It is Mrs ERJ's expert opinion that kids need to try strange foods 8 times before you can trust their opinion that they "hate" it.
Most kids are naturally cautious when confronted with experiences that are outside of what they have experienced in the past. Even if they saw the experience in a video it does not capture the sun, insects, smells, mud and slime.
Short, little bits
Consider introducing a child to Brussel's Sprouts.
You might cook them for one meal and only the "big people" eat them. You might even do that twice because the smell of cooking B.S. is distinctive.
Then you might put a half or a quarter of a "monkey-brain" on the child's plate after dipping it in butter or cheesy-sauce. Two points: Very low exposure and you sweetened the deal. The first time you might not even require Junior to taste the monkey-brain. The second time you might make dessert contingent on one bite.
And so on and so forth.
Introducing a child to fishing is the same sort of thing. Start them when the bluegills (bream) are spawning (that is, start then on a "sure thing"). Give them very simple equipment (cane poles with lines 1/2 to 3/4 as long as the pole) let them bring their bestie (friend) and outfit him/her as well. You keep the hooks baited and take the fish off the hooks. Keep all the fish to show Mom (you can freeze the little ones and use them to bait raccoon traps).
The first session you might only have a line in the water for five minutes. Then next time for ten minutes. The next time you might fish for ten minutes, take a short break for a snack and then fish for another ten minutes. Remember, a five-year-old's perspective of time is different than ours. Five minutes is nothing to you but (roughly) the equivalent of 30 minutes to a five-year-old.
Eventually, your student will want to put the bait on the hook. Eventually, after you coach them how to not get stabbed by the fins, they will want to take the fish off the hook (consider barbless hooks when they graduate to that point).
Any tips from my readers will be greatly appreciated.
I always bait the fishing hole with a tin of cat food with some punctures.
ReplyDeleteYou can drop a bare hook in there and get a strike.
Kids like Catching, Not Fishing at least at first.
Also watch for sunburn, keep plenty of kid friendly hydration and ice cream afterwards is GREAT.
Correction bait it a WEEK before the Kid's fishing party.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was teaching kids to fish, I used to fish alongside them and hand the rod to the nearest/littlest kid to fight the fish after I'd hooked one.
ReplyDeleteI'm also sort of ambidextrous and didn't realize I was using a fishing rod differently than someone that was right-handed until I spent a frustrating afternoon trying to teach my nephews how to use a spinning reel. It seems obvious, but figure out if you or your student might be the same way before you or they get frustrated trying to learn how a fishing rod.
Your description of Time and young minds is spot on. First time I took my autistic son fishing, he was engaged for about 10 minutes, then grew bored and then began throwing small rocks into the water. Apparently, the ripples fascinated him and he enjoyed watching them cover the ranch pond surface. We allowed him to enjoy himself. The whole point of the trip was to allow him to be happy.
ReplyDeleteOne first hand caution. Way back in the dark ages (60's), all four of us kids were introduced to fishing - first shore, then later trolling. We had our own poles, tackle boxes, etc. We enjoyed it for a few weeks, but at about trip number 20 it got real boring. And the family was doing it as cheap entertainment and for food, so it continued as a mandated participation event. Maybe six months later it turned into a painful chore and we hated it. Many fond memories looking back almost 60 years, but when we get together now, interestingly none of us really want to fish ever again, still. Keep some mystery in it, be sure it doesn't go beyond fun unless necessary, and make it a treat not a chore. (Sometimes I miss it - but nah.)
ReplyDeleteOur father introduced me and my two brothers to fishing with the Zebco 202 fishing kits back in the mid 1960's. We fished one of the many reservoirs in San Diego County, Lake Murray, for stocked Rainbow Trout. Salmon eggs or corn for bait on a small treble hook would usually work.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got a little older, 9 or ten years old, we would take turns going "deep sea" fishing with Dad and his fishing buddy in a 17' wooden Dory. We'd just go about a mile outside the harbor and fish in 100'to 135' of water. We'd usually bring at least 40 or 50 pounds of fish every time we went out. It was fun, especially if you latched on to a Hammerhead Shark or a Sea Lion. We didn't try to catch those, just cut the line as quickly as possible before they stripped 400 yards of line off the reel. Good times!
The Zebco 202 was a good setup for a small kid to learn on. I think my Dad bought the combo kits for lass than five bucks each. I think they can be bought for less than 30 bucks now, maybe 20 bucks.
DeleteSnacks, snacks and more snacks. Fishing is about the only time I turn my kids loose on cookies and chips (beyond a reasonable portion I mean). Large variety. Cooled water/lemonade when it's hot. I can't stand getting all set up and leaving an 30 minutes later (I will if I have to, but if the boys are happy to gorge themselves on snacks/nap in the boat/play with seaweed so much the better if it means I get an extra hour or two). The only snacks I hold in reserve/limit are fruit snacks, those are usually for when we're packing up and the kids are fork tender.
ReplyDeleteHave an up-to-date tetanus shot for the kid/Bring needle nose pliers and side cutters. Fishing with my older kid when he was 2ish (for sure still in diapers). Rising fish at the edge of my cast range. I go to absolutely bomb the lure out there and he jumps behind me. Completely buried the barbed 6/0 or 7/0 (large) hook in his forearm. He looks at me confused, no pain yet (or just shocked). Drop down to my knees, cut the line with my teeth and grab the sidecutters. Push the hook through. Snip the barb. Back the hook out (he still have it as a momento, never sees it in the tackle box without reminding me of "remember when you hooked me" with a huge grin) and provide copious snuggles and fruit snacks. After a quick check with the nurse line* to confirm he was up to date on his tetanus we fished for 2 more hours and then got a treat on the way home.
Since then I've never been more than an arms reach from side cutters and a needlenose pliers when fishing with kids. Each tackle box has a pair, the boat has a pair, car has a pair, fishing vest has a pair and I keep a few cheapo multitools in the main tackle box in case something gets lost.
Worms + spikes/waxies (if you can easily get both, those of us in Lansing are of course blessed when Grand River Bait and Tackle). Lots of kids love to play with worms, but I personally find waxies better for the actual fishing with kids. Usually will take both and swap between them, but the waxies catch more smaller fish (which isn't a bad thing with kids). Yeah, you can cut the worms up, but even for my feral kids (one of them tried to stick his head in a gutted deer to see what was in there) that seems to stress them out.
Baby wipes/change of clothing. Kids want to touch worms/fish/the lake/the weird dead bluegill skeleton they found on the beach, then they want to snack 10 seconds later. Baby wipes, 1-3 packs and a small grocery bag for the dirty ones. Change of clothing (especially with smaller kids) in case of normal messes or "goodness me I'm in a weird new place and forgot I'm supposed to poop in a potty".
Sunscreen and sun shirt. I cannot get my kids to keep a hat on, so they get sunscreened heavily. Costco for a 2 or 4 pack, toss one on the car/one in the boat so you can't forget. It's one thing to scorch yourself, but if you scorch your kid or a friend's kid you're never going to hear the end of it. Sun shirt just makes it easier (if the kid tolerates one).
Fancy life jackets. The less bulky the better in terms of mitigating the whining. I make my kids wear them when we're fishing on the boat (all the time) and, depending on the dock/pier, they have to wear them as well (erring on the side of caution here).
Mosquito spray. Optional, but I find no matter how late in the day you leave littles are too tired (considering how late it gets dark in the summer) to really fish much in the after-dinner-mosquito fest.
*The nurse suggested we could head in to have it checked out at urgent care, I discussed "was there actually any reason to go in?" as they won't irrigate or do anything other than look at it. She agreed (or at least didn't argue this point) and told me to come in at any sign of infection, but otherwise no reason for a visit. Kiddo was fine.
Did something similar when my kids were old enough to hunt. I had an area where I knew they'd see lots of deer to keep their interest. The hunting part was finding one that was legally shootable. Good times.
ReplyDeleteI would like to mention Fishing Future. Not everyone has an ERJ or similar in their life. Fishing Future helps train/educate the next generation of fishermen. ( No, Im not connected although I have met and somewhat know the founder of the organization.) https://fishingsfuture.org/
ReplyDelete
DeleteOur Mission: The Fishing’s Future Mission
Reconnect youth to family and strengthen family relationships.
Reconnect families to nature.
Teach Environmental Stewardship and Increase awareness for the protection, conservation and restoration of our Nation’s aquatic natural resources.
Increase participation in recreational angling.
My poor dad was a terrible fisherman and didn't really enjoy it. I think we went a half dozen times before we caught our first fish.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I kept after it with the help of friends and their dads being a half assed angler and enjoyed taking people offshore. There is something special in witnessing someone catch their first fish.
First fish!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was very young fishing with my father was big rare "special day". My father & I would go to the local town dock with minimum gear. He had one of those new "spinning rods." Me a Bamboo pole & bait. It would be in early September. Summer flounder on the way out and small blue fish & fluke coming in. Everyone called the small Blue snappers. One to one & a half pounds,
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