Fishing Frenzy

Fishing.  It’s something I have done as a kid and only a few times as an adult.  I never really picked up the fishing bug so to speak.  My husband on the other hand has always loved fishing.  He has so much more experience and has looked forward to the day that he could take his kids fishing and teach them all they need to know about getting those evasive little creatures on (and off) the hook.

This year we have been very intentional about planning family activities and one in particular…camping.  Camping and fishing seem to go hand-in-hand.  Both get you out in nature and cause you to slow down from the fast-paced life of which we all seem to live.  

What I didn’t see coming with this hobby was how much my husband would thrive in being able to teach our kids about the subject.  The kids in return have been very excited to learn.  I have watched as my husband baits each hook and helps them cast it into the water.  Inevitably, before he can even get his fishing pole ready, one of the kids needs help getting unstuck from something in the water, reeling in a fish and taking it off the hook, or replacing the bait that one sneaky fish managed to get from the hook.

My husband has enjoyed sharing his love of fishing with all of us.  He even bought me a new fishing pole and gets me all set to fish right there with the kids.  How do I know he loves this?  In all the times we have gone fishing this summer, he himself rarely gets to fish.  He never gets upset when he has to put his pole down to help one of us and yet he keeps scheduling time to go again. 

Many of you may know how challenging it can be to go fishing with kids.  As much as I love our kids and am always proud of their good behavior, they are still impatient and selfish at times.  Our youngest is about to turn 6 and he can’t sit still.  He is usually running around and throwing rocks or sticks into the water (and wonders why we don’t catch more fish).  He, however, is the one that has caught the most.  Our twins are 7 and have a little more patience to sit and watch the bobber but they tend to get bored as well.  I say all this to reassure you that we are normal.  I don’t want to paint a picture of perfection and mislead you to think everything always goes smoothly.  We work through challenges and are intentional about creating more time to bond over things like fishing.  As we look back at each event, we see the positive…a time of growth and learning…a time to be a family.

My Take-Aways:

1. It’s not about the fishing.  It’s about family time.  Find whatever it is that gets your family together and do it!
2. Learn new skills.  Fishing may not have been on my list of things to learn but I am learning.  Maybe the next time we go fishing I will be baiting my own hook and taking the fish off on my own!  (Someone needs to help my husband after all!)
3. Nature, nature, nature…it’s beautiful!  Get outside, take a deep breath and enjoy your surroundings!