First camping trip with kids - total disaster | DadHQ

First camping trip with kids - total disaster

2w ago1 min read

So I thought I'd be the cool dad and take my 6 and 8yo camping solo last weekend. Forgot the tent stakes, the Coleman stove wouldn't light, and it rained all night. Kids ended up sleeping in the car and we went home early. Not gonna lie I felt like a failure but my wife said the memories are what count. We're going again next month and I'm actually looking forward to it this time. Lesson learned: practice setting up your gear before you bring the family.

7 comments148 views

Comments(7)

JJasonNew Dad2w ago

Dude, at least you tried. My first solo camping trip with my kids was similar levels of chaos. Forgot the sleeping bags one time. Now I triple check everything. Did you make it through the whole night or did you bail?

JJasonNew Dad2w ago

Forgetting the tent stakes is actually pretty low on the disaster scale for camping. Wait till you forget the bathroom breaks. Did the kids at least have fun despite the mishaps?

BBrianRegular2w ago

Been there. Forgot sleeping bags once. Once. You learn real quick what matters and what doesn't. The kids probably still remember it as amazing though, even if you were freezing.

DDannyRegular2w ago

The cool dad confidence only lasts until something goes wrong. Props for even attempting this though. Most dads would've just stayed home. Your kids will remember you went for it even if the execution was rough.

TTobias K.Regular2w ago

This is exactly why I haven't attempted solo camping yet with my little guy. Props for trying though, that takes guts. What was the worst part - the lack of shelter or dealing with the meltdowns?

VVincentRegular2w ago

Oh man, I feel this in my soul. Took my 4 year old hiking last month and forgot basically everything important. We made it work with what we had but yeah, the 'forgot the tent' situation is brutal. Did you end up having to bail or did you tough it out in the car?

LLance K.Regular2w ago

This is hilarious and also relatable. Solo camping with young kids is a different beast. You gonna try again or are you retiring the cool dad camping dreams for a few more years?