In Moms Hunt, Too Part 1, I mentioned some of the comments that I hear from others about having “nontraditional” hobbies as a mother. I am harder on myself than anyone could ever be so I would be lying if I said I didn’t think twice about these comments at times… Do my hobbies make me selfish?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! The truth is… my enjoying my outdoor hobbies doesn’t make me selfish at all, but it also makes me a better mom, and below are five reasons why:
1. Happier Mom= Happier children. Being in nature is my therapy. It is great for my mental health. It allows me a short time away from the constant mind-racing thoughts of my mom, wife, and occupational duties. I spend my time bewildered in God’s creations and thanking Him for the blessings in my life. These times alone allow me a chance to reset and clear my head and bonus points when I’m able to bring home dinner!
2. I’m constantly learning new things that I will be able to teach to my children. There are so many life lessons that I’ve learned in the woods or on a creek bank. Teaching them how to respect animals, conservation, and how to harvest ethically even at their young ages makes me proud. The skills that I’ve learned while hunting and fishing are empowering and most importantly, I am learning and teaching them how to self-sustain and live off the land should they ever have to.
3. I’m feeding them wild game and fish that was harvested and prepared by me and their daddy. I know exactly what I’m feeding my family when we eat our wild game and fish while teaching them about the reward for our hard work and perseverance. We butcher and package all our wild game and our girls participate in the processing. My favorite meals are when we have vegetables from our garden that my babies helped plant and meat that was harvested and processed together as a family.
4. My outdoor hobbies require me to have patience and discipline all of which are valuable life skills and necessary to parent little ones. It requires me to have psychological and physical strength also needed to keep up with my 2 and 6-year-old daughters. It allows me to reconnect with myself which is imperative to building relationships with my children.
5. We can make memories as a family and spend quality time together. We include the girls every chance we can. My girls aren’t ready to hunt just yet but they both love to fish, and we have recently started to shed hunt together. They collect eggs from our chickens, care for the animals on our farm, and can plant a garden better than most adults I know. They get an opportunity to be kids in this fast-paced world and I am truly amazed watching them learn and grow and hope they always remember what truly matters.
The rude comments that female hunters still endure prove that we still have a ways to go to change this narrative in society. For those who think it’s okay for women to spend time away from the home in the nail or hair salon but then have opinions of women tromping through the woods chasing wild animals is mind-blowing to me.
