so, if your four kids were sleeping in a tent in the back yard?

Q. and one of them was only 3 so you put a baby monitor out there with them in case he wakes up and gets confused, but the baby monitor massively magnifies every slight sound ... and your kids were now peacefully asleep but there was this one mosquito obviously trapped inside the tent that sounds on the baby monitor like something out of a hitchcock movie

would you:

(a) turn off the baby monitor because you know you'd hear the kids through the open window anyway if there was a problem;
(b) go outside and try to get rid of the mosquito, doubtless waking up the kids and letting ten more mosquitoes in the tent in the process; or
(c) stay on y!a all night because you're way too light of a sleeper to possibly go to sleep with that terrifyingly loud buzzing noise near your head?
ah, sorry boy wonder, should have given a (d) since obviously that one was coming. yes, he's admittedly in some serious danger out there between his siblings. once or twice a chicken has wandered into our yard. scary stuff. but i'm risking it anyway.

Answer
(c)

this is a happy, independent time for the kids. i don't want to go in that tent to (a) turn off the baby monitor and let in more mosquitoes in the process which in turn would 'bug' the kids more, nor (b) kill the mosquito and wake up the kids and ruin the whole camping aura with my hysteric presence, nor (d) chase the evil menace that is the chicken --camping trips are supposed to be a little scary. that's the whole fun of it. so i'd risk the chicken attack, so help me god.

oh and (c) because we'll miss you if you went to sleep. hehe.

Camping this weekend - with kids?

ariesalway

tent camping 5yr old and 3 yr old. Going with another family also. We've been before but love to refresh my mind about the little things Im gonna foget.
easy foods, snacks, games...ect..??

Answer
Make sure the kids have a way to get to their own snacks and drinks while you are walking. Little bags of trail mix can be customized - cheerios and pretzels for one, cheetos and peanuts for the other...you get the idea.

Make sure they have something to do other than just walk - a game like 'find the squirrel' or "who can find the most different leaves" is fun and educational - so long as you aren't in a rush.

When mine get tired I use my walking stick and play "little engine" - have them grab one end of the stick and move it in a circle like a train's wheels "I think I can, I think I can" will get the tiredest kids moving and get their minds off being tired - for a minute anyway.

Have a plan for rain! Gear up and take some imagination toys - dolls, action figures whatever the kids like.

Around the campsite the kids might like to make "fairy houses". Use sticks, acorns, bark, leaves and other found items to make little homes that can just decorate the forest...you might be surprised how creative the kids can be.

Take a small "boo-boo" kit - neosporin, Dora bandaids, etc.

Give the kids jobs at dinner time or set-up time - carry water, hand you tent stakes, gather wood, etc. They'll be under your feet otherwise.

Make sure the kids have a whistle around their neck just in case they wander off - they can blow a whistle louder and longer than they can yell.

Let the kids each have a flashlight at bedtime - it's fun and makes them feel safer. Show them how it works and take extra batteries - they'll probably leave it on all night.

I'm leaving out all the regular stuff - food, sunscreen, bug spray, toothbrush/toothpaste, stuffed animal to sleep with, tent, clean undies, etc. I'm assuming that bit is covered. Just sharing some things we do when we camp.

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