Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 Hi Kelli, I happened to marry a guy who absolutely loves the Great Outdoors here in Oregon, Idaho, Arizona or wherever for that matter. We began river rafting with out oldest son, Lucas, who is now 9, when he was two. The twins took their first camping trip at eighteen months (they are now five) and we will go on our first family (where all five of us go) rafting trip in July. Advice: If you are camped near water--I have my little ones wear a life jacket the whole time, whether swimming or not! If you are afraid they may get out of sight--lots of trees, etc., have them wear bells on their shoes or teach them to blow a whistle that is pinned to their clothing. Have someone responsible for watching them every second...Don't assume someone else is watching them. We actually say, " I am handing the responsibility over to you while I go....etc. " At night, head lamps are handy, so you have both hands free, but can still see where you are going, if walking with the children..And a flashlight per child to avoid fighting! Children love campfires and they are a wonderful experience; however, we have several fleece jackets with burn holes in them--longer sticks needed for roasting marshmallows, I guess! Anyway, you probably are aware of the above saftey issues, but thought I would just run through some of the things we have done that have worked. Other tips: Take tons of baby wipes Have one small bag of clothes for each child (old clothes--they get trashed) A bag with books and a bag with a few toys--The Great Outdoors has it's own toys, so they generally stay very busy without toys--maybe a few buckets and shovels and little cars (I've tried packing everything for the kids in one big bag and I am constantly digging). As far as hiking goes, before the twins could walk or at least well enough to hike, one of us (my husband or I) would stay at camp and go for a mini-hike around, while the others went for longer hikes or we would start out with the longer hiking group and turn around after a while, and then we would trade off the next day. The summers Sara was almost two and almost three, she did not sleep well in the tent, at all, while camping--she would be restless all night and I would be exhausted, as well. I guess being in a new place didn't agree with her. slept great. Anyway, last year, at age four--she did a lot better-- Overall, it is a wonderful experience for the family--and it makes those trips when it is just Rand and I, seem so easy! If you have any other specific questions, send them my way. I hope it works for you and I hope you have a great time. Marcia Mom to Sara (DS) and 5 and Lucas 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2000 Report Share Posted May 19, 2000 Hi Marcia, Kelli here....I'm from Washington State and my girlfriend use to camp all the time. I was watching the news yesterday on the anniversey of Mt. St. Helens and I could taste the ash all over again. Still gives me goose bumps to watch it over again. I was on my way to work the morning the mountain blew and it was straight in my view driving down the road. I stopped and got out of my car and couldn't believe it. I really thought it was a atomic bomb. I was so scared. Anyway back to camping, I mostly worry about , if he'll sleep, get hurt trying to walk around, get really fussy, ect... I know Tyler will love it. How did Sara do her first time out? Kelli....Mom to: , age 22, Greg, age 18, Twins: Set one- April & Ash age 15, Set two- (ds) & Tyler, age 4. Copy and paste the code below in your sig box <html> <body background= " http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Portal/8051/images/beauty_bubbles.gif " text= " lin\ en " ><center> <img src= " http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Portal/8051/images/peachrose.gif " width= " 200 " hei\ ght= " 200 " border= " 0 " > </center> </body> </html> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2000 Report Share Posted May 20, 2000 Hi Kelli, I didn't realize you were from Washington State. Wow! What an experience you had with Mt. St. Helens. I was living in California at the time and had come up to Portland for a wedding that was on the day it blew--I remember getting black specks of ash on the white jacket I was wearing. All but the sleep thing, Sara did great-- she loved the dirt--and everything else that goes with camping--I remember her being happy. We're so excited--Yesterday, Sara pedaled a bike, with training wheels, for the first time--she has been watching ride his bike for several years, so she was beaming from ear to ear when she realized she was pedaling. Enjoy the weekend! Marcia Mom to Sara (DS) and 5 and Lucas 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2000 Report Share Posted May 20, 2000 WAY to GO Sara! Pedal that bike! WOW! That's wonderful Marcia. ~,moma to (DS) & Sloan {2 years} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2000 Report Share Posted May 20, 2000 I'm so happy Sara is learning to ride a bike! That is great! I think that is a couple yrs. down the road for but someday...... Kelli....Mom to: , age 22, Greg, age 18, Twins: Set one- April & Ash age 15, Set two- (ds) & Tyler, age 4. Copy and paste the code below in your sig box <html> <body background= " http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Portal/8051/images/beauty_bubbles.gif " text= " lin\ en " ><center> <img src= " http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Portal/8051/images/peachrose.gif " width= " 200 " hei\ ght= " 200 " border= " 0 " > </center> </body> </html> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2000 Report Share Posted May 21, 2000 Wow Marcia, I'm so happy for Sara and you! That is so great about the bike! Marcia, just wondering how is school for Sara? Do your twins go to the same or different schools? I loved the picture you posted the other day of them. It was kinda like looking at my twins fast forward! How is life now esp. for Sara being 5? It must seem so far away thinking back to when they were my twins ages, 14 months. I'm doing soo much better these days{emotionaly} don't know why, but do get sad from time to time, just thinking about Tara, in general. Gail ........Bobby 6, Jillian 3 1/2, and Tara{Ds} 14 months > > Hi Kelli, > > I didn't realize you were from Washington State. Wow! What an experience > you had with Mt. St. Helens. I was living in California at the time and had > come up to Portland for a wedding that was on the day it blew--I remember > getting black specks of ash on the white jacket I was wearing. > > All but the sleep thing, Sara did great-- she loved the dirt--and everything > else that goes with camping--I remember her being happy. > > We're so excited--Yesterday, Sara pedaled a bike, with training wheels, for > the first time--she has been watching ride his bike for several > years, so she was beaming from ear to ear when she realized she was pedaling. > > Enjoy the weekend! > > Marcia > Mom to Sara (DS) and 5 and Lucas 9 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Save 75% on Products! > Find incredible deals on overstocked items with Free shipping! > 1/4013/2/_/598201/_/958842964/ > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > http://DSyndrome.com/Multiples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2000 Report Share Posted May 22, 2000 Hi Gail, Thank you for your post and for the questions you have regarding what life is like for Sara at age five. I understand your curiosity. Just the other day, I was talking to a Mom who has a daughter with DS who is almost nine. I was asking her all sorts of questions. It is so great to have our group to ask questions of us who have kids who are " older " . Sara and go to the same preschool. Their head teacher tells me that they really do not interact with one another at school, unless one is hurt or one does not see the other, then they support one another or ask where the other is. Socially, Sara does well with her friends at school--she does not stand out as " different " --other than the fact that they all run to give her hugs when we arrive at school. Academically, she is still pretty much scribbling, while her peers are writing either their whole name or parts of their name. She will copy letters, if I or the teacher write them first. Her coloring is still scribbling, with attempts to stay in the lines, while is able to produce a nicely colored page within the lines. It's o.k., though, I know she will get there--as she has with so many things. She is working on counting and can sometimes count to six. It takes a lot more repetition for her to learn something such as the alphabet or counting. She rides the school bus..is not potty-trained, yet! She takes ballet--communicates very well--laughs appropriately--is fun to be silly with and actually teases me, sometimes--and will say, " Mom, you're silly. " I understand your sadness about Tara, Gail, I have those moments, too; such as last week when I registered her for Kindergarten--I know there are already " groups " of little girls who have played together for a number of years--that has not necessarily happened with Sara--two of her best little friends are three and four, so I wonder what that will be like for her next year. The other day, she was running down our lane with her twin brother and a girlfriend of hers--they were both much faster. Sara just sat down and seemed sad--she said " I slow " . I gave her a love and said, " Mommy is slow, too, when I jog with some of my friends, and it is o.k. " I so want her to know it is O.K. to go at her own pace and to enjoy herself just where she is--I want her to have a healthy self-esteem and to be able to say, " I am giving it all I have and it is the best I can do, now and that is o.k. " If I can teach her that, I will have no reason to feel sad, nor will she. As I have said before, she brings delight to our lives in some way each day and as you know, by now, with Tara, each accomplishment seems so worth celebrating! Hope this helps--if you have any more specific questions, let me know. Marcia Mom to Sara (DS) and 5 and Lucas 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2000 Report Share Posted May 25, 2000 Marcia, that was such a great post. I love to read about your family, because it reminds me of my three kidos. I hope I can be as sensitive to as you are to your Sara. You are an awesome mom! Diane, Mom to Adam 8, and (ds) 3 1/2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2006 Report Share Posted May 19, 2006 Boy, camping brings the OCD out in my youngest daughter. I have finally started bringing sleeping pills to get her to go to sleep! Kelley in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Well this might not be quite so popular but I will add my 2 cents to the discussion about the camping trip. I think you should let her go but I also think you need to make sure that they know her life after 3:00 and before 8:00 like you said. It is a scary thing for us parents to let any of our children go without us. But we want them to grow up ultimately and be as independent as they can be. is now 22yo but she started going to camps when she was much younger . Being included all of her school years, she was included in the 8th grade Georgia trip. It is a 3 night excursion at different sites around Georgia. They didn't send me the paperwork until I asked for it! But once they knew I expected her to go with the other 8th graders we met and put some safety measures in place. They did send a para to keep an eye on her. And her roommates were briefed and able to ask questions. I packed her clothes in layers so she could put them on without looking funny. She didn't come home looking like when I helped fixed her but she came home and had a blast. The worse that happened was they said she was hard to get up in the am (not a surprise they were on the move constantly) and when she took a shower one night she didn't put the shower curtain inside the tub so water got on the floor. I was THRILLED that nothing in my eyes happened. And it was a great experience for all. We as parents need to let our kids grow while putting in place some safety measures. Good luck! I hope she has fun! Kathy Everett 678 230-6985 Kathy Everett Consulting www.KathyEverett.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 {smile} I did this for my typically developing 10 year old when he went to camp earlier this school year. He says it worked well for him. A bonus - it helped keep his clothes dry when he changed in the shower area. We used Ziploc Large bags - three gallon size - because we needed to pack long pants (a camp requirement) and a couple of layers for shirts. The bags even have a handle like a shopping bag. San > > You mentioned that you layered the clothes. > > I've used an idea that works well for us. I put one day's 'set' of clothes in a zip-lock bag...one for each day. I press the air out and get a slim little package. Usually a 1 gallon size storage bag works well. As clothes get larger sometimes I use a larger size. > > I also do it when we are on family vacations....so I don't have to worry about it either. > > Hope this helps someone. > Have a great day!!! > > Shirley, mom to Josiah 20 yo > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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