I grew up with an idyllic vision of camping, but my parents were farmers who spent a lot of time in the outdoors and had no interest in sleeping under the stars. They enjoyed the idea of hotels and restaurants as getaways, and of course those trips were great fun for us; however, shows like The Brady Bunch made the idea of tents and outdoor cooking appealing to me.
Even though sitcoms made fun of potential camping disasters, I wanted in on the action. When I married a tent camper, I soon came to realize that camping involves a lot of work. After a long drive, one cannot just relax because one must build the “accommodations” and begin to haul water from a campground water source to cook and clean the dishes.
When we began camping with babies and toddlers, things became complicated enough that I often felt like I was starring in one of those worst-case-scenario sitcoms, myself. Challenges such as windstorms, rainstorms, bathroom trips – day and night – with young children, forgotten utensils, vehicle breakdowns, bug bites, coin-operated showers (or no showers at all!), deflated air mattresses, and flooded tents have now become things to laugh at, as parts of our family’s story.
Now that our children are older, I am usually content to stay home while my husband camps with a friend or a few of our kids. Due to travel restrictions of the past year, however, camping was a realistic family vacation option again this summer. Not wanting to miss the fun, the memories, and an escape from the routine at home, I joined my husband and daughters for five days at a local campground.
Camping with teenagers and young adults is a completely different experience from camping with babies and toddlers. Plenty of hands set up the camp, cook the meals, and help with the chores, and no one needs to corral little ones. The lack of internet allowed for many conversations, hikes, and ample time to read. The cold nights made me very grateful for the warm house and comfy bed I usually enjoy at home. I also found time to people-watch.
Maybe I missed a few things about camping in the busy years of tending to little ones, but since when do campers drive to the washrooms? Call us old-fashioned, but we grab a flashlight and walk to the washrooms on our own two feet; however, we saw several cars drive to the washrooms so that carloads of passengers could use the facilities. I detest the inconvenience of walking through a dark campground when nature calls, but I had always accepted it as part of the camping experience. How is running a noisy car engine and shining bright lights everywhere considered getting away from it all?
Also, how does bringing a movie projector to the campground help one to enjoy nature? Twice now, my husband has had campground neighbours project movies onto their screenhouses, while using loudspeakers to fill the forest with the sound effects of their films. This past trip, one group was right across from us, blaring explosion sounds, talking loudly over the speakers, and then proceeding to use their remote door locks (with loud beeping noises) until 11:30 p.m., when quiet hours begin at 10. I couldn’t help thinking that they should have taken their kids to a hotel near a movie theatre.
When I camped with several toddlers, I was like the comic-relief sitcom mom, herding the proverbial kittens, often feeling put-upon when faced with challenges – and not always confronting them with grace. Now that I camp with older children, my role has changed. Today, if I were in a sitcom, I would get the eye-rolling laugh for being the campground fuddy-duddy, sitting around reading books, and clicking my tongue at the actions of “young people today.”
God continues to remind me that I must re-evaluate my priorities, make time to just be and exercise patience with those who approach life differently than I do. Camping allows me to let go of routines, luxuries, and expectations; it gives me time to reflect on who I am and on who I want to be.
I am still growing, but I am likewise still able to laugh at myself – and that must count for something.
