Despite the work involved, I loved the fact that our camping trips allowed our sons the freedom to play without restraint. They always managed to find things to do and other children to befriend. Even chores weren’t tedious; they eagerly collected twigs and branches for the fire or helped to fill the ► water container. (How was it that chores at home were always met with such resistance?) With more space to run around in, the boys got along better—well, for the first day anyway—slept like logs, and actually sat down to enjoy a meal rather than wolf down what they were served and plead to be excused. Although we camped for years and managed to get pretty adept at it, it wasn’t always smooth sailing—there were the times when we were rained out. There’s nothing worse than having to make that decision to abort a trip and witness the stark disappointment on your children’s faces as you call it day. Not only that, but you then had to pack up soggy camping equipment and stuff it back into the car. It made for an uncomfortable ride home with all of us silently brooding while the windows kept steaming up, and the car smelled like wet dog for days afterwards. Then there were the times when one or more of us were sick. One such incident has gone down in Our services include mediation, arbitration our family history. Unbeknownst to Our the services include elder law, mediation, separation and divorce rest of us, my older son gorged himself and parenting coordination silly on a whole bag of marshmallows just before bedtime only to wake in the middle of the night and throw up all over himself and the sleeping bag he shared with his little brother. Thank goodness we were in a provincial campground where there were bhmlawyers.ca • • 217 217--2187 2187 Oak Oak Bay Bay Avenue, 595 2220 full washroom facilities, but trying to rinse bhmlawyers.ca Avenue,Victoria Victoria • •Phone Phone250 250•595•2220 bhmlawyers.ca • 217 - 2187 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria • Phone 250•595•2220 off both a messy sleeping bag and a howling child at 2 a.m. in a shower stall was bhmlawyers.ca • 217 - 2187 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria • Phone 250•595•2220 not exactly my idea of fun. Frankly, I was amazed none of the other campers came to investigate what I am sure sounded like a • Daily meditation torture session. I may have grumbled over the years that • Nature based learning camping was a lot of work, but in hindsight, I look back with nostalgia and I treasure such • Small class sizes simple family times. Nothing can compare to cuddling your child, their eyelids heavy • BC curriculum K – Gr. 8 with sleep, while sitting beside a campfire watching the sparks drift lazily up into a cloudless sky strewn with twinkling stars. 2820 Belmont Avenue Camping fun? You bet.
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The Victoria School for Ideal Education
Susan Gnucci is a local author and a proud “nonna” to an adorable two-year-old grandson. She enjoys sharing her experiences as a first-time grandparent. IslandParent.ca
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