Lessons from the Campsite

 I can’t believe it took me so long to take the leap of faith and load up the family for a trek to the mountains to go CAMPING!

I know many of you are already “campers” and loving it, but to those of you that have been hesitating - I’m encouraging you to just do it!

The homeschooling lessons are abundant (and some of them worthy of the transcript ).  Here’s a few we picked up on this inaugural tent trip:

1.  We really need peace and quiet!  Yes, we did take 6 kids with us, ages 13-21, and yes, they are loud.  But one thing we all agreed on… the quietness from the daily bustle of electronics and media was soul-refreshing and much needed.  When is the last time you intentionally unplugged?  You don’t have to sleep in a tent to do it (although it helps). 

Homeschool Tip: Set a goal to make space for some quietness.

2.  We don’t need all the gear!  We were blessed to have the basics - tents, sleeping bags (lots and lots of sleeping bags), camp stove, and cooler.  After we got unpacked, I began to notice the other campsites around us with all the “cool” camping gear like outdoor “privacy tents”, flashy hammocks, and outdoor showers with hot water, etc., etc., etc.  The lesson here is - you don’t need everything to have a successful camping (or homeschooling) experience!  In fact, the basics served us quite well and even comfortably. 

Homeschool Tip: Stop looking at your neighbor’s campsite…or homeschool and enjoy your own.

3. What you forget doesn’t matter, it’s what you remember!  After fretting about all the details and packing everything I could imagine we would need… we inevitably forgot things.  There were “gaps” in our camping supplies.  They slept in 30 to 40 degree temperatures with nothing but sleeping bags between them and the cold, hard ground (we didn’t bring air mattresses).  They created entertainment for themselves (we didn’t have electricity) they walked, and ran, and swam and really engaged in the world around them.  They even survived several days without a shower!  My point is that your homeschool may have some “gaps” but, that doesn’t mean it’s not a success. What we forgot did NOT remotely diminish our experience and the memories we made. 

Homeschool Tip: Focus on what you have, not what you don’t.

After our memorable week camping, everyone agrees it was the best experience ever, and we are all looking forward to our next adventure!

Blessings,

Renita