Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is unsafe

33 replies

hibbledobble · 15/05/2017 15:48

Not something I have done or are thinking of doing. I'm interested on opinions on this.

If while camping, you decided the tent was too small, would you send your 10 year old child to sleep away from the tent, alone in a parked car? Would you then send the 8 year old to sleep alone in the car the following night?

OP posts:
Dianneabbottsmathsteacher · 15/05/2017 15:50

No not in a million years and all of mine st that age would have been too scared anyway

luckylucky24 · 15/05/2017 15:51

Not at all. If there were two adults then one would go to the car. Both kids to sleep in tent.

Floralnomad · 15/05/2017 15:51

Of course not , and there wouldn't have been a second night unless I'd been out on the first day to buy a bigger tent that everybody fitted in .

SmurfPants · 15/05/2017 15:52

no, I agree to scary, and a bit mean! Shock

shaggedthruahedgebackwards · 15/05/2017 15:52

I can't imagine any scenario when I would take my DC camping with a tent that was too small for us all to sleep in!

It definitely sounds odd but not necessarily unsafe if the car was parked next to the tent

Mumzypopz · 15/05/2017 15:54

Depends on a lot of things....how bad the weather was, how close the car is to the tent etc...

Mumzypopz · 15/05/2017 15:55

There could be an argument that the car is safer than the tent.

Original poster
hibbledobble · 15/05/2017 15:55

Weather was fair. Tent about 10-20m from car.

OP posts:
Mumzypopz · 15/05/2017 15:59

Think on balance I would want my kids with me. If I could put seats down, I'd possibly consider sleeping in car with kids and leave husband in tent.

Dianneabbottsmathsteacher · 15/05/2017 16:05

Well both are technically probably as safe but what 8 year old wants to sleep alone in the dark in a car?

Mumzypopz · 15/05/2017 16:18

Much easier for someone to break into a tent than a car.

harderandharder2breathe · 15/05/2017 16:21

No. I would move bags to the car to make room and keep everyone together. If there was 2 adults one would sleep in the car but always both children and one adult together

outabout · 15/05/2017 16:29

What's with the paranoia?
You are more likely to have a car accident driving there/back than anything 'bad' happening to a 10 year old sleeping in a car.
Of course 'situation' is important and depends on other occupants of the campsite.

DoJo · 15/05/2017 16:33

If there was 2 adults one would sleep in the car but always both children and one adult together

Why do both children need to be together? Could one at and one child not share?

Pinkheart5917 · 15/05/2017 16:37

No!

Children of 8 & 10 need to be near an adult when camping not alone in the car or alone in a park Confused

Buy a bigger tent for next time

alltouchedout · 15/05/2017 16:39

No. That would be stupid.

chitofftheshovel · 15/05/2017 16:40

Yes I would and have once before when I borrowed a tent. I guess it depends on the campsite and your own gut feeling.

I do wonder why you're asking OP?

StickThatInYourPipe · 15/05/2017 16:41

If there was 2 adults one would sleep in the car but always both children and one adult together

Why do both children need to be together? Could one at and one child not share?

Yeah that's a bit random! Surely you would go one each?

Mumzypopz · 15/05/2017 16:46

I think she means one adult, on child together.

Hillarious · 15/05/2017 17:19

You can't really judge on a forum like this. Sometimes when you explain to someone something that you've done, you wonder how on earth you ever allowed that to happen, but at the time it seemed the most sensible, logical thing to do.

Basically, I'm on the fence.

outabout · 15/05/2017 17:40

If it is /was a family campsite with other families around then 2 kids on their own in a tent would be fine. OK it is a bit different situation when on a cub/scout camp as the sites used are often scout association run but as long as there are 2 or more in a tent it is OK. May not get much sleep due to messing around though!

ghostyslovesheets · 15/05/2017 17:41

No not at all - I camp all the time - I ensure the tent we take is big enough!

Original poster
hibbledobble · 15/05/2017 18:02

Reason I'm asking is I was the 10 year old, and was very scared as it was pitch black. I came back to the tent around midnight as I was scared and they made a big deal about how in inconsiderate that was. Apparently I should have slept in the car as I was shorter than my parents. My brother was then sent to sleep in the car the next night.

We went with a 2 man tent for 4, which was a bit crazy to begin with, but my parents were somewhat frugal. I'm just wondering if this was 'normal'.

OP posts:
Original poster
hibbledobble · 15/05/2017 18:03

Maybe perception of risk has changed. It still wasn't a particularly nice thing to do imo though.

OP posts:
PigletWasPoohsFriend · 15/05/2017 18:05

I think that you are right that perception of risk has changed.

I wouldn't do it these days no.

Swipe left for the next trending thread