Bugs, Spiders, TICKS, oh my! OK, so ticks are a pretty big “oh my!”
But…
Campfires.
Being outside ALL DAY.
Scrumptious Smores.
SCREEN-FREE days that take us back in time.
Memories being made…
Obviously, you can see where my bias lies. 😉
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I grew up camping so it has never seemed extreme to me.
Though I get it when people say they could never camp. I’ve heard the comments countless times.
“I don’t do bugs.”
“I’ll sleep in my own bed, thank you very much.”
“I’m a beach person.”
“That’s a lot of work just for a few days.”
And it’s true.
Sleeping in a tent or camper ISN’T quite as luxurious as your warm, free from dirt and bugs, comfy bed.
Camp showers are NOT the same as a nice hot (not to mention high water pressure) shower at home.
Spending hours to prepare to (temporarily) live in an environment where a just a canvas or nylon cloth separates you from the often BRUTAL elements DOES seem a little HUGELY insane.
It IS a lot of work to go camping.
It IS a little uncomfortable to live away from home and the niceties that come with it.
The bugs and ticks ARE a real nuisance.
So WHY do we do it?
Well, the list above says it all.
Family time. Memories. And hello…. CAMP FOOD!
I believe the pros outweigh the cons.
Here’s WHY:
Once camp is set up, there is nothing else to do besides enjoy each other and make a camp meal or two. You can’t be working on household stuff because your house IS the great outdoors.
Kids are forced into boredom and finding ways to pass the time outside. When I was a kid we spent a lot of unstructured time outside. But these days it’s less and less common and kids are in danger of NDD (Nature Deficit Disorder).
Time slows down if only for a few days. We live in an immediate gratification culture. Everything is at our fingertips. We are losing what it means to slow down and be patient. Camping isn’t the solution, and neither is getting rid of all technology. However, camping offers a much-needed break from the hectic busy nature of life.
And let’s be honest, what can compete with the glowing rectangle?!
Camping is a great way to get to know your family better. When we see each other in different surroundings we learn new things about each other. For instance, I see my nature-smart kid come alive when we’re camping. Normally quick to get tired, he has a renewed energy being out in the elements.
If you have a nature-smart kid, this book is a great book all about camping, packed with TONS of ideas for meals, activities and more.
Camping helps foster independence in kids. Children can have some freedom to roam when camping, while still being under your watch. They can fetch some water or maybe walk to the bathrooms themselves, or bike around a loop. Possibly even make a new friend.
Now… about those ticks.
I’ll be honest, I loathe bugs. Like “scream your head off when they fly near your face” loathing. Yes, I’m one of those people. And we’ve been on a few trips where the bugs were BAD. Usually, that’s when I layer up and spray myself with DEET (not ideal for this semi-crunchy mama).
Ticks are the WORST and I really do understand why some people would avoid camping for this reason alone. Although I should point out, you can get ticks anywhere… We had some in your yard when we lived in the suburbs of Chicago!
We’ve learned a few “TICK TRICKS” over time.
- Homemade tick spray (recipe here), or OFF for the really wooded areas.
- Lint Roller to roll over everybody after a day of playing outside.
- Tick Twister (For $5, these are AMAZING!) We used them to get two TINY deer ticks off my son last summer. If you are a camping family, this is a MUST HAVE.
Don’t let the ticks deter you from camping! Use these tricks to deter THEM!
Any great reasons for camping I missed? Please add them to the comments below!
