Family that Muds Together Stays Together
I’ve always been the more right brained one in the relationship. I love a challenge. I crave spontaneity and enjoy the uncertainty of flying by the seat of my pants. Oh, did I mention I’m slightly competitive? My lovely and very left brained wife, is as I call her, my Jiminy Cricket, the brakes and the voice of reason, in the whirl wind of my right brained mind. I have great ideas daily. Some are brilliant world saving, much needed antidotes, while others have been considered as dumb as jumping off the roof in a spider man costume. That’s a story for another time. So when I mentioned I wanted to do a 5k, 15 obstacle mud run as a family, I was given the “What you talking bout Willis” face and abruptly told no. I really thought this would be fun for the fam. After a month of persuasion, I convinced my wife and 14 year old daughter to run with me. Unfortunately my 10 year old son was to young.
The rut of everyday life becomes mundane and an unnecessary evil on the working class families. Even the best of families would benefit from a Family Team Building Adventure. These are dates deliberately set aside where there is room for interaction, communication and good ole’ family fun (and mud). Just as team building is utilized in corporate settings, these “team” activities promote family unity and communication, and improve a since of purpose. Our kids, regardless of age, can benefit from such experiences. In our rigorous lifestyles, families seldom work together to solve simple life issues. Consequently, when life throws a curve ball, the household is left scrambling By providing opportunities of healthy challenging family interaction, a family learns ways of working as a unit.
In our “all digital” society, “on purpose” family adventures, as I like to call them, provide eye-to-eye communication, high-five opportunities and the ability to encourage our kids through unseeingly difficult obstacles. Kids need to know that they are important and vital to the family structure. Time for these opportunities won’t manifest on their own. As parents, we need to clear the calendar and initiate these healthy interactions. What an awesome privilege to raise children. To instill a legacy of love, hope, determination and discipline. Parenting was never meant to be a burden, but a God given favor.
The air horn went off at high noon. Nervous and anxious all three of us took of for the 3.1 mile, 15 obstacle mud run. First test, pull my daughter out of the cake batter mud. “Dad, I’m stuck”, she yelled as I ran past. I grabbed one hand while she used the other to dig around her foot. We were off again. Splashing through muddy waters, traversing through 30 foot long drainage pipes, climbing up fifty foot muddy hills. A quarter of the way through the Cheerios show up.
My family has adopted some of my “crazy” traits, but not all. So my daughter is not used to this stuff and neither is her breakfast. “Dad I just threw up in my mouth, a little though”. Come on mama (my nickname for her) you can’t stop now. She pushes along, driven by her father’s voice and her own determination. Down 80 foot mud slides, swimming across seven foot deep muddy pools and now to a six foot wall. I do the macho thing and simply jump over the silly wall. “Hon, dad, help, we can’t get over”, the cry out. With my brute strength, I assist and off we go again. The second to last obstacle is in sight and it’s a doozy. Drainage pipe meets rope climbing, meets fourteen foot wall. Even to this hero dad, help is needed. We tackle the dragon and sly it together. In the end, with muddy lifted hands we cross the finish line.
Queen wasn’t belting out “We are the Champions”, there were no pyrotechnics, our time was not even the best in the sense of a race. It was however the best time in the sense of being with family. My son was within ear shot taking pictures and cheering us on. The family strengthened, memories created, and a smile on my kid's faces. We are currently planning our next event.
The rut of everyday life becomes mundane and an unnecessary evil on the working class families. Even the best of families would benefit from a Family Team Building Adventure. These are dates deliberately set aside where there is room for interaction, communication and good ole’ family fun (and mud). Just as team building is utilized in corporate settings, these “team” activities promote family unity and communication, and improve a since of purpose. Our kids, regardless of age, can benefit from such experiences. In our rigorous lifestyles, families seldom work together to solve simple life issues. Consequently, when life throws a curve ball, the household is left scrambling By providing opportunities of healthy challenging family interaction, a family learns ways of working as a unit.
In our “all digital” society, “on purpose” family adventures, as I like to call them, provide eye-to-eye communication, high-five opportunities and the ability to encourage our kids through unseeingly difficult obstacles. Kids need to know that they are important and vital to the family structure. Time for these opportunities won’t manifest on their own. As parents, we need to clear the calendar and initiate these healthy interactions. What an awesome privilege to raise children. To instill a legacy of love, hope, determination and discipline. Parenting was never meant to be a burden, but a God given favor.
The air horn went off at high noon. Nervous and anxious all three of us took of for the 3.1 mile, 15 obstacle mud run. First test, pull my daughter out of the cake batter mud. “Dad, I’m stuck”, she yelled as I ran past. I grabbed one hand while she used the other to dig around her foot. We were off again. Splashing through muddy waters, traversing through 30 foot long drainage pipes, climbing up fifty foot muddy hills. A quarter of the way through the Cheerios show up.
My family has adopted some of my “crazy” traits, but not all. So my daughter is not used to this stuff and neither is her breakfast. “Dad I just threw up in my mouth, a little though”. Come on mama (my nickname for her) you can’t stop now. She pushes along, driven by her father’s voice and her own determination. Down 80 foot mud slides, swimming across seven foot deep muddy pools and now to a six foot wall. I do the macho thing and simply jump over the silly wall. “Hon, dad, help, we can’t get over”, the cry out. With my brute strength, I assist and off we go again. The second to last obstacle is in sight and it’s a doozy. Drainage pipe meets rope climbing, meets fourteen foot wall. Even to this hero dad, help is needed. We tackle the dragon and sly it together. In the end, with muddy lifted hands we cross the finish line.
Queen wasn’t belting out “We are the Champions”, there were no pyrotechnics, our time was not even the best in the sense of a race. It was however the best time in the sense of being with family. My son was within ear shot taking pictures and cheering us on. The family strengthened, memories created, and a smile on my kid's faces. We are currently planning our next event.
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