Leading with Little Adventures: A Dad’s Guide to Building Stronger Bonds
⚡️ Leading with Little Adventures: A Dad's Guide to Building Stronger Bonds
Being a dad today comes with a lot of expectations. We want to provide. We want to teach. We want to be there.
But being there doesn’t always come naturally in our busy, overscheduled lives.
Between work, sports, errands, and everything else, weekends can vanish in a blur. For our family, that’s especially true during hockey season. We’re sometimes out the door before sunrise, driving almost an hour to the rink for a 6 a.m. game. I also coach soccer, so weekends can have me all over the state.
There have been plenty of stretches—especially when I was coaching high school soccer—where it felt like sports was all we did outside of work. Some weekends I didn’t even have time to get groceries.
And yet...I wouldn’t trade youth sports for anything. I love coaching. I love watching my kids compete.
But I also know sports schedules can eat up that slow, connective family time. The kind where you really get to know each other outside of scores and schedules.
That’s why I’ve come to believe so strongly in microadventures.
⚡️ Why Microadventures Matter
These aren’t big, expensive trips. They’re the small moments you make room for, even on the busiest days.
It might mean stopping to explore a trail near the ice rink after a game. Checking out a local park between soccer matches. Wandering through a new small town we’re already visiting for a tournament.
Sometimes the games take us to places we haven’t really explored. We’ve found beautiful little downtowns and some surprisingly great state parks just by deciding to take an hour and look around. We’re already there, so why not make the most of it?
It’s amazing what kids will get excited about when you give them the chance.
⚡️ Why This Matters for Dads
Being a dad isn’t just about paying bills or driving kids to practice.
It’s about building meaning in the role.
I think a lot of us want to feel like we’re truly showing up—not just watching from the sidelines of our own family. Microadventures give us a simple, real way to do that.
They’re a chance to be there, fully. To share wonder, solve problems together, and make memories that stick.
Honestly, it’s not just for the kids—it’s for us.
When we slow down for these little adventures, we get to see our kids for who they really are. How curious they are, how brave they can be, how goofy and creative they are. Those are the moments that remind us why all the hard work is worth it.
It also matters for our own well-being. Engaged dads report more life satisfaction and purpose. Doing this kind of stuff lowers our stress. It makes us feel like we’re doing the part of fatherhood that really matters—not just providing, but connecting.
And it’s not just about the bond with our kids.
When both parents share the load of planning and jumping into these little adventures, it becomes something you do as a team. It can strengthen the bond with your partner, too. Seeing them light up watching the kids explore, or even just splitting the prep and planning, builds appreciation and respect. It reminds you why you started this whole family thing in the first place.
We don’t get these years back.
The more we can say yes to these small moments, the more we’re investing in the kind of family we want to build—and the kind of parent and partner we want to be.
⚡️ How Microadventures Build Capable, Resilient Kids
When you take your kids out exploring—even if it’s just a new trail or local creek—they learn to handle the unknown in small, safe ways.
Maybe the weather changes or the trail is muddier than you expected. They have to adapt, problem-solve, and stay calm when things don’t go perfectly.
They also build confidence that they can try new things and handle challenges—and know you’re right there with them.
These small adventures are training grounds for resilience.
⚡️ Leadership Through Presence
I feel like I’m really leading as a dad any time I can plan and pull off something good for the family—even if it’s simple.
It feels good when the kids and my wife genuinely enjoy it and appreciate the effort. That feeling is even stronger when I get those moments alone with just me and the kids—when it’s just us exploring together, with no other distractions.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be real.
⚡️ Sharing the Load
It’s not just on me.
My wife and I share this. Sometimes we plan an experience together, other times one of us just takes the initiative. She’s really bought into how important these experiences are for the kids—and for us. It’s something we both value.
It’s not always easy with our schedules, but it’s worth it every time.
⚡️ EverTrail Co.™: More Than Apparel
Honestly, EverTrail Co.™ has never just been about making eco-minded adventure apparel.
It’s about building a lifestyle and movement that encourages families—and especially dads—to show up in the ways that matter most.
Because it’s easy to get busy. Easy to stay comfortable. Easy to let the days slip by.
But childhood doesn’t wait.
EverTrail Co.™ is my own reminder, and my invitation to other families, to say yes to the small adventures.
Adventure doesn’t have to mean plane tickets or perfect photos.
It can be pulling over to check out a trail you’ve never walked. Turning downtime between games into a little exploration of a new town. Watching your kid’s face light up at a creek they can’t wait to play in.
These aren’t just diversions.
They’re what help us raise curious, capable, resilient kids.
They also change us. They slow us down, make us pay attention, put our phones away, and hold our kids’ hands while they balance on a log.
That’s what EverTrail Co.™ is about.
Adventure Anywhere. Even here. Even now. Even today.
Because one day, they’ll remember you said yes.
And so will you.
— EverTrail Co.™