Like most kids, Eli likes Dora the Explorer. There is an episode where they go blueberry picking and encounter a bear. When they see the bear they run away and then row across the “icy cold river” until the bear gives up because he is too cold.
Having camped in bear country with the kids, we have discussed how to behave and some do's and don'ts. One of the things to keep in mind is that when encountering a bear you don't run. Running will only elicit a chase and bears are fast; way faster than a little kid and a monkey wearing boots.
I know that most kids will never encounter a bear or even be in a situation where they could, but Eli keeps asking me why Dora ran away from the bear since he knows you're not supposed to. He will randomly look at me and ask “Papa, why did Dora run from the bear?” Usually the ensuing conversation is followed by Eli affirming that he likes blueberries and asking if I like blueberries.
When we were talking about back-country stuff before our trip, trying to explain a bear bag was pretty tough. Eli kept asking questions like “So we put our food in the bag and give it to the bears?” and “We pick berries and feed them to bears?” Once he saw the bear bag in action he got it though. I am glad that he is able to know that the TV show is wrong, and that it isn't reinforcing a bad behavior.
It is amazing on what kids pick up, piece together, and remember.
On a side note, the same advice is true for encountering humans. When encountering a human, a bear should not run for fear that the human might make chase. My father once chased down a bear that was dragging off his backpack. He still has that pack, teeth holes and all; it came in handy for scaring young Boy Scouts.
