rally with no electricity, all family say they are being tortured

[purple15]

Hi, thats it really, we are attending a rally this weekend with no toilets and no electricity. The dh and dc think I am torturing them. They are laptop and xbox addicts and they think me choosing to go on this site is so unfair. The children are 12 and 14. Think I should just sell the caravan and pick up in a few years when they have flown the nest.

Well, why a rally? Why would they find that even remotely fun? I would think it torture....

Rally as in political, or as in cars?

Either way, no electricity - I'd tell them to suck it up and learn to enjoy nature, but no toilets (what, really? Not even portaloos?) - I'd be seeing their point I'm afraid.

The rally is just a group of caravanners, I think, not really sure what they do. Its just a cheap weekend in a seaside town. The caravan is really modern, it Was 15k new. Inside we have our own toilet and every home comfort. I must admit it will be hard work when every aspect about it, they are moaning.

"Its just a cheap weekend in a seaside town."

Thats your problem.

You focus on staying in the caravan for the sake of it, it is the wrong approach!
You need to focus on the fun you will have while there! What is there to DO in that seaside town? You need to sell the location and make them enthusiastic about what they will experience there. Otherwise, what is the point of the caravan? It is just a place to eat and sleep!

OK, so there are toilets then
Weather forecast not great for the w/e, not exactly seaside weather. Not sure I'd be thrilled either. What are two young teenagers going to do for entertainment? apart from have their first experience with cheap white cider out of boredom

What's the forecast like? A wet weekend in a seaside town is never cheap unfortunately. You'll end up spending a fortune on keeping the family dry and amused.

Get a solar briefcase sized thingy to run the tv!!

www.selectsolar.co.uk/prod/881/alife-3w-portable-solar-power-and-lighting-kit-pw35

A cheap weekend is all very well but if your family are dead set against it why bother? Would you buy really cheap food they wouldn't eat? Really cheap clothes they never wear? It does sound awful TBH and they aren't small children. It seems a bit selfish to drag them along. Sorry to sound harsh but while I certainly feel children should not rule the roost you should try to see this from their point of view.

thanks QOD will check the solars, got films on the laptops for the late evenings, we plan on eating out for tea, it is in the grounds of stately home, so when we have hit the shops tomorrow afternoon, they will be some nice scenery back at the van.

Its good to just get away as a family, do a cheaply pub meal in the evening and find one with tv in it! I punish my 13 yr old with this sort of weekend break:0

We're off to Hastings next weekend but will have electric hook up. We have not rallied but friends do, they mix with the other ralliers. Do yu know anyone else who is going?

Hi, we dont know of any other families but chose it because there is loads going on in the town. It is always everyone else, we have got the nice caravan in storage and I have been thinking between football, fishing and motorbiking, just for one night, it is ME.

Dh is a game addict, but we bought a cheap van this year, the rule is, no laptop, no TV.

We take books, board games, cards and such.

We have two dogs so go places we can find lovely walks. It is our down times and reconnect with each other.

Dh wasnt sure to start with, but loves it now.

thankyou SHOSHE for such a positive response, like I said its not just DH and Dc who have interests, I want some ME time. And totally understand the reconnect with each other in this fast pace life. We also have a dog, and so we will be going for walks in the stately home.

Sorry for my negative post earlier purple. I was staring glumly at the rain from my office window at the time.

You know what they say, there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes. I hope you all go and have some lovely family time together.

Oh, they are being pathetic - once they get there they will love it - but it is hard to gather your enthusiasm when you look out of the window at present.

Tough titties to them I say! If it's really just one night, they can cope!

Have a lovely time!

They might surprise themselves and enjoy it.

Take some cards and games. They will live, and they should learn they life isn't all about them.

well we are back ! After a disasterous start, we got to the caravan lock up and it was all locked up. Something we are not used to. After a few tense minutes we found the numbers and were told 90 minutes. It was 30 minutes. Then when the owners openned up, we forgot our keys and had to drive 10 miles back home. So not the best of starts. The weekend was in Lytham. We arrived and it was in the grounds of a stately home. It was gorgeous. We had a lovely walk around the town. There was some very nice shops. We went back to the caravan, and all played a Simpsons board game. This is something we would never to at home! Then we went to a harvestor for tea, and then went onto the beach at St Annes. The sun was blinding and the sea right out. So we had miles of sandy beach. We went back to the caravan and watched a movie on the laptop. We had such a nice time together. In the morning I was thinking sell it, and get another when they have left home. Think I will give it another try.

Sounds like you made a nice weekend of it

I spent my childhood weekends on caravan rallies. Ended up making some really good friends and having a great time. By the time I got to my teenage years though the novelty did wear off a bit....with my parents it literally was every weekend we were on a rally!

Electric hook ups were unheard of in this days. I nearly fell over when I visited my parents on a rally last year and they all had portable ehu things with huge generators Wasn't like that in my day!

Excellent