Last Mother’s Day weekend, we went camping with my family. We had our motorhome, my sisters rented small cabins of their own, and my mom and stepdad rented a nice little kottage. It was the first time we had all camped together since I was a kid.
There can be some challenges when camping with a group. We were on 3 different sites in different parts of the campground. It would’ve been easier to camp next to each other, but the cabins and kottages were in different areas. We found ourselves running back and forth quite a bit. Just when you get settled in next to the campfire, you realize you forgot something. And so it goes.
Meal times can be a challenge if doing group meals. For our weekend, we decided to do our own breakfast and lunches and do group dinners with everyone contributing something. It sounded good on paper, but we quickly realized it wasn’t easy being streets away from each other trying to set up for dinner. And since we all got up at different times and had lunch at different times, we weren’t ready to eat dinner at the same time. Next time we will agree on a set dinner time ahead of time that way everyone can plan the rest of the day accordingly.
One nice thing about camping with family is that the kids have more people to hang out with. There were cousins, Aunt and Uncles and Grandma and Papa. Ever notice how much kids open up to people while sitting around a fire or walking around a campground ? And the bigger kids help out with the smaller kids and don’t seem to mind like they do back at home.
I also like camping with my family because I don’t have to play horseshoes with my husband ! My stepdad is more than happy to step in for me. I can also chat with my mom while the men folk are grilling the food for dinner. They are only too happy to stand there admiring their steak, fish, hamburgers or whatever other manly food they are preparing. Another benefit is that my sisters and I get to talk and catch up with each other. We all have busy lives and camping gives us a chance to unwind and visit while our kids are all playing together.
Next time you are planning a trip with your extended family, keep these things in mind.
~ Talk about your expectations ahead of time. Are you looking for a relaxed weekend at the campsite or do you want to spend the day sightseeing ? Will it cause a problem with the other families if you don’t do the same thing ?
~ Will the other kids be given spending money ? While this may not seem like a big deal now, it will be once your nieces and nephews are spending the afternoon at the game room or playing mini-golf and your kids are begging to go. On the flip side, if you are taking your kids for ice cream and the batting cages, will it cause resentment from family members who can’t afford it ?
~ Doing group meals can be tricky, but can also be fun. It’s always nice to share a good meal with loved ones. Just make sure you talk about it ahead of time. Who is bringing what, where will you be eating, what time would you like to have dinner ? And most importantly, who is going to clean up ?? I vote for the guys (wink).
All in all, camping with your extended family can be a great experience. It just takes a little more planning. We already have our reservations for this Mother’s Day weekend and this time our sites are side by side !
Happy Trails,
Shannone