Welcome aboard. I hope we can hear from you often.

Some tidbits can be found here: http://www.backpacking.net/kids.html
My youngest daughter (now 11--- I have 5 kids total with 3 married, and I have 2 grandkids, and this year I will be turning 45) was able to put in 12 mile days when she was 8. Some things that helped:
-Smore reward
-Fishing
-Frisbie
-Camp fire that she starts
-She had a young friend with her that she talked with
-When you stop to ‘rest’ you really play catch with the ball.
-Gave her animal jelly beans from Whole Foods every hour. I don’t know why that helped but it did.
-keep total pack weight around 5-8 lbs (10% of body weight). This means don’t buy walmart packs since they absorb 60% of the weight in itself.
-have plans for carrying their pack when they’re getting tired
-have her plan her own meals so she know she has things she loves
-when they know how to light an alchol stove, they can’t wait to cook their own meals (even though it’s just boiling water)
-bring Minnie mouse or Mr. dragon. My youngest boy still does this and he’s 16! But when I saw Bearpaw do this <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />, I don’t feel as bad.
-assign the kids to take the family pictures (risky but they love it)
-give them hiking poles. I don’t think kids really need them but they like to do what adults do. They use my Gossamer Gear poles.
-walk w/ mom and dad every day for 3 miles.
-bike to a fun park every few days that is 10-12 miles away. Bring picnic lunch/supper and alcohol stove.

There are many more ideas that you will have because you know how to motivate your kids <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. My kids can sure remember that hike from several years ago but can’t remember their homework from last week <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />.

May you have many fond family memories! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
-Barry