I think I am doing this wrong

[al_burpe]

My wife and I have and 11 month old daughter with hopefully more kids coming. We have tried be intentional about getting out, and I think we do pretty good on day trips. Overnight camping trips have turned camping into much more of an ordeal than I imagined possible. When I was single, I could easily make a plan on Friday and after getting off work pick up a few friends in my truck, stop by the store on the way out of town, and have a nice relaxing weekend camping. No so much with kids. I have Frontier crew cab with the short bed, and we tent camp. The first problem is packing the truck. The first couple times out I packed everything in the bed the best I could and then had to cram everything else in the cab around my daughter and wife. I wised up and got a some plastic bins to store it all in. This got most of the stuff out of the cab, but on the last trip I couldn't even get my tailgate shut, so out came the tie down straps. Anyway, I feel like just getting out the door takes way too long. Next comes setting up for the night, my wife normally has to feed my daughter and take care of her needs when we arrive so that leaves me getting everything else set up by myself. When we go to pack up, we start the process all over again. It just seems that the amount of stuff needed to get out with baby increases so much. Seeing as we are not done having kids yet, we could be in this phase for some time, and I can't imagine it gets easier with more kids. What are people's suggestions for streamlining the process of getting out with small kids? Do you just accept that it is just going to more difficult and push through until the kids are bigger and more fully able to take care of themselves? We were determined when we found out we were going to be parents to continue to have adventures and make sure our kids do to, but I can more fully understand why a lot of people just throw their hands up and wait until their kids are older.

Probably the best solution that I have thought of is get a trailer that can store most of our camping gear and eliminate most of the packing and unloading. Then maybe putting a RTT for easier set up. The other possibility is to just go with a pop up trailer as you can normally get a used one for the same price as new RTT alone. Anyway, I am open to other ideas. I just curious as to how others has attempted to still be able to get and enjoy their time while also caring for small children.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Give up.

I know that lots of people camp with kids. I like camping, and want it to be relaxing and easy. So i dont camp beyond the backyard with little kids.

When our first was born, we simply limited ourselves to day trips for a few years. She was 4, almost 5 when we went camping together for the first time. Now she is almost 9 and we have a blast together, but little sister is starting to ask if she can come. My wife is a huge fan of this idea because there is no way she is coming too, so she will get a weekend alone.

Once little sister is reliably potty trained, she will be welcome to join in.

In the meantime, pre-box your stuff for quick and easy day trips, find an occasional babysitter for a weekend away with your spouse, and realize that camping will be very different until the kids grow up a bit.

If you insist on camping, consider driving 2 cars, you go up the night before, set up, and get stuff ready. Mommy drives in for a day or 2 with kiddos, and leaves early with them. Even though you are doing all the work, trust me, it is LESS work than trying to do it with everyone present.

That is the best I have for you. Good luck.

 

[fireball]

We have a pop up camper on a flatbed trailer and it's an awesome setup for us. We had 30 nights in it last year and aiming for 35-40 this year. My son is almost 2 now. Having something that is quick and easy to setup and has standing and sitting room for mom and baby has been awesome.

It's packed and ready to go! Pack some clothes and the fridge and we are off. Still a good bit more gear with the baby but lots of fun.

We came from a ground tent with sleeping pads and bags and setup and tear down that took at least 45'. Now if we don't unhook the trailer we can be sleeping in less than 5' and fully setup for a long weekend in under 15'.

 

[rcharrette]

We've got 2 boys that are now 2yrs and 11yrs old. We've been camping with both since they were a few months old. With our first boy we tried a tent once! It was no fun at all. We then evolved through a van, pop up and now our current 27' camper which we are full time traveling in. One thing I realized is once you have kids you need to dial back your expectations a bit. You don't need to give up on getting out on an adventure but just lower your expectations and ambitions a bit so everyone is happy. I'd highly recommend a pop up camper if your just getting out a weekend or two once in a while. You can leave a lot of stuff in there ready to go to minimize the packing. You can also drop the camper once there and still have your vehicle to explore in. Also, more importantly in those early years Mom has a reasonably comfortable place to lay with baby for feedings, naps, etc. Good luck and don't give up.

 

[1leglance]

You have to realize kids only need dirt in the outdoors to be happy.
Take less stuff
We actually starting taking MORE stuff as the kids got older since after 5yrs old they need more than some sticks, rocks and bugs to play with.
Then came the slingshots, archery stuff and longer hikes.

But when they are little you start with day trips and once they are walking you add in overnighters and keep it simple. Something tells me if you really really thought about it there is plenty of stuff you could do without.

Or do like others have said and get a cheap used pop up for now.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

Pop up is good idea. Roof top tent is a terrible idea IMO. Are you really going to carry a child up and down a ladder? Agree you need to lower expectations and maybe go it alone until they get older.

My youngest is a boy age 3 and it's tough with him. Has hard time going to sleep. The girls ages 7 and 5 are great though.

 

[WeLikeCamping]

My kids camped with me their entire lives, the oldest started at eight weeks. Get used to it, the amount of gear needed for kids expands exponentially and you will end up doing all the work. At least that has been my experience. I did everything from load and setup to takedown and pack, and I suffered the complaints for missing gear. My response was always that if there is something you want, then you can participate in packing. That didn't shut them up though. We started in tents, moved to a slide-in, and then back to tents. Now, my kids are older and they rarely camp with me, but when they do camp, I know that they know what they are doing. For me, I've treated myself to a larger, hard-sided trailer for comfort and security.

 

[rcharrette]

I'll also add (as others said) a RTT is a bad idea. We rented a Land Rover with RTT in Costa Rica for a week. Trying to keep my 2yr old off the ladder constantly really cut into my relaxation time!


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[Ovr_land]

Have you seen the video of the mother with the first baby who's grabbing everything and packing it before she leaves the house. When she has a second baby she simply grabs a handful of cheerios and leaves.

Our experience is something like that video. Ours are 10 & 11. Sleeping bags, hammocks and a smile is all that is required of them to hop into the Jeep. IMHO It actually gets easier with more kids. Not because of the kids you see, but because of your changing definition of what to pack and expect. My kids don't require anything unique at their age outside of what myself or my wife would want.

 

[Grendel Kahn]

It really depends on you/your kids. We have a RTT and it hasn't been a problem for our 3y/o been camping with it since he was 2. He likes climbing the ladder, but we zip up the annex and he forgets about it. He loves sleeping between us and hasn't had a problem, granted the longest we have been camping is 4 days and that was about his limit, we may have gotten more out of him if he had a friend along instead of just Mom and Dad.

 

[swduncan]

Every family is different of course, but:

1. Practice helps a lot. I didn't grow up in a camping family. Wasn't much of a camper as a single guy but I was interested. The first trip I took with all three kids by myself was when the youngest was about 2 1/2 - 2012 or so, right after she was potty trained. Was setting up the tent and finally looked to see where she was. In the fire pit like it was a sandbox. Hands, face, knees black as night. Wish I'd taken a picture. On that same trip the raccoons ate our food. All of it, and scattered the wrappings all over the place.

As I realized that three kids were too much for one hotel room I determined camping was a way to make the trips I wanted work financially, and had a charm of its own. I discovered this site, and in 2014 made a decision to get good at camping and grabbed the kids and camped. I built some chuck boxes. Every weekend we could we headed out to a local campground. I lived in Milwaukee then and there were several within an hour or so. We'd leave on Friday if we could or Saturday, and then camp for a night or so and come home. They had fun, got bored, were fine, got hurt, and once in a while now out of the blue they'll start in on some memory about one of those trips that is pure gold.

That summer I learned a lot. I wrote down everything that worked, didn't etc. and aimed for better the next time. Organization and routine are the difference. I ended that summer by going to Overland Expo East 2014 with a friend to learn a bit more. Tubs are a start. Build on it.

2. As your wife gets familiar and works out her own routines she'll probably help more. You didn't mention if she came from a camping family or not, but if not it may take a while for her to gain some confidence and see the charm.

3. Yes, you'll do the work. You can look at it as work and a thankless job, or you can choose to see it as something you can have control over and do the way you like. If you're planning to have more kids, learn to cherish the latter. Doesn't come that much once you have two, much less three kids around About the time you get used to having this control, your kids will reach the age where they want to 'help', a lot. Leverage this! Show them how and be patient. Use labels and pack the same way every time so people know where stuff is. Mine are 7, 11 and 12. They're now able to really help-help. It's nice.

4. Expectations often get people into trouble so be careful with them. The post earlier about the mom of the second kid just grabbing cheerios is spot on. When we were new parents we worried so much more. About the kids, what other people thought, the whole 9 yards. Experience brings confidence, confidence makes for a much easier experience.

5. Fake it till you make it. Often getting the family to have a good time starts with yourself - you have to learn to have a good time. Even when the beer got forgotten, the new camping gizmo got torn/broken/forgotten, and the raccoons just ate your food. This goes for more than just camping, and sometimes it's the hardest to remember.

Like way too many things, if you want it, you've got to make it happen.

 

[kdeleon]

We mixed tenting and cabins (the small ones found in state parks here). I had a pickup and the tailgate was the perfect diaper changing table. Yeah it was a lot of work but guess what over the years you'll have memories of all that as you watch them start to tend to their own. Trust me it will get easier!


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[al_burpe]

Thank you guys all for your great suggestions. Neither my wife and I want to give up on camping with our daughter, but we do want enjoy the experience. If we went a trailer with a RTT route, the tent would be chest hight so not really a problem with lifting her into it. However, since she is just now standing, I didn't consider the climbing on it aspect. I think we need to more strongly consider the pop up option. Good to hear that it does get easier.

 

[Wallygator]

Yeah I would go with a pop up in your situation. Will last for years until your kid/kids get older and can start helping. Easy and comfortable and probably can get one cheaper than a trailer with a roof top tent.

 

[Stryder106]

Part of being a new parent is the urge to bring way too much stuff. Once you get past that it will get easier.