Perhaps Lao Tzu, a much-followed Chinese philosopher founder of Taoism, said it best about fishing. He stipulated that one should not just give a man a fish. Rather, the better way to do things is to teach him how to fish. Though said centuries ago, his words ring a lot of truth. If you give a man a fish, he’ll be hungry again after some hours. But if you teach him the skill of fishing, he’d be in a better position to feed himself for a lifetime.
And there may not be a better time to catch a fish than this summer. With longer days and the kids on a summer break, you have a bigger window to get your act together: bait a hook, then cast a line to reel a fish in. Hold your horses though. Like hunting, learning the behavior of those fishes you want to catch can go a long way in bringing them home at the least amount of time.
Even better, fishing can be a glorious opportunity to teach your children. Not only will you impart key skills to catch a fish in doing so but also and perhaps most importantly teach your children essential lessons about life in general. Listed below are key takeaways your young ones can learn when fishing with the whole family.
The Patience to Persevere
All the great things that anyone can achieve in life require a long-term commitment. Putting up a business and finishing college are just two obvious examples. Without patience, your child’s ability to succeed is slim, if not downright zilch.
What’s worse is society is so focused on getting results instantly. With our appetite for high-speed internet, people have the tendency to get listless and annoyed if things don’t get their way in a blink of an eye. It’s so contrary to what your child will need in the long run.
To be successful in fishing, one needs to be patient. For instance, it may take hours before a fish would bite. And even when that happens, things could still go south pretty fast. Fishing, therefore, teaches your kids that quitting is not an option if you want to be successful.
Of course, you need to equip your child to improve his chances. Not being able to catch anything in days can put a dent in his spirit and dampen his soul early on. A good way for you to remedy this is to deploy an electric reel. Not only will it be easier for him to reel in a catch but also the wonderful device is a lot lighter and less tiring than doing things manually. In short, it’s a big boost.
If you’re not sure what to buy, taking your chances on a Daiwa electric reel should be wise. The brand’s reputation is well-established with an army of hobbyists behind it singing its praise.
The Pain of Loss
No matter the pursuit, things will not always go your way. That’s life. You can see that happen in a career or in a business. A good example here are billionaires who after some bad investments became broke.
The thing is no matter your patience, sometimes the day won’t end up with a fish in hand. It’s possible. By going through this process, kids will learn that sometimes you need to learn to walk away empty-handed. By accepting loss and moving forward still, they strengthen themselves in the process.
Master Problem-solving
Take any successful individual and you’ll see someone who is not afraid to face problems. The ability to anticipate possible issues and finding ways to overcome them is essential in any endeavor. Fishing can relay such a lesson well.
While many may see fishing as a random act of throwing a line, there’s a lot of things going in that have the potential to affect a successful outcome. The weather, type of lure, time of day are just some of these key factors that need to be considered. In short, fishing allows your child to use his brain to make things work.
The Merits of Competition
Competition is at the heart of fishing. Even if you’re alone, you could be competing with yourself and your past record. Additionally, you can whip the competitive spirit in your child by turning your family fishing activity into a contest. Make a race to be the first to catch a fish. Or better yet, make it a race to catch the most fish.
By indulging in healthy competition, your child will learn to focus his energy and do better. In time, he improves his performance.
Presence of Mind
Call it a mental exercise if you will but your child will have to be ‘here and now’ to succeed in fishing. If his mind is thinking of something else, his chances of catching a fish take a dive.
It’s also a great way to relax and not over-worry. By focusing on the present and not worrying about life’s troubles, your child can perform better. He may not be so focused on the first day but making a habit out of fishing should get things in order — and right where they should be.
