Disastrous Weekend

[tim myers]

Originally Posted by Civdiv99

We always take 2 grandkids on a 10~14 day trip each year.

Here's what I have learned (YMMV)

I involve them in the planning. Where shall we stop? What stuff do we want to do? We alter routes and timing (within reason) during the planning process. Kids remember the stuff, and will remember and look forward to the various events discussed. We cannot imagine a road trip without a grand kiddo or two. Logistics and drama always accommodated!

We always incorporate events or activities targeted toward them. Not everything, and not the whole trip, but definitely as a member of the crew. I have lost count of the museums, parks, rides, whatever, over the years. We give them a "cargo budget" whereby whatever portable activities they bring must fit. Exceptions include bicycles and DVD movies they can watch on the back TV or in the evenings. These items are always accommodated.

They are involved with all aspects of the set up and tear down. I think by now my 10 yr old grand daughter can handle hookups and dumping duties if she had too! I did have to condition her that yelling "EEEEWWWWW!!" when we pull tanks is a serious detriment to our being cool, casual, and low key during the process.

This pic from July, 800 mi from the porch. Set up is done; time to hit the pool!! Good memories......

Your grandaughters smile says it all. That is great!!!

[PeaceOwl]

A great useful post here would be "how to entertain kids on a trip", I bet a lot of great ideas would come out of it.

Using their addiction to the better, have a photo contest with their phones,
put one in charge of maps, one finding interesting things of their choice.

Give them a day where they choose everything! The rest of the time, maybe give them an hour a day to chill.

An online blog might get their interest.
One thing for sure they don't enjoy the leisurely campouts that we do! Google some areas that offer children's nature groups, star gazing, etc.

I recall a time my teen friend and I went camping with my parents, by the third night we were bored, freezing at night in our tent, etc. etc., and my dad actually flew us home from a nearby airport, which was way cool to us! I was shocked he was so kind to us. It wasn't like him. But he did understand!

[biker art]

Originally Posted by biker art

We took od fighting all the way. I was so pissed that when I got there I turned around and went back home. Never even opened the door to let them out. That was a bad weekend.

Sorry about this. I screwed up somehow. Anyway I was saying we took our two kids to Death Valley and they fought all the way there. When we got there I was so angry that I turned around and drove back home.

[doorfx]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

First: That is one of the problems with today.. The joke is two angles in Heaven one is saying to the other "All these new souls do is walk around in a daze looking at their hands" I wish I could say I'm not guilty of living my life more on then off line but alas. At least I know HOW to do both (Better at off line, but spend too much time on line).

However as disastorous weekends go that one is nothing compared to Easter 2013.... Wife and I got up and went to church, Returned to campground and then she got in the used JEEP we had just bought and followed me about half way to the campground we were moving to for the week.... Lost control, hit a tree and died.

Wow!!

[schrederman]

I learned with my kids that they have a short attention span. If you take them fishing, they need to catch fish. It doesn't matter if it's just bluegills... they will be fascinated if there's lots of action. Same for model planes... I made them what seems like a million 18" hand-launched gliders... some of which they chased for 1/4 mile or more on a throw... and some that disappeared in thermals. My grand kids are not that old yet, but my 5-year-old grandson has already caught his first bass, and his first rainbow trout, along with lots of bluegills.


In the long run they will remember that you took the time to be with them. We have sworn not to be the Disneyland grandparents... We're the outdoors grandparents. So far. so good!

[guardrail53]

A lot of good answers so far! I also agree with the A/C drip pan drain holes being plugged by debris! You have to get on the roof, pull off the cover, and take a air hose, or just do by hand, clean the bottom pan, making sure you have cleaned the hole's out! The A/C's on RV's just drain out on the roof, and run off!
About camping with kid's, no matter whose they are, I learned very quickly, kid's need something to do! If they are not shown what or how to do something, they get bored very quickly! Fishing, hiking, exploring, swimming, are just some of the things you can do with them to keep them entertained!
Here is a somewhat funny story that happened to me, when taking 5 kids to Myrtle Beach, to see the ocean for the first time.
I had just bought a "91" class A 36' Overland Coach, and we packed up all the BIL kids for the trip! The first thing I noticed, every time we passed a semi truck, I heard the air horn honk? So, the next time I got ready to pass a truck, I watched out the pass. mirror, there were these little arm's pumping up and down, out the back bed room window?!!
They had taken the screen out, and were going to town! I thought, not going to hurt anything, as I am a trucker, and had taught them this move!
So we get to the other BIL's house, in S. Carolina, and we all noticed a very bad smell coming from the bathroom area? Up on looking closer, ohhhhh, the black tank was overflowing! It was running down into the basement, and the smell was bad! Ask the kid's, how could the tank be that full?? And it came out, that one of the young boys, was fascinated by the way the toilet flushed, and ran all of the fresh water tank into the black tank and overflowed it? So, we scrambled to a RV dump station, dumped the tanks, filled the fresh water tank again, and had a quick coarse in toilet flushing! Then off to the car wash, to wash out the basement compartment that got soiled! Long story short, we went on to the beach, got a campsite right on the beach, and had a great time! I was still trying to get the sand out of the basement compartment's 3 years later, from all the seashells that were hauled back to Illinois!
We went on many camping trips, after that, and when I ask, do any of you want to go, they always said yes!
They are all grown now, and all tell me they have the greatest memories of those trips!
Also, to note, I replaced the gasket under the toilet when I got home, as that is why it emptied into the basement instead of overflowing?
Rail!