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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

How can I convince my wife to give camping a go?

55 replies

johnnybuoy · 02/07/2008 17:00

I would like to go camping with my wife and 2 kids (boy - 2 years and 3months, girl 3 months).
Neither of us have ever camped before and I know my wife will be against it on the grounds that it will be cold, wet, uncomfortable and the campsites will have dirty toilets & showers.
How can I convince her otherwise?
I know people suggest going to those places with a tent already in place but they seem to cost as much as renting a holiday home!

Also if I do convince her to go away for a few nights how much is it going to cost to get up and running?
Is this reasonable?
Tent off Ebay £80 ish
airbed(s) £50 ish
We have sleeping bags somewhere and could bring duvets.
I'm sure we wouldn't attempt cooking the first time, fish suppers and sarnies would do for a few days!
Pitching tent charge £20 - £30

Is it feasible to get up and running for £200?
It would have to happen in the summer as I'm sure she won't go any other time.

OP posts:

greenelizabeth · 03/07/2008 17:44

My last comment was too flippant. Who will do the cooking and washing up while you're away? Will you bring a steriliser for the bottles?

Camping makes all the usual tasks more difficult. SO I can see why your wife would not view it as a holiday.

Perhaps an adventure. But definitely not a rest.

Maybe promise her that you will do ALL the catering and clearing away and get the children up, washed and dressed in the moring, so that it is in some way a holiday for her too.

MsDemeanor · 03/07/2008 17:45

I'd rather stick tent pegs in my eyes than go camping. HOrrid, wet, lots of work, sleepign on teh ground, bugs, no baths, no beds....in what sense is this a holiday, exactly?
I promise I'm not your wife

SparklyPrincess · 03/07/2008 19:44

Quite curious to know why so many people read the camping board in order to say how horrid camping is...

MsDemeanor · 03/07/2008 19:46

I'm not 'reading the camping board' I'm responding in a jovial yet heartfelt fashion to a question in active conversations, akshurly.

mazzystar · 03/07/2008 19:52

I have just spent four days at a blisssful campsite, with a view of the sea, on a farm [which makes its own ice-cream], with a huge and brilliantly equipped play area and free, clean hot showers for the princely sum of £7 per night. And it was the most relaxing and successful hols we have had since the dcs arrived.

Trick also is to go with friends with kids similar age. Then children run off together and play and you don't have to do any childcare other than throw the odd plate of sausage and pasta their way.

greenelizabeth · 03/07/2008 20:13

I haven't yet recovered from our SHIT holidays camping around France as a child. My poor Mum trying to cook a meal for 5 on a bunsen burner, while my Dad rubbed his hands together just glad to be away from his job. My job was blowing up the airbeds. That was bloody hard work I can tell you. I got a burst blood vessel on my nose that I had to get lasered off when I was about 22, but I lived with it for 13 yrs first.

God camping is shite.

Lucycat · 03/07/2008 20:17

greenelizabeth - you don't wash children when camping! that's what the rain/streams/sea is for.

Did you not have to help out in France when you were young? - the point is that they are family holidays i.e holidays for all the family so everyone helps out in some way.

Not one poor bugger doing all the work - mind you that could happen in some overcrowded sweatbox apartment on the Costas where the children cannot have any freedom and have to be watched in case of dodgy wiring/broken balconies etc.

I'm on the side of fresh air can't you tell?

bohemianbint · 03/07/2008 20:18

I love camping but have to say after doing it last week at 33 wks pregnant I'm not going to be doing it again for a while. Maybe you might want to wait til next summer when your 3 month old is a bit older.

If she's never been before, you want the first time to be perfect, or you could put her off for life. It isn't everyone's cup of tea. My DS didn't sleep too well last week as the weather was shite so we all suffered. Then again, you know your mrs, so if she's game for it then happy days! (I've just bought a camper van though, in the hope that it cuts down on the putting masses of crap in the car time!)

ChukkyPig · 03/07/2008 20:27

If you do persuade DW to go don't forget to practice pitching the tent and getting it all together before you go! Also check you know how to work and can work any cooking equipment etc. Inflate air beds and pillows before you go to check they're sound. Nothing worse than getting there late and everyone wants to sleep and you can't get the tent up etc.

With a 3mo baby I think you need to promise your DW that you will do everything - pitch tents, cook, entertain other DC etc and she only needs to worry about the baby.

Camping is lovely if you have a well pitched spacious tent, even if it's raining, you are all cosy and the noise of it is really nice.

My issue has always been with the toilet/washing facilities. And there's not a lot you can do about the fact you will have to trek across a field in the dark to use the bog. Also if your baby is bottle fed the whole thing may be very tricky.

greenelizabeth · 03/07/2008 20:28

Yes I DID have to help out Lucycat. Blowing up 5 airbeds. That's how I got the burst blood vessel on my nose that I put up with for about 13 yrs!

OK, I'll concede that camping is a sort of lame adventure and it's a change of scene, but a holiday ? a rest ? no way

ChukkyPig · 03/07/2008 20:49

Also, being trapped in a tent with a yelling 3 mo while it pisses down outside doesn't sound too amazing.

What does your DW actually say about all this? Does you get the feeling she really doesn't want to do it, or that she is happy to if you reassure her about her reservations? Is she the sort of person who's happy to miss her morning shower because the facilites aren't fab and there is a queue? Is she happy to face the world in no makeup with the same clothes as yesterday or does she prefer to be nicely done up?

It's difficult to give arguments with no idea of what your DW is like.

Honestly, do you really think she is a camping sort of person? If not, I think you should probably leave it until the kids are older.

Mutt · 03/07/2008 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Minum · 03/07/2008 20:56

mazzystar - where is your lovely campsite please? (sorry for hijack)

nancy75 · 03/07/2008 20:58

your wife clearly is the more sensible one in the family, listen to her and stay in a b&B!

choosyfloosy · 03/07/2008 21:07

i have to say that i think camping gets substantially better when the children are old enough to be off on their own at least some of the time, ranging with the other children on the site - for us that would be a little bit at 3 and a good bit more at 4 to 5 onwards.

with very small children IMO holidays are just not fun - all the work of being at home with none of the facilities - pay for some extra childcare/import grandparents/sort out babysitting circle or something and have serious fun at home for the next 3 years or so.

Look out for camping sales to buy kit.

fishie · 03/07/2008 21:12

no to camping with 3mo. it would be terrible for all of you.

does mobile home type thing count as camping? if so then yes, it has own loo, shower, kitchen and little outdoor bit. brilliant, much better than hotel/b&b as you are in control and really very cheap. we did a week in france which cost £250 inc travel but you are too late for that. next year will be great.

blueshoes · 03/07/2008 21:16

Camping with children so young? Still in nappies, no clean toilet or shower facilities?

My dh said he will take the children camping when they are older. He means to take them without me. I say he knows how to pick his battles - rightly so, because this is one battle he will lose or win and live to regret. Sorry.

Indith · 03/07/2008 21:17

I took ds on Guide camp at 3 months old, he did not sleep. However, at 6 months we went again, this time armed with a pop up travel cot and a length of blackout to put over it and he slept from the time we went to bed until 8 or 9am every morning! Camping is ace

greenelizabeth · 03/07/2008 21:46

I've just remembered the time we were inside the tent and there was eclair et l'orage if my french serves me. It was really frightening. My Dad kept saying 'we're safe in here'. Urrr, no we're not. There's a river in my bed.

Eventually at about 2 am we all decamped to a b&b and had a lovely night#s sleep, best of the holiday. The owners of the b&b could be heard muttering something about les foux anglaises!!

WilfSell · 03/07/2008 21:49

Put your tent up in the middle of the luxury suite of a five-star hotel perhaps? She and the kids can kip in the 6 foot bed with room service and you can cook your sausages under an awning?

God, you could even get them to point the shower at you from the en suite for the full camping experience?

Orinoco · 03/07/2008 21:57

Message withdrawn

Blandmum · 03/07/2008 22:01

I'm a real camping fan, but I wouldn't have gone when the kids were that age,

Ebay tents crapola unless you recognise the name, most are not suitable for UK weather

my kids have gone camping from age 5 onwards, and for that age and up it is fantstic

mazzystar · 04/07/2008 09:15

minum - beacon farm nr whitby

Minum · 04/07/2008 09:52

Thanks mazzystar, will look up now

Original poster

johnnybuoy · 04/07/2008 10:56

Well I decided to broach the subject with my wife last night and her reaction was negative at least while the children are so young.
I had forgotten that she had actually gone camping once 20 years ago with friends and hadn't enjoyed it but I think it was a pretty crap tent and no airbeds etc.
She is also worried about creepy crawlies, bugs and snails getting into the tent but I presume if you have a tent with a groundsheet that zips into the actual tent this shouldn't be a problem?
I didn't want to push the issue and start an argument which would probably put her off for good.
I'll probably say that we'll leave it until next year and I can do some more research and buy some stuff in the Autumn/new year sales.
I might suggest a night away on my own with my son first to try things out and if he enjoys it she might be more willing to give it a go!

OP posts:

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