To think that a child who has never been camping is not necessarily from a ‘deprived’ background

[Urbandweller]

DD’s school organised a camping trip for Y5. DD is younger and didn’t attend but her class teacher went to chaperone. I was chatting with her about it today and she said she was so glad the school was able to organise the trip as so many of the Y5 kids had never been camping and would never otherwise get the chance to go. It was clear that she felt sorry for the children who hadn’t been before and was shaking her head sorrowfully, saying many of them are the same poor kids who have never been to the beach and this is one of the saddest aspects of deprivation...

AIBU to not see the link between camping and deprivation? We’ve never taken DD because it’s my idea of hell, nothing to do with lack of funds!

Oh dear God, no! No! We took our DDs camping once to a Featherdown Farms place and even that felt positively medieval [shudders]

I won't stay in anything less than a 4* hotel, so our DDs never have either. I don't see any validity in slumming it.

Woah, what's 'utterly miserable' about star gazing and campfires and marshmallows?

I hated being patronised by teachers ,: I wanted an education not a holiday.

Since when is camping a middle class thing? Some people should just shut up for a change; this teacher seems like one of them.

Id assume she means that theyve never really been on holiday at all not that specifically the issue is camping.

So if you're in a middle class area then lots of them wouldn't have gone camping for very different reasons that an area of high deprivation and high unemployment

But isn’t it about what the kids might like, and not what we like ?
Trying new things, etc ?

Camping can be done on the cheap. But I suppose people usually need to have a car to get to where they're going to camp.

@NoProblem123

But isn’t it about what the kids might like, and not what we like ? Trying new things, etc ?

Well it depends. I always facilitate my children trying new experiences. But our annual leave is precious and camping equipment is expensive so I wouldn’t go on a camping holiday, which DH and I would hate, just so my children, who have never expressed an interest in camping, could give it a go.

I've never been camping, a hotel is more my thing.

Woah, what's 'utterly miserable' about star gazing and campfires and marshmallows?

@EvenRosesHaveThorns Cold, discomfort and rain. Not many creature comforts (unless you count bugs.)

I did have a camping trip with a proper air mattress which was almost like a real mattress- that was a game changer for me.

Our school does a seaside trip once a year (we live in the middle of England) because for some of them, when it started, it was their first and now only annual trip to the seaside. They go frome age 3 so less of a big WOW than the first time the older kids went but still. We live in a low income working class area. There are def kids who've never been on holiday.

It's not deprivation. However I do feel bad for my dd 7 and 9 who love the idea of it because dh and I are not campers and won't be taking them. I'd be very grateful for any organisations that would take my girls camping!

She’s probably one of them silly mares who only thinks you’re a good parent if your unkempt children are dressed in second hand clothes.
Idiot

I went camping as a child (in Ireland) and I didn't enjoy sleeping on the ground, using a shared toilet block, being repeatedly woken at night, or the rain creeping into the tent until we fled to a hotel.

I have explained to DS that I will try canoeing, bungee jumping, bog snorkeling, husky sledding, tarantula handling, and anything else he wants to do except camping. I have joined him to the Beavers for that.

I think middle class people pretend to enjoy camping and the other classes have more sense.

She didn’t mean your kids though , did she OP?

She meant kids who have never had a day at the beach or even an ‘affordable’ holiday like camping, so it’s good that the school are able to take them.

Which it is.

And I doubt the school can afford to take them to a Marriott hotel, as a camping refusenik pp opted for.

But, hey, take it personally abd make it all about you.

FWIW most kids do seem to thoroughly enjoy camping and it dies offer new experiences - which gives them a base from which to decide whether they enjoy it or not.

Ridiculous! I love camping, but I didn't try it until I was 34! DM loathed the very idea of camping, so we never went. But I was quite happy in hotels and villas and didn't feel at all deprived.

I think middle class people pretend to enjoy camping and the other classes have more sense

LOL you really are not in touch with the Camping Community as represented by thousands and thousands in many Facebook Groups.

I'm always surprised.how unembarrassed the Mumsnet snob brigade - who are out in force on a camping thread..?! - are.

@lazylinguist

Ridiculous! I love camping, but I didn't try it until I was 34! DM loathed the very idea of camping, so we never went. But I was quite happy in hotels and villas and didn't feel at all deprived.

Well if you can afford a villa or hotel then of course you're not. But camping is one of the cheapest holidays and some families cant even afford that. That's where the deprivation comes in. Not not wanting less than 5 stars on your hotel

@speakout

A camping holiday is not cheap. You are being very naiive OP. It requires quite an investment. Taking a family with a couple of young children on a camping holiday takes resources. A car- very hard to take a family of 4 camping on public transport. Tent, sleeping bags, mats, torches, cooking equipment. All very costly. If you are living hand to mouth this is not possible. I grew up in poverty. A camping holiday was a pipe dream.

This. If you’re well off, or have a decent income it’s a choice. For many it’s not even an option.

@speakout

My tent was £60 (Tesco 2018) stove was £10, gas canisters 4 for £10. Sleeping bags £10 each, camping beds were £8 singles, £14 double, pump £8 (works off car). You could use bedding from home, I often do. Yes I admit you need a car but most people outside of London have one because public transport is rubbish. I don't take a torch, one in my phone

Just recalled the Loch Lomond camping debacle of 2009. We try not to speak of it. Arrived to a ready pitched, large tent with camp beds. And rain. Very, very heavy rain. We spent one sleepless night in our damp beds, then waded through ankle deep muddy water to the shower block the next morning. As I helped our young DDs brush their teeth a random woman upbraided me for letting the tap run and wasting water as it threw it down with rain outside. How I didn't bludgeon her to death with my toiletries bag I don't know.

Back at the tent I threw a full on tantrum and insisted we pack up and de-camp to a nice hotel in Glasgow. Our DDs nearly sobbed with relief.

I suppose technically if they've never been camping, they've been deprived of that experience.

They are not deprived as in the sense of poverty.

DS has been on some fantastic holidays. Iceland. Caribbean. Most of Europe.

He's never been camping, so yes, he's been deprived of that (god awful) experience. Closest has been Center Parcs and that was under duress

@EvenRosesHaveThorns

Woah, what's 'utterly miserable' about star gazing and campfires and marshmallows?

Nothing. Until you go to sleep in a tent.

@Namechangeforthis88

Like *@Ozanj* says, she'll have meant some families living in deprivation can't manage to give their children even a relatively cheap holiday or day out. Not that children who have had skiing, AI, package or even caravan holidays but haven't been camping are deprived.

Precisely. Some people are being deliberately obtuse about this.