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

We have good kids (but who doesn't) and my son (13) carries 1 of his buddies just about evertime we go. He loves sports and plays all the time. My daughter (16) loves shopping. She is the most likely of the 2 to always want to go.

I can tell that they are not as excited as they use to be.

Did you teach them to love history and nature? If so they will want to go.

Rejoice, no kids in the woods with Ma 'n Pa.

Give them to the old witch in the gingerbread house.

Mark Twain: "When children are born, put them into a 5 ft. square wooden box with large holes in the sides ...................... When they become teenagers ......... plug up the holes"

As a host I watched this scenario evolve when these folks were parked right across the street from us:

Recently I observed a set of grandparents bring their two grandkids aged about 10 and 12, camping for two weeks. They allowed NO electronics! The girls rode their bikes, filed out coloring books and made frequent fishing trips with grandpa.

On the last day, I struck up a conversation with the kids and asked them if they had a good time. They responded that they had a great time even without their “toys.”

It did my heart good to see this rather than a teenager walking around the park with their phone in the air complaining:"I can't even text!"

"Shut up and get in the car"' worked for my parents and we had 6 kids. I was a little luckier as my 2 girls always wanted to go along on family trips. Now they invite us to go with their families.

downtheroad wrote:
Tell them, "Tough pickles, this is what we are going to do."
That's what my folks told me when I didn't want to go on a family activity.

As soon as they get a job and start supporting themselves, then they can go their own way. For now, you are paying the freight so you get to decide where the freight goes.

My dad always said "Apply the Golden Rule"... "Whoever brings in the gold, makes the rules!"

I am 45, and we do nothing together, partly because of that attitude. Don't get me wrong, I love and respect him, we just do nothing together.
We did what he wanted and that was that.

Right now my kids love to camp, they don't like the same things I like, and we try to mix it up. It's their vacation too. I dread the day they don't want to go.

OP: good luck with the kids. I am sure you will make good choices because you're seeking advice.

I threw them the keys to the boat we had. That worked for quite a number of years.

Campinghoss@51 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
I rejoiced.
bumpy

Me too, Hallelujah

Same here, life began when the children left home. Now the grandkids camp with us.