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I have to laugh!!

We have a caravan but keeping a toddler safe is still pretty much the same for us.

at bedtime he goes in a babygrow/fleecygrow then in his growbag then later on i throw a couple of blankets on top.

he does have a vango nite star convirtable but is too fidgity he ended up in it headfirst! no idea how he was right way iup when we checked him 10 minutes before.

as for knowing where he is im a cruel parent and im bound to get replies telling me so but my son wears a harness with a long webbing strap clipped on the back and he is staked out with the dog! only when we have to do stuff like setting up.

last holiday i just clipped it too his belt loop and he took his trousers off! hes not even 2 yet.  once we are set up dh and i take turns to have him 24/7.

happy camping one and all.

Quote: Originally posted by keithandjulie on 25/6/2009

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as for knowing where he is im a cruel parent and im bound to get replies telling me so but my son wears a harness with a long webbing strap clipped on the back and he is staked out with the dog! only when we have to do stuff like setting up.

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I did that with all three of my kids, starting fourteen years ago this summer, lol. I have photos to prove it! It keeps them on the shady side and the "supervising parent" ie Hubby would sit and have a beer and read his paper next to one end.

My first son could dig the tent pegs out by the time he was 20 months old...

This anchoring of children is not new.

 My Dad's sister used to tie him to the mangle when he had misbehaved, to ensure he did not run off before his dad came home. This would have been in the 1930's.

UNAUTHORISED ESCAPEE - she was having a nap & I was cooking and then...

She was 18 months old at the time.  keep the zips up high!

I have notbeen camping since i was a child. I have a 2 year old and 7 year oldhave been wondering about bed time which i think i will probably just throw the routine out the window and let them enjoy it, dont think i will make them stick to it unless we are going out somewhere special the next day.

But was also wondering whether you all thought it would be ok to padlock the main zips from the inside so the kids cant get out the tent in the morning before waking us

He is short for his age so maybe he wont be able to reach them. Didnt really think of a fire, wont padlock them then just warn him that he isnt to leave the tent and that he has to wake us when he wakes

There was a runaway toddler in Sainsburys yesterday. His mum just couildn't catch him, and the whole queue was held up while she chased him round the shop. (Luckily, I was at a different checkout)

I commented to the lady behind me that the child could do with a set of reins and she replied "If he was mine, he'd have a choke chain and a lead". And I thought I was mean about kids!

To be honest we use ready beds and have not found them too cold. We do take extra covers though which can be applied as necessary but it is difficult if too hot in a sleeping bag, especially for a child (wishfull thinking but heres hoping for this year).

We have also found that our boys sleep better when camping, more fresh air and lots more exercise, even sleeping through strong winds and rain etc.

Zips to the top of the pod is best unless you can have the children in the same pod as you and positioned so they have to physically climb over you to get to the zips and out.

Cheers

This thread has brought back memories of when our two were baby and toddler.

Boys are now 11 and 13.

When we first went camping with them, they were 1 and 3, and we thought it best to keep them to their normal routine.

Well, that didn't work, and it ended up with two very stressed out parents..eventually one sleeping in the camper with one child and the other in the inner tent in the awning...and even then, they would not settle.

As time went on and we did more, we camped with friends at VW shows and become more relaxed with their bed time.

Ended up with wet wipe washes unless they were really skanky, play until they drop with constant adult supervision, sleep in their clothes...lay in next morning, late breccy and then when they were ready, a good wash...or a wet wipe slosh on face and hands and change of clothes. (Bit of good honest dirt does no harm in my book!)

They are now both well experienced camping, but we now have a different lot of probs. One wants to take his guitar everywhere, the other the play station/game boy/books.  Great until the battery runs out when you have not EHU.

This year I have bought swing ball....and we have it set up in the garden and we all have a few goes every night.  We usually take the boys bikes as well when camping so they can go and explore on their own.

Enjoy your toddlers folks...time goes by so quick...before you know it they are moody, smelly teenages!