Maybe you remember when your kids were really young—or maybe they still are really young so you know this even better—what you could do to magically calm them down. It didn’t matter how hysterical they were, how bad they were fighting going to sleep, all you had to do was take them for a walk. Or strap them in a stroller. And bam: they were out. 

Why is that? It’s because we evolved to travel. From our time in the womb onward, we are lulled, peacefully, by the rocking and swaying of the human gait. Even the car mimics this—that’s why they fall asleep in the car. It’s that sense of going somewhere. It’s that sense of being in motion. That takes us back to our primal roots. That reassures us. That calms us down. 

What this means for you as a father today is that walking is important. You’re designed for this. Your kids are designed for this. So let’s make sure you’re incorporating this as part of your day—as time as a family. The way that walking calms the monkey mind of your kids? So it should for you too. The way it lulls them into a peaceful state, so it can for you. The joy you see them express when they see a deer or a squirrel, your heart can experience too. 

Everyone should take a walk everyday. But it’s better still if we do this as a family. If this is quality time you guys spend together.

P.S. This was originally sent on June 26, 2020. Sign up today for the Daily Dad’s email and get our popular 11 page eBook, “20 Things Great Dads Do Everyday.”