When they’re young, when they’re bored, when they’re full of energy, when they’re older, when you need to talk, when you’re on vacation, after a family dinner, early in the morning before school, when you’re older, whenever you have the time, there’s one thing you should always do with your kids:

You should go for a walk with them.

Long walks. Short walks. Hikes. On trails. On the road. To a destination. In a loop. In a stroller. Them struggling to keep up with you. You struggling to keep up with them. It doesn’t matter. It’s all good.

We’ve talked about John Adams (the great McCullough bio is available at The Painted Porch) and his fascinating relationship with his brilliant son, John Quincy. When the two of them were in Paris while Adams was 53, they would walk 5-6 miles together each morning. Can you imagine the conversations they had? The things they were able to share, to connect about. Even if they passed it in total silence, the time together alone must have been wonderful.

We’ve talked about those famous 20,000 year old footprints in White Sands National Park—they’re some of the oldest evidence of humans in North America—depicting another timeless version of this scene, a parent carrying and walking with a child, passing the time, being together.

You’ll never regret taking a walk, especially if you do it with family. It’s good for the body. It’s better for the mind. It’s amazing for relationships. Get together. Get outside. Get moving. Get connected.

P.S. For more daily meditations on parenthood, examples from history, and time-tested advice for raising great kids, check out The Daily Dad book (exclusive leatherbound edition signed by Ryan Holiday available here).