(mini rant ahead)
I need to write a book...the subject? Either "Camping Etiquette" or "Parenting" I'm not sure which.
While I've been camping since I was a child but today there are many people who are new to the hobby, if that's what you call it.
The campground was packed...I'm mean to the gills and beyond (the overflow was side by side) for the Memorial weekend, which we fully expected. The campsites are very spacious with lots of privacy. We were situated so that our site was divided by a creek (too overgrown with brush and poison oak to see) on one side and a gravel road on the other.
What we didn't expect was the disrespect of the kids...this is not just in the camping world, just ask any librarian!
I've always known this because I was "taught" that you don't walk through someones campsite...duh? In my mind, and maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way, when you reserve a campsite that's your "home" for as long as you are paid up to stay there. Would you just walk into someones home? I wouldn't! We had a regular parade of kids cutting through our campsite (and not down the gravel road just few yards away)...even while we were eating our dinner! Finally I broke bad (yeah~right) and told the kids it wasn't polite to walk through someones campsite...at first they looked at me like I had something wrong with me, but when they "forgot" and started to do it again all I had to do was give that "MOM LOOK" that my kids knew all too well. Then Sunday came and they were all gone. We had the place to ourselves...I bet there weren't even 5 campers/tents in the whole place....ahhhh! Which proves...patience is a virtue.
You tell me which type of book I should write?! I do feel that in society today "respect" is lacking EVERYWHERE! I don't just mean where kids are concerned...adults are just as guilty! Most recently, and this is all things I've heard and read about--I wasn't there, was at MDS&W. I still live by the "Golden Rule", when I get angry enough to feel like lashing out...I think back to what I was taught~~"Do Unto Others..." Is this such a foreign concept today?
(okay...so maybe it wasn't such a "mini rant")
Now...onto the purpose of this post!
As you know we spent the weekend re-enacting at the fort...and becoming front page news! Yeah, I had to say that again...
It wasn't too hot...it wasn't too cool...it was perfect!
I spent most of my time here~~
...chatting with the spinner & weaver...I only took my Kromski Sonata, which will not pass 18th century inspection!! So I would spin at the camper.
The fort is so interesting, it's built just as it was back in 1775...each log cabin contains a "craft" (lively hood) depicted that would have been necessary. Here's a sampling:
I'll save you all the pics from my other fascination while camping...lets just say the Cicada's (some people call them locust) are emerging and becoming adults. We would wake up in the morning to find the "shells" everywhere! One morning they decided my Crocs looked like a good place to "hatch". By the time we left they were beginning to sing to us. I remember when Julia was a baby we were camping and the boys were having a blast catching them. They kept this bucket that literally hummed!
That's all for now...but I'm not finished with tales from our vacation!
Keep on Knittin' & Spinnin'!!
11 comments:
Yes, rudeness is everywhere! My favorite time to go camping is in June when the school kids are still in school and you practically have the whole campground to yourself...
I'm with you! It's even spreading into backpacking and remote areas as well. And it's very frustrating to me! I'm glad that you lectured the kids...though I'm guessing, in the long run, it's the parents that need the lecture!
Ah, the look they gave you...that's the one that lets you know they aren't used to adults correcting them or teaching them or even talking with them. It's not their fault, most parents don't want to take the TIME to teach them ANYTHING!
The title of the book should be "How to be a Cool Parent", but the text should teach that giving their kids boundaries and teaching respect and manners IS cool!
Don't even get me started on a rant. Hey, we could be co-authors!
I think either topic you tackle, the problem will be that the people who really need to read it, don't even realize they're being rude.
It does look like you had fun at the fort! Looks like a blast.
Let's not discuss just where we think the world is headed by the manners (or lack there of) of children and adults... sigh...
And what were you hearing from MDSW? Other than the Rav party I did only have good experiences (well ya know other than the thefts...)
oh and i should add that the Rav party was good but there were a few ugly moments not overall ugliness
Oh I hear you on rampaging rudeness. and like jadielady wrote.. they're completely oblivious.
How can they learn respect when they've not been respected? Nasty cycle.
The cabins are fabulous!
I love all of the photos from your trip!! And look at you guys on the front page!! Awesome! :)
Ummm.... can we say "This is why Anita has no children"??? Others have ruined my attitude on that subject, the parents should teach them some manners! My mom would have jerked a knot in my butt if I had been that rude when I was growing up. We camped a lot when I was growing up & were expected to behave with some sense & LOTS of manners, otherwise we wouldn't get to go next time..... UGH! I could go on & on here!
How perfect that I'm right after my pal Anita! Basic MANNERS are not optional. Why is it that business schools are forced to teach grad school students how to sit and behave at a dinner table? What on earth is wrong with us? Common decency has gone the way of common sense, which is to say neither is very common anymore.
Rant away. Write your book and sell it to both audiences. I'll buy a case for gifts. ;)
Even at Karate tournaments! I can't tell you how many times the competitors have had to stop and wait for someone to finish wandering through their ring before they could finish what they were doing.
It's one of my pet subjects, but I'll refrain...just know I agree!
Looks like a great vacation, tho'...can't wait for more info!
(((hug)))
Totally agree with you about camping etiquette. Here's my best story about it. We were camped at Westmoreland State Park about 10 years ago. Off season. Campground almost empty. Very quiet.
Unfortunately the group area was closed so they booked a Boy Scout troop into the regular camping area. Ignored the empty spaces away from us and they proceeded to take over five or six campsites around us. We had Boy Scouts coming and going through our site from all directions. Ended up breaking camp and moving to another campground about an hour away. The Scout leaders should have taught those boys some manners but they didn't.
When we do camp now we go to state parks. Can't imagine how awful it must be at the big RV parks.
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