Help! Please convince me that I love camping.....

[SelfishMoo]

I realise that you all love camping. I need help! I just don't 'get it' somehow, never have. There is a plan for a family meet-up with several branches of DH's family for a long weekend in the summer. The other families clearly love camping. DH loves camping. DD (now 3) has been a couple of times and adores it. I don't.....
I can see that the kids will love having time together, which is great. Apart from that, I'm really troubled by various things, ranging from the adults getting 'prickly' about having so much time together (they sometimes do 'atmospheres' - nightmare!) right through to DD being a horror at night through overexcitement by it all (which is v. likely) plus we'd have DS who would be nearly 2 - and I've just read on another thread that that is the worst possible age, worries about the unreliable weather, lack of privacy and plus I have a real 'thing' about shared toilets/ showers. I have camped in several countries (before we had the DC) but I can honestly say that I only ever endured it, rather than enjoyed it - main problems being I would end up knackered beyond belief (oh yes, I struggle to sleep in a tent) and incredibly stressed. I just really need help to get my head around this!
Sorry to sound pathetic, please don't hate me!

Sorry I can't help. I hate camping just as much. Surely you've just got to grit your teeth and get on with it. THe only valid excuse I can think of to get out of it is to get pregnant again. But that might be going a little too far.

Can't help either...

hate the idea of camping...

could cope a whole lot more with idea if it wasn't for weather and beasties!

Hmm, thanks ladies - although not quite the inspiration to love camping that I'd hoped for! - No offence!
Mind you, I'm intrigued that you were looking on the 'camping' topic at all!
I realise that I'm going to have to grin and bear it - it's just that I'm dreading it so very much! Getting pregnant again - hmm, wasn't really in my plan for the year - ironically, the other time they had a meet-up like this I was 'excused' as I was 8 months pg with DS. I smiled sweetly and was soooooo disappointed to miss out......

Camping is great, its so nice to be outdoors all the time, get up, throw open the door and that's it, fresh air and space, the kids love all that freedom. The thing about camping is that you have to stop obsessioning about all the stuff that usually occupies too much time anyway, the kids have to be a little bit dirty, you only cook with one pan, if you think you won't sleep have a couple of glasses of wine of an evening (sitting under the stars is best). Oh just kick back a bit, just let go for a week.

I love camping, but like your dh it is in the family, we always had camping holidays

i think that you made some very valid points about the negatives of camping, in particular with family, that happens in any kind of family holiday, so you have to make sure you get away from them all daily to be with your own family

my ds was 2.3 on our main camping holiday last year, it was hard work, trying to keep an eye on him BUT you will have loads of family to help you do that we did take a travel cot and it was very handy, for naps and even as a playpen, my ds was still not at the climbing out stage, he was in a sleeping bag with arms

yup the excitement of it all and the noises that kids aren't used to can make them stay up later, but all that fresh air and running around playing with other kids will, hopefully exhaust your dd after the initial excitement?

yup the weather can be crap, we had thunder&lightening, gale force winds, a blackbird in the tent and torrential rain, (and lovely sunshine too) but I still loved that week away

I didn't sleep very well, but we had some very noisy neighbours

I think the sheepskin rug idea is good, plus I think this year we will leave the horrible sleeping bag and take the duvet..I am still searching for the perfect bed and ear plugs/mp3 player is a good idea

I don't partic like sharing showers,etc, but if you are going to a decent campsite they should be clean etc - wear flip flops in the shower if you are really struggling with it

no-one hates you for not liking camping!
I think you either love it or hate it and if so you have my sympathy

there are so many good things about camping and maybe you need to focus on what might help make it good for you (leave a couple of days early?, go and visit some non-family friends?, do some stuff that is for you and not the family?)

even if you are not keen, 3 out of 4 of your family will be having a great time and maybe some of that will rub off on you?

my dh is a bit about camping too, so i do know what you are talking about

OK, thanks for responses so far - still not convinced here, flipflops sound good but am still only imagining watching DD having fantastic time, whilst trying to keep DS out of the cooking area, pretending that I don't really need the loo and mentally counting down the hours until the horror will be over.....
Off to bed.
Will hope for further inspiration tomorrow.
And really, please, don't hate me......

No hate here just a little confused. How can you not like camping???!!! I love the fresh air. Drinking coffee outside first thing in the morning. Bliss. All that space for DS (and DH) to play. Can't wait!
I can understand practical concerns like keeping children away from the cooking area but if you keep telling yourself you hate it, you will.
I do see some people making structures from windbreaks that should need town planning consent. You could create a kitchen area with them though, if that helps.

What stops you sleeping at night?

Hi,

I used to love the fresh air and outdoorsness of camping but not get on well with the sleeping bit.
Now I sometimes struggle with the first night but then get comfy.
Secret - investing in good quality sleeping stuff - whether that be mats and bag if having to carry stuff, or, if car camping, take mats, have a duvet for underneath, take a duvet for on top, take your normal pillows, make sure you will be warm enough all night, make it as similar to your sleeping environment at home as possible, and always have a torch handy! I know someone who used to take the cushions from their sofa (as in the bit of the sofa you sit on, not the small cushions) and make their bed on top of those!

If you don't like shared toilets you could always take your own porta potty - but then you have to empty it!!

Come to think of it, I don't always sleep that well. Unfamiliar surroundings and all that. I can have the same problem in hotels though. I used to have problems being warm but SachaF is right. I splashed out on a really good sleeping bag, have bought a special "camping pillow", (actually one of those very brightly patterned bolsters from Ikea) and sleep on a foam mat ontop of
my air bed. DH has his own airbed or else I'd be bouncing up and down every time he turned over... Certainly comfy enough now, but can still be a bit strange of the first night. I don't let it put me off though.

I would have actually thought that you would get more privacy having your own tent to escape to rather than say sharing a huge house with the IL's.

I agree that you do have to lower your standards a little when camping, but as for the loo thing, seriously in a day how often do you go? and as for the night, i can't remember the last time i got up in the night to go the loo at home, never mind when camping! I actually like going to the loo at night with my little torch and knowing that everyone else is asleep

get yourself a couple of wind-breaks to put around your cooking area, some decent ear plugs for the snorers and a large glass of wine - beer will make you need the loo!

oh and see if the rest of the family can do some baby-minding for you!

Have we convinced you yet? Where are you going?

How far away from home are you going? Could you just go for 2 days and one overnight? I know you need practically the same amount of stuff, nonetheless, but even knowing you have an 'out' might help you through it! Personally, I like camping but I fully understand how it could be torture! Minimise the gear you take, go the windbreak idea (we have a gazebo which we use as a cooking shelter and to sit under in the evenings but a) not all sites allow them and b)it's yet another bit of kit to pack and put up/down). For a long weekend, a couple of changes of clothes and really, kids only need a 'top'n'tail' wash. Those showers are a lot easier without the wet towel dance with young kids! And take wine!!!

Thank you for all your responses - I'm chuffed that you found the time and patience to reply to such a grumbler! The proposed camp is most likely to be in Norfolk - we would probably be travelling the least distance to get there, so might look a tad churlish if we disappeared off early (plus DD might never forgive me!) We don't have any family/friends in the area.
Ironically, DH (who likes to lurk on MN, posts v. occasionally) 'discovered' the travel/camping topic at lunchtime and of course recognised 'me' straightaway. He hasn't said anything, although I know that he'll read your rsponses with interest - bless him, he knows how I feel and has said on several occasions that I don't have to go if I don't want to, but I really don't see that as an option.
Sleep has been mentioned lots of times - I do find it difficult to get comfy when camping, after trying a range of things we have most recently used thermarest mats covered with a duvet, with duvets on top and our usual pillows, but even then it's not great - tends to get my hips, and I'm very stiff in the mornings. Don't like hearing noise from every other tent in the vicinity, and struggle to switch off - likely to be amplified by worrying if the DC are going to stay asleep. And wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh - sorry, just remembered, DD grinds her teeth in her sleep and the noise is horrendous!
I sound a tad boring, really. I think that since having the DC I just like things to be calm and not too far off the usual routines for bed, meals etc - and there are just so many variables with camping.

Sorry littlelapin, I thought that excuse was an absolute winner. I really really don't envy you that "holiday"!

Don't go
get out of it
sorry...but you sound like you really hate it.
My idea of hell would be stuck on a beach or by a pool ...really hot.. and with nothing to do...i'd do my damndest to get out of it.
Let dh and the kids go...they'll have a ball..and you'll be dying to see them and take over as soon as they get back....

How about you all go for the first few days then you and DS go home and/or visit friends, have some time alone together. You dh and dd will have a great time bonding with each other and it'll be far more of a holiday for all of you. If there's only 2 of them they'll eb able to go in other family cars for trips out and you and DS come and pick them all up and help pack up on the last day.
Just talk a lot about how you can't wait til next year when DS will be less of a PITA and all 4 of you can really enjoy yourselves camping together.
Also, do get your DS used to wearing reins so you can walk him around like a little dog, they hate being stuck in pushchairs.

stop worrying about it - even if it is no fun and you are tired it is only a long weekend.

Also it is always better than you imagine.

(sorry reads back like I am being condescending but was meant it a nice way.)

I hate camping too
I've agreed to go with DH & DCs on the basis that they camp near a 5* hotel and I'll sleep there!

I agree with Troutpout, don't go if you hate camping. I used to love camping, before children, and now find it substantially less enjoyable with 3 small children (and it was, frankly, hellish when we had 2 or 3 babies and toddlers at once. really really grim).

But I would not go if I hated the idea. If you only endured it before children, you'll loathe it after them. I don't think it's selfish to not want to do it.

I love camping - getting away from technology, happy kids who always make loads of new friends (but they are no longer babies/toddlers and quite independent), fresh air and great scenery - the last time we went it was incredibly relaxing (although we had great weather). If you do have to go (and I'd agree, try to get out of it if you really do hate it), the secret is to make it as luxurious as possible. So, if you can fit it into the car, a proper mattress (take one out of a sofa bed if you can), lots of blankets, duvet and proper pillows. Hot water bottles (even in the summer it can get cold), and keep the cooking as simple as possible, or insist on eating out so that you don't have the hassle of washing-up. Make sure you don't end up doing all the work - even a toddler can carry things and usually enjoys contributing with plenty of praise. And of course, at least one box of wine (better than bottles because they don't spill)