Let's be adventurers

Today my best friend Carol and I met at Union Station in Toronto to bring the kids on the GO Train and have some fun in the PATH. It was Carol's idea: she wanted to bring Leo out for a cookie for his birthday (he's going to be three on Friday yowsers!). I thought it was a great idea because Leo loves trains and I knew he'd love the ride.

It was my first solo trip with the kids like this though and I was a bit nervous. I couldn't bring the stroller because our GO station doesn't have an elevator - at least I haven't seen one - and I had to be smart about what I packed since I'd be bringing a small bag. Oh and Leo doesn't wear a diaper now. Where were the washrooms?!

It's easy to ask yourself all of these questions and more and say SCREW IT. I'm not going. It's easier to stay home, which I'm sure I've done before more than a few times.

But I'm trying to be more adventurous. And Carol is the gal to be adventurous with.

Ok I have to be honest, Carol wasn't always the super adventurous type. I remember traveling with her in Europe years ago and taking forever to find a place to eat because she didn't like what was on any menu and she wasn't really interested in trying something new.

But then she had kids.

Carol is one of the most adventurous people I know now. She'll take her kids anywhere and make it work. That's the key here folks: she'll make it work. It's not always easy (she's got three young kids!). It's not always fun. But she'll never look back and regret not doing something because it was easier just to stay home.

Carol's inspiring me to be more like this. I have a long way to go. I'm up-tight sometimes. I like things a certain way. I don't do particularly well with change. I don't like mess.

But I don't want all of these things to stop me from experiencing things with my kids whether or not they remember them. These are our experiences too as parents.

They make us stronger.

You know what? Today was crazy. The kids ran all over the place. They zipped in and out of stores. They ran around bankers on their cell phones. They pushed buttons that stopped escalators.

But they were smiling and laughing the whole time they were doing it. Isn't that part of being a kid?

So let's collectively get off our asses and GO. By ourselves (bring your kids of course!). Let's Do It.

We'll all be better for it.