# Teens



## Rob_G (Feb 16, 2006)

Well it's finally happened. My little buddy (sniff) is finally old enough (sniff, sniff) to NOT want to head out with the rest of the family. I can understand how it is as I went through the same thing with my parents when we camped. I just remember it wasn't until I was about 17 until I was bored outta my gourd. He's only 15 right now. Fortunately, I have a Mother-in-law that I keep in the basement and feed pancakes under the door to once in a while. She said that she'll keep him in line this weekend for us.

Even though I understand how it goes, how are other parents dealing (or not dealing!







) with this?


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Sorry to hear the Big D wont be joining us this weekend. I dread the day that our boys no longer want to head out with us. But look at it this way... in 15 or 20 years, he will head out with you, Cindy and *his* family


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

14-16 was a tough age for the girls camping, they were moody, didn't want to go and complained. We tried to go places they wanted to go and do things they wanted to do. Now that they are 18 they like going again, not for weekends but our longer vacations and we have a lot of fun together again.

Mike


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I just keep adding stuff for them to do. About 3 years ago we started riding dirt bikes (I've riden since I was 5...so this is great for me) and the boys love it. We can ride in winter without camping then take long trips in summer with dirt bikes. Toss in fishing...hiking..swimming...great campfires...kayaks and the boys (15-12) are still having a great time.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

My boys camped with us till they were 18 or 19 then they left for the Navy. The girl lost interest at 16. Most of the camping is chilling by the fire at night and rafting or playing in the water during the day. They have all been allowed to bring friends anytime they wanted and most times they would invite someone.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Boys are 17 and 14, we ATV as a family and have a Boat. But the oldest is very busy with music so it's put a crimp on us camping as often since we usually go with him to events. However so far we've not left him behind for a weekend when we go camping.


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

Been there. Done that.
Don't worry, it's just a phase many teens go through. It's just not cool to hang out with the parents, and they would rather be with their friends. When ours were teens, we found it helps if you let them bring a friend along. Other times, we just let them stay with someone while we went camping. Once they hit the 20's they seem to grow out of it, and again enjoy to go camping. As a matter of fact, our daughter, who is now 24, will be joining us with her family at the Southeast rally in Chattanooga 3 weeks from now. She can't wait to go.

Bob


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Make a part of the camper as dark as possible, throw in a game console, a bag of Doritos, and a 2 liter of Moutain Dew. Lay a trail of Doritos from the cave in the house to the camper, ensuring the trail ends in the darkened area. Beat on the house cave door and yell (yes, yell---this is very important---they might not hear you otherwise!) that it's time for dinner/lunch. Go sit in your tow vehicle and wait until the teen emerges from the house, following the path of chips and enters the camper. Quickly shut and lock the camper door, enter your tow vehicle and depart.

Note the above is for a male beast. If you have a daughter, replace the game console with a phone, an extra phone battery, 3 phone chargers (because they'll loose one and break another), make-up (for some unknown reason), 8 pairs of clothes (for a 2 night trip), blow dryer, curling iron, their boyfriends picture, their best friends picture, a guitar, and several paperback novels.

Disclaimer---Yes, I have all girls. No, I don't condone letting anyone ride in the camper while traveling because it isn't safe. The above is a joke...but not the part about what girls "really, really need to bring along". Note that you will enter "Ogre" status if you don't let them bring 150lbs of stuff AND find a place for them to stuff it all.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

My daughter turned on us a few years ago when she turned 7. She hates camping and tells us all the time that we are "ruining her life". Part of the reason I bought a new 301BQ was to give her some more room and some privacy. She still hates to go camping, but maybe not as much as before in the 25RSS. We dry camp almost exclusively, so never any TV or Internet, which does not help. I let her use my Aircard so she can stay in touch on the Internet, but she cannot stream so she says it is not the same thing as being home.

We try to bring friends, but it is not that easy these days, especially for ten-eleven year olds. Parents are not willing to let their kids go, I am a bit afraid to even ask. At such a young age, parents are very protective of their kids. I don't blame them, I probably would not let my daughter go camping with one of her friends either. Maybe this will loosen up a bit when her and her friends are a bit older.

I hope she grows out of it one day. Fingers are crossed, but it does not look good for us.

DAN


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## muddy tires (Jun 22, 2007)

TwoElkhounds said:


> it is not the same thing as being home.


That's precisely why I camp. Unless we are on a long trip or the weather sucks, we leave the electronics turned off (yes, even Dad's Blackberry). The best trips seem to be when we go with other people. Having some new faces to amuse themselves with seems to make everybody's lives easier. My son (14) and daughter (12) still look forward to our trips (knock on wood).


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

I understand a lot of teens go through that phase, but I never did. From the time I first went camping with my grandparents, at around 10-12, in their (maybe) 15' Lil Beaver camper, I was hooked!! Not so, my brother! He fussed and carried on the first and ONLY trip he took with us! We dry-camped, on a lake, the dining table made into a bed, and I slept on one side of my grandma, and he slept on the other side!! The bathroom was very little.......you did the "Walk right in, sit right down", THEN close the door!! LOL But, it was fun. Of course, I was a tomboy







=happiness, from the word "go", and my grandparents, especially grandpa, lavished me with attention, so what could be wrong with that? My brother was the center of attention in our household, because he was "the boy" and "sick" when he was born, so I really loved it!!
However, back to the present: My oldest son, now 27, didn't care for camping and still doesn't, but my youngest son, now 17, loved it, and probably, always will, too!! But, there's one problem with that: I never have any "me" time!! LOL
For parents that are struggling, I have the Verizon home phone, cell phone, and internet (Galaxy tab). So, I carry that with us, in the motorhome. He is not allowed to use it all the time, but when I drive and get in heavy traffic, he knows it's "quiet time", and he needs to either read, or get online, or play with his Nintendo DS. Also, he can use this in bad weather, etc.
However, I'm blessed that he wants to be outside more than "normal" teens. He loves the outdoors!
Darlene


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Our kids hit that time about 16 or 17 so we would just go without them most of the time. A couple of years later, my oldest daughter came home from college and talked the other 2 kids into asking us to take them camping like we use to. My oldest daughter still enjoys camping with her family but the others are too busy most of the time even though we now take our camping buddy, our 3 year old grandson with us when we can. Good luck with your son, he's missing out on some good times and I know that you would love to be with him just as he's getting interesting.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

I posted this picture on another thread, thought it was appropriate for this thread as well. Below is a picture I took during the Factory Rally this past summer. The young lady in the picture is my daughter, 11 years old, going on 17. As you can see, she loves going camping. This frown is permanently fixed to her face the entire time we are away camping, no matter where we go. I think my camping days might be numbered. Check Craigs List next spring, my trailer and truck may be up there!


















DAN


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

TwoElkhounds said:


> I posted this picture on another thread, thought it was appropriate for this thread as well. Below is a picture I took during the Factory Rally this past summer. The young lady in the picture is my daughter, 11 years old, going on 17. As you can see, she loves going camping. This frown is permanently fixed to her face the entire time we are away camping, no matter where we go. I think my camping days might be numbered. Check Craigs List next spring, my trailer and truck may be up there!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ouch.... Hope she doesn't find out dad posted that pic online! Our girls are only 7 and 9 years old, and they still like their parents for some reason. I've done everything I can think of to torture, embarrass, and humiliate them, but they keep coming back for more. When we go camping, they make friends with almost every kid they meet, and we end up with a gaggle of them in our trailer. We even had our first camping sleep-over this past summer! They bring the Nintendo's, board games, DVD's, bikes and scooters. They're usually going hard from sunup until sundown, and have a great time. Now, this behavior may not continue for much longer, but we'll take it while it lasts, lol...


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## CdnOutback (Apr 16, 2010)

> Ouch.... Hope she doesn't find out dad posted that pic online! Our girls are only 7 and 9 years old, and they still like their parents for some reason. I've done everything I can think of to torture, embarrass, and humiliate them, but they keep coming back for more. When we go camping, they make friends with almost every kid they meet, and we end up with a gaggle of them in our trailer. We even had our first camping sleep-over this past summer! They bring the Nintendo's, board games, DVD's, bikes and scooters. They're usually going hard from sunup until sundown, and have a great time. Now, this behavior may not continue for much longer, but we'll take it while it lasts, lol...


If they keep coming long enough they will start making friends with all the boys... then you may wish they didn't want to come anymore....


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

CdnOutback said:


> > Ouch.... Hope she doesn't find out dad posted that pic online! Our girls are only 7 and 9 years old, and they still like their parents for some reason. I've done everything I can think of to torture, embarrass, and humiliate them, but they keep coming back for more. When we go camping, they make friends with almost every kid they meet, and we end up with a gaggle of them in our trailer. We even had our first camping sleep-over this past summer! They bring the Nintendo's, board games, DVD's, bikes and scooters. They're usually going hard from sunup until sundown, and have a great time. Now, this behavior may not continue for much longer, but we'll take it while it lasts, lol...
> 
> 
> If they keep coming long enough they will start making friends with all the boys... then you may wish they didn't want to come anymore....


Fortunately they still think boys are yucky....


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Insomniak said:


> Ouch.... Hope she doesn't find out dad posted that pic online! Our girls are only 7 and 9 years old, and they still like their parents for some reason.


Ahhh, the key phrase is "Our girls are only 7 and 9 years old". Your day is coming my friend, your day is coming. Give it a couple more years, maybe three .......... it will eventually kick in, it always does in one way or another.

In the meantime, enjoy it while you can!!









DAN


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## Guy Who Tris (May 6, 2012)

I'll reopen this thread.

So far we are lucky. But we've only had the RV a year. I would camp with the 3 boys for scouts until they dropped out. My daughter loved camping with us too. My wife and stepdaughter wouldn't even try until we looked at an RV. When we go the 3 boys bring their Xbox and the girls bring iPods and games. We also find that we do things we don't don't home like playing board games. We do let friends go with us but only one since we are a family of 7 already. Our oldest is 16 and our youngest are12 so am thinking we will start running out of time. But since my kids lost their mom at a young age they seem to enjoy time with us more than my wife's kids do. I don't know if that's. Grief or life experience thing or not. My kids will hang out with us. Hers hover when they need something otherwise they are with friends. However I could see hers being the ones that never want to leave home.

So we try to accommodate each of them where we can realizing that our days are numbered. We are also trying to find friend who camp and have kids so that our kids can hang out too. So far that has been difficult.

Are there any camping clubs for people who camp with kids?


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## susan/vt (May 16, 2010)

Ok, we had a pop up when our kids reached that age and we finally just gave up. But when they left home we got a hybrid and then the outback. DS#2 had the nerve to ask why we got the "good stuff" after he left home.

My SIL just added a small tv to the bunk room and made no requirements of her then 16 year old daughter. She had to come but if she wanted to spend the entire weekend in bed with the tv on, so be it. No extra meals were prepared for her. If she didn't eat when we all ate, well, she could always make a sandwich.

She's now in college and joins us when she can. She even comes out of her room from time to time to talk to us.


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## New England Camper (Jun 25, 2010)

My kids are 8 and 17 and I don't give my oldest much of a choice to go camping with us. She has never said she doesn't want to go either. I try to plan all our trips on the weekends she isn't with her dad so there is no conflicts for her. I can't imagine her being home by herself either even with my parents who live next door. We've been camping for 5 years and both kids still love it. I've always tried to pick a floor plan that will keep the whole family happy. Plus we always try to pick campgrounds with activities for the kids. As long as she has her Iphone to read on she's content.

Our friends that we go camping with have 17 year old teen boys and they don't give them an option to go either. Of course they said if they get a job that will change.


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## RDS (Jul 20, 2011)

Ours are 18 DD, 21 DS and haven't been in a while. It took a while to get used to them not being around.... Now we use the bunks for our gear. LOL (never enough storage space)


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