Forum Discussion
cruising_spud
Sep 08, 2013Explorer II
We didn't start camping until our two oldest were out of the house, and our youngest was ten, so I only have experience with one daughter, but what I found.... anytime we went on a "real" vacation (the fun trips to Yellowstone, Disney, you get my drift), our daughter was ready to go (she still is). But, it was those week-end get-aways we did (camped fairly close to home, maybe went a place or two, but mostly just relaxed), that she never liked. When she was twelve/thirteen, if she could bring a friend, she was fine. As she got older, she came, slept late, used electronics, and acted polite and civil. So, life was good.
To me-the "real" family vacations were about all of us, what we all wanted to do, but the week-end get-aways were mostly for my husband and myself. So, what was I going to do? Force her to play twenty games of Uno, read and nap the afternoon away in a lounge chair under a tree while acorns dropped on her head? Why should I? And, don't get me wrong. It's not like she absolutely did nothing with us on those week-ends. She ate with us, roasted marshmallows, took a walk with us.
Why would I want to get into a power struggle with my daughter, insisting that she "enjoy the outdoors" when she didn't want to.
My opinion, there are enough issues in life that can rip your gut up without fussing about a camping trip.
To me-the "real" family vacations were about all of us, what we all wanted to do, but the week-end get-aways were mostly for my husband and myself. So, what was I going to do? Force her to play twenty games of Uno, read and nap the afternoon away in a lounge chair under a tree while acorns dropped on her head? Why should I? And, don't get me wrong. It's not like she absolutely did nothing with us on those week-ends. She ate with us, roasted marshmallows, took a walk with us.
Why would I want to get into a power struggle with my daughter, insisting that she "enjoy the outdoors" when she didn't want to.
My opinion, there are enough issues in life that can rip your gut up without fussing about a camping trip.
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