I've lost my love of camping with the pop-up

DutchmenSport wrote:

lizzie wrote:
Lots of good suggestions here but I amazed that anyone with children aged 13,13, and 10, has to do anything but drive the tow vehicle and pay the bills. You should be backing the pop-up into the campsite and then going for a walk. Come back in awhile, after they are all set up, and help them make dinner. lizzie

Sometimes folks don't WANT to let go for a number of reasons. 1) underestimate the ability of their kids. 2) Parents are control freeks and rather than letting kids grow up, they do everything for them instead. 3) The owner of the camper may feel he is the ONLY one that can set it up right, without breaking anything. 4) Sometimes parents just don't have the patients to work with their kids, so they ship them off as fast as possible .... the bicycles. Unload them, kids gone! Now dad has to do it all himself. He's actually less stressed with the kids occupied with something else, leaving him alone.

At one time or another in my lifetime, I have responded to my own 2 kids like one of these or another. (and unfortunately, have the same inpatients with my 4 grandchildren now too). The end result is total exhaustion and the fun and thrill of the moment get's swallowed up in frustration, and the question, "why am I doing all this work when I get nothing out of it."

It's hard to let go and let someone else take control of a situation! But if you do, the end result is good. You have the joy of seeing your kids grow, develop, and mature into responsible adults, not held back as babies that grow up expecting everyone to hand them everything on a silver platter.

Wow, DutchmenSport!!! How insight full. I think every parent could see themselves in this post. I know I do. Sometimes it was just easier to do things yourself.
I am one of 4 (2boys and 2girls). We started camping at around 6 years of age. Went through 3 tents and a PUP before Mom and Dad bought their first TT. We all had our jobs packing, setting up, tearing down and unloading. Of course we went camping almost every weekend from May to August. Great memories.
Op'er, I don't know if it would be worth it for 1 trip a year. Only you can decide that. My parents are both gone now but I fondly remember our camping trips. All my siblings still camp as do my kids (34 and 32 years old).
I could go on rambling but will stop here. Hope the OP'er gets his love of camping back.
Good luck and Happy Camping, John