Next month we’re taking our first family camping trip. Philip (hubby) and Aidan (age 12) are experienced campers, but the younger children and I have never camped. I would like my children to have fond memories of enjoying the great outdoors on family camping trips.

When I think of my children camping, I imagine them springing through fields of long grass and flowers, with butterflies dancing about their little heads. But I must be honest . . . When I think of myself camping, I imagine a bear springing through the grass and flowers . . .chasing me!  This is another example of the way in which my children help me face my fears and discomforts.  On we go to our big trip next month!

We purchased a very large tent (15′ by 17′) with three internal rooms.  All the family camping guides recommend practicing setting up the tent before camping to avoid 3 a.m. disasters of flying poles and puddles of tears.  So we gave it a go over the weekend!

Success after a few hours.  Hopefully it’ll be faster on our real trip!  Now we’re researching camping stoves and sleeping bags.  I think we should test those, too!

The older kids and Philip slept in the tent overnight. I fully expected droopy-eyed kids to make their way back in the house and into their warm beds in the middle of the night, but they made it all night. When Philip asked Dominic (age 5) in the morning whether he liked sleeping in the tent he said, “I don’t know. I was sleeping.”  🙂