My name is Ted O'Brien and I live in Auburn, Maine. I have lived in this area for a little over six years, coming here from Jackman, Maine via Rangeley. My parents moved to Jackman in 1975 when I was five years old. I grew up there, learning all about camping, canoeing, hunting, and fishing. When I was nine years old, my father and I went on the Moose River Bow Trip for the first time. That's all it took to get me hooked on canoeing. I made the trip numerous times as a child, making my first solo trip at fifteen. Back then, there were no signs to help paddlers find the portage. You had to know where the turns were.

At eighteen, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. I served for five years, receiving my Honorable Discharge in April 1993. My immediate goal was to get my Maine Guide's license and make my living by introducing people to the area and activities I loved best...canoeing and camping.

Unfortunately, like so many of us, life got in the way of my aspirations. I was able to go on canoe trips by myself or with friends and family, but I had too many obligations and had to have a "real" job.

When my son Glenn was born in 2000, I decided I would include him in my trips. I felt there was no reason I couldn't take him along with me as long as I was prepared for everything. When he was six months old, I took him, my two stepsons aged seven and eight (at the time), and my black lab and we took a boat across Big Wood Lake in Jackman. We stayed in a tent on the shore for three days. After the trip was over, I realized that I had no more difficulty than if we were home. I also realized I was much happier being out in the woods rather than home and the older boys had a great time exploring and learning (without even realizing it).

In September of 2001, I took Glenn on the Moose River Bow Trip for the first time. We did the complete "bow", starting and ending at my father's house on Big Wood Lake in Jackman. For those of you familar with this trip, yup, I took a toddler across the long portage all by myself. Since that time, he has done the trip seven times (although all seven have been the "modified" Bow Trip that avoids the mile and a half portage). By this time, I was settled enough that I started to think about my original life goals...being a Maine Guide. I decided that I just needed to do it because life sure wasn't waiting for me.

I looked into taking the Guide's test in the fall of 2003 and found out the format had changed since I had started the process ten years before.

Following the advice of friends (who had their Guide's licenses), I enrolled in a Guide's school even though I thought it unecessary. Upon completion of the course, I realized that taking the course was the best thing I could have done. There is no replacement for experience, and everybody at the school, instructors and students alike, brought tons of experience with them. In December of 2003, I passed the oral and written tests and received my Maine Guide's license for hunting, fishing, and recreation.

Conventional wisdom says for newly licensed guides to work for established outfitters at first. Since I'm anything but conventional, I decided to start my own part time guiding business.

Over the past six years I have learned an amazing amount about camping with children. My son and stepsons have been willing participants in my learning process. Things haven't always gone as planned, but we've always had fun.

One thing I learned quickly was that kids don't care if your plan isn't working as long as they are happy. The biggest thing for parents to be is adaptable. If you get stressed out, then they will too, and no one has any fun.

Taking the time to slow down and see things through a child's eyes is an wonderful experience. I invite you and your family to come with me and experience life through your child's eyes.....I'll do the cooking :)