- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- home style today articles
- home style today q&a
- traveling today articles
- traveling today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
The Perfect Campsite
The Ups, Downs, Joys and Adventures of Camping with Kids
By Julia Rosien
Camping is my definition of a holiday. But combine two adults, our four children, enough shoes to make Imelda Marcos blush, enough food to feed the U.N., and stir it all together with enough rain to depress Noah, and what have you got? A holiday only on the fringe of that definition of the word.
But it's great fun, and watching my little ones discover things for the first time puts my priorities in place. Out here in the woods, I'm theirs, and nothing is more important than seeing a little face light up as we watch a chipmunk pull a peanut apart.
Finding the perfect campsite is the first hurdle of our week. After driving around the campground too many times, I spotted one. We parked our van, with four kids hanging out windows, while we checked it out.
"Are we gonna stay here?" yelled Nelson.
"I have to pee, Mom," chimed Simon and Grace.
"I wanna get out too!" wailed Alexander.
My husband walked ahead of me, assessing where to put the tents and if the fireplace was in the best spot. I looked up into the canopy of leaves and breathed deeply of the fresh air all around me. We caught each other's eye and smiled. Perfect.
Each year gets a little easier as we shed the more cumbersome baby gear and replace it with bikes and inner tubes. My oldest child camped over his first birthday, and spent his holiday sparkling clean in his playpen. Nestled comfortably in her grandmother's arms the entire week, my youngest camped at 4 months old. None of them are clean anymore. I used to heat water to wash hands before meals and faces and feet before bedtime, but now I just grab a stray child and take a swipe with a baby wipe. They all walk, eat real food and use the toilet on their own now. It's getting easier.