I quit camping.
I can still remember the weekend. I prepared the family well for a good night’s sleep in the Canadian outdoors: a thick air mattress, two sleeping bags each for warmth, long underwear, a winter hat, and gloves. Half an hour later, we were ready for bed and we looked like camping sandwiches.
Up until that point, I had always camped with a tent. But as I got older, the air mattresses became thicker, and I did not have a better night’s sleep. So I quit camping because it just wasn’t comfortable.
Then we bought a travel trailer. How did we survive outside without travel trailers? They sure can help bring the fun back to camping again.
11 Ways camping can be fun again
Camping is no fun without a good night’s sleep.A good sleep does not just happen. You have to plan for it. My sleep kit includes earplugs, an eye mask, and my stuffed animal. Seriously. I also outfit my mattress with The Essential Camper’s Sheet from RV Mattress Protectors by Mattress Safe to make sure that we all sleep well. The Essential Camper’s Sheet, a fitted sheet and mattress protector all in one makes preparation easy and it is super comfortable. Sleep is really important – you have to sleep well or you will be a crabby daddy!
Don’t let your GPS tell you how to have fun.I went on a trip to Quebec City and the GPS had me driving all over the city trying to find the right address. My GPS talks to me and I scream back. That is not a recipe for a good trip.
Remember that you are towing your life behind you.Make sure you pack the essentials: coffee, toilet paper, and more coffee. And never forget your ear plugs.
Ear plugs.Ear plugs are one of the best inventions and they make camping much more peaceful. Kids complain that they are bored? Reach for the earplugs. Kids fight? Get the earplugs. You get asked to clean up the campsite? You guessed it – time for the earplugs. I recommend the brightly colored ear plugs so that way if you are in the woods, the hunters don’t confuse you for an animal. (Win-win).
You have a mini-house to keep your camping stuff safe.Animals think one thing when they see a tent: dinner. You can keep your family safe in a trailer. Birds, bugs, and animals can’t bug you in there.
Your kids can get better sleep again.Your teenagers will cuddle with their stuffed animals like they were children. It will bring you back to the reason why you had kids in the first place. That’s why it is super important to use mattress protectors specifically designed for RV’s. They make the bedding more comfortable. The mattress lasts longer (safe from spills and messes). Your kids get the rest they need. And a happy kid is one less pain in the neck for you.
Reconnect with nature.You can’t connect with nature by watching the nature channel. Turn off the T.V. and go for a walk. When I walk outside at night, I connect with nature by carrying a big flashlight and running really fast.
The inconveniences will make your trip better.I have to boil my coffee from scratch every time I camp and it does not taste the same. I become a coffee-grump in the morning because my routine is off. But that makes me appreciate my home routine more.
You will have quiet time.If your family makes a lot of noise, go back to #4 and put in your earplugs. Then you will feel the Zen.
You will feel closer as a family.Great things happen when you are compacted into a tight living space. It’s called traumatic bonding: listening to each other snore, not enough coffee, and not enough time with your toothbrush. These are things that the best memories are made of.
Go for a hike.Some hikes are easy and other hikes involve suffering. Every trip needs a little suffering. One of the best kinds of memories is made by watching each other suffer.
Keep it Real
This post was sponsored by RV Mattress Protectors. All opinions are my own.
All photos by author.
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