One of the activities my husband and the guys in his family like to do every year is camping. They try to go in spring and fall each year and they bring the potty-trained kids with them. So far, that’s just been the boys in the family, but this spring, our 4-year-old daughter is excited to go.
They’ve gone to Red Rock Canyon, Lake Arcadia a couple times, Lake Thunderbird, and Roman Nose State Park. Every time, my boys come back exhausted, but fulfilled. I get to see the pictures and some memories they made together and it always looks like they had a lot of fun.
I’ve grown to love these weekend camping trips. At first, it meant leaving me home alone with one or two babies for the weekend, and at least one of them didn’t sleep through the night. Sleep deprivation has a way of clouding your better judgement.
However, the investment of family bonding is a priority for me and I know the long-term benefits of it. My kids need a healthy relationship with their dad, with their Pops, with their uncles and also with their cousins. These relationships are going to carry them through their adolescent and adult lives. They’re going to be there when they need help or when they want someone to celebrate with. They’re going to be there to help them grow.
My husband and I are fortunate to come from families that are close and love to spend time together and we’ve seen the many benefits of it, so it’s easy to follow suit when raising our own children.
I understand if that’s not where you’re coming from, but my encouragement to you is to let your kids go camping [or insert family bonding activity]. You might be glad you did.
