The digitalization of today’s modern world has had a massive impact on teens. Children today spend an increasing amount of time on social media and online games, thus ignoring the outdoor aspect which is so important for their physical and emotional development.
My children have been active in Scouting for three years now and we enjoy many outdoor adventures. Today, I am pleased to welcome this guest post sharing the benefits of backpacking with teens. ~ Eva
The best gift modern parents can gift to their teens is exposing them to a variety of outdoor adventures. Top of the list of these adventures is camping and its extension, backpacking. Backpacking is one of the most creative yet productive ways to prepare a teen for upcoming challenges of adulthood. Backpacking is not just a preparation for adventure but a groundwork for life. When done collaboratively with your teens, backpacking also becomes a time to be cherished.
Parents are the first tutors to their kids. Teen morale gets a boost when they get active. Engaging in activities along side their parents ensures support and encouragement from one another. Thus, planning and preparing for a backpacking outing is an invaluable way to strengthen the bond between the two.
Backpacking Builds a Bond
Proper planning is critical for a successful overnight backpacking trip. Involving teens with the preparation provides an opportunity to develop a groundwork for communication and trust. Parents and teens should work together to research the necessary equipment, learn the skills for navigating and tackling unforeseen accidents (first aid, wildlife encounters, etc.), as well as develop a training plan to meet the physical demands. Listed below are aspects which outline how planning and executing a backpacking trip can help develop a stronger relationship with your teen:
Communication: The teenage years are stressful and life-changing. Often, teens tend to tune out or ignore their parents, choosing instead to listen only to their peers. Planning a backpacking outing with your teens can help initiate better communication between parent and adolescent and thereby the development of a stronger bond.
Trust: When preparing for backpacking, there are certain circumstances that will demand both parents and teens work together. Such situations will, in turn, create a sense of responsibility within a teen and positive energy will be released while working together. Planning for the trip is the best time for both parents and teens to build trust with each other.
Perspective: Preparing for an overnight backpacking trip will initiate an understanding between parents and teens. The parents will acquire the ability to identify their teen’s perspective and a blend of creative ideas lead to better preparation.
Concentration: While planning and preparing for backpacking, teens will offer their views and ideas which parents will take into consideration. Such activity enforces relaxation within teens, in turn, relieving stress and spawning better concentration.
Bonds: Often, teenagers do not open up easily and sometimes keep their true feelings hidden away from parents. Through shared backpacking experiences, parents begin to see the strengths of their children and teens see their parents as mentors. This softens the walls they may have built up and encourages teens to be less guarded towards parents and present their views openly.
Authors Bio
Yogi and Suchna believe in taking the road less travelled and stumbling upon some hidden gems along the way. For over a decade, they’ve mapped their way across various continents, sniffed out unusual routes, discovered new flavours and stayed at quirky hostels. TheBackpackerCo is their expression of soul travel. You can catch up with them at TheBackpackerCo – The Backpack Paris Trip Experts.