Wife is not a fan of camping
Let's see, last year my wife and I decided to buy a travel trailer. Spent some time shopping around and finally found the right one. Before closing the deal I asked her if she was going to use it with...
Forum Discussion
As someone married for 35 years, I can tell that OP and DW will do just fine -- DW is not afraid to speak her mind, and OP is interested in keeping her happy. Both are key marital skills!
Now, back to the important stuff: camping. DW and I love camping together. But we did not love camping (or any effortful travel) when our kids were small. Too much work. The kids had all the fun, and we did all the grunt work. We figured it out after a while and just took less-ambitious vacations.
Then the kids turned into surly teen-agers, and nobody wanted to spend much time together. We put the kids into sleep-away camps (which they loved) and we went on bike tours (which we loved).
Now the kids are grown. Empty nest time! Camping is a breeze, a delight -- we work together on the prep, on the camping chores, on the unpacking. Plus, the utter privacy is a luxury, after all of those years with the kids breathing down our necks. We love the kids, but that was then and this is now.
In light of my own painful experience, here is my advice to the OP: dial it way back till the the kids are old enough to help. Even then, make darn sure that DW does not bear a disproportionate burden. Delaying a dream is not the same thing as killing a dream.
Now, back to the important stuff: camping. DW and I love camping together. But we did not love camping (or any effortful travel) when our kids were small. Too much work. The kids had all the fun, and we did all the grunt work. We figured it out after a while and just took less-ambitious vacations.
Then the kids turned into surly teen-agers, and nobody wanted to spend much time together. We put the kids into sleep-away camps (which they loved) and we went on bike tours (which we loved).
Now the kids are grown. Empty nest time! Camping is a breeze, a delight -- we work together on the prep, on the camping chores, on the unpacking. Plus, the utter privacy is a luxury, after all of those years with the kids breathing down our necks. We love the kids, but that was then and this is now.
In light of my own painful experience, here is my advice to the OP: dial it way back till the the kids are old enough to help. Even then, make darn sure that DW does not bear a disproportionate burden. Delaying a dream is not the same thing as killing a dream.
