Children who go camping do better at school and are happier and healthier

[Fourarmsv2]

According to this study anyway!
www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Children-camping-better-school-happier-healthier/story-26554725-detail/story.html#1TCfzkUV22h0jRVG.99

YABU. Only crazy people go camping. Sensible people opt for the healthy, clever option of cotton sheets, ensuite bathrooms, breakfast in bed, room service and mini bars.

We camp because we're poor. Inherited most of the kit. We've had some excellent holidays, but it's not everyone's cup of tea to sit in a tent playing cards, surrounded by wet washing, when it's raining. We're a happy family, though, easily (and cheaply) amused.

I love camping because we go with a big group of friends, the kids entertain themselves in a huge feral pack and we sit around the campfire all night getting drunk and chewing the fat. My kids adore it but I doubt it has any particular benefit to their education and the "so called" study is clearly a marketing piece for the Camping and Caravaning Club.

Ah, you should have posted this in the camping topic.

We had to stop camping as inflicting DD1 (who has autism, and frequently screams in her sleep as though she's being murdered, possibly not even because she has autism! ) on other campers that got mightily pissed off with us at 3 in the mornr(understandably so) wasn't fair.
so In fact NOT taking my children camping is better for everyone all round.

Shall we compare the results against children who go skiing?

So the caravaning and camping club basically asked their members if they thought going caravaning and camping benefitted their children? It'd have been a bit of a shock if they said no!

I'm sure if I asked all the parents at DS's swimming lessons tonight if they thought that swimming lessons benefitted their children and made them healthier than children who don't swim they're likely say yes...

What about children with mixed parents? Camping with me would be great for Ds's and DD1 as I enjoy it. Camping with DH would be the worst punishment I could we could ever inflict on them because he'd beome a stroppy five year old... If we took DD2 camping she'd probably want to leave home immediately as it's her idea of hell and there's no way it'd benefit her at all.

It would be funny if it wasn't so shocking.

'Eurocamp?

But yes, I agree a car is a requirement. Could you meet up with friends with a car? We've 'gone equipped' for a second family before now smile'

Jesus wept. It's a PITA with no car or impossible. 'Find a family'. Fuck that. Our car is stuffed to the gunners when we camp and it's a people carrier with a roof box. I don't want to carry someone else's gear and have them hanging around.

Some people like camping. Others don't. Horses for courses.

I hate camping, so I send DH with the DC. Is that good enough?

I'd rather shovel shite with a teaspoon than go skiing.

I'd rather gargle bees than go camping.

LOL. I must remember that for the next time someone asks me if I like camping.

Obviously it's none sense.

Camping may be of benefit to them, I'm sure it is.

Too many variables to prove stuff like this

Great to see plenty of other wise MNers posting that a correlation doesn't equal correlation. Yes, stats should be taught more in schools, including understanding them. Perhaps some of it would rub off on future journalists too.
We've done a bit of camping but I prefer a roof over our heads in a simple hostel, caravan, or cottage, travel lodge if just passing through. A flimsy bit of fabric seems a bit insubstantial these days (though enjoyed camping when I was in the Guides) especially in a gale voice of experience
I think at the very least it's the attitude to adventure represented here which counts, which you can easily experience in other ways without the actual horrors of camping!

I think that children who go on holidays are probably doing better, generally, probably just because they can be away and enjoy themselves, just like adults who can afford to go on holidays are probably happier. I think that children who spend a lot of time outdoors are (probably) a bit healthier, but I can't see the link between camping and happiness/school performance.

Personally, I prefer a comfortable bed and a nice shower in the morning. Camping makes me tired and miserable. Can't believe it makes the kids happier...

Personally, I prefer a comfortable bed and a nice shower in the morning. Camping makes me tired and miserable. Can't believe it makes the kids happier...

Me too. We take a memory foam mattress with us (as comfy as our real bed) and only stay in places with showers :-)

I saw this on a smug friends Facebook and wanted to explain what bollocks it is!! I like camping but I'm not so thick I'd believe this 'proof'. Probably the camping has made me clever enough to not believe that camping makes you clever.

I would rather eat my own liver than go camping. Been a couple if times and detested it.