As a parent, I’m very interested in teaching our kids important life lessons – like ‘treat other people the way you want to be treated’.  Sometimes the lack of noticeable progress can be quite frustrating, and other times they clearly demonstrate that something has sunk in (even if it’s only briefly).

This past summer we visited Lake Tekapo for a few days, and I wanted to share one moment with you. Even although the lake water is quite cold due to the glacier runoff, I took the kids for a swim at a spot where the water was supposedly a little warmer. While there, they found a large concrete block some distance from the shore on which to sun themselves warm after getting sufficiently cold playing in the water. I snapped this photo while they were relaxing, sharing a snack, and soaking up the warmth of the sun. It seemed to capture a glimpse of the positive sibling bond that can be shared between brothers and sister – as opposed to sibling rivalry which is much, much more common.

It would be nice if they could have more of these moments of friendship and cooperation, even throughout the teenage years.  I am posting the photo as a reminder to myself that there’s always hope.

Lake Tekapo is one of our favorite places to visit, just 2.5 hours from Christchurch.  It’s beautiful, peaceful and the perfect place for a holiday.  We rented a cottage right on the lake and it was wonderful to wake up to the incredible lake and mountain view each morning.  The kids could just walk across the street and toss rocks in the lake to their hearts content.  We don’t use filters on any of our photos – it’s really this bright blue. This particular trip was one of our first of many.

Dad’s Recommendation:
Don’t give up on an adventure just because the water is too cold, or some other seemingly unpleasant impediment … something surprising may happen as a result.

Travel Tip:
Lake Tekapo is becoming more and more popular for both ‘locals’ and tourists.  We recommend booking well in advance of your stop here.  We had many more weekend visits to Lake Tekapo and will wright more articles about that soon.  This is one of our Top Ten places to visit on your travels to New Zealand.  Contact us for more insider tips.