Putting the kids on the floor???

[tragusa3]

We've really enjoyed our 15BH. It's tiny, and we haven't minded. Local weekends and short trips are fine. It was a little cramped for our 42 day trip this past summer, but not miserable.

That said, we are ready to move up a bit in size. We really like the 22RB models with U dinette slide-out.

I feel like the bunks have more cons than pros. First, the kids are growing like weeds and already touch the walls head to toe (they're only 10). Second, the bunks are wasted space when not sleeping, and in a smallish trailer, that's a large portion of real estate. Lastly, as the kids get older, they like sleeping on the couch and floor, even when home.

So here's the question: What do you think about a family of 4 buying a trailer with no beds for kids? I'm thinking that with a slide out dinette, there is enough floor space for kids in sleeping bags. If the weather is ideal, they might even be in a tent. We could always fall back on converting the dinette if they had to have it.

Why? because the floor-plans have such better living space without bunks, and I can see that we're 7-8 years from not having the kids all the time.

Anyone out there putting the kids on the floor? How's it working for you?

[EcoBullet]

tragusa3 wrote:
Doing all our last minute researching and thinking, but will likely end up with a Forest River Surveyor 245BHS by the end of the week.

That looks like it would be a great floorplan for your needs, very similar to the Passport 2400BH I suggested via PM. Your truck will handle it easily, and the boys will each have their own space, and should even be able to watch TV from there. Since they are only about 10, you've got a lot of years left to camp with them. Whenever they quit, Craig's list apparently works well for you.

[jbrowning]

My kids liked sleeping on the floor of the trailer when they were little. Then when they got enough they got their own tent to sleep in, unless the weather got bad then they came back inside for the night.

Jim

[michigansandzil]

Looks great! Love the dinette.

Our outside fridge is small like that and once we figured it out, it's really not a problem for our family of 5. We refill it every night before bed, the drinks are super cold by the am, and it fits enough to last our family the entire day.

Good call on the bunkhouse. Even if the kids don't sleep in it, you can store their stuff up there or even their linen from sleeping elsewhere.

[tragusa3]

Boy are we exhausted! Drove to the Atlanta area yesterday to shop as many different brands as we could. Today, we shopped our local dealers with a fresh eye.

All of this discussion, and me being so sure that we would not have bunks...and our front runner is a bunk model.

Doing all our last minute researching and thinking, but will likely end up with a Forest River Surveyor 245BHS by the end of the week. It meets every desire except for the outdoor kitchen being a shorty, and not happy with the seams on the front cap.

Any comments are welcomed.

Forest River Floorplan

Only video I could find on it.

[spike99]

Ask the kids where they want to sleep. And factor in if they only have a few remaining years until age 16+ (when camping with mom/dad is uncool). One couple I know had a trailer with bunks. After their kids NO longer wanted to camp with them, they gutted (removed) the bunks and created a large closet. His clothes go into the bed's end tables. Her clothes go into their new large size closet. re: Open space with horizontal rod and white wire mesh shelf above the rod. Very low cost closet. And best of all, they can easily convert back to bunks - when they sell the trailer later on. This works for them...

[michigansandzil]

tragusa3 wrote:
SOLD! Cash in hand and going out shopping tomorrow! Things have gotten real up in here.

Fantastic!!
Now go get a new one to make memories in. Don't go cheap. You camp so much and take such great enjoyment in it, that you can justify the expense.

Happy shopping!

[tragusa3]

SOLD! Cash in hand and going out shopping tomorrow! Things have gotten real up in here.

[tragusa3]

We've discussed security at length. Our boys are 10, and pretty young in experience. We would have them on the floor of the trailer (or dinette) for at least another 2 years.

When they do start to tent camp: It's fair to say that 75% of the time that we camp, we have no electric and have windows and doors open anyway. For the other times, we discussed 2 way radios. We also have a German Shepherd that would alert when necessary.

I'm sure we'd camp places that we wouldn't feel comfortable (or have the time), in which case, they find a spot in the trailer. They'd only tent in ideal conditions.

By the way, our current trailer was on Craigslist or a week and I'm fairly confident the buyer is coming tomorrow evening. If it does sell, it was faster than expected. We're sitting here tonight a little emotional about that tin can. It's been a source of so much enjoyment. Now you guys need to keep me from going cheap on the next one. I tend to be penny foolish.

[michigansandzil]

Doug33 wrote:
For those of you that put your kids in a tent, do you have any security issues?

I've let my kids tent camp next to the TT before. Security issues? I left the porch light on and the door unlocked. 😉

I think this would have to be decided on an individual basis. Age and responsibility of each child would be considered. Not to mention that it would have to be a buddy system tent experience. No kid sleeping solo out there.

I think overall, it's good for them. We are a generation of helicopter parents and kids today need a bit more separation to figure things out on their own.

[toedtoes]

I think it depends on the ages of the kids, the number of kids, and the campground itself.

Kids all under 10, I wouldn't do it - but they wouldn't be too big for or uncomfortable in the RV bunks. Teens I'd be ok with if there were at least 2 and they weren't problem kids. But I'd leave the RV door unlocked so they could come inside if needed/desired. I probably wouldn't put one teen and one or more pre-teens in a tent - because if anything happened to any of the younger ones, that's a lot of guilt on the teen. If there were at least 2 teens in the group, then I would be OK.

The type of campers, seclusion of campsites, occupancy, distance from interstates, etc. Would factor in also.

[CavemanCharlie]

Doug33 wrote:
For those of you that put your kids in a tent, do you have any security issues? I can see if I was also out there in tent near them, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if I'm locked up in the TT, I wonder if it is a potential security issue for the kids, especially if they are young. When our family used to camp in a PU, I got worried a few times when people were walking around the CG late at night right past my PU beds.

When I was young we all camped in tents, so it really wasn't an issue. But can you hear/see what is going on if your kids are outside by themselves? I know most CGs are safe, but some don't have security gates or staff.

Where I'm at you don't need security gates or staff. That being said you do bring up a valid concern.

The kids in the tent could have two way radios, horns, sirens, bright lights , etc to use in a emergency.

I suppose it would also be possible to rig up some sort of security light that would turn on if anyone came onto the camp site. That light could even activate a light or horn inside the TT to wake the parents.

In this day and age it is something to think about. In my area I wouldn't loose sleep over it though.

[Doug33]

For those of you that put your kids in a tent, do you have any security issues? I can see if I was also out there in tent near them, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if I'm locked up in the TT, I wonder if it is a potential security issue for the kids, especially if they are young. When our family used to camp in a PU, I got worried a few times when people were walking around the CG late at night right past my PU beds.

When I was young we all camped in tents, so it really wasn't an issue. But can you hear/see what is going on if your kids are outside by themselves? I know most CGs are safe, but some don't have security gates or staff.

[doxiluvr]

I think most of the bunks are at least 74" long. Our first camper had 2 bunks and sometimes I would even sleep in the lower one if my husband was snoring too bad. And I used the top bunk for storage unless our 2 grandkids were there. If you didn't want bunks maybe you could use the sleeper sofa and/or the dinette. We don't have bunks anymore but occasionally one or two of our adult kids will spend a nite. The tallest one (6 ft.) actually prefers the dinette. A lot of RV parks don't allow tents but if you are in a state park you could probably do the tent thing. I would prefer to have the kids indoors though. Maybe you should think of getting a little bit longer trailer so to have a sleeper sofa also.

[Naio]

When I was a kid and we stayed at hotels or motels, I would get out of the bed and sleep on the floor, by preference. If it was clean :).

Most of my adult life I have had my mattress on the floor in my S&B. In middle age, I find it's important to get down onto the floor and up off it at least once a day, or it becomes difficult!

There's a cultural aspect to this too: What will their friends think? If people around them think that sleeping on the floor is bad (dirty, low-class, a sign of child neglect, whatever) that will matter. Where I live, it's seen as more of a fancy and/or asian thing, if anything.