They want to go swimming, but it’s a little cold. They’re suddenly asking about their rollerblades, which you just put away in the garage. They’re asking about playing in the snow, but it’s a pain to get all that winter gear on. They asked to go to the park, even though you don’t have much time.
In short, they’ve asked to go spend time outside…and you have a problem with that?
Are you insane?
This is what you say you want! This is what you say the iPad is interfering with! This is what you say that kids these days don’t do anymore!
So don’t get in the way. Facilitate. Don’t complain. Encourage. Support it. Make it memorable. Help build the habit. Take the opportunity. Do what you’ve got to do. Always. Every time.
Want to learn some easy ways to do that? Pick up Steven Rinella’s Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting Your Family Out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature. It’s one of the books we’re always recommending to parents. Nobody wants an inside kid—a kid who can’t step away from their screen, who says “ew” when they see dirt, who doesn’t know how to hold their own on the playground or know a thing about the wonderful world around us. This book is a great resource for parents in the perennial struggle against screens and comfort and everything else. Being cold and wet. Being bored. Being tired. Being quiet. Screwing up. These are things our kids need to experience.
P.S. For many of us, fatherhood is the most important job we’ll ever have. Yet somehow it’s the one we’re least prepared for. There’s no real manual, no training, and often very few spaces where dads can talk honestly about what the experience is actually like. Most of us are figuring it out as we go, learning through trial and error while hoping we’re doing right by the people who matter most to us.
That’s why we created Daily Dad Society. It’s a place where thoughtful fathers come together each month to share the wins and the struggles, reflect on the challenges of raising good humans, and learn from each other.
Through live conversations with Ryan and the community, shared ideas from books and history, and honest discussions about what’s working and what isn’t, members get something most dads never have: a circle of men who care deeply about becoming better fathers.
