Fishing with Children

It is really great to see communities

involved in the lives of their children. Not only does this teach kids an enjoyable hobby where they can place their abundant amount of energy into, but it lets them know that there are people in their community that care for them.

Every year hundreds of groups, communities, and individuals from around the country promote the outdoor lifestyle and reach out to children of all ages. Where most are centered around teaching water safety, regulations and ethics, there are a few groups out there that cater to the more important concepts.

Contributing to the overall well being of a child is possibly the most important thing adult can do. There are so many things out there that can get kids into trouble, so many things that can sidetrack them from the more important things in life. Hey, I'll admit even I may have skipped school once or twice to hit the water, but I wasn't out vandalizing property, doing drugs, or getting involved with the wrong people. Not only that, being out on the water with a child gives you the chance to bond out in God's country. Groups like the Fellowship of Christian Anglers Society,F.O.C.A.S, do just that.

Here in Oklahoma the local chapter of F.O.C.A.S. along with myself, hold an annual Kids Fishing Day, scheduled so that it coincides with the Oklahoma free fishing weekend so that volunteers can fish as well. Each year about 500 kids come and enjoy a free event payed for by entry fees of the Annual FOCAS Jack Houston(my father) Memorial Tournament here on Lake Tenkiller.

At "Kids Day" we teach children all the important water safety and fishing regulations as well as a little bit of astronomy and biology in a way that children find interesting and entertaining. Most importantly we have a session that the children go through that teaches the word of God and the Love of Jesus Christ. The entire event is centered around teaching children about the wonders of gods country and how it can be applied to our daily lives.

There is so much that these children will never be exposed to once they grow up, it is important that we teach them at this age when their minds are like sponges. Some of these kids may have never heard about Jesus before this event, while others may have grown up in church. The important thing is that we teach them that Jesus loves them, that we love them. That there are people who care about what happens to them and what they do with their lives. Many of the children who participate come back years later as volunteers so that they can have the same effect on another child.

So speak with your local fishing club, local chapter of FOCAS or even your church family. Get involved, teach these kids what really matters in life. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.