AIBU to let them camp on an island overnight?

[chomalungma]

(Inspired by another thread)

We are on holiday in the Lake District. Lovely cottage. DH is working away. DC's have seen a lovely island and want to go camping there for a few nights. Light a campfire, cook for themselves. They'll get there by sailing boat. Youngest is 6 and oldest is 14.

Would you let them go?

I moved there in my teens because of S&A!

No. Putting a 6 year old in the care of a 14 year old in precarious circumstances is unfair (unsafe) to both.

Go with them.

@DappledThings

Better drowned than duffers. If not duffers won't drown

My immediate reaction!

Don’t forget to pack up a jar of molasses before they set off.

"Better drowned than duffers if not duffers wont drown. "

I'm impressed @SixesAndEights

DH always finds it funny that regardless of my love of S&A I hate camping!

Camping? Not as long as I have any say in it! Most unsuitable! Now go and change into your white frocks and learn some poetry.

@GreatAuntMaria

Camping? Not as long as I have any say in it! Most unsuitable! Now go and change into your white frocks and learn some poetry.

You want to be careful. There's a little girl in Swallowdale making a wax doll of you as we speak.

Short of reading time, feel like a prize idiot now.

Just send them off with lashings of ginger beer, they’ll probably stumble across criminals hiding loot in a cave and be kidnapped, but it’ll work out swimmingly. Have you a licky dog to send with them? That would be prudent because he’ll save the day. Hurrah!

I have literally just this week lived my own childhood fantasy adventure, and dragged my children round it! And you know when something seemed magical when you were a child and you revisit it as an adult and the reality of it all takes the magic away? My adventure was every bit as wild and magical as I imagined it would be as a child. I'm going to write a book based on it.

I was very definitely an Amazon as a child, particularly Nancy. But the Swallows, for all their domestic practicality were every bit as adventurous. Definitely Lol at the posters having a fit about kids camping on an island alone!

"Only duffers drown. Not duffers so won't drown."

Sorry OP, not helpful but I couldn't resist.

Ah, everyone has got there first.

ineedaholidaynow* Yoghurt pots and string were the height of adventure comms in my day. Who needs to be always contactable anyway, we managed well before mobile phones ruined any chance of undivided attention and tranquility.

You’re joking right? A six year old? Around open water, unknown woods, fire and god knows what else?

Don’t let them go to sea though.

We didn’t mean to go to sea.

[quote Sadik]@SixesAndEights I'd recommend constantlearner's fics - I particularly like her Provincial Lady crossover[/quote]
Yy - I mostly hate crossover fanfic but this one is just lovely.

I wonder what all the posters who have not got the book references make of the all the comments about duffers and drowning!

@FlamedToACrisp

Coots in the North is available on Ebay... for £46.99 !!!! I'm glad I already have a copy - wish I'd bought a few extras!

I'm not selling mine!

Sounds fine OP but do check out the toilet arrangements.

(This has always bugged me. Did they dig holes or just relieve themselves straight into the water??)

V shocked at those who are horrified. Illiterate lot.

I wouldn't even let the 14 year old tbh, a 15 year old has just drowned near to where my parents live, messing about by a lake with some friends in the evening. It's an area they don't know too.

We didn’t mean to go to sea

Memories of my dad reading these to me 😭

@IrenetheQuaint this always bothered me too (probably why I have never fancied camping). However, my son and DH do wild camping (as we live near somewhere where it is allowed) and they always take a trowel with them, so now I know!