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 me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use. She said that she loved camping as a kid and we should do it. So we bought it. We've taken two trips in it and then moved it to Houston. Now it sits in storage and every time I bring up camping I get my head ripped off and have to sleep on the couch. My question is should I just sell the camper or do you think she might come around?

tankgod82 wrote: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 me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use. She said that she loved camping as a kid and we should do it. So we bought it. We've taken two trips in it and then moved it to Houston. Now it sits in storage and every time I bring up camping I get my head ripped off and have to sleep on the couch. My question is should I just sell the camper or do you think she might come around?Take the dog and go camping...and leave the wife at home ??? :)

If you love to camp, hook it up and go by yourself. I'd rather be sitting out under the stars in a chair then sleeping on the couch. She'll either come around of you'll have some quite nights sitting out under the stars.

gmw photos wrote:tankgod82 wrote: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 me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use. She said that she loved camping as a kid and we should do it. So we bought it. We've taken two trips in it and then moved it to Houston. Now it sits in storage and every time I bring up camping I get my head ripped off and have to sleep on the couch. My question is should I just sell the camper or do you think she might come around?Take the dog and go camping...and leave the wife at home ??? :)That is exactly what I would do. All my wife asked for was a toilet. If I have that, she will go.

I am no counselor and it sounds like this is a ongoing issue and counseling is what is needed more than camping…

JJBIRISH wrote:I am no counselor and it sounds like this is a ongoing issue and counseling is what is needed more than camping…You are probably correct. Since none of us know exactly what the situation is, we are only guessing. Having said that, for me, I would go camping. I don't want to see the OP come home with nothing left when he gets back so he needs to work things out. What works for me, may not work for him.Good luck,

Wife is not a fan of camping | Good Sam Community

MM49
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
Just take a girlfriend that likes camping.
MM49
Bucky_Badger
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
Gdetrailer wrote:
tankgod82 wrote:
PatStab wrote:
Before closing the deal I asked her if she was going to use it with me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use.

This sounds like you have had this problem before? May I ask what seems to be the problem? And how old are you 2?

I am 31. She is 28. Not sure what the problem is. She says we don't have time for it. Every weekend is filled. Usually with her favorite thing to do...shopping...lol. Going alone won't work. If I do that then I am selfish. I love this woman and may have to get rid of my camping dreams and try it after the kids are older.

Rather sad post.

The camper/camping is a sore spot to her and her busy shopping weekends are a sign that there is continued trouble which is not going away unless some common ground is found.

Folks have made lots of jokes about this (it isn't a time for jokes, the OP has a very serious issue at hand) and even posted very selfish go and camp without her suggestions (following that advice is a sure fire way to quickly end up in divorce court :E ).

You can't force her to like camping (or whatever is the heart of dislikes) and just camping by yourself will send very bad wrong signals to her.

.

umm yeah, so the op goes shopping and holds her purse...or sits there in the mall on a bench...screw that
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Oct 13, 2013
tankgod82 wrote:
PatStab wrote:
Before closing the deal I asked her if she was going to use it with me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use.

This sounds like you have had this problem before? May I ask what seems to be the problem? And how old are you 2?

I am 31. She is 28. Not sure what the problem is. She says we don't have time for it. Every weekend is filled. Usually with her favorite thing to do...shopping...lol. Going alone won't work. If I do that then I am selfish. I love this woman and may have to get rid of my camping dreams and try it after the kids are older.

Rather sad post.

A marriage takes TWO people working together, sharing together towards a common goal. My DW and I have done many things together, gutted our house and completely redid it working side by side (she still kids me about dropping a drywall panel on her head :S ).

The camper/camping is a sore spot to her and her busy shopping weekends are a sign that there is continued trouble which is not going away unless some common ground is found.

Folks have made lots of jokes about this (it isn't a time for jokes, the OP has a very serious issue at hand) and even posted very selfish go and camp without her suggestions (following that advice is a sure fire way to quickly end up in divorce court :E ).

You can't force her to like camping (or whatever is the heart of dislikes) and just camping by yourself will send very bad wrong signals to her.

This forum (or any other open forum) is not really a good place to air issues like this. Instead it would be better for the OP to seek counseling at a local place.
Merrykalia
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
I say, go by yourself and have a great time. If you don't like to camp alone, join a camping group in your area and camp with them.

We just returned from a 3-night trip to a park about 2 hours from home. We were with a camping group and there were 7 camping units containing 11 adults and 9 kids. Two of the units were men that are married, but their wives refuse to go with them. One of these men has 3 kids that camp with him. Another is a single guy with a big ol 5'er. The rest of us are assorted married folks, some with kids, some without. We have a great time and although we would like to have the spouses attend with the husbands, we know that's just not in the cards. Occasionally, if we are camping close to their home, the wife will come and eat dinner with the group, then go home.

We have a great time and usually have one big dinner where everybody brings their own burgers or dogs, drinks and a side and we share. We usually have a campfire at the site that has the biggest area.

So, back to the question at hand.....CAMP ON! If she wants to accompany you, that's her choice or not!
RetSgt7114
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
Happy Wife = Happy Life :)
Wife in Strife = Miserable Life :(
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
I re-read some of these posts and just read the new one. Suggestion! If your wife likes to shop, plan a trip to the Mall of America in Minnesota! Take a few thousand dollars she can spend, and she'll probably never want to come home! :)
jjjandrbaker
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
I've been on 30 camping trips since buying my trailer in February of 2012. To date, my wife has gone on one of those trips, only because our son was in a band contest, and we were using the trailer as our hotel. She came back with friends after spending the only night she ever spent in the trailer. The only difference for me? I knew that she was not planning on joining me when I bought it. It is my towable man cave.
Bucky_Badger
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
tankgod82 wrote:
PatStab wrote:
Before closing the deal I asked her if she was going to use it with me or if it was gonna be another thing we throw money at and never use.

This sounds like you have had this problem before? May I ask what seems to be the problem? And how old are you 2?

I am 31. She is 28. Not sure what the problem is. She says we don't have time for it. Every weekend is filled. Usually with her favorite thing to do...shopping...lol. Going alone won't work. If I do that then I am selfish. I love this woman and may have to get rid of my camping dreams and try it after the kids are older.

So she likes to do what she wants and not what you want...You my friend aren't the selfish one.

My GF is a nice day camper...If the weather isn't perfect, she won't go...She always lets me go if I want.

Looks like you 2 need to sit down and have a serious talk
AprilWhine
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
JJBIRISH wrote:
I am no counselor and it sounds like this is a ongoing issue and counseling is what is needed more than camping…

Seems to me you either need a new hobby or a new wife.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2013
There are a lot of things in life that sound wonderful but don't always work out that way. Camping is one of those things. We started out small, short and cheap to decide IF we liked it before we bought the big rig.

I'd say ask her and see if there isn't something you can do to make it so she would like to go but in doing so you may hear that she just doesn't like it and there is nothing you can do.