Camping + Play = Lots-o-Dirt

Dear Anonymous Reader,

Today I had coffee with one of my friends in this hip, local coffee house. It's my new favorite spot. We were catching up while she was trying to catch her crazy, active 2 year old son who was trying to keep himself entertained. He did a pretty good job. Only threw one toy train over the railing onto the street one story below. Haha...she kept saying, "you're lucky you're cute, kid." LOL.

So we talked about my lanyard a bit and about the challenge. I asked her my lanyard question, which is, "when is the last time you went swimming?" For them it was last weekend when they went camping and knee-boarding. This made me think of camping and playing.

For kids, play time while camping can be so difficult! Picture it...you're a kid and you've got this enormous open space in all directions to literally just run or bike or yell or whatever, but then your parents start saying stuff like "inside voice" and, don't go past this tree or that post. The outdoors is essentially forbidden fruit. Then when you can play it's all in dirt. The kids don't care, of course, but the parents are like moping up mud and washing hands and faces and sweeping dirt so it doesn't get in the tent. And if you have a kid who doesn't like to get dirty, then a campsite isn't really that much fun. They'd rather be playing in the living room at home on the floor with ALL their toys, not just the six they were allowed to bring.

Camping playtime seems best suited for a day at the beach with the sand, the surf, maybe a boat and floaty toys. Somewhere away from the actual camp site. Then you tire out your kiddo and put them to bed early so you can open a beer and then start the adult play time.

Camping and adult play time is WAY better. It's cards, and board games, bullshitting with beers and maybe a short drinking game or two. My favorite camping memories were when I was old enough to sit through board games with a sandwich, a soda, and my Discman. I was old enough ride my bike away from the site for a bit, take little walks around the grounds and be aware of my surroundings. Then may family and I would cook together, roast marshmallows and play card games until late in the evening.

Point of the story...I'm impressed when people bring toddlers camping because that seems like a very confident parenting choice to make. Personally, nope...I'm not going to jump at the opportunity to take my toddler camping. It will probably happen though. I'll probably end up marrying Mr. Outdoors and the first thing he buys our kid will be a trekking pack and baby cargo pants. LOL!

I haven't been camping is such a long time! I love it too. Not with screaming toddlers, but I love being outside with a fire and the quiet outdoors. It's hard to coordinate a camping trip as a single. I could go off by myself, of course, but I'm just not that skilled in outdoor safety, fire building, tent propping, and bear guarding. The only thing I'd be really good at for protection would be blowing a rape whistle. Okay, I can build a fire too. Okay, actually yea, I could do the tent thing too. Hmm...maybe I'll look into a little two night camping trip this month. If I do, I'll keep you informed A.R.

Happy Friday!
XO
Kel