Mumsnet Talk

as a Cub Leader, a few ideas and reassurance.

The Cubs NEVER sleep for more than 3 or 4 hours 1st night, 5am getting up is a guaruntee even if they only dropped off at 2am.

This is gonna sound crazy, but cold weather camping; the best thing to sleep in is next to nothing. Sleeping bags are designed like a radiator, they hold body heat in them which keeps u snug and toasty all night, the more layers u wear, the harder it is for ur body heat to get into the sleeping bag and if you've got more than 3 layers on it's like a freezer as it's trapped between layers so no heat on ur body and none in the sleeping bag. I always tell the Cubs to bring aq roll mat (most important as cold air sits at the lowest point if you don't have a rool mat it's like sleeping on a block of ice, a sleeping bag and a quilt and pillow, with a quilt even the thinnest cheapest summer sleeping bags will be ample for warmth.

My parents send huge suitcases full of clothes ...... next time they come with a bag half the size and bear minimum just to make sure it doesn't look like neglect, as they all know and expect now that they come back in the same clothes they went in with a bag of still neatly folded clean clothes and a wash bag that consists of soap still in packet, toothbrush unused and toothpase still with original seal on packet....trust me it wont killl them not to wash for a couple of days, and also sometimes if it's really muddy theres no point in washing and changing as within 5 minutes ur just as dirty again.

Leaders always "send" the Cubs to have a wash, brush their teeth etc. This means we;re covered if any parents are funny why we havent made them wash etc. My cubs get what i'm really saying with this as I don't go into the washrooms with them .... what the eyes don't see etc. etc. again it wont harm them for a couple of days.

we have a badger that likes to terrorise the tents on our campsite .... thankfully it's usually the mess tent so the only thing that gets injured is the packaging on the swiss roll planned for saturday dessert (I learnt to put the food on up on the table at night and not leave in in the storage box low level) but seriously most wild animals (in the u.k) would be absolutely terrified of 6 loud noisy boys making rude noises and bad smells all night so wont usually go near the tents.

Be prepared to come home with everyone elses belongings except ur sons/daughters; torches, an odd shoe and generally things that either they went with on their person or had to remove at some point (still not sure how someone managed to go home with another childs hearing aid .... thats was an awkward conversation! LOL)

MOST IMPORTANTLY rememeber that after a camp asking polite normal requests such as, packing ur schoolbag for next day, getting ur p.j's on or having a bath ready for school next day always makes you "the most mean, horrible, unfair, bossy" parent ever to have lived ..... this "bad mark on ur parenting skills" is usually lifted by Tuesday morning.

good luck and on a positive note please bear in mind ...... whilst ur at home enjoying the peace and quiet and getting a rare lie-in on a weekend, the Leaders on camp are on 24/7 duty for 20 or so children; being sleep deprived, food deprived coping with bodily fluids, awkward eaters, lots of emotions, lots of mud and wouldn't have it any other way! ;-)

I'd definitely be sleeping in a tin can with cougars on the prowl. We're off to Essex where the biggest predator is Suralan Sugar

I've tried to replicate S'mores here but digestives and cadburys are just not the same as graham crackers and hershey bars

canada.
part of me is horrified. part of me thinks no cubs have been eaten (that they are telling me) so they must know what they are doing...

we used the scout lodge last year and there were huge posters everywhere as they knew was a cougar using the area. and the park rangers turned up at 9pm to talk to the kids (sensibly) and then corral the leaders as to what action to take in the event of a sighting (carry a big stick, pick up all the children... all the children? )

i spent the entire weekend with my blood pressure going through the roof, doing head counts. and resolutely insisiting on two adults at the front, two at the back. it was like a military patrol. 'all clear'.

my main hope revolves around the fact that they might already have loads of leaders and won't want me.... <crosses fingers>

as a family we are planning on buying a trailer. somehow walls when i'm asleep seems so much safer than a bit of nylon.

Blimey madwoman. I am guessing you are not in Blighty?!
We went to Oregon last summer and DH wouldn't let us camp because of the bears.

of course we make s'mores.

two weeks until our cub camp. then it's guides and pathfinders the week after.

i am frankly terrified though. we are about to move to an area where they have (ahem) bears. cougars. wolves. etc etc.

i may have to re-think this whole camping lark.

have fun everyone!

LOL at this thread, it sounds as if your cub camp is going to be great. How funny that they play football at 5am.

I go with Guides and we never see 5am because they usually don't go to sleep till 2.

A camp blanket is a must, I have 3 on the go at the moment, one each for the Dd's and my own which I have had to start again after my original got lost.

Oh and by the way I would stick in a fleece jumper for bedtime, it can go really chilly in the middle of the night.

Good luck and have fun.

excellent!

Well done with the packing. I've got to find enough bags for all of us.

Yes, had that email - Akela has already told me in confidence that it's raft building, but don't tell the cubs!

Just finished packing - thankfully it all fits. I've just popped in an extra fleece top in case he's cold at night, but other than that it's just pjs and sleeping bag for the nights.

Stinky, at having a camp name. I don't think I had one. Have you seen the email re an activity that will result in the boys 'getting very wet'?! Looking forward to washing that bag of damp clothing!

Doodlez - good call!

PILLOW!!!

Nobody mentioned it yet! They need to take a pillow!

So you have a machine; I have to do them by hand, not so bad now, but next year when ds2 starts beavers will be a bit of a pain!!

My camp blanket was also grey and itchy! My mum made a black corduroy mole (my 'camp' name!) to sew on - blanket is prob still in her loft!

Batteryhuman - we are equipped with well-endowed camp blankets - DH has got the DC into buying souvenir patches at every possible occasion. I have taken to doing job lots by sewing machine rather than lovingly hand-stitching every badge Unfortunately the dinnerplate current camp badge has to go on the sweatshirt.

Madwoman - I'm sure my old blanket is in my parents' loft - IIRC it is grey and itchy. Do you make S'mores? Yum yum.

bigTillyMint - no, ours begins with a T. Let's hope the weather's good next weekend.

ps it is impossible to get camp-fired melted marshmallow off camp blankets.

fortunately, it comes out of their hair reasonably easily.

that will be your 'camp blanket'.

traditionally, they will gather a gazillion random badges (including all those old beaver ones they used to have) which mummies will then sew loving on anto a fleecy/ horsehair blanket, which will then be dragged through the mud to campfire, dragged back through the mud to the tent, and can be used as an extra layer if necessary.

i have three blasted children in uniformed youth (inc one cub) and have approximately 25 badges requiring my undivided attention at this time.

but the blankets will be really cool when they are mid-teens, and will keep all the nonsense together. and then when they are 30 and their 6yo manages to convince them that they need to run the brownies/ cubs, they can dig the blanket out of the attic and start adding new ones to it as an adult.

<sigh>

but yeah, sleeping bag, roll mat and trackies should do it.

I stick the massive camp badges and other dinner plate sized ones on a cheap fleece blanket that i got from a supermarket. Bingo - solved problem of extra layer and lack of space on the jumper in one fell swoop.

Are you going to the B******n camp? DS will be there!

Yes, I'll stay to watch - better bring some tissues!

See you there next week!

That's lovely! DC2 was invested as a Beaver at the last group camp. I cried, obviously! Are you going to stay for it. I'll try and remember my camera if not.

Haven't got the badge yet - ds1 is being invested at camp on Saturday, so I've been told he needs the badge sewn on for that!

Gutted about missing the 5am football though

Kbear - DS1 believes that 'proper boys don't wash' and has only scorn for those who use the showers

Stinky, you not joining us then? Poor show!

I shouldn't have mentioned that they get up at 5am, should I? Don't worry, they have the rest of half-term to sleep.

There's kit everywhere here - mine, DD's, and the boys.
And I can't fit the dinnerplates badges on the cub jumpers!

Hello . Nail struck firmly on the head, as ever! Helpful mother will be at camp but keeping a safe distance, and definitely not partaking in the traditional 5am football match.

Hi Chippy!

Ds1 is taking his season 3(?) sleeping bag and roll mat thing. Now you've got me wondering if he'll need more! I'm sure they'll be fine though - aren't we supposed to be heading for a heatwave?

I'm going through the kit list tomorrow to make sure we've got everything.

Hope you're well - have you sorted your kit yet?

Hiya Chippy,

I would think warm fleecy pjs, sleeping bag and sim would be fine. You could chuck a thermal vest in but I bet you'd find it in unused pristine cindition scrunched up at the bottom of the bag. Liners and fleece bags just won't be used properly without an anal helpful mother in situ to the arrange bedding nicely.

As Tilly says they will all be snuggled up together in their small tents keeping each other warm. My friend who is a Guide leader was telling me that despite telling the girls many many times when she takes them on guide camp to leave the vents on their tents open, and a small opening in the door for ventilation, they zip everything up as tight as they can get it.

In the mornings she said the inside of the tents are like a subtropical green house.

BigTillyMint, that's true, they are packed in like sardines.

I agree, Butterbur. Don't want to load them down with stuff that won't see the light of day. Last time DS1 wore the same clothes the entire w/e and the only bit of his wash-kit that got used was his toothbrush. I literally had to scrub him clean in the bath!

I'm probably fussing.