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Camping

754 views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  amandajo 
#1 ·
Tell me how you did it or do it with little ones.

My dd is 2 and we have tried 2 times to take her. Both times ended up poorly because she doesn't sleep Well and is a nightmare the next day. She still has difficulty sleeping and her bedtime routine seems to help that. So she know what is coming etc. But we usually have to leave before she is asleep because having someone there just keeps her revved up. She has fallen asleep from exuastion before like 3 times in her life, but most of the times she just gets whineyer and throw trantrums over really small things.

So how do you take this camping.

We tried out in the backyard with the tent tonight, but i am pretty overwhelmed with her and the nursling. It is cooling off now, but for the most part it is hot and they both climb on me most of the day.
 
#2 ·
Oh, I dont know...what do you mean when you say " We have to leave, someone else there revs her up?"
When we go camping, we don't always have other families or people around. That could be one of my tricks. Sometimes we just go alone. No distractions or rev-ing up.
But always, we adults go to bed at an early time. Like, 10:00pm or whenevr the kids do. We all just climb in the tent together and get cozy and conk out. Are you trying to get her to sleep while you or others are still awake? I don't think that would work until they are a little older. Right now I think it's perfect because we can hike with the kids all day and they get good and tired, plus all that fresh air is so good.
I love camping.
Maybe it just takes a little more time, your little ones are very young still.
We have camped with the kids since they were newborns in slings, so maybe my boys are just really used to it. Hope you find a solution!
 
#3 ·
Well, we just did this. The first night was miserable. No sleep. The next day was not much fun due to tiredness and exhaustion. The next night was fine. He understood more how to sleep and went to bed at 8 and slept 12 hours. Then, he even napped that day in the tent while I laid next to him reading. The next night wasn't as good, but we just went with the flow. So he didn't fall asleep till 10:30- oh well he sat on my lap while we talked around the campfire.

I think you just need to go for longer. Don't get me wrong, he was definately tired the whole trip, but we still had fun. We went for 3 nights and that was perfect. And, try to relax about how much sleep is had. Bring plenty of coffee and your LO will probably pass out in a carrier or stroller for naps. It's definately different with kids, but I'm guessing the more you do it the better it will get.
 
#4 ·
We just got back from our first family camping trip, 3 nights. We ran them ragged during the day and then just went to bed together at night, same with the other two families that came as well. It worked very well for us.
 
#5 ·
just to clarify. when we put her to sleep at home she has a hard time calming down at night when we put her to sleep and we usually have to leave her by herself.

we tried a mock trial in the backyard and she and Dh laid in the tent for an hour from9 to 10 and then gave up and came inside.

I think we will try a longish trip maybe just two nights, but i am still pretty tired from waking with a newborn.
 
#6 ·
We've been camping with DS 3 times now. Once last summer, and twice now this summer. He's always up later than at home (10-11ish vs 8:30-9ish at home), but I've never had too much of an issue getting him to sleep. Last summer (when he was still nursing to sleep), I took him in there and nursed him to sleep, then went back to hanging out with friends/partying (it was a big campout/music festival type deal with a bunch of DH's old friends - we actually didn't originally plan to camp out but were offered a tent to stay in so we did
.

This year, the first time we were at a campground, but it was pretty early in the summer (may 15ish), and so there weren't many people there. I just took the appropriate bedtime books/bear/pillow and he fell asleep just like at home after reading... The second time was at another campout with DH's old friends (actually a wedding party/campout/reception - they were marreid in hawai and just had a big party back home afterwards
, and he stayed up till 10:30-11ish cause' there were fireworks (really, really, really good ones too - apparently the brides' uncles all make fireworks for a living
. By then he was pretty darn tired and very dark, an I forgot a flashlight, so I just sang a couple songs and layed with him for a few minutes till he fell asleep.

All three times, I've just gone back and checked on him every now and then, but once asleep he's always slept really, really well in our tents
 
#7 ·
We go camping very often. We have a 5 yr old and 2 yr old and always go with other families. We try to tire them out as much as possible during the day, but still alway dread bed time. I swear by Hylands Homeopathic Calm Forte. We don't use it very often, but when we do it really helps the kids fall asleep easier. So, that combined with being worn out usually does the trick. then the next day they are usually still exausted, but have fun becuase they are with friends...but this makes the second night much easier at bed time! I would highly recommend using some kind of herb or homeopathic to help your child sleep better while camping (I personally need some extra help sleeping on camping trips, so assume my kids will also)!
 
#8 ·
we camp a good bit
we just went beach camping in FL with a 10month walking and 3year old
its somewhat rugged as in you have to pack your gear and food and all about a mile out to the tent area
but we go every year and have fun

we usually lay with the boys till sleeping- doing typical bed time things- books and prayers
sometimes we just go to sleep too
if we are with a group I put them down then join the group
if the babe is sleeping and we just have the older boy up i can tell him goodnight and he will conk out eventually he is happy to be in the tent close where he can see hear us and just goes to sleep

camping is great- dont give up!
 
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