Despite haunting this topic over several years and forming friendships with a number of lovely camping friends on the basis that I, too, camp, I'm a complete fraud and we're about to embark on our first PROPER family camp - as in, a full week, no going back. (Previously - since children - it's been odd nights here and there, back garden camping and a couple of festivals.) I am about to lose my Proper Camping cherry. Am also bricking it a bit.
We're heading somewhere there's forecast a fair amount of thunderstorms. Bell tent. 5 metre high metal pole, around which we sleep. I know if the thunder's very close you're meant to get everyone out and go and sit in the car, but how close do you let it get? And how do you then calm down the highly strung 6 yo and the 3 year old child with ASD, whom you've woken up in the middle of a scary storm?
Please tell me your reassuring thunder stories. Tales of burnt-out tents need not apply.