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Stealing a River Helped Teach My Daughter Important Life Lessons
If you’re not supposed to be doing something, you can rest assured that somebody will come along and tell you
“Come on sweetie, we’re going on an adventure,” I said. “I need you to bring a swimsuit, water shoes, the ace of spades, a harpoon, a laser, three hairpins, a box of colored markers, a roll of duct tape, and a hammer.”
By giving a list of bizarre items, kids are less likely to complain that they don’t want to go.
“I don’t think I have all that stuff, Daddy.”
“Fine, then just put on your swimsuit and water shoes. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to steal a river! That’s our adventure for the day. Every day has to have an adventure and today I have chosen river piracy. Come on!”
With the right mix of curiosity and confusion, kids will follow you anywhere. They are very much like readers that way.
How the heck can you steal a river?
A mile up the road from my house, there is a gigantic city park. It’s an amazing place with hiking trails, hyenas, two tigers, and a white buffalo. I’m serious. The place has a zoo.
A gently winding creek meanders through the park. The creek is about as wide as a two-lane road. It’s knee-deep for the most part, but you never know until you jump out of the boat.
Every single time I’ve walked through that park, I’ve longed to float the creek. Many of the hiking trails follow the water, so I’ve scouted it out. I know that there are a few spots where rocks stick up and the current races, but for the most part, it seems like it’s a pretty gentle stretch of water.
Then again, you never know for sure until there’s no going back. That’s why water calls us, or at least it calls me. I can only resist for so long before I find I have to answer. Ask Odysseus about the sirens and you’ll get the general idea.
My plan was to ride our tubes through the creek in the park. I suspected it might be prohibited which is why I refused to ask. Instead, I had resolved that we should…
