"Overcoming the obstacles" : the ways in which parents of pre-school children organise involvement in outdoor recreation

Abstract

The presence of children is a strong influence on adult outdoor recreation over the family life cycle. Research to date has focused principally on providing descriptive information about gender differences in family outdoor recreation or the influence of parental roles and responsibilities. The place that parental interaction has in the organisation of outdoor recreation has generally been overlooked. My thesis outlines an investigation into people's strategies for negotiating or modifying their involvement in recreation.

Twenty-four mothers and fathers from twelve Christchurch two-parent families with pre-school children discuss the family processes and relationships that affect involvement in outdoor recreation. Four main influential factors emerge. The decision to use different outdoor recreation settings and to participate in passive or active recreation activities is affected by the family structure, the level and type of communication between spouses and personal views of parenting and children.