and Take Breaks
   This might seem obvious, but it’s essential. Snacks can be a game-changer when energy starts to wane. Keep a stash of easy-to-eat snacks on hand and build in plenty of breaks. These pit stops aren’t just for food; they give kids a chance to rest, take in the scenery, and get excited about what’s next.

So go have some adventures with your kids, no matter where they take you. Whether it’s a big expedition or just exploring your backyard, every adventure is an opportunity to bond, learn, and grow together.

Ready to plan your next family adventure? Let me help you create unforgettable experiences. DM me for ideas, tips, or to start planning your journey today!

Safe or Sorry? How Allowing Kids to Explore Builds True Safety

Matt and I talk a lot about safety, especially in terms of Wolf. 

Besides loving him, our main job is to keep him safe as we nurture him into adulthood. But what does that really mean?

Sure, some of it is obvious. We provide secure shelter, car seats when we drive, and hold his hand across streets. 

But what about letting him climb around on rocks? Or run really fast on a hard surface…the kind that would skin up his knees and elbows if he fell? Or talk to strangers?

I think these decisions are grayer and worth thinking about.

Our approach has been to allow him to experience some risk. The kind we hope will develop his intuition, judgment, and situational awareness. 

To that end, we actively encourage him to explore the outdoors. 

While he does, we try to use 'Don't do that!' and ‘Be careful!' sparingly - only when he really needs to watch it. 

More often, we tell him the potential consequences and what he could do to be safer. Things like, 'You can slide down that gravelly hill if you want, but if you don't change into pants your legs may get cut up.'

At that point, we usually let him decide. If he wants to do it anyway, we advise him on how to do it more safely - like, "Stick to the side of the path so you can grab a root if you start going too fast."

There are several upsides we've seen from this approach. 

For one, he's become very agile for a four-year old. But beyond that, he's developing his own sense of risk and natural consequences. And probably just as important he gets to have a little agency over his life. Kids don't get much of that.

I can't speak for kids broadly, but Wolf is adventurous without being particularly kamikaze. Because of that, when we're playing outside most of our direction to him is along the lines of "Stay where we can see you" or "Now put the toad back where you found him."

Still, we've sometimes gotten side-eye from other parents.

Earlier this spring at the zoo, he climbed up a boulder embankment that was 8 or 9 feet high. He sat at the top, cheerfully shouting hello at everyone who passed. Almost every kid who came by - probably a dozen - asked their parents if they could climb up it, too. None were allowed.

I think a decision like that comes down to a risk/reward ratio that is different in every parent’s mind. Having seen Wolf climb up many rocks and boulders, the embankment at the zoo looked solidly within his ability. And it was.

But I’m not judging the parents who said no. You get good at climbing by climbing, and they may have accurately gauged the boulders as beyond what their kids could safely manage. Or maybe they just had animals they wanted to see without a big holdup for climbing rocks. 

I get a little saltier when people intervene directly with Wolf. 

This happened right before we left Kansas City. We went to a restaurant that hosts a weekly outdoor music and wine night. Its patio area has a shallow water feature surrounded by landscaping boulders. 

Appropriately, Wolf was more interested in exploring water and boulders than watching adults drink wine and listen to soft rock covers.

When he was up on the boulders - maybe eighteen inches off the ground - someone in our group repeatedly told him, “Get down!" and "You’ll crack your head open!” But when he dropped down to his belly to look more closely at the (very shallow) water feature, the waitress immediately shooed him away. It's hard to be a kid sometimes.

Besides protecting Wolf from himself, we also want to keep him safe from the bad apples of the world.

We get stopped with curious questions about our truck literally every day. Usually multiple times. So far, these have been 100% friendly conversations with people curious about our truck and what we’re doing. 

Wolf often steps in to answer their questions himself: 

“The truck is an LMTV” 

“Our dog is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. His name is Casey. I named him.” 

“You can follow us on our blog. It’s Kid Dog Travel.”

People usually look a little surprised when he pipes up. Then, most will respond and engage him in a little conversation.

What about "stranger danger", then?

I have several concerns about teaching kids “stranger danger”. First, most of us contradict it all the time by chit chatting with people we obviously don’t know. Second, how will kids ever develop good judgment if they're only supposed to interact with familiar people? Third, squelching kids' natural confidence with fear may actually make them more vulnerable to bad people. And lastly, most people are really pretty nice. It's kind of sad and limiting to imply otherwise to kids.

Rather than telling Wolf not to talk to strangers, we want him to learn to interact with them safely. For now, those interactions include our supervision. But our long-term goal is for him to develop his own radar so that he grows into an adolescent, teenager, and adult who makes good choices.

That process very much involves him interacting with unfamiliar people, including sometimes in ways that aren’t positive. This came up last week when Matt and Wolf took our puppy to a dog park in downtown Salt Lake City. 

It turned out to be a bleak, dog-less hangout for junkies and the homeless. People were openly dealing drugs. 

They quickly left, and Matt later asked Wolf what he had thought about the park. 

It was scary, Wolf said. 

That prompted a discussion about what made it feel scary, and why they had left so fast. 

Similarly, when we have good interactions with people we talk about those, too - and what we liked about them. 

If Wolf ever gets separated from us, I think he’s had enough positive encounters with strangers to do what we’ve taught him to do. He’s supposed to pick a grownup that looks like a mom or a grandma and ask them to call us (he knows our phone numbers). 

We intentionally did not tell him to look for a police officer. It probably depends on where you live, but most places we go don’t have uniformed police officers milling around where a kid could easily find them. 

And in trying to find a cop, he might inadvertently approach a security guard. While I'm sure most are fine individually, as a group they're minimally screened, barely trained, and mostly male - definitely not who we want Wolf seeking out for help.

Not only are women collectively far, far less violent than men, choosing who helps you  is almost always safer than waiting for someone to step in. {You can read much more on this subject in Gavin de Becker’s excellent book, Protecting the Gift.}

For me, the bottom line is that we do a lot of things that are supposed to keep kids safe. 

We tell them not to climb high, run fast, or talk to strangers - all while giving them well-intended but vague warnings to ‘Be careful!'. This sends the message that the world is scary without actually preparing kids to interact safely within it. 

Safety is never guaranteed to any of us, but we think Wolf's best chance of achieving it will come through an ongoing dialogue. One about which risks are worth taking, and which risks - and people - he should probably walk away from. 

Meanwhile, we will keep climbing, running, exploring, and yes - talking to strangers. 

Making Museum Visits Fun for Kids

Science and natural history museums are almost always fun for kids. But what about fine art museums?  

Are we really going to be in London and not go to the Tate? To Madrid and not visit the Prado? Well, maybe. But if we do want to go, we should be able take our kids and still have fun.

You may be tempted to try to recreate your adults-only style art museum visit with your kids in tow. Unless your kids are particularly precocious, this approach is not likely to work.  

Instead, play into the universal strength of kids of all ages...IMAGINATION! 

Here are a few approaches you can use:

With Portraits:

• Tell them to find the weirdest, most mysterious, interesting painting in each room.

• Ask them to imagine the story behind it. Major kudos for creativity. 

• If you have multiple kids, you can award points for things like ‘strangest backstory’ or ‘funniest explanation’. Then, let them redeem the points at the gift shop on your way out of the museum. Our prizes tend to be pretty tiny, but that hasn’t seemed to matter at all.

With Statues:

• Start by making up your own story...like, what if the statues were once alive, but an angry ogre/wizard/witch/elf turned them all into stone. 

• Let them build on the story:

  • Why was the ogre angry?

  • What were the statues doing right before they were turned to stone?

  • What might make them come back to life? Wait…did that one just move?

• To kick it up a notch, when you get back to your hotel help them write out the story they came up with. Then send it (or pictures of it) to your family and friends. Read them all the responses their story gets!

With Abstract Art: 

• If you’re planning to go to a specific exhibit, look online with your kids to see what abstract pieces they have.

• Have the kids pick out a few of their favorites so they can look for them when you get to the museum.

• Bring sketchpads and colored pencils to the museum.

• Look for the pieces your kids picked out online and find a spot nearby where they can sit.

• Ask them to either draw what they see hiding in the abstract art or create their own version. Meanwhile, you can stroll around the room and take in a little of the exhibit yourself.

Tap into your own imagination to come up with other approaches to engage your kids. By playing into their creative strengths, the whole family can enjoy cultural experiences together. It also allows ALL of you to see art in a completely new and imaginative way.  

And lastly, keep it short. An hour is perfect. More than ninety minutes and you may be pushing your luck!

The Galápagos Effect: Nurturing Growth and Learning in Young Explorers

Iceland, Belize, Italy, Corsica, England, Argentina, the Galapagos. We’ve traveled to all these places with Wolf in his first six years. With each trip, Jane and I observed significant advancements in Wolf’s development. It almost seemed like he was saving up his leaps in speaking, agility, and maturity for when we were in different time zones.

I’ll be the first to admit there is probably A LOT of confirmation bias in this non-scientific conclusion. But we’re convinced the stimulation his growing brain receives during travel has significant and long-lasting effects. (Aside: We have another example of personal growth from travel regarding my son Justin when he was 18 and traveled with us to Belize. You will have to wait for another post for that story.)

Our recent trip to the Galapagos Islands with Quasar Expeditions resulted in more examples of developmental leaps. The most obvious was his sociability. To give a little context, Wolf has always been an outgoing kid. From an early age, he’s been able to express himself well verbally. And maybe because of that, he’s also always been at ease around adults. Jane and I encourage this in several ways. For example, Wolf has ordered his own meals at restaurants since he was three and gives flight attendants his own passport and tickets when we fly.

When it came to our Galapagos cruise, he took his sociability to an entirely new level. The main reason we picked our boat, The Evolution, was because it was small and had a great ratio of guides to guests. In it, we could go to places the big boats couldn’t access. And we never had to worry about being shuffled around in a massive group. A surprise benefit was that with just 25 or so guests on board, Wolf made friends with practically everyone on the boat.

Whether on board or during outings, we often found him hanging out chatting with one of our fellow passengers or guides. He was incredibly engaging and the nature guides basically adopted him on every excursion. We had two guides for each island exploration. For at least half of each, one of the guides would explore alone with Wolf. Which leads us to the next development area…

Wolf is now a talented and avid photographer! During Wolf’s private hikes, the guides gave him loads of tips on taking pictures and, in particular, nature and wildlife photography. Like, how to lie down on his stomach when taking pictures of the iguanas. It steadied the camera and made the iguanas look like Godzilla.

Before the trip, about one in twenty of his pictures were salvageable. Now, he takes pictures and video with most turning out quite well. It’s heartwarming to see him excitedly grab his camera and run to take a picture. When he does, he says, “if I don’t take this picture, no one will ever see this again.” All the pictures at the bottom of this post were taken by Wolf.

But perhaps the most significant area of Wolf’s development in this short eight-day cruise was his independence. During our week in the Galapagos, he was so adventurous and curious. He was up for anything. It seems that he was in his true element in the nature setting where no hike was too difficult or too long. He tried snorkeling for the first time. And even with a life ring to float in, it is a brave act for a five-year-old beginner-swimmer with hammerheads patrolling beneath him. I’ll never forget the sight of him furiously kicking away, determined to keep pace with a rapidly swimming penguin.

He has come away from our Galapagos trip with the confidence to try new things, ask interesting (and sometimes silly) questions, and fearlessly explore his world. As an extension of this, he‘s gotten into experimenting. Now, everything is an experiment, or at least involves the “I’m doing an experiment” excuse to make a big mess. We love how this further develops his curiosity and capability.

Almost three months later, Wolf is still talking about the Galapagos. Yesterday, he asked Jane what kind of animal she would want to be. After she responded with “falcon”, he told her that he’d like to be a blue-footed booby and then started acting out the famous blue-footed booby mating dance.

Traveling overseas with kids can be challenging. But it is an investment in ourselves and our kids. The Galapagos trip has already paid off for all of us.

Navigating Uncertainty: How Experience Abroad Prepares You for Global Crises

We’re all navigating through a lot of ambiguity lately because of this Coronavirus pandemic. 

I think people who’ve spent a lot of time abroad have an advantage in this gray space, as they’re used to navigating through unfamiliar situations. They know they don’t (and won’t) understand everything going on around them, and learn to adapt and manage well enough with incomplete information. 

I see this as an important life skill and one we’re intentionally cultivating with our five-year old son, Wolf. Considering that we just moved to Argentina a few months ago, I expect we’ll all have plenty of opportunity. 

Meanwhile, it’s got me thinking about some of my own weird and challenging experiences abroad. They’ve all contributed to my fairly anxiety-free response to the virus and lockdown we’re currently under…

Japan, 2001

I went to Tokyo to teach English for a year. I lived in shared housing with young Japanese workers and commuted into work every day. 

One day when the subway was particularly packed, I saw an old lady standing and offered her my seat. She shook her head no. Confused, I offered again, half-standing and pointing at the seat I’d just vacated. 

Again, she shook her head and said something back to me in Japanese. I shrugged and sat back down, only to have her glare at me. A minute or two later, a young Japanese guy offered her his seat and she took it. 

When I went back to the house I asked one of my Japanese friends what I’d done wrong. She explained that traditionally, older Japanese expect to be offered something THREE times. They say no the first two times, and then (faux-grudgingly) accept when you insist the third time. 

Obviously not knowing this, I’d stopped trying a smidge too soon. 

India, 2004

I spent a year in southern India teaching “accent reduction” and North American customer service at a call center. The guest house I lived at had a maid who liked me, even though she didn’t speak a word of English beyond “hello”. One day, she invited me to come to her home for a Saturday afternoon lunch. 

I accepted, not knowing she lived a two-hour bus ride across the city. Someone told me that Coca Cola would be appreciated as a treat, so I brought a 2-liter bottle and some baked treats as a small gift for her family.

During the long bus ride, not able to speak to my companion, I gradually watched as the neighborhoods became increasingly decrepit. Eventually, we got off the bus and walked into the alley where she lived. She waved and shouted at all her neighbors as we paraded down the street together - our height difference alone making us an odd-looking pair, with her around 4’, and me close to 5’10.

When we reached her house, the entire family was waiting at the door. The table was set up…for one. She showed off the soda and treats I’d brought and then poured me a now-hot glass of Coke. It hadn’t occurred to me that they wouldn’t have ice. 

Her family formed a standing circle around me as she HAND FED me the rice and veggies they had made. Yes, literally. She put the food from her hands directly into my mouth, and it was as awkward as it sounds. 

Nobody else ate or drank anything, and when she finished feeding me she gave me one of the baked treats I’d brought for dessert. After that, she escorted me two hours across the city back to my house. 

It was a long day’s lunch, and a moving insight into what it can be like to be an honored guest in an Indian home. It was humbling to realize she had traveled eight hours by bus on her day off to receive me as a guest in her home. 

Oman, 2005

I lived and worked in Dubai for five years as a management trainer at an aluminum smelter. 

While there, I took a weekend trip to Oman, which is much more conservative than Dubai. I hadn’t been in the region long at this point. To demonstrate cultural respect I thought I should wear an abaya (the long, loose black robe) and cover my hair.

At Carrefour, which is kind of like a French Walmart, I picked out an inexpensive abaya I thought had a little flair. It was black, and embroidered with orange sequins arranged in large circular patterns. I bought it, and didn’t even think about checking the size. It looked as one-size-fits-all as anything could possible be. 

Well, it wasn’t. The abaya wasn’t designed for someone as tall as me, and stopped five or six inches above my ankles. I decided to wear it anyway, and moved on to figuring out how to tie the head scarf. I had no idea, and since it kept falling back when I walked I ended up tying it in a knot under my chin. 

I actually left the house thinking people might mistake me for a local. Instead, the Omanis I passed that day literally pointed, stared, and even giggled at me. I had no idea why, still convinced I looked exactly like the Omani women I saw around me.

Much later on, I told some female Emirati colleagues about the experience. They explained what had gone wrong, and that by the way they wouldn’t have been caught dead in the abaya I picked out. (They wouldn’t drive out to lunch in my Hyundai either, but that’s a different story!)

Argentina, Present Day

That brings me back to living in Argentina during the Coronavirus outbreak. It’s early days for us here and at the moment we’re not interacting with anyone because we’re all locked down. 

But experiencing awkward moments is inevitable coming into any new culture and I’m sure we’ll have our share. We won’t let that stop us, though. We’ll accept the social invitations that come our way, offer our own, and beg forgiveness if we inadvertently show up for a party an hour before everyone else. 

My hope is that with these early experiences, uncomfortable as they can be, Wolf will grow into an adult both capable and comfortable maneuvering through undefined situations. I’m sure these traits will serve him well whatever path he ends up taking in his life, as they’ve served me.

Meanwhile, we’ll deal with this pandemic as we usually do in the face of something ambiguous and unfamiliar. We’ll monitor events, assess our situation as it evolves, and then make our best decisions with the information we have. 

And maybe most importantly, we’ll work under the assumption that with a little creativity and resourcefulness we can handle whatever comes our way. 

Discovering Buenos Aires: 10 Things That Caught Our Eye

On our way from Quito to Bariloche, we spent a week in beautiful Buenos Aires. As newly arrived gringos, we were struck by several things different from the United States…

1.     Gelato Shops on Every Corner: Argentina has a seriously delicious gelato scene going on. Apparently, a good chunk of Argentinian people are of Italian origin, and very sensibly they brought their gelato with them. It’s not only excellent, it is everywhere! You can’t go two blocks here without bumping into a shop. We approve.

2.     Argentinians Like Artisanal Beer: Along with gelato, “artisanal” small-batch beer is a big deal here. The beer is good (or so Matt tells me) and these cervezarias are very family-friendly. Even better, every one we’ve been to has allowed us to bring our dog!

3.     Yerba Mate is Really a Thing: So, we knew before coming here that Yerba Mate was a popular drink in Argentina. But “popular” does not even begin to describe it. People drink Yerba Mate literally everywhere and seemingly at all times. Even our Cross-Fit instructor keeps his mate cup filled.

4.     One Kiss Culture: Argentinians give one air smooch to say hello, with everyone aiming left. This cultural norm did not seem to be affected even a little bit by fears of COVID-19 transmission until the lock down took effect.

5.     Friendliness: Before coming to Argentina, I had heard from other Latin American friends that Argentinians were “arrogant”. We have not encountered that even a little smidge! The ones we have met, including waiters and people in shops, have been overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming.

6.     Kids Here are Waaay Better at Soccer: First of all, they play soccer – I mean fútbol – constantly. At the park, young guys stand in circles juggling soccer balls between them. Kids around Wolf’s age – which is only FIVE – show up at the park ready to play with cleats and pads. And those same kids are at the park every single day, so no wonder they’re so good.

7.     Nobody Stops at Stop Signs: If people don’t see someone coming from the right-hand side, they just blow through stop signs without even slowing down. It’s a little nerve-wracking.

8.     Stray Dogs Everywhere: There are a surprising number of stray dogs roaming the streets of Argentina. And yet, none of them seem particularly mean or aggressive. The most they’ll do is bark at your car as you roll by. They seem to be even more prevalent outside of the city where many presumably have an owner that lets them roam.

9.     Good Looking People in BA: Argentinians come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, many of them European. The resulting mix is very attractive!

10.  Getting Money is Hard: So, it costs ten bucks in ATM fees to get cash out. Ten! And even when we’re willing to spring for the ATM fee, it can be hard to find ATMs that actually have money in them. Meanwhile, a few places don’t even accept credit cards – especially international ones like ours. On the other hand, prices overall are still a lot lower than we’re used to.

The Magic in the Moments

A few days ago, we went for a bike ride out to the lake Dease Lake, BC, is named after. While we were biking, two large ravens swooped down close to us.

Inspired, Matt recited Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Raven in its entirety. He memorized it a few years ago for our annual “Poe Party”. It was a gothic-themed fall party where we would lay lots of poetry books around, and then eat, drink – and read poetry! Bonus applause for any Poe recitations.

It was wonderful to listen to him while coasting through the otherwise quiet and pristine Canadian wilderness. That got me thinking about a few of the other amazing moments we’ve had so far on this trip:

·       Flying kites & seeing a fawn. This was the very first stop of our trip. We visited our close friend Bridgett and her family at their historic farm in the middle of Kansas. It was a beautiful, breezy summer day and we decided to fly kites in an open field. We all loved it, but Wolf had never flown a kite before and did not stop smiling the entire time. As we walked back after flying kites, we found a very young fawn nestled in the grass.

·       Singing “American Music” while buffalo spotting. While driving, we listen to a lot of podcasts and stories. But sometimes, we just play music. I was exploring Matt’s music library and found that he had the song “American Music” by the Violent Femmes, which I’d always liked. I put it on and started singing along. Wolf picked up on the chorus, and joined in: “Do you like American music? I like American music…” And then Matt. We were at top volume when we saw our first buffalo of the trip.

·       Wolf finding the universal language of bugs at Crater Lake. Wolf likes bugs and so do a lot of other kids. At Crater Lake, he saw two Chinese children inspecting a colorful bug on the ground. He immediately joined them, and they all started talking excitedly in their own languages while examining this bug. There was no barrier at all.

·       Matt’s evening banjo practice. Matt requested a banjo for Christmas last year and has started teaching himself how to play on this trip. He practices almost every night and is catching on quickly. He works a lot on an old bluegrass song with the lines, “whistle up your dog, shoulder up your gun, off to the woods to catch a groundhog.” I often find myself humming along.

·       Watching Wolf and Ruby exploring Cannon Beach. We had an impromptu visit at Cannon Beach, Oregon with our good friend Stephanie and her two daughters, Cora and Ruby. Wolf adores Stephanie’s girls, and particularly Ruby who is closest in age. The two of them spent hours combing the beach together, holding hands while deep in discussion.              

·       Wolf playing his first chord on the ukulele. I walked into the Buffalo, and Matt and Wolf were sitting together on the bed. As soon as I walked in the door, Wolf shouted that he had something to show me. He then proudly played and sang “Three Blind Mice” to me on his rainbow ukulele. Every time he was supposed to pause, he shouted “REST!”. It was adorable.

·       Kayaking on the Yukon River. We have been waiting in Dease Lake, BC for our truck parts to arrive. Since the post office was closed Monday for British Columbia Day, we rented a car and drove to Whitehorse for a long weekend. We kayaked sixteen miles through the pristine Yukon River, where we saw a coyote and at least twenty bald eagles. Wolf chatted cheerfully with everyone who floated past us, asking if they were having “a good paddle” and what animals they had seen. 

When this trip eventually ends it will be this incredible mix of moments I’ll remember, all accompanied in my mind by the gentle picking of Matt’s banjo.

Throwing Away My Fitbit: Rediscovering a Healthier, More Balanced Life

I’ve always liked being active.

In our pre-truck life, I lifted weights at the gym a couple times a week, took walking breaks sometimes at work, and even fit in an occasional lunchtime exercise class.

But I also worked forty hours a week in an office. And like most people in offices, I often sat at my desk for several hours at a time. I recently started feeling the impact of all this sitting on my body, through stiffness and random stabbing pains in my hip flexor.

I chalked it up to being 44 and decided to add more yoga into my routine. I bought a bundle of yoga classes but didn’t really think through when I was actually going to get to the classes. Unwilling to wake up an hour earlier to exercise, the only time I really had available was in the late afternoons and evenings.

The challenge was that Wolf was already in his preschool aftercare until 5:30 pm. We were usually home by 6 pm, which left just a few hours to spend together until his bedtime. Did I really want to turn right around and go to a yoga class? It turned out I didn’t. My yoga membership lapsed, and I suffered through the occasional sharp pains in my hip flexors.

When our big trip started, I knew our overall activity level and health would probably improve. We planned to sleep until our bodies were ready to wake up, spend the time to cook healthy food every day, and to regularly play outdoors – hiking, biking, and whatever else looked fun.

Still, I decided to set a few daily targets for myself – because as most people in corporate America have heard: “what gets measured gets managed”. So, every day I planned to walk at least 10,000 steps, do 3 minutes of planks, 10 push-ups, and at least 15 minutes of yoga.

It was a good plan, except that it didn’t work at all for me.

First, there was my plan for daily yoga. I did it a few times, but after just a few weeks on the road I didn’t feel like I needed it as much. Even with all our driving, I didn't feel stiff the way I did after sitting at my desk all day. It turned out that dramatically increasing our physical activity was loosening up my whole body.

Then there was my goal of 10,000 steps a day. It was hard to know if I ever hit my target because the smart watch I bought to count steps never worked right. The step count randomly stopped tracking for periods of time, wildly throwing off my overall count. For a while I still wore it and checked continuously to see how it thought I was tracking toward my 10,000-step goal. I’d make mental adjustments for the steps I thought it didn’t count.

And did my exact number of steps even matter? I looked it up, and apparently the 10,000 steps was a marketing ploy by a Japanese company from the 1960s. There’s no medical rationale for 10,000 as a daily step goal. It’s just a nice round number.  

And so, eventually I put away my yoga mat and slid the semi-broken smart watch into a drawer.

Unwinding from years of full-time work is a process, but I think I’m getting there. This morning, I took Casey for a walk while Matt and Wolf were still sleeping. We walked out to the end of the dock by the mountain lake where our truck is parked. Casey napped in the warm morning sun while I did a little yoga. 

The four of us are doing a hike to the small but mighty Mouse Mountain this afternoon. After that, Matt and Wolf will probably build a campfire, we’ll grill some fish, and the grownups will enjoy a glass of wine. We’ll probably all fall straight into a deep sleep.

Without measuring anything, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a great and healthy day.