Things I Learned While Camping With Three Children

1. Campgrounds are like a trial-run for the real world our children are entering. They got quite a few liberties on this camping trip, like going to the bathrooms alone, roaming the area on bikes, and meeting new friends. They also had some lessons. Like don't ditch your little brother. If your little brother is running, and you are biking, slow down so he doesn't get left behind. Also, if Mom has to go to the bathroom and it's not dark enough to pee next to the tent, don't even think about touching that fire when I am gone. And I am taking the little brother with me, because he would do more than think to touch the fire.
2. Invest in a 5-way pack-n-play. They are way cooler than a regular pack-n-play because they not only contain small children, and have wheels for moving it into the tent at night, but they include a sun-protecting mesh canopy thing. It's awesome!
3. Put your cell phone number or camp site number on your children's arms with permanent marker or pen. (I can not take credit for this idea, only the implementation.)
   (gasp!) but that will seep into their skin and isn't good for them!
   Well, neither is being kidnapped or getting lost in the dark in an unfamiliar campground. OK?
4. Candy thrown from 4th of July parade floats and cupcakes do not a meal make. This is why this "meal" will sooner or later (probably sooner) make a repeat appearance. This one's a lesson for ME. Next time I will force feed them real food or not allow the eating of parade candy as it's thrown.
5. Someone should invent child-sized ear plugs. Boy #1 can fall asleep anywhere (and has been crashed on my living room floor for 2 hours as I type this). Boy #2 is an infant, and when tired enough, can also sleep through anything. However, Girl #1 did not like our neighbors singing and talking loudly until midnight. She had me call the main office to tell them about it, but no one answered the call. She was stuck with trying to fall asleep through the noise and I was stuck with her waking me up several times to tell me she couldn't fall asleep.
6. Don't forget your air mattress. I actually left it at home because there is a small leak and I didn't have the time or energy to fix it before we left. Bad idea!!! Dirt is hard! I would have rather started on the mattress and ended up on the ground, than just started off on the ground.
7. Don't forget your toothbrush. In all truthfulness, I wouldn't have cared if one of the kids forgot theirs. When unsupervised, they brush for all of 5 seconds anyway. Yeah, it was me. I had to borrow G's. It was that or nothing, and I do not like that fuzzy sweater feeling on my teeth at night, camping or not.
8. Camp eggs and toast is the absolute best! I look forward to that meal every time I go camping. There is something about that camp toast...I butter both sides of the bread and put it on the griddle right next to the eggs. Then flip. It's a cross between french toast without the french, or grill cheese with no cheese. Yum!
9. Bring a bike for everyone. The kids had fun riding around on the trails and with their friends. The last day of camping I rented a bike, and a bike trailer for the boys. I was thinking we'd ride for a few hours. Yea, the bikes they rent don't have hand-brakes. That was fine. Weird, but fine. They also are one-speed. Have you ever tried towing 40 lb. of small children uphill on a one-speed bike? It wasn't easy.
10. Children will eat a marshmallow that lands anywhere. Even if it lands in the fire and is picked back up onto the pokey-thing. It will get eaten. Don't ask me why.