... to think this is very sad (re: screen time)

[Contraryish]

My 10 yo son is a Scout within a group of about 30-40 (mostly) boys and (a few) girls aged between 10.5 and 12.5. Last weekend, he went away on camp, under canvas, with lots of fun outdoor activities, campfire cooking and plenty of mud!

Only 12 children out of the whole group signed up for the camp. The others, allegedly, 'would rather be home on their X-boxes'. At least one child was sent against his wishes and spent two days grumbling about missing his X-boxes and other assorted electrical devices.

Now I acknowledge this is second hand information via a ten year-old child and therefore not the most reliable of sources. But don't you think it's really sad that we are raising a generation that, by and large, prefers virtual activity to real-life adventure?

I don't think it's sad. You only know they can think of better things to do in January, not that they hate all stuff like this all year. So can I! I mean it's great that it's available for those that want it but you'd not get me in a tent in this weather!

Agree Contraryish. Facing similar issues with my DS.

No advice but I share your ness

Yes I totally agree. It is very sad. I hope your son had fun

Camp in January!

Brave

I love to camp, but even I draw the line at January.

Maybe the children were just making excuses rather than say they would prefer not to freeze for a weekend.

I cannot imagine anything worse than camping in January. I would have moaned too & we didn't even have a telly when I was 10.

If you'd posted this in August I'd agree with you.

I wouldn't go in January. I'm nesh, and prefer to be warm.

I can't say I agree.

If you gave me the choice between staying at home with my computer or going camping I would choose my computer everytime. I'm not the camping type, and I wouldn't go camping in January for a truckload of free woggles.

It doesn't mean the children in question don't like being outdoors or doing other activities.

Yeah I'd rather be home with wine and TV than camping in January - and I LOVE camping

YABU I think because well it's just 3rd hand hearsay - my middle child is very attached to her x-box but she also plays football (for a team) swims and rides ...

hahahaha yes I bet she does

still a few scouts not camping does not a national crisis make

He had a whale of a time! The weather was chilly but gloriously sunny and he went loaded up with gloves and thermals ... needed no persuasion at all!

You wouldn't catch me anywhere near at tent at any time of year, but he's ten and made of sterner stuff!

DP is an ex-cub leader and the missing link between Ray Mears and Bear Grills and even he would be down right about camping in January!

If it was July you'd have a point ... All DS's various campimg jaunts are over-subscribed, though, so I wouldn't panic about the state of da yoof just yet ...

I was thinking maybe South Africa.

Agree.

Mine both love cubs and although we do have a few discussions about PS4 time, to be fair to them, they have not mentioned it in the context of camping. Camp wins hands down.

I think it's unrealistic to expect anyone to want to sleep outdoors in Britain in January. It would only appeal to those who like to test their ability to stay jolly in the face of adversity, and those who like to escape home life.

Nope, the south of England, so at least no snow.

I still think it's sad that, given the opportunity to go out in the open air and enjoy lots of activities on just one weekend in the winter, they'd rather stay glued in front of a screen. But I do accept the argument that I'm being a little hypocritical as I spent the weekend tucked up in the warm with a large glass of wine or two and admiring the cold but gloriously sunny weather from within my centrally-heated home!

YANBU for thinking it's sad about the over abundance of screen related stuff available now for our DC to do and how reliant many of them become on it.

But I'm with some of the others. It's January! It's cold and manky. I suspect many many many people would rather be home on the xbox than camping in the mud in January. Even if they don't like the xbox.

But any time from April to October then I would absolutely agree with you.

you are a poster after my own heart Contraryish - I always watch my girls play footy ...from the warmth of my heated car with a coffee!

DS (12) is an absolute technophile but he loves going away on Scout camps - no screens allowed. I must say I was a little peed off when he went to Lincolnshire Poacher 7 day camp a while ago and they had computers there where they had unfettered access to the Internet with no checking whether they were on Facebook etc. He spent a lot of time there!

At 10 I'd have rather stayed at home and read or watched a film or something than go camping for a weekend in January . Maybe the kids wanted to spend some time with their family/friends which would have included computer based games.

I agree

I restrict ds screen time and if friends are round I put them away occasionally they will moan but soon forget

It restricts their imagination and this is such an important part of play I love hearing their adventures where their imagination has led them it's wonderful part of childhood

My eight year-old daughter went too. Although she had the luxury of bunk beds and a real building, instead of a tent.

The Cubs/Scouts organisation puts such a very great deal of their time into organising these things, it seems a bit of a shame not to take part. And it was only -2 degrees and he had a proper warm sleeping bag.

OK, I get your point. I'll report back on takeup for the next camp in warmer times.

My two 12 yr olds are screen addicts but I would have forced them to go, rather them outside in a learning/social situation than zoned out with a screen, January or not.

YANBU but saying that I remember paying around £60 each for a weekend cub camp when mine were younger and perhaps parents did not have the spare cash in January together with paying out for camping stuff like waterproofs/tin crockery/sleeping bags etc.