Chinese Father And Children Complete Walks 800Km In 31 days To Instill Resilience

A man in southern China recently completed an 800-kilometre walk with his two young children to help strengthen their character and resilience, according to South China Morning Post. The father, known as Mr Wu, started the journey on July 17 from the Baoan District in Shenzhen with his 10-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son. They finished the month-long trek on August 17 in Changsha, located in the Hunan province.

Mr Wu explained that his busy work schedule at his driving school meant he spent little time with his children. Two years ago, he had planned to take them on a similar journey but postponed it because his children were too young. He hoped that the trip would teach them perseverance and the habit of completing what they start, as they tend to give up easily, as per the SCMP.

Throughout the trek, Mr Wu carried a 10-kilogram backpack, while each child carried a 5-kilogram bag. They walked at least 23 kilometres daily. When they felt tired, Mr Wu encouraged them by saying they were stronger than him, which motivated them to continue. Though the children did not suffer any injuries, Mr Wu did experience blisters on his feet.

To teach financial responsibility, he set a daily spending limit for the children, and if they went over, they had to pay the difference from their pocket money. At 1:30 a.m. on August 17, the family reached their destination, where Mr Wu's wife was waiting. She was initially worried about the trip because of safety and weather concerns but later saw positive changes in the children. She said the hike made the daughter less picky and the son more independent. Many people have praised Mr Wu's dedication to his children and the educational value of the journey.