| Nine reasons to Go
Camping! 1.. Reconnect with the girls. Find out details you might not know, like who they most admire, which teacher drove them nuts, what's their favorite music, what hobbies do they have, etc. Take time to sit around the campfire, chat, and sing silly songs. 2.. De-stress. You'll feel the muscles in your shoulders relax if you allow yourself to unwind. Sit in your favorite lawn chair and listen to the sounds of nature. You'll feel like you've spent some time at a spa and be reenergized for a fraction of the cost. The best part is the whole group gets the same results. Just don't over-plan the trip. Allow down time for relaxing and chatting. Use that kaper chart so the work is shared by everyone and not just you. 3.. Make memories. Take along a camera and capture moments to share with family members and friends by creating a scrapbook. The girls will enjoy the pictures and remember the camping adventure for a lifetime. 4.. Have fun. Make s'mores, go fishing, hike up the hill to a waterfall. Bird watch, create nature collages, and make plaster casts of animal prints you can identify in a book.. Let the girls see the fun side of you. See the humor in things that happen. Unexpected things can be the most memorable. 5.. Empower the girls. Encourage them to show off skills they have learned by letting them build a fire (with supervision) or demonstrate their expertise at preparing a one-pot meal. 6.. Involve everyone. While you take the initiative for planning this outing, give everyone a job and involve them in decisions. Let the girls explore camping by visiting Web sites for your state and county parks. 7.. Honor group time. Celebrate this time of being together as a group and having uninterrupted quality time. Take along board games and grab the Frisbee. Enjoy each others' company. 8.. Meet new people. Walk around the camping area and get to know your fellow campers. You'll find you have much in common and can develop life-long camping friendships. 9.. It's an adventure. There's no time like the present to plan a camping trip they'll never forget. Start out by pitching a tent in a backyard then progressing to an organized camping area. Campsites are safe; many have facilities and are affordable. Take advantage of what you pay taxes for! |