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MikeWilkinson
11-10-2011, 10:50 PM
"Can I walk the Dogs with you Daddy?" Charlotte asks nicely, " I want to come too!!" Demands Isobelle. It is pitch black, blowing a gale and absolutely chucking it down with rain. " Thats o.k. we can wear our Rain suits and use your torch Daddy!!".

So there I am out with the Dogs with a Two year old and a Four year old, in the Dark, in the Woods and its raining. I've got the biggest smile on my face and I'm so proud that my too little uns just don't care.
All I can see are two little glowing dots of light bobbing in the black, as they run around chasing the dogs with there mini head torches. Giggling like crazy and stopping every now and then to investigate a puddle, or a pile of leaves, wet moss on a tree, anything and everything that gets caught in the little beam of their lights.

Then the Owls start hooting and a hunting. The Screech of Little Owls and the Hoot of Tawnys. The pair of them stop, I half expect them to be scared and come running back, but instead off they go running in search of whatever made the noise, making far too much noise to ever actually see the Owls. I'm smiling even more now, I've just turned off my head torch and they haven't a clue where I am, they're still not bothered about the dark, more interested in finding where the Owls have gone and why the dogs eyes glow in the torch light.

An hour they run about, hiding from each other and me, Collecting Acorns and Chestnuts. It is a pure joy to watch them enjoy the woods at night.
Finally the come running back exclaiming there tiredness. Home for Hot chocolate and a hot shower before stories and bed.

"Daddy can we go out again tomorrow?!?", "We will see, little ones, We will see".

JEEP
12-10-2011, 08:09 AM
T^

Martin
12-10-2011, 08:10 AM
Ha ha!! Nice story Mike. One of the few times a 'Like' button would have been handy. :)

Martin

Dan XF
12-10-2011, 08:51 AM
One of the real joys of bushcraft is passing that love of the outdoors on to your kids. I think the old posters they used to sell in Athena that appeared on every philosophy students wall was "We don't own the Earth we are just borrowing it from our children." Personally I preferred the picture of the girl in a very short skirt playing tennis!

rossbird
12-10-2011, 02:27 PM
Great post Mike.
Nothing better than being outdoors with the youngsters.

jbrown14
12-10-2011, 04:32 PM
Love the story, Mike.

I just spent the afternoon yesterday with my wife and 3 year old twins, picking apples and roaming around a local park with a trout stream that runs through it.

I love the curiosity and adventurousness of them at this age. Just finding a toad by the side of the trail was a huge treat for them. They ran, climbed, splashed, crawled, and explored until we had to leave; and my daughter almost cried when we left. Our day ended very similarly, cookies and juice, bath time, story in the comfy chair with Mommy, pray with Papa (me) and off to bed. They don't get so worked up when we tell them it's time to turn the TV off, but when we had to leave the park, they were upset and wanted just a little more time. I can live with that. :D

All the best, and thanks for sharing the story, well written.

Josh

markal17
12-10-2011, 06:57 PM
cool story mate just wait till they start asking for the same kits as you got my step son want all the same stuff for xmas he says father christmas will need lots of money oh and we have to put out the fire on the night he comes to the house lol blesss

Adam Savage
12-10-2011, 08:17 PM
Fantastic Mike. I almost felt like a kid again myself.

alvino78
12-10-2011, 08:46 PM
Great stuff can't wait for my boys to get involved!!!!

Ashley Cawley
12-10-2011, 09:52 PM
Superb stuff Mike and thanks for being such a great Dad and getting your youngsters enjoying the Outdoors!

jus_young
12-10-2011, 10:36 PM
Lovely. Reminds me of good times with my kids and to get back outdoors with them again.

MikeWilkinson
12-10-2011, 11:29 PM
Thanks for the kind comments guys. It is too late about the kit though, Charlotte already has her own knife, firesteel and hammock. I've had to travel down to banbury today so I'm missing out on taking them out again. :(

Mouldsy
13-10-2011, 04:40 PM
Always great to get the kids involved, fantastic story mate I love to get the kids out when I can.