We often hear negative refrains along the lines of ‘young people today’, accompanied by a shake of the head.

I’m perhaps more acutely aware of this at the moment as my wife and I are facing a dilemma it seems all parents must confront: when to get their child a mobile phone. Our daughter is apparently the ‘only one in her class without one’. Yet we all know the harm these devices can cause: bullying, dangerous content and addiction to endless scrolling. Adults struggle to manage their time on their phones; how can we expect our children to?

So, I’d like to draw your attention to many inspiring young people. As with every issue of Wilderness, if you visit our Last Weekend page, you’ll get a glimpse of what many readers’ kids get up to on the weekend: good wholesome family fun outside. 

Dig a little deeper and you’ll find Tom Parker, aged just 11, who has recently climbed Tapuae-o-Uenuku – at 2885m it’s the highest mountain in New Zealand outside the Southern Alps (read the story of his climb on p16). He may be the youngest to have done so (we haven’t found anyone younger – do let me know otherwise). 

Besides having grit and determination, he’s wise beyond his years: “Lots of my friends are on their devices 24/7,” he says. “That stuff is nice, but you need to go and breathe the air outside.”

Well said, Tom. Sure, devices have their place but it’s all about finding a balance. I’ll share Tom’s wisdom with my daughter. 

And then we have Emilie Bruce, another 11-year-old who completed a tough eight-day journey through Kahurangi National Park with her mum (see the enticingly titled ‘Dragons, devils and drunken sailors’). It’s not something you’ll find on the typical school holiday programme, for sure.

When I see or hear of young people pushing themselves hard and doing the things we often hear their elders suggesting they never do, I feel hopeful for the future and inspired to get outside myself.