Early rising DCs when camping....

[CeliaBowen]

We are taking our two DDs, (5 and 2) camping this summer for the first time since they have both been mobile. We've camped a lot before children, and with baby / toddler, but now it is going to be a whole different ballgame.

They are early risers at the best of times (6am is considered a good morning), and I am starting to feel the dread of 4am wakeups with the birds and the sun!

They are sadly not the kind of children who will wear out after a long day and compensate for a late night with a lie-in so if they are up til 10, they will still be awake with the sun in the morning.

I am nervous as we will be on a site with neighbours who naturally do not want to hear my children any more than I do! that early.

What do you do?
Any tips?

Our tent is a cream bell tent with a sleeping compartment, it gets very light in there. I have been thinking about making them a "cave" out of blackout fabric that they can sleep in, inside!

My DC are a bit older, but also very early risers. I've tried tactics like getting them to have a competition between each other in their sleeping bags- funniest stories or jokes- but depending on the siblings, they might argue or just not do it. If there are birds and frogs and animals making different sounds, then sometimes they will try and pick out the different noises (which my eldest writes down) but that ends in DD getting cross at DS. Otherwise, it's a colouring or puzzle book each. And if they don't wake me up until 6:30 when my alarm goes, then they get to help me go and get the water from the tap (which they love doing, for some reason). So a distraction followed by a reward, for us.

I love the cave idea! I can't remember how we coped with our girls when they were that little (they are 18, 20 and 26 now)! I think it helps if when they wake up you have easy, snack type breakfast things to hand that may just settle their hunger pangs and then try and get them to either snuggle in with you or play quietly rather than have to do the whole get up, put the kettle on, make breakfast kind of thing. Then when it gets to maybe 8am everyone gets up for breakfast or am I living in cloud cuckoo land and it's been far too long since I've been around little people?

Once they are asleep I would stealthily pop a small bag in for each of them containing breakfasty things (actually we used cake bars etc and DH told DS to be very quiet in case I heard and insisted he ate a "proper" breakfast instead :o)
and the iPad educational books etc to keep them occupied.
Different stuff everyday for variety and a reward/ treat for complying. Failing that you just have to bite the bullet and bundle them out the tent as soon as they wake

Ours are absolutely not allowed out of the tent/to make noise before about 8am. It is not really on to have them out and running around at 6am! I provide them with a goodie bag of magazine, pens, small toy etc which they are allowed to play with if they wake up earlier, this and the novelty of being in a tent seems to do the trick.

My ds used to do this, if he started to get noisy I would make dh take him out to get the papers in the car, that would kill half an hour. Otherwise iPads, colouring books and the like!

Whatever we do, I think they will need to stay in the tent for the sake of others on the site.

Am also dreading this for our impending trip, our three DSs (1, 4 & 6) are VERY early risers (currently 5.30, despite blackout blinds) and no amount of late nights, nap denials, bribery or threats change that. They are very full-on and physical, so wearing-out happens daily, can't imagine camping will add much in that way.. Quiet-play party bags sound a great idea, shall def try that.

Celia if you want to drape their sleeping pod with something in an attempt to delay the dawn, I read a genius suggestion, which is weed-proof membrane. It works by blocking light from the plants, but lets moisture in (and more importantly in this instance, out, so no in-tent sauna), is very lightweight, and comes on massive cheap rolls. It's at the top of my packing list...

The weed proof membrane sounds like a great idea! The only problem is that there is only one sleeping compartment in the tent and it is very big! I am still trying to work out if I could make an extra-inner bit for them.

Pop up dark tent?

Check the details of the site you've booked - we've been on one with no noise before 7.30 and another with no noise before 8.30. We also set up a beach tent within our tent for DS to sleep in, which made it warmer and darker - the warmth helps them to sleep a little bit longer.

Otherwise take non-noisy toys - Mr. Potato Head, books, dinky cars etc and quick snacks so you don't get noise and melt downs.

I know it doesn't work for all, but do not underestimate the power of all day fresh air

Hopefully they will sleep a little later than you think, especially after the first full day. Once they are up all the things other people said.

I always find sites that attract walkers are good when kids are very small, walkers tend to get up with the larks and get on with their day.

We are always up and making breakfast by about 7.30, no noise before 8.30 would kill me, I am up and out with the dogs by 6!