Time management books line the shelves of libraries and bookstores, and form a tidy row along the edge of my desk. These books, as well as time management websites and seminars, all purport to help adults eke efficiency and excellence from every minute of every day. Compartmentalizing, prioritizing, and strategic planning may work wonders on the job, but try saying "Later!" to a wailing toddler or teen when family time isn't scheduled for another hour. The essence of parenting is "Now!"

Flexibility is the key. Although our children lead increasingly structured lives-music and dance lessons, soccer and basketball practice-they are still kids. They need an abundance of time to play, to ramble, and to explore, unplugged from the modern sirens of computers, electronic games, and television. Playing with virtual friends or watching "reality" worlds endlessly unfold is no substitute for the good ol' outdoors.

Our children also need us. Spending a day on the trail cuts right to the "Now!" by allowing adults to give children their undivided attention, away from the hassles (and electronic pacifiers) of daily life. Even if we walk the same path a million times, each outing will present a new opportunity to share spontaneous discoveries about the natural world and about each other. At the end of every day in the outdoors, we return home with a trove of new stories.

Hiking with very young children puts them in touch with nature for the first time. Even the tiniest infants delight in the interplay of shadows, shapes, and colors as they peek out from the cozy security of their child carriers. Toddlers revel in testing new walking skills and in investigating each new find along the trail. Preschoolers, with ever-increasing stamina, morph into aerobic naturalists, dashing up the trail only to screech to a halt as soon as they spy interesting bugs or trickling streams.

Hiking with elementary school children lays the groundwork for parent-child communication, step by step. Nature becomes a springboard for discussions about family values as youngsters learn to apply ethical behavior in an outdoor setting. Self-confidence and self-reliance naturally evolve as pre-adolescents hike farther and farther, all the while adding to their body of knowledge about the natural world.

Hiking can be a safety valve for teenagers, allowing precious time away from the critical eyes of peers or adults. A day on the trail together can satisfy the needs of teens and parents for the tonic of unhurried, private conservations about mundane or meaty matters in a natural setting. The outdoors also can help parents begin to let go and affirm their trust as teens take risks, like scrambling over rocks and fording icy streams, as well as responsibility for their own personal safety. These are important steps toward eventual independence.

Hiking is a gift we can give to ourselves and to our children. The cost is minimal, yet the experience is priceless and pays dividends over a lifetime.

From childhood summers at an outdoor camp-savoring nature and sleeping under the stars-a senior hiker decided that his own kids would be better people if they were out in nature. He stuck by that concept and now relates, "The nicest thing about spending time with my own children out-of-doors is that we all had a good time. It formed a lifelong bond and is a continual source of reminiscence." The shared experience also helped engender a sense of stewardship for the natural resources the family so enjoyed.

An octogenarian reflects on a lifetime of hiking with her father, her husband, her children, and her grandchildren: "Hiking does much more for the soul than it does for your body. I almost never go out, even on daily walks with my dog, without thinking I am the luckiest person in the world."

Still need a reason to hike with your kids? How about this one: a day spent exercising in the fresh air will help you all sleep better!

Excerpted from Hiking With Kids by Robin Tawney Nichols.

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