Open mouth, insert foot...

[James86004]

Like many students in the Tucson area, my 9-year-old daughter has a week long Fall Break. We took advantage to take a trip up to the Four Corners area.

We like to make our trips educational, so we visited 6 NPS sites and she earned her Junior Ranger Badge at each one. She worked hardest on the one at Chaco Canyon. She read the information pamphlet at each ruin then proceeded to be our tour guide.

With this background, we were a little bit irritated when an older couple started berating us at Aztec Ruins. They asked if she was learning enough to justify taking her out of school. It took us a little time to come to our senses, but we told them it was fall break. "Fall Break?! School just started!". Actually, her school started 4 August, so she has been in for two months.

You should have seen how red their faces got, and, with a mumbled apology, they left us in peace.

She is already working on her post of this trip for the Rover Diva blog, so look for it in a week or so.

Here she is showing off all her badges:

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Pretty darn cool James! Way to go.

 

[Mc Taco]

D'oh. I have often looked back at my elementary school days and thought that a long absence spent traveling would have been more productive. We did some silly things in school as I recall. Good for you for using time off wisely.

 

[kjp1969]

Great trip, and with participation from the younguns its all the better.

(And cranky old people should mind their own beeswax.)

 

[iigs]

It took us a little time to come to our senses, but we told them it was fall break. "Fall Break?! School just started!". Actually, her school started 4 August, so she has been in for two months.

You should have seen how red their faces got, and, with a mumbled apology, they left us in peace.

What a mind-blowing experience. Kids seem to get shorter summers and a lot more breaks than we did 20 years ago, but October is well into the year, school didn't "just start".

I can understand (but don't agree with) someone getting on your case if you were at the grocery store or at Blockbuster, but at a national/state park? Sure sounds like neglectful parent of the year award to me! I bet you only feed your kid Cheetos and let them watch TV all day!

As someone that was homeschooled for the second half of my education, I would have been pretty offended, and would have probably had to guard my actions carefully around my children.

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

We did some silly things in school as I recall. Good for you for using time off wisely.

Yup, we hid from nuclear attack under our desks :yikes:

Excellent work on the Jr Ranger badges!

 

[Zelix]

Yup, we hid from nuclear attack under our desks :yikes:

Excellent work on the Jr Ranger badges!

LoL... We did the nuke drills also. I remember doing the tornado drills in Oklahoma.

I'm so glad I clicked on this thread. I didn't know there was a Jr Ranger program. I'm researching now. My daughter would love it I think. :sombrero:

 

[James86004]

I'm so glad I clicked on this thread. I didn't know there was a Jr Ranger program. I'm researching now. My daughter would love it I think. :sombrero:

I don't think they existed when I was a kid. When she was 4, we were in the visitor center at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP and a ranger askied if she would like to become a Jr Ranger. It was all over after that. The programs are typically better at the smaller places - at Yosemite they make you jump through all sorts of ridiculous hoops, then basically hand you the badge over the counter and say congratulations. At El Malpais NM, the rangers put on their hats, brought everyone outside the visitor center to the sign out front, and at made a big deal out of her earning her badge and giving her the Jr Ranger Oath.

The Arizona State Parks also have a program (the one at Tombstone Courthouse is particularly good) and now the Forest Service is getting in on it, too. The Taylor Creek Visitor Center at Lake Tahoe started one last year.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I like what you are doing with your kid- something I hope to continue also. I like seeing kids NOT become nature-deficient.

 

[Willman]

Way to go!

Very cool!

 

[F5driver]

We went to The Petrified Forest, Canyon De Chelly, Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods and Naurual Bridges National Monument during fall break this year. It's a great time to road trip in the southwest.

 

[photoman]

The Jr Ranger program is great and I recommend it to everyone I know going to National Parks/Monuments.

My son got hooked on them a few years ago. He has the Official Ranger Hat full of pins and a stack of badges. Also agree that the smaller the park/monument the more the rangers are into it.


Great stuff! :victory:

 

[dport]

Def. a foot in mouth moment. Sounds like she is a great kid, and will be an even greater adult. BTW, even if you had taken her out of school for the trip, she would probably would have learned more at the park. :sombrero:

 

[James86004]

BTW, even if you had taken her out of school for the trip, she would probably would have learned more at the park. :sombrero:

That is what my wife says, and she used to be a school teacher.

 

[bcrez]

Awesome trip. I wish I could have done that at her age. Chaco Canyon is an amazing place, but too many people sometimes.