to think that 2 year old dd is not going to sleep well in a tent!

[llynnnn]

my parents & dh are bugging me to go away for a family weekend camping. Now I used to love camping before dd, but I'm just not convinced that I will be able to get 10mins sleep through the night or 10mins rest during the day as i'll be stopping her running riot round the campsite!!

She's never been a great sleeper and her bedroom at home is pitch black!!

AIBU or will I have a lovely time?

it will be fab
she may not sleep much
she will run around a lot
but it will be lovely
its is only a weekend

I don't think anyone can answer that for you tbh! My friend took her 2 year old DS camping and they had a wonderful time. She may have so much fun she'll wear herself out and sleep beautifully for the whole holiday.

All that fresh air...you will need a trumpet to wake her up.

Put something like swingball/a little paddling pool with water or a bag of sand in it near the tent and she will amuse herself, you will be amazed how relaxing it can be.

DS has always slept well in a tent.

But not at his normal bedtime.

You will not have a lovely time if you can't relax and let camping-ness rule over your usual routines.

Filth and not having a bath - doesn't matter
Staying up late - ditto. Etc etc

Ah!

Well, DH decided a couple of nights ago that he wanted to try DS (2) in a tent - but thought it would be wise to try it in the back garden 1st. DS has always been a brilliant sleeper, never gets out of bed etc. But sure enough, he spent the 1st hour an a half chatting/calling for us, playing, running in and out of the tent, zipping and unzipping it etc. (It didn't make the slightest difference whether DH lay in the tent beside him or not.) In the end it took darkness (21:30) for him to fall asleep - only to wake up 2 hours later uncomfortable/cold/fallen out of his sleeping bag, at which point DH brought him inside to his own bed.

Of course, your DD may be different!

(Oh - and we'd had the tent in the garden all day so that DS could get used to it, so it wasn't like we'd only erected it at 7PM!)

Good luck!

My ds went camping for the first time at age 2, I would expect them to stay up a bit later, but in all that fresh air, they are knackered when they go to bed and sleep like logs.
I am taking my 5 month old dd, who is a terrible sleeper, in 2 weeks, for a whole week, should be fun

DD was 19 months when we last went camping. To be honest, it was hard work - once asleep she was fine, but she didn't sleep till about 9.30 because it was light outside and she did tend to charge off in a random direction at any opportunity. However, we will be going camping again very soon because DS (4) loved it.

Looking at your situation, with 4 adults and one child, I would go camping and delegate the responsibility of running around like a mad sheep dog to the other adults.

mmmm differences of opinion!

i will def be trying to delegate the responsibilites as much as possible especially as its there idea in the first place, just know how these things usually end up!!

gumbo - sounds like a good job you had a trial run first, maybe we could try that if we can squeeze our tent into our garden!

everyone who had a good experience, any tips?

(I am also taking 2 year old dd camping for the first time in August).

My 2 y/o slept fine when we camped.

You will just have to try it and find out.

Children love camping. Just make sure your sleeping area zips up and the two year ld can't upzip it .

DD will be up later than usual but not necessarily even until 8.30 or 9pm as she may be tired. She will be up with the lark though. You need wellies in grass at 5am .

Oh, and big toys. We made the mistake of taking wooden trains once and my more experienced friend had large plastic toys.

We did camping with no car when ds was 2 (and dd 5). So naturally weren't able to take much in the way of toys. Not a problem, they played with sticks or whatever.

thanks for the toy tip, hadnt thought of that!!

so when they are awake at 5am, what do u do with them? will have to take quiet activities! dd will want to run around screaming and wake everyone up!!

Sleep not a problem IME. Keeping her confined during the day may be. I seriously considered a tether for DS#2 when he was about that age

Ohhh. I see you are concerned about bedtimes. Sorry, forget it She will sleep but not neccessarily when she normally does.

i'm concerned in general Orm! feeling a bit better tho hearing people who have survived it though!! if it ever stops raining I may go for it!! whats the worst that could happen......