Tent, sleeping bags, food, flashlights, a jar for catching fireflies, and four kids, all the essentials for a week-end camping adventure in the great northern woods. I, as a single mom, needed an affordable escape with my children, and what a better opportunity than camping. During our first camping expedition we learned the importance of keeping it very simple and three important rules were established to keep camping and enjoyable and memorable experience.
Rule one, never ever return to the campsite without an arm full of kindling. Fire is a basic survival requirement for not only keeping warm, but for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, creating memories and telling ghost stories. My fire making skills were questionable, but always a success with a lot of kindling.
No reference to time was the second rule. Our lives revolved constantly around time in our daily lives, what a wonderful escape to leave watches and clocks at home. We were all on vacation, so we ate when we were hungry, slept when tired, and played all day.
The third and most essential rule was “if moma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”. Mom’s happiness and contentment was contagious. Three simple rules, but simple is always the best when camping.
I reflect back on our first camping trip, remembering the glow of the warm campfire on a cool summer evening, the children one by one, drifting off into exhausted slumber, this was one of those special days where memories had been made that will be treasured throughout the years to follow.
