Rucking with Children

Our neighborhood's dogs and cats and alpacas greet us in charming ways. Ragnar and Winter are good boys with very loud voices. They bark at us as we pass.

My daugter clings to my chest with fear then awe then joy in her eyes.

She weighs ~20 lbs. -- like a few large textbooks in a backpack. In 3 short years, she'll pass 40 lbs.

She'll soon grow too heavy for me to carry on our walks. I can replace her with a bag of sand, but it won't be the same.

Hiking with a Rucksack

"Rucking" is weighted walking.

You can purchase a weighted rucksack or strap a baby to your body. But be warned -- babies are generally louder and more expensive than backpacks.

Rucking is low-speed and low-impact; you can build bone density without obliterating your joints. It purportedly improves spine alignment and posture.

Personally, I love that I can get my heart rate up without running. Like most other sane humans, I fuck*ng hate running.

Not a Stroller

tailgate origami

noun. configuring a stroller behind a car

"Sorry I'm late -- our tailgate origami took longer than expected."

"Tailgate origami is especially dangerous alongside stroads."

Strollers are cumbersome.

They transform destinations into hellish journeys. Imagine steering a small shopping cart through hiking trails or cramped boutiques.

Leave the stroller at home. Ruck with children. Climb up stairs! Reclaim your mobility! Take back your hands!

When going stroller-free, throw snacks and other essentials into a f*nny pack for easy-access.

Not Mundane

Humans learn by participation.

At adult heights, children can witness cooking, gardening, errands, etc. They can listen to greetings and gossip and negotations and chit-chat. And between destinations, they can ask questions to process their curiosity.

To avoid boring your children, involve them in decisions. Don't treat them like dead-weight. Transform every activity into a group adventure.