Maybe instead it’s the death of parenting (HCN, 7/21/14). Take your children backpacking. Start ’em early and start small. It can be done. Get creative. Make it happen. Leave the devices at home. It does not need to be expensive. No doubt it’s cheaper than 129 other things Americans do on vacation. Lord knows wildlands and wild places will need defenders in the coming decades. Where are those defenders going to come from if they’ve never backpacked?
John DeVoe
Portland, Oregon
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Future defenders.
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