What did you do when teenagers no longer want to camp?

2112-a complaining ally.

I love it!

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.

We let the oldest bring a friend until she landed a job her senior year. Then she's off to college and the middle one brought her friend. Then she's off to college so the youngest brought his friend. Now he's off to college and we don't have to listen to it anymore :)

The girls really enjoyed camping but not my son. He would bring a friend so he could have a complaining ally.

"What did you do when teenagers no longer want to camp?"

Leave them a couple frozen dinners, pack the camper (including a nice bottle of wine or three) and tell the kids you'll see them Sunday night!!

Have I mentioned how lucky I am? My 17-year old daughter loves to go camping! She's already trying to figure out how to get a second vacation next year because my parents are taking us to Disney World for her graduation present next year and staying at the DVC. She wants to get our week at Galveston! Now granted, I've never banned her phone, computer or TV. She has some medical issues that makes a lot of physical activity really tough so we do hang out a lot in our trailer or my parents trailer. But, when dad or I say it's time to go or do, she goes willingly. Plus she loves to hunt with dad. So I consider us extremely lucky.

Well when my daughter was 14, she decided she wanted to go to France (Well she was 13 at the time) so we got her a part time job.. She saved her pennies from that and she went to france.. At 16 she got a car (And kept working) at 17 she paid her own way to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, And a Flute Master Class (Erv Monroe) at 18 Blue Lake International and another master class, This one (Jeanne Backstresser) at Juliard.

I might add, The only drugs she does are those properly prescribed by a licensed physician (or over the counter headache stuff), she does not smoke, and drinks in very small quantities if at all.

She does, however, Play flute like you won't believe less you hear her.

We planned a kid day in the first few days and then another in the middle of the trip and one more toward the end of the trip. And the boy knew that if he saw something he was interested in if at all possible we would stop for that.
Some examples renting a jet ski for the day, zip lines, shooting range, the arcade/water park/ go kart track that was next to our campsite. We changed our route once so that we could go to the Dr. Pepper Museum.
:W Lots of these activities then gave us some kid free time.
We also called the cab over bed his cave he had all of his electronics up there and he was never told to pick it up clean it or straighten it up till we got home.

Go where they want to go and let them bring a friend.

We tent camped and Bryce was the last trip we made with the DDs. We started going to San Diego and other beach town and they each took a friend. They were happy their friemds were happy and I didn't have to set up the tent. Later we started going to Mammoth Lakes and bought a home there, still have it and we spend a lot more time in the MoHo than the condo. Had a beach front home for awhile on the central coast of Oregon. Sold that and bought the RV. Now the DGKs camp with us and once with parents, DGS camps a lot with scouts, DGD occationally. Kids did say when in their mid twenties that they loved camping and sorry it ended. Eldest DD's husband won't even travel and go to 5* hotels. Sad for both DDs.

When our girls hit their teens and going camping suddenly became something similar to contracting the bubonic plague, we sold the RV and took a 10+ year hiatus.

Once they were out of the nest, we bought a much nicer camper and haven't looked back since.

Some battles aren't worth fighting. :)