At one time, if you said you were going camping, it meant that you were roughing it. We imagine them eating roots, fish, and whatever they can catch. We may even imagine that person taking a bath in a lake, wiping with leaves, and covered in bug bites for the love of nature. Off the grid may still be popular for some, but camping in today’s world has basically evolved into “glamping” where we sacrifice only our home, not the electronics that we love so much. This means that we also have a few new modern day camping necessities that many are not willing to sacrifice.
For the Fun of Camping
There are many families out there that still enjoy camping as a family or going on scouting trips with their troop. However, roughing it in today’s world has definitely taken on a new look since most of us insist on brining along our iPhone or our iPads. We may also take along digital cameras, portable toilets, actual toilet paper, and other things that we feel keep us separated from the local wildlife. This isn’t a bad thing. We can still enjoy being out in the great outdoors, even if we do insist on a few luxuries. It can still be a bonding experience between troop members and the family members who are able to attend. In fact, it may help us to embrace the “off the grid” life a little more fully and help us to create memories that truly last a lifetime.
The New and Improved Camping Experience
When a parent sends their young scout out on a camping trip in the woods, a smart phone allows that child to call for help if they are unhappy or lost in the woods. This opens up the doors for more exploration. A family that goes out camping together can take photos of their time together by using their electronic devices. By having some of the modern amenities along, it has also encouraged people who would normally be unhappy about camping with the family to embrace the experience of it. Let’s say a family with a child who was afraid of the dark used a 2000 watt generator so that their child could have a night light. The child now loves camping and has even overcome their fear of the dark. Stranger things have happened with the newest way of camping out. Teens who hesitate to leave their friends and social media for a weekend with their parents in the woods, are more likely to go and share photos or update their status talking about the fun they are having. Family’s who take photographs of fish that were caught, end up looking forward to the next trip out together.
Embrace the Devices!
Our kids are only kids for so long. Then they are grown with kids of their own. They may even live in areas that are across a world from you. We have the devices to make memories special, even when we are camping out. We say, embrace it and simply enjoy the fact that you are doing things together, as a family, while you still can!