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Quote: Originally posted by cmes on 06/9/2013

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katie,

Just get some rest and plenty of it, someone pointed out you have Cerebral Palsy and M.E. so no wonder you are tired.

Just take it easy lady.

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Quote: Originally posted by RTS5 on 06/9/2013

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Aww Katie sorry to hear you are still recovering, but then getting the kids ready for school straight after will not have helped.

Sounds like you have sorted the 'what to take' thing now but need to maybe reassess the sites you go to.

How about having a look at some camping pods. Bit more expensive than tenting but still allows you the same freedom but without the stresses of a putting it up and packing it away again.

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Maybe start again with some shorter trips a couple of days of blittering kids might be easier to handle.

Maybe just lay it on the line to them. Look kids we are trying our best here and this is what we can afford, If you want we can stay at home all holidays.

Looking back to when we were kids I too remember some of the best holidays being the ones where we stayed on sites with very few facilities.

Maybe ditch the laptops etc kids soon adapt back to what they have.

As Val says how old are they do they need constant supervision, try cable-tying their left wrists to their right ankles that generally stops them going too far or causing too much mischief

Quote: Originally posted by Katiewombat on 06/9/2013

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But the two biggies are finding the right sites and lowering the kids expectations. katie xx

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Quote: Originally posted by chappers2341 on 07/9/2013

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[As Val says how old are they do they need constant supervision, try cable-tying their left wrists to their right ankles that generally stops them going too far or causing too much mischief

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Quote: Originally posted by fran1000 on 07/9/2013

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Lol! Failing that, I could lend you a folding dog cage for the little ones.

Actually, my mate sent me a pic of a camping field a couple of years ago. It was of a toddler in a puppy pen with a cocker spaniel, while the adults were pitching the tent.

It was at a dog show though, so possibly didn't raise as many eyebrows as it might elsewhere.

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I used to tie my toddler(s) up! I used a set of walking reins with a guy line threaded through the long strip at the back, then pegged the guy line flat on the ground on the shady side of the tent with some toys. There was always one of us there of course to keep an eye on said toddler but it meant we could peg out the tent or cook or whatever without having to chase after them every two minutes. Cruel? Don't think so, it's no worse than strapping them into their high chair or buggy after all.

I don't believe in giving kids as much as possible on the entertainment front btw, the more you give them the less they seem to do in my experience. It's like they can't focus on the activity they're doing for all the other distractions. On big campsites with lots of entertainment opportunities they're always going to be wanting to try everything at once, and with four kids they'll all be wanting something different as well. Whereas if there's only one thing to do ie the swing park, they'll all be down there together  and not wanting to be somewhere else. Take a football/badminton racquet set/putting set/board games/books/drawing stuff and tell them to get on with it. (No ball games near anyone's tents of course!) It's remarkable how much our over-sophisticated kids actually like most of this stuff once you prise their electronic gadgets out their hands.  

Bored? I always had one answer to being bored and that was to supply something even more boring to do, like sweeping out the tent or the car. (Washing the car was regarded as a treat on campsite btw, lots of opportunities to get soaking wet .) Bored is a sign of lack of practice of using one's imagination and mental resources imho. And that includes the parental imaginations btw, it's not difficult to run a scavenger hunt or physical challenge game while sitting in your comfortable camp chair doing your knitting if you put your mind to it. I was famous at the cycle-rallies we used to camp at for being able to keep a gaggle of 4-10 year olds busy for an hour or two without dropping a stitch, lol.

Quote: Originally posted by british bronco on 07/9/2013

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Not sure where abouts you live but a brilliant place that lets the kids run wild with good play areas is Wooghouse farm in north yorkshire. Kids just need space and a ball in my opinion.

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