AIBU to pull out from this nightmare camping trip?

[SparkleSoiree]

So, camping is not, has never been and, now I can say, will never be my thing.

People love it, I get that. Kids and husbands I think mostly...I DONT GET IT.

We are booked to go camping with DH's cousin and his family in August. I'm more of a city break, lovely hotel person myself but DH and DD were really keen to go relive his scouting days and not wanting to be a party pooper I decided to throw myself in there too to show willing and that basically I can do anything I put my mind to. Turns out I'm more of a panderedto woman than superwoman!

We did a trial on the weekend in the garden with the new tent and kit DH bought. Seriously, it was like watching him unwrap his presents on christmas morning. His face was constantly smiling, sharing his joy with DD who loved it just as much. I offered some help occasionally but could not get into the spirit of it at all. He even put up little fairy lights around the rope thingies to add a little bit of glam for me .

It was a disaster for me, I got the total of 1hr 5 mins kip between 11pm and 8am, was in a seriously bad mood in the morning and did not see the fun side of it at all. Seven nights I've booked myself in for and if I had to spend 7 consecutive nights with minimal sleep I'd be driving myself home by the end of day 2! I cannot function without my sleep, I get really grumpy and moody and a desire to be on my own. I certainly couldn't think about a day trip out after spending 10 mins trying to get up off a bloody airbed and that's before I've even thought about getting dressed!

I'm considering options, one of which is not going at all and allowing DH to spend the week with his family and DD. Upside is that I would get a week to myself as my other DD is away abroad at the same time.

Another is to check into a hotel close by and swing in by each morning with some lovely breakfast items for them all and spend the day with them. Upside is there will be a lovely bathroom in the hotel, just for me, a cosy bed, a bar under cover and I won't have to make my bed in the morning because some lovely person will do it for me. More my idea of relaxation.

Other option is to borrow our friend's caravan (she has offered it in my hour of need!) and add a caravan pitch to our booking. That way we have a tent and a caravan. I could cope with a caravan - I think.

Out of those I think I prefer the first one, so AIBU to pull out and spend a week on my own doing my own thing and forgetting I'm a 44yr old mum of 3, wife to 1 and taxi driver to all?

I'm sure she will! I'm willing to bet that no-one in her family is quite so prone to the vapours as some on here and will not give her decision a second thought - they'll all be too busy having a fab time

Now I need to take myself off to the Camping section.

I don't think it was the dislike of camping that most people were objecting too,- although i do think the OP was a touch Drama Queeny about how she would suffer because her comfort was being compromised.
It was more the staying in the Hotel bit. I just thought that was incredibly cringy.
We used to regularly camp with friends. If one of us had decided to stay in a hote close by, and saunter in every now and then, the piss would have been mercilessly taken

Hopefully the OP will have better friends and relatives. Nowt wrong with having your comfort compromised if camping is not your thing.

• with not wanting

I send DH off with DS camping occasionally. It's not my thing at all.
I stay at home and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I'm with Sir. It wouldn't bother me at all if one person in a group of us camping did this. I'd just assume he/she didn't like camping. Fine. I wouldn't be upset or take the piss.

I used to love camping, rain, shine, even snow! Sadly those days are gone. I am cold even at home in summer and can only get warm by having a really, really hot bath for a loooong time. I am very sad that it is so unlikely that I'll ever camp again, but life throws things at you and you have to get on with it.

If you don't like camping, then you don't like it. I wouldn't go on a holiday to Ibiza.

It's all to do with toleration and understanding that others are different from us and we can like and respect them just the same. More precisely, the lack of openness and worldliness can cause such a lot of unnecessary tension and ridicule. But I suppose if everyone were that tolerant, we'd have nothing much to talk about .

One parent disappearing to a hotel gives the message that camping is not fun at all

If one of us had decided to stay in a hote close by, and saunter in every now and then, the piss would have been mercilessly taken

ERrrrr, either camping is fab fun or it isn't - nothing changes because someone isn't there. Maybe your all in denial and it is actually uncomfortable and Not fun.

OP never suggested she would "saunter in every now and then". She said she'd be there in the morning with breakfast stuff and spend the day with the family. What's cringy about that?

If one of us had decided to stay in a hote close by, and saunter in every now and then, the piss would have been mercilessly taken
Was a quote from petitpost55 about her camping companions

I hated the idea of camping but my DH and DC were desperate to go. We went with four other families in a starter tent. The camp site was very basic, toilets but no showers. My friend and I were expecting to end up sleeping in the car, but it was great.

The weather was scorching and my shower was DH throwing buckets of water over me in my bikini. I have never felt so clean. I slept l I kept a log in the sea air.

Over the years we have bought new equipment and picked our sites carefully.

Sown in ground sheet with a step over in the doorways so you are less likely to get spiders or mud in.
Sealed bedrooms.
Large porch, for cooking and storing wet clothes.
No shoes in main living area.
Pillows and blankets from home.
Tidy shower blocks.
No more than four nights.
Village within walking distance
Eye masks and ear plugs
Electric hook up is helpful but not necessary
Quiet sex in a double sleeping bag is fun for a couple of nights

I'd go with the caravan option. Fixed bed, blow heaters and proper seats. Some small amount of soundproofing! Kids and DH can camp. I'm not a Happy Camper- but all my family are. I know it is a holiday that is hard to organise, hard work when you are there, missing all the facilities you have at home...but I 'Suck it up Buttercup' because that's the only way we can have a family break, and what I want in a holiday is not as important as giving my family some great memories.
You are a grown up. You can set camping rules ( eg Mum only cooks one meal a day- the rest of the meals are eaten out or PL made by family members or swimming baths midweek ( so you get hot showers and a decent chance to dry your hair.) Look and book into decent sites with quality comfort stations. Look at camping on sites where there are restautants, pools and evening entertainments and childrens playschemes that will give you a chance for a catch up nap. DH will know that this is not your thing. But it is up to you to negotiate what works for you- "if we camp for a week in summer...we have sunshine break in October.."
I'm afraid I feel that refusing to go, or to go then sulk the whole time isn't an option. The children will miss you terribly. DH will resent he's 'had' the children 'all on his own' while you 'went off on your own'.
I think an honest discussion about what you absolutely can or cant do, some really good research into glamping options ( those in Northern France are AMAZING- and I hate camping) could come up with something that will work for all of you.
Good luck. Believe it or not- I have huge, huge sympathy for you. This is just one of those times when being a parent means putting them first above what you'd prefer.