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Our Story

Adventure Boy

This is all a bit new and daunting truth be told. It isn’t half scary ‘putting yourself out there’. But as I was reminded this week, sometimes you just have to put your big girls pants on and get on with it. *No pictures of said big girls pants to be included.

So in that spirit, it felt right that the first proper blog post should really share our story; who we are and where Adventure Boy has come from.

So this is our little corner of chaos in the world that is being parents to boys (nervous laughter…) We are Gary and Emma, Designer and Teacher, Husband and Wife, parents to our own little Adventure Boys Henry and Ralph. Enjoying life in beautiful South Devon, often to be found at the beach or in the woods, or collecting spiders. And really, feeling very lucky that our parents decided all those moons ago that the South West was where they should settle and raise children, as it has meant we now get to do the same. Don’t get me wrong, we have travelled widely across Europe (in itself totally awe inspiring) and have lived in other parts of the UK, most specifically Nottingham, where we spent 6 awesome years. But South Devon is now well and truly home, and being able to sit beside the sea is about as good as it gets in my mind, especially if it involves chips with too much salt and vinegar. And this is our Adventure Boy Story.

Our Story
This is us! Parents of Adventure Boys

We have watched our boys as they have grown and continue to grow (they are still quite small, although the eldest might disagree. He is 7 and being 7 is very serious and important)… as they have climbed (always with the climbing right?!), as they’ve headed straight for danger, as they have hurtled down hills, jumped in waves, placed anything and everything in their mouths, collected bugs, watched the stars, squealed with delight at butterflies, hidden under their beds…and it has stopped us in our tracks time and time again…

These little adventure boys have taught us this: The world is big and scary in so many ways. Exciting too though. There is soooo much to learn and discover. But at the very same time it is quite small; it is right here and it is within our grasp. We can touch it. We can feel it, we can take our shoes off in winter and sense it, we can taste it (well maybe not everything boys eh?…) The world is in our hands. If we dare to grasp it.

I think we forget that a bit when we grow up. Babies and children definitely grasp it. Little boys and girls take hold of everything they can and then some, or so is my experience. We love that our boys exist in that world; where everything is possible and everything is for the taking, that world which is both big and small. Wondrous and awe-inspiring, yet accessible and real. We want them always to be inspired, wild and free. And we want to surround them with that notion and that sense of adventure, adventure in both the biggest and smallest sense. Really I guess it is all about this… Do what you love, always look for fun and adventure, explore every turn… “Don’t ever stop adventuring boys”.

Our Story
The 3 Adventure Boys

I know that you will feel the same. We want to raise boys who smile, boys who talk openly, boys who care. Boys who want to go out and do something. I have despaired at times at the frankly vomit inducing sea of baby blue in stores. At the “boys like trucks, tools and dinosaurs” mantra that is force fed to us all in pretty much every bloody shop you walk in. And like those things they might. We have no problem with that. Any child can like trucks, tools and dinosaurs of course. But any child might also like walking in the woods, birds with pretty coloured feathers, building sandcastles, climbing mountains, writing stories, taking care of their cuddly toys, playing dress up, pretending to be a chef. Christ they could do anything. They don’t have to grow up with a saw in one hand and a dumper truck in the other. I hasten to add both saws and dumper trucks are to be found in our toy box, but you get my point.

We, having become parents to two boys, have just found it so impossibly dull and uninspiring. I don’t want to dress my boys in clothes that say “strong like Daddy” or have a sodding front loader on it, or only put up posters and wallpaper with super heroes and overly cheerful, think they can fix anything, builders on them in their rooms. I am not saying any of this is bad. But it is pretty limited. Can’t we think a bit beyond that?

Well it got us thinking any way. And I guess Adventure Boy has been the result; a place for like minded parents, with little adventure sidekicks, looking for just a bit more, well, adventure really. A bit more ‘real’, a bit more passion, excitement and inspiration, for a growing breed of little men, and women. So its about sharing ideas, thoughts and general musings, and its about design and inspiration – giving them a new mantra as they grow, that anything is possible, be it mountain, space or sea.

Oh and tidying up after your adventures – that’s always welcome too. (You can live in hope right?) Apparently being an adventurer is very chaotic and extremely messy…

Until next time, happy adventuring,

Emma, Gary and two little Adventure Boys x

Our Story
Team Adventure

1 thought on “Our Story”

  1. Awesome blog from an amazing family, my family who I am so very proud of them , they give me so much joy and happiness and I love them beyond any words , good luck with this blog although ur mum has no idea what a blog is lol but willing to learn ? but I can’t wait to read more about their dreams , their memories their days with my wonderful grandsons well done guys love u much x

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Adventure Boy

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Happy Adventuring!  Emma and the Adventure Boys xx