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I just went through a custody battle and to make a long story short, my ex was allowed to move to Ontario with my kids.

 

The last week I was given with them, we went out "treasure hunting" several times and the kids as always, had a RIOT and asked me to go "treasure hunting" every morning.

 

I just received a copy of an email from my ex's lawyer to mine stating that my children did not enjoy themselves and that I am "extremely immature for doing this kind of thing...especially at my age".

 

I notified my lawyer that it's a GREAT past time to get out in the fresh air and walking around, and that you have to think to figure out where the cache is. He replied by saying that "no judge would approve of geocaching, they would rather you went for a walk or read them a book, enhance their minds".

 

Anyone care to put some input in here that I can forward on? If you message regarding this topic, please include your name, province/state, ages of people you have geocached with, and an experience. Any ther comments would be welcomed as well.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

Edited by Minimike2
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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

IMHO,

 

Your Ex needs to be drop kicked into the Niagara River about 529 feet upstream from the cataract. Her counsel needs to be keel hauled then dipped in brine. Then similarly drop kicked into the same river 529 feet upstream from where your Ex went in.

 

Ohhhhhh heck the 0.1 proximity rule is null and void because the first rat in the river would have moved from point of original placement.

 

Bummer that you are dealing with such a nasty vindictive pile of detritous.

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So just go for a walk. Don't mention anything about geocaching, "treasure hunting" or anything remotely related to this sport. Just because you carry a GPSr to make sure you don't get lost has nothing to do with geocaching.

 

Learn the "rules" and make them work for you.

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As a moderator, I implore everyone reading this to ignore Minimike's ignorant post, and to instead focus on helping the OP with insights that he might pass along to his lawyer. I'll start.

 

As a geocacher, I believe that geocaching cemented a close relationship with my daughter. I've had shared custody of my daughter since separating from my ex-wife when our daughter was just two years old. We discovered geocaching when she was eight. It is the ideal outdoor activity for someone who cannot keep up with structured activities like girl scouts, because I don't have custody at the same time every week. Geocaching is something we can do whenever we want to, where we want to. The time spent outdoors, exploring the world, and having long talks on long hikes is invaluable. We've taken vacations to places like the Pacific Northwest, the Carolinas, New England and Texas just for geocaching. Last weekend we hiked down into the Niagara River gorge, walking along the raging rapids on a trail I never knew existed until some geocaches led me there. We have learned so much about the world by exploring the spots featured by our fellow geocachers.

 

My daughter is 16 now. She has a Dad who volunteers dozens of hours each week to help make geocaching fun for countless thousands of other families. I am the cool Dad, the one everyone wants to drive the gang around on the weekend. The other kids, whether from intact or broken homes, are envious of our close relationship and our adventures. They wish they had a Dad who spent time with them outdoors instead of working overtime and playing golf all weekend.

 

I hope the OP can become a Dad like the one that geocaching helped me grow into.

 

By the way, I'm a lawyer. I turn 50 this year. I hope I never grow old, and geocaching helps insure that this never happens.

Edited by Keystone
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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

But true

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It's unfortunate for you that your kids probably prefer to be with you and your ex resents it.

 

And judges and lawyers are so retentive that there's no room for your GPS if you tell them where to put it.

 

Most people that know me think I'm nuts because I like geocaching, satellite watching, Nascar racing, and RUSH music.

 

They don't have any room for my GPS either.

 

But the people that love me will remember me and always come back to me. And your kids will too.

 

Don't change anything you do, especially don't do anything dumb to alienate your kids. The ex will be mad at anything you do. Don't lose the kid's hearts and minds.

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#1 There must be someting I am not seeing in the second post there 'cause no one is that much of a jerk. Maybe you guys are friends and kidding around?

 

#2 I have a 16 & an 11 year old. They both love the outdoors and caching is another way we share the experience. We have built a lot of memories in the short time we've been cachers. Earth caches are also excellent ways to teach science and TGs can make a great geography lesson.

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I love Keystone's post. Very well said.

 

I think that if you are asked in court about geocaching, don't refer to it as 'treasure hunting,' but emphasize how it is a healthy family activity (as mentioned by Keystone).

 

Exercise, science, math, travel... and all of the other positive experiences geocaching offers will probably be looked at favorably.

 

I find that the lawyer who told you those things to be quite unprofessional personally.

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And don't forget that your ex's attorney is paid by....... YOUR EX! I can't see how any judge would frown on this activity, as long as you explain the positive aspects of the hobby. They might not be into it, as most people aren't, but to say that the judge wouldn't think this activity is a good idea? No way. That's just dirty lawyer tricks to make you feel bad (no offense Keystone).

 

Keep caching. If your kids enjoy it, take them with you. It's better than letting them play video games and sleep in until 1 in the afternoon when they're visiting you.

 

And BTW, while I think I know where post #2 was trying to go (sarcasm, lets hope), it didn't make it and was in very poor taste.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

But true

 

Assumption based on what evidence?

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Aside from Keystone's example of keeping family close, I'll throw out another positive. TAR has me beat here I'm sure, but caching has helped me get healthier. I've lost a total of 33 pounds, and caching has been a large part of that. Instead of sitting around watching The Food Network (gawd, I love that channel) I can go out and walk off some calories. It also keeps the kids from getting to the point where they have extra weight to lose. Like I said though, a better story belongs to The Alabama Rambler. Hopefully he sees this thread and decides to tell his story again. It's a good one.

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My children are 16, 13, and 9. I take them geocaching occasionally and always have a good time whether we find the cache or not. My 16 year old began taking her camera with her after we kept seeing deer, turkeys, wildflowers, mushrooms, beautiful views and now she is a very accomplished photographer. She still caches, photographs when she goes, and was asked to take all a high school Senior's graduation photos. She did a beautiful job and she owes it all to geocaching.

 

My 13 yr old is very mathmatically minded and loves using the GPS. He likes to measure how far it is to each location, loves to stop and look at bridges to see how they are made. He now is planning to go to college to become a mechanical engineer to design bridges and get a surveyors license. Geocaching introduced him to more than watching TV or playing basketball which results in joint injuries for him. He has NEVER been hurt while geocaching.

 

My 9yr old girl loves nature. I've learned a lot about wildflowers and the "weeds" that grow near them so that I can educate her about them. She is now drawing wildflower blooms and the bugs that we see.

 

I usually take each child separately but even when we are together we have the oddest but heartfelt conversations about family history, area history, their personal problems and solutions, natural science, hurt feelings, sadness, you name it we talk about it when we are out. We just don't have those good deep conversations at home. Being outside away from the house seems to relax and free us from our personal silence. I honestly think if I didn't take the kids geocaching that I wouldn't be as close to them as what I am. We have a great relationship.

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If you have to defend "Geocaching" in a court of law, remember to point out the "irresponsible" ot "immature" people who participate in geocaching.

 

Geocaching has Police officers, firemen, doctors, lawyers, business owners, BOY SCOUTS, and likely a judge or two who participate. Geocaching has Mensa members, children, adults, grandparents and great grandparents. Geocaching members are of all races, creed, color, sexual orientation, etc. And the best part about geocaching is that healthy people can play alongside those with MS, Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, Paralysis, Downs Syndrome, lupus, Cerebal Palsey, etc.

 

The thing to remember is anyone who mocks geocaching merely has not had fun doing it.

 

Geocaching is a way for your family to bond. It's a way for your children to explore the world around them. It's a way to see sights they would never see otherwise.

 

Don't allow your ex or her layer to trap you. They WILL try. Just remain calm, always, and speak the truth about your time with the kids. If you give in to emotional outbursts, you WILL lose.

 

Good luck.

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With the custody battle now over, it is odd for your attorney to be receiving correspondence from her attorney addressing this sort of issue. These are emotional times though, and perhaps she IS trying to make you further miserable by attempting to take away from you one of the activities that make you and your kids most happy by insisting it really is not something they enjoy. I think there are many positive aspects to geocaching as well as opportunities for learning for our kids. Ours are still young, but I give my 4 year old the decryption key and hint on a piece of paper and a pencil and let him decode the hint. Then our 9 year old will read it out loud. We also have a second hand-held gps that we have loaded some geocaches onto on occasion, and the older one has become rather proficient in operating it and following where it leads. Puzzle caches and multi-stage caches can involve quite a bit of brain power. [We have a few around here that we just have not yet tried because we need to carve a chunk of time out of our weekends to make sure we can do them start to finish.] Further, placing a cache with the help of kids helps them learn responsibility. That cache's page needs to be monitored and the cache mainted in good condition. I don't know if it would help you or lend any "credit" to geocaching, since you are in Canada, but the Boy Scouts of America has a merit badge that can be earned for Geocaching. The Girl Scouts of America also offer a Hi Tech Hide & Seek badge that can be earned for Geocaching. If you check out the Boy Scout merit badge requirements, they are pretty detailed! In the end though, unless or until you are going before a judge again, don't let any of those emails rattle you. If they do, then she is accomplishing what she is setting out to do. Let her spend her money, bother her attorney, make him write ridiculous letters. It does not sound like a response is necessary at this point. You just be calm, collected and, finally - prepared if and when you need to be.

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Here is a simple legal approach that is taken hold in this area: what you do with your children while they are in your care during your parenting time is no one's business. Just as what they do with your ex while in her care is no one's business. Usual cavaets apply, no abuse, no danger, no neglect other than that, you could let them eat marshmallow pancakes and sleep to 2, it is not her business what you do on your time. Keep repeating that until someone listens and stops trying to be the control freak. Also google parental alienation syndrome--very real, very ugly, very frequent. very damaging to the child.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

Yes it was!!!

 

Matter of fact I just missed out on a 52" Plasma screen via very similar circumstances. I would have been laughing for a week. It would be extra ironic because my ex got mine and neither her or her new beau could hook it up to his theater system. Sighh I am too nice a guy for doing that.

Edited by WCoaster
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Here is a simple legal approach that is taken hold in this area: what you do with your children while they are in your care during your parenting time is no one's business. Just as what they do with your ex while in her care is no one's business. Usual cavaets apply, no abuse, no danger, no neglect other than that, you could let them eat marshmallow pancakes and sleep to 2, it is not her business what you do on your time. Keep repeating that until someone listens and stops trying to be the control freak. Also google parental alienation syndrome--very real, very ugly, very frequent. very damaging to the child.

 

I know all about parental alienation and nothing has seemed to matter. I have witnesses that saw how excited the kids are to go geocaching, but my opinion doesn't seem to matter.

 

As for ignoring the emails, I keep getting hit with her court costs, so every time that she files paperwork, or sends emails, it ends up being ME paying for it.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

Yes it was!!!

 

Matter of fact I just missed out on a 52" Plasma screen via very similar circumstances. I would have been laughing for a week. It would be extra ironic because my ex got mine and neither her or her new beau could hook it up to his theater system. Sighh I am too nice a guy for doing that.

 

I fail to see the humor in the sexual abuse of children. It isn't a laughing matter.

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Tough break guy, divorce isn't easy. As others have eluded to, the issue isn't geocaching its anything you do with the kids. You could have taken them to the circus and it would have been a problem. As for the lawyer calling you immature, I would ask him for an apology since his opinion has no bearing on your relationship with your kids.

 

Whatever you do BE CIVIL. Thier just looking for a reason to take your kids away....

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I fail to see the humor in the sexual abuse of children. It isn't a laughing matter.

 

There is no humor in the sexual abuse of children, nor was that the poster's intent. The crack was directed at bad divorces.

 

Back to the topic...

 

Do what your lawyer suggests, if its not against his/her advice continue to enjoy activities with your kids that they enjoy as well - whether they are geocaching or not.

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The basis of this is easy to read. She doesn't want to go chasing the kids through the woods or buy pricey gadgets for them that would enhance YOUR pleasure. As said often in these threads, It is obvious geocaching is not for her. Continue caching with the kids because there is NOTHING she can do about it. It is your special bonding activity with the kiddies and she doesn't have any approval authority nor the courts.

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For many years there was a geocaching team in NJ that consisted of a father and his young daughters. On one of my earliest cache placements the father wrote in his log, "Thank you for this bonding experience with my daughters".

 

Dad and the girls were out caching frequently (the mom really didn't care for geocaching) and were fixtures on group hunts and events. Everyone who knew the family admired the father and his relationship with his daughters. Their closeness was apparent to all.

 

Sadly, the father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. A terrible loss for his family, but at least his daughters still have the wonderful memories of all the geocaching adventures they had with their dad.

 

Geocaching is one of the few sports where a family can interact as a team, making it the ideal family activity.

 

Tell your ex's attorney to put that in his pipe and smoke it.

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I recently went through a divorce as well. After 15 years of having a say in my life, my ex found it hard not to butt in. I kept reminding him that our papers agree that we were to live separate and single lives. He constantly flies off the handle and threatens to take me to court over non-sense things. I blow them off because he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

 

I say that to say that I feel for you and your situation. It is hard enough to consider your children but to always be on guard for what your ex will say too is tough. My best advice is to take the high road and do what you think is right for you and your children. If you put them first you can never be wrong.

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I recently went through a divorce as well. After 15 years of having a say in my life, my ex found it hard not to butt in. I kept reminding him that our papers agree that we were to live separate and single lives. He constantly flies off the handle and threatens to take me to court over non-sense things. I blow them off because he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

 

I say that to say that I feel for you and your situation. It is hard enough to consider your children but to always be on guard for what your ex will say too is tough. My best advice is to take the high road and do what you think is right for you and your children. If you put them first you can never be wrong.

 

Amen to that.

 

Been there, lived it and bought that shirt.

 

To the OP ... high ground ... the kids, the kids, the kids.

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Yeah, I don't see how this "lawyer" has any basis for an argument.

 

Simply present facts if you have to. I don't think you need to get personal, but if you have to you can always argue something along the lines of:

 

"What is healthier for the kids, taking them outside, doing an activity where they can learn something while getting exercise, or having the TV or Internet babysit them while they stay indoors?"

 

In addition as far as facts go:

 

Earthcaches are specifically designed to teach people about geology or some kind of natural formation at the location.

 

Puzzle caches (although the kids may not be able to do all of them without your help) stimulate problem solving, and skills ranging across pretty much any math, science, logic, and other disciplines that they could potentially develop a love for and thus a drive through high school and eventually college.

 

Just getting outside is good for them, too often people stay in their own safe bubble and never look at the beautiful world around them.

 

I would be willing to bet that your ex-wife spends a lot of time working and the kids are not very close to her. This kind of constructive activity which will build a closer relationship between you and your kids is one of the healthiest interactions possible IMO.

 

The sport teaches kids important lessons about managing disappointment. Not all caches will be found and not all caches will have awesome swag in it. Teaching your kids to manage disappointment and look on the bright side ("we might have not found that ammo can, but at least we had an awesome hike and saw that hawk!"). In addition, when they DO find a cache, they feel good about themselves. This could be important for a kid with low self esteem or even help them to build their confidence. Also if you go back to the same DNF a couple times and finally locate a difficult cache, it shows that persistence pays off as long as you are patient. The sport can also develop a child's patience.

 

As if all that was not enough, you can teach them about GPS satellites, and all the awesome math that goes along with that (provided they are old enough to understand). Short of that, you can at least teach them how to read a GPS. Who knows? It could save their life someday.

 

In the event of a minor injury, the first aid you administer could be a learning lesson for them (but don't mention getting hurt around the lawyer :anibad:)

 

Another thing I really like is that it could teach them "wilderness lore". They can learn what the local flora and fauna is, what to do to prevent insects bites (or treat them after you get them!), and what local poisonous plants there are. Potentially you could even teach them about edible plants.

 

If you do any boating caches, they can learn some boating skills.

 

You can teach them about responsibility by having them maintain their very own geocache!

 

Another cool thing is that you can teach them to be aware of their surroundings. Watch out for spider webs. If you notice an area that looks like a homeless person's bed, keep your guard up. Teach them how to recognize people that are up to no good.

 

Since there can be quite a bit of time while hiking between caches, this can be a good time to talk to them about ALL KINDS of different things.

 

Really, I could keep going on, but basically this lawyer is a tool and a disgrace to the profession. He is just the hired gun of your bitter ex-wife. Maybe she just misunderstands what you are doing, or does not know all the things that his sport has to offer. I would suggest that you try to explain that to her as best as possible so that she can see that you are really doing something great with the kids. If she still persists, than she doesn't care about their happiness as much as the fact that their happiness only comes from her. If that is the case, than she is petty and I have no idea how I would deal with that situation.

 

Good luck.

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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Unfortunately, this very common pattern of behavior is NOT funny, but it is TRUE. Your ex might do everything she can, every day, to turn your children against you. She may care more for her own twisted satisfaction than the welfare and mental stability of the kids. Pray for her. The only way you can combat this sickness (encouraged by greedy attorneys)

is to be the Best Dad you can be when you have them. Geocaching is a GREAT bonding experience--especially out in the wild... Don't bad-mouth your ex to the kids, but defend yourself--When they grow up, they will finally see the Truth--so make it good. And they will have all the fond memories of Geocaching Adventures with Dad...And you will meet your maker someday with the good feeling knowing that you took the high road. It's hard, very hard and very sad. Cache On!!

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I just came back from a two week vacation in British Columbia and Alberta. Visiting geocaches along the way including traditional, virtual, and earth caches took us to some very interesting places that the kids loved it. They even learned along the way. It was fun to remind ourselves that we were on summer vacation and we were learning again, and again.

 

One of the reasons we have children is so that we can enjoy life through their eyes, and it isn't very hard to tell if they are having fun or not. People without children or chose not to be around them will unfortunately never get to enjoy this wonderful part of them. There are times when mine are having a great time, and then there are times when they are not. It is like that with anything kids do.

 

Unless you are putting them in danger, i don't think any court in the world would prevent any parent from having fun with their children. It's better they are out hunting geocaches with you than being ignored and left for the TV to take care of them, or worse, wondering around the streets getting into trouble.

 

My advice is if they are having fun and ask you to take them out geocaching, then take them.

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If you have to defend "Geocaching" in a court of law, remember to point out the "irresponsible" ot "immature" people who participate in geocaching.

 

Geocaching has Police officers, firemen, doctors, lawyers, business owners, BOY SCOUTS, and likely a judge or two who participate. Geocaching has Mensa members, children, adults, grandparents and great grandparents. Geocaching members are of all races, creed, color, sexual orientation, etc. And the best part about geocaching is that healthy people can play alongside those with MS, Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, Paralysis, Downs Syndrome, lupus, Cerebal Palsey, etc.

 

Not to mention that geocaching is a global game with a large international community. No matter what country you visit, if you're a geocacher you're going to be speaking a common "language". It's an activity that builds bridges between participants of many cultures from different countries. Geocaching promotes world peace. :)

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There have been a lot of good posts about the positive aspects of geocaching and I agree with all of it. I would like to emphasize that if you have to defend yourself, either in court or just correspondance with your ex's lawyers, to de-emphasize the "treasure hunting" aspects of the game.

 

As a dad I would be concerned if I heard my kid was constantly "looking for treasure", as it could be a sign that he is being taught that one should look for the easy way through life by finding hoards of gold instead of working hard for success. Being in the know for geocaching I have absolute confidence that this is not the lesson your kids are getting, but from the 100 mile view I could see how it would be taken as a negative experience.

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I am sorry that your kids have had to move away from you.

 

It sounds like you feel a need to respond to the email.

 

I don't think that you should respond in any way unless someone is asking for an explanation of geocaching. Many folks have supplied some great information that you can use for that purpose.

 

Please be sure that you never take any action that would drag your kids into the middle of any disagreements between you and your ex. Never badmouth your ex where they can hear it.

 

You may win or lose but the kids will always lose.

 

Best of luck in a tough situation.

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What isn't to like about taking kids geocaching? Art, history, math, science, nature, ecology, writing skills, heck, the list of positive experiences is endless.

I'll just keep adding to this one, and there have been many other worthy suggestions as well:

-Planning and follow-through, goal-setting and accomplishment, navigation and map skills, IT skills (including database management and use, HTML, [got GSAK?, then SQL too], etc.), problem solving, critical thinking, and research skills, (puzzles, questions to answer, clever hides, etc.), teamwork, community involvement (do a CITO Event someday :) )...

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We're a military family, so we move frequently. Geocaching is a great incentive to get out and explore our new area. We may not cache a whole lot, but the caches we have done have taken us to some great places. We've found parks, beaches, and trails that we never would have visited if there hadn't been a cache to take us there. Good luck to you!

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It seems strange to me that of all the recreational pursuits adult men and women can pursue (golf, football, hockey, fishing, boating, camping, hunting) your ex has elected to brand the one that encompases all the above as childish. I see few caches that can be found without a car, so it is by definition a sport for mature persons. In addition to all beneficial functions listed above, there's the logistics management that goes on before you walk out the door. What supplies will i need: water, lunch, bug spray, extra socks, sunscreen, spare batteries, etc etc.

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If you have to defend "Geocaching" in a court of law, remember to point out the "irresponsible" ot "immature" people who participate in geocaching.

 

Geocaching has Police officers, firemen, doctors, lawyers, business owners, BOY SCOUTS, and likely a judge or two who participate. Geocaching has Mensa members, children, adults, grandparents and great grandparents. Geocaching members are of all races, creed, color, sexual orientation, etc. And the best part about geocaching is that healthy people can play alongside those with MS, Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, Paralysis, Downs Syndrome, lupus, Cerebal Palsey, etc.

 

Not to mention that geocaching is a global game with a large international community. No matter what country you visit, if you're a geocacher you're going to be speaking a common "language". It's an activity that builds bridges between participants of many cultures from different countries. Geocaching promotes world peace. :)

 

To add to the list, Geocaching is now an officially recognized Scouting activity with its own merit badge.

 

By the way, I noticed in your post that both her lawyer ("I just received a copy of an email from my ex's lawyer ") and your lawyer ("I notified my lawyer.. (and he).replied by saying that "no judge would approve") I found it odd that they both agreed with eachother, and that it was actually your lawyer that made that ridiculous claim about all judges. I'm sure there are even judges that are geocachers.

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If you even plan to reply to this attack, I would inform them that many organizations and recreational facilities use geocaching as part of their family focused programs. The treasure is simply one aspect of geocaching.

 

The Boy Scouts created a special website and program to celebrate their 100th birthday and geocaching's 10th.

 

The museum I work in hid several caches as part of the Take a Child Outside project.

 

Earthcaches are special geocaches with an educational focus.

 

Many US State Parks have added geocaching to their family programs. I suspect a few of your Canadian counterparts have as well.

Minnesota

Utah

Arkansas

 

Good luck, and enjoy your time with your children.

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Astounding what people will put into a letter and have a lawyer send to another lawyer.

 

Depressing to think a judge would side with turning the kids into perfect automatons rather than normal, healthy, well adjusted children with a taste for adventure.

 

Indeed a spiteful ex. I hope you get visitation and spend quality time with the kids. And record it on video if you can manage that, it's far harder to discount, or even lie to the contrary, about the children having a fun when there's visual evidence.

 

Best wishes!

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At least in my area, courts will theoretically be guided by the best interests of the child.

 

That should be easy. If my ex ever questioned me, I would point out that in the past my daughter and I have hiked and biked together in search of caches. We have followed a well-designed series of caches, up a ridge, where I might not have otherwise gotten her to hike and enjoyed an amazing view. We have discovered unique places -- for their history, beauty, and adventure -- that we continue to visit from time to time even without caching. We have learned about geology through earthcaches. We have seen a variety of wild life, from rattlesnakes in the middle of the trail trying to decide who is the taller to elk, bear, beaver, coyotes, and bobcats. We have pulled broom on the trail and practiced CITOing. We have learned about leaving no trace when in the wild and how to avoid spreading sudden oak death during our hikes. We have seen murals, WPA projects, historic lime kilns, underground railroad stations, and more through geocaching. Although she is no longer interested in the actual search for caches, she continues to come with me and we enjoy the places it takes us.

 

In one situation that I know about, the court appointed an attorney for the children to sort out disputes and a therapist to help determine their best interests. Costs were split between the parties, which tended to limit some of the issues. If the OP has to pay the costs for her lawyer, then both the lawyer and the ex will have motivation to continue to raise these issues, with caching or without caching. Perhaps the court could be persuaded to rethink that arrangement if it finds that some of the complaints are frivolous. But these situations can be painful. I would rather do the work I do defending convicted murderers than practice family law.

Edited by mulvaney
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It is apparent you have been a lousy spouse. The ex is using the kids to punish you beyond the normal court period. It doesn't matter what you come up with, the ex will find innumerable other things to hit you over the head with. Eventually the ex will convince the kids you sexually abused them and go to the cops. You haven't got a chance.

 

Can I have your stuff before the ex gets it all?

 

Not even remotely funny.

 

But true

 

Assumption based on what evidence?

 

 

based on what my brothers ex did to him

Edited by TheBeast420
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