Through my blog, I’ve come to meet many other moms who write about their family adventures in the outdoors. Today, the Brave Ski Mom and I share a short dialogue we recently had about camping, hiking and getting outside. We both have two sons. My boys are young, hers are both teens. So what do we have in common? Are their some universal family experiences? Here’s a bit of what we found out. (Note – BSM will also be publishing this interview on her blog so feel free to pop over there if you have questions for her!)
How old are your children? When did you start taking them on outdoor adventures?
MM: Our boys are three and one. They are happy, needy, BUSY and stubborn! Our oldest was camping at about 10 weeks (and even though it was July, the nights were still freezing!) and our younger son went on his first camping trip at about 4 weeks (after 6 weeks of bed rest for me, I was desperate to get out so we didn’t wait!) Both boys were preemies, but strong and healthy.
Thanks to a Moby Wrap and my Boba 3G (both baby carriers) we were out hiking with both of them within three weeks. Nothing strenuous and I was certainly checking them often, but they were out there (and so were we!)
BSM: Our boys are now 15 and 13. I am not sure how that happened, but it did and it does! Our oldest went on his first expedition when he was four weeks old. BUT, we didn’t go camping. Instead we went to the family cabin at 10,000 feet. He spent the entire weekend in a Patagonia fleece bunting, but we were out there hiking. He also slept through the night for the first time on this (thank you high altitude air). Our younger son was born in April, so I think he probably went camping at about 8 weeks.
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When they were little, we carried them, but by about age 2, both boys were done with being carried and wanted to hike on their own. When they were little, we were very respectful of their size and stamina. As they grew, a big challenge for us was not interpreting their enthusiasm for strength and ability. We made some big mistakes talking them into “death marches.” These hikes were too long, in both distance and time, and they almost stifled our boys’ desire to hike. Just because a child CAN hike a long distance, doesn’t mean they should.
What do you find most challenging about hiking and camping with your children right now?
MM: The sleep factor when camping is pretty huge for us, unfortunately. P (almost a year) still isn’t sleeping that great which means that when we are in a tent everyone is disturbed by him waking up. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that it is just the way it is and WILL be for the next few years. We think the sleeplessness is worth the memories. The good news is after the first night, everything seems to get a little easier. We also really need to watch the kids and make sure they aren’t getting too cold (even though it IS June here – mountain camping means cold nights most of the summer!) Sleeping bags designed specifically for kids are absolutely worth the investment.
Other difficulties include the extra baggage cloth diapers (or really any diapers at all) make for packing and keeping P from eating everything he shouldn’t (dirt, rocks, deer poop, etc.)
BSM: Your kids are still too young for this, but one of the best things to ever happen to us was winning a tent. Actually our younger son, who was then 7, won the tent in a ski race. We had always tried to cram everyone into a small tent (thinking it would keep the boys warm and that it was more efficient somehow). When he won a tent, he and his brother graduated to sleeping together – alone. Their tent is right next to ours, but they are separate – separate mess, separate play space….separate!
The most challenging thing for us right now is finding time to go camping. We all love camping, it is one of our favorite family activities – whether car camping or backpacking. But once kids get involved in organized sports, the beautiful fall weekends are full. Spring blows by in the wind and summer melts before your eyes. Take advantage of camping as much as you can when your children are small and don’t rush to sign up for soccer. :0)
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MM: Oh….that sounds awesome! And yes, I totally agree that finding time is hard. We already struggle with that, and KNOW how important it is!
What do you enjoy most about being outside with your children?
MM: Quite honestly, I am a happier person when I am outside and active, and I am just a better Mama overall. In general, I am more patient, more understanding, more interactive and more present for my kids. At home I get too bogged down too easily by all the things I haveto do (and yet, I forget those things so easily when I am outdoors! So, I enjoy myself better 
But, I also see a difference in them. They tend to be less whiney, less needy, more loving toward each other and happier over all. I love their sense of wonder, how we have to stop and check out everything (as annoying as that can be sometimes) and all the laughter. And, I am 99% sure it is NOT just my kids that act that way outside! It is certainly not the 100% fool-proof solution to a happy day, but it sure helps (all of us!)
BSM: I can’t agree more. Being outside makes us all better people. For us, with young teenagers, outdoor time is all about camaraderie and stepping out of the rush. As busy as we were when our boys were young, our current schedule is on warp speed. Going camping together allows us to unplug and disengage from external events. We talk and laugh together in ways we wouldn’t at home. Time spent hiking, biking or fishing together is important, especially because of that word “together.” On the trail, we’re not competing for attention with work, school, friends and other responsibilities. We can just “be,” right where we are, together.
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Any go-to gear you use as a family right now with the stage of life you are in?
MM: Kid carriers are huge for us right now. They help us just get off and moving! We also love our Jetboil for quick hot chocolate (yep, even in the summer) and usually feel like snacks are coming out of our ears (does that count as “gear”??)
BSM: It’s funny, but gear actually does become less important as kids grow up (which is a relief!). Suddenly, you need much less stuff, but you always need good stuff. This spring we replaced our boys’ hand-me-down Thermarest pads, with brand new Thermarest Neo-Air pads. These are much cushier and weigh just about the same as the old ones. Plus, they’re longer.
I also agree with the JetBoil suggestion. Don’t we all need hot chocolate year-round and on-demand?
How long of hikes/camping trips do you usually do as a family? Any tips for families just starting out at your “stage” in the game?
MM: We have big plans for this summer of some multi-day backpacking trips and extended camping trips. But, before that, it has just been a lot of car camping (bailing if the baby is losing it is easier that way….) We’re excited to see how they go (and will report on the blog, of course!) As far as hikes, the length varies, but day hikes could be anywhere from 3-6 miles average (some longer, some shorter.) Our 3-year-old does a little riding, a little hiking. We’re thankful he is still willing to ride at least long enough for us to be able to get where we want to go (usually.)
BSM: We’ve got some fun summer plans in the works, including a couple of weekends we spent near Telluride already this June. Next on our agenda is a camping trip in the Collegiate Peaks with friends from Germany. The big question in Colorado, of course, is the extreme fire danger. Right now, there is a fire ban anywhere outside of established campsites. We keep expecting to hear that even camping stoves may be restricted. Please! Do your rain dances! We need it!
And now, some questions for readers: What do think the benefits of outdoor activities such as hiking and camping are for your family? Where do you like to go? What do you enjoy doing? What are the biggest challenges you face? Any questions you have for either of us (we are both posting, so feel free to leave comments for either one on our respective blogs!)
Happy Adventuring!
Our biggest challenge right now with a 3 year old is allowing him down time when he gets tired and overwhelmed. It used to be easy when we were carrying him on day hikes. That was his happy relax-time and he’d nap. Now he’s a bit heavy to carry. We’ve taken up biking and this works well with him in the chariot when he gets grumpy. Camping however is just hard. We try to put him in the tent mid day for a bit of a breather but it’s hard when you want to keep going, seeing things, having fun, and when group schedules don’t coordinate. By the time friends are ready to head to the beach it might already be 11am and my kid is slowly starting to lose it already. Oh – the challenges. Still getting out there and it won’t stop us but it’s never easy, is it.
NEVER easy, but oh soooo worth it! I wish I had a better answer too as far as resting/naps. We always come home completely exhausted too (because getting an infant to like a sleeping bag is beyond me!
) Thanks for your input!
Brave Ski Mom- I can SO relate. My oldest kids are a few years behind yours and I have a toddler. We love camping- obviously and we go camping as much as we can. My older kids are also involved in organized sports. Of course, that requires a huge time commitment. I certainly don’t want to discourage them from doing sports. I think it is important for them to find their passion. But participating in sports year around quickly eats up all your weekends. This fall, we are taking a break from our sports. We know that middle school is just around the corner and sports will kick into high gear. So this fall we are going to camp, travel and spend a lot of family time together. They grow up way too fast!
Hi Tiffany, it is such a balancing act. What I find most discouraging is how many families are willing to give up everything in order to have their kids participate in sports. I agree that sports are important too, but really, must every sport be year-round? When this happens, it is discouraging for kids to take a season off, because when they come back they feel “behind” or “left out.” I totally salute you for taking a fall break! Enjoy!
I have two boys, both around age 5
We spend almost all of our time outdoors hiking, camping, canoeing, caving etc. Our biggest challenge is that one of our sons has significant special needs. We are constantly trying to figure out new and better ways to keep him safe while still allowing our family to pursue our outdoor adventures. It can be challenging, but so far we have been able to do it very well! As he grows older, the challenges definitely keep changing. My boys love being outdoors more than anything and for my special needs son, it is a necessity as it is the only place he truly feels comfortable. Enjoyed this post so much, keep up the good work!!
YOU are an inspiration, Lauren (so check out her blog if you need a little pick-me-up.) I think with ANY kid the challenges are constantly changing, but special needs makes it a different ball game. Thank you for continuing to get out there and encourage others with “tougher” kids to also!
I totally agree that food fits into the “gear” category
HA! YES!
Great article you two!
We see the benefits of getting outside everyday – we all have more patience, more understanding and more fun. We’re definitely at the shorter toddler hike stage… with lots of exploring and learning along the way – we’re hoping to do a couple longer hikes but we’ll see. We’ve also been doing a lot more kayaking this year which is one of our greatest passions – M is at an age that he still fits with us in the kayak but has learned how to sit without tipping us over (we’re almost ready for our backcountry trip). Camping has been going well this year with one big exception – bedtime. M has a devil of a time settling himself. We’re trying a couple new things this weekend but if you have any tips that would be great. (Before you mention it – he gets totally involved with music and shows and gets more active.)
One of our biggest challenges is to over schedule ourselves so this year we have a pretty firm rule. One week on, one week off. This doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything on the week off but it’s much more spontaneous and unplanned. So far fate has been in agreement with this plan as the off weekend tends to be a lot less nice weather wise.
I want to hear how the sleeping thing goes! Certainly our biggest challenge. I long for a little older kid time when they can sleep in their own tent (though certainly am trying not to rush this time!) Hope you get to get out!!!
**My only advice is to keep to the bedtime routine you do at home the best you can and bring books and headlamps!**