Challenge – If you decide to do any of the activity described, you do so at your own risk. I am not responsible for your actions. There are possible dangers and risks associated with the activity described in this post. Know your limits and skill levels.
My son loves all things outside. He loves to be outside, do outside, and generally prefers outside at all times, even in the sweltering, muggy, humid summer of Tennessee. His favorite activity this summer is mowing. He has a toy mower that he has loved into literal pieces (see below). The toy mower has been taken apart and repaired until there was no repair left, yet he still pushes it around.
My son’s toy mower next to me
His favorite part of mowing though is riding along with me (headline picture). It all started because I didn’t want him to get hit by some debris in the backyard and the safest place (if he is going to be outside) is actually in my arms. He is above and behind the mower, meaning he has the mower and me protecting him. Since then though he insists on being held while I mow. He looks forward to it every week, and we have a bad week if we don’t mow. If we do get to mow, it fills his little heart.
It has become one of my great joys to carry the almost 30-pound kiddo around while we mow. Mostly because I am not going to get too next year. He will either be too big or uninterested. So, I am throwing down this Dad Challenge. Mow your whole yard while holding your kids. It won’t be easy. They get real heavy after about 20 minutes and it usually takes 2 hours to mow our yard.
See what happens. Does your kid love it like mine? Do they hate it? What does doing an activity like lawn care together teach our kids about the world? Let me know how it works out for you.
Bonus: Get your kid to nap on your while you mow (I am about 50/50 on it).
Double Bonus: Wash the car afterward!
