My world is really no different than any other modern day mother. I work full time, enjoy my family and am connected in many ways "electronically" to the world. Email, cell phones, tv, video games. It is endless and constant at times. And of course as my kids grow older in this new technological age, I have the same concerns that most other mothers have. Are my kids watching to much tv? Does the internet rule our household (laptops, iphones) and how do I introduce all of this "stuff" to my kids in a healthy and responsible way? I have a very good friend who said to me once, "This is a new world and our kids will HAVE to know how to navigate this sort of media in a way we did not have to growing up..." She's right but still it is a very intricate and delicate balance to uphold and one that my husband and I still are trying to figure out as we go.
This weekend we had the opportunity to go car camping at a local state campsite with our children and my parents. It was to be the first true "camping" experience for my children and I won't lie to you and say I didn't have some major reservations about how well it would really go. Some questions that ran through my head as we prepared to go: Will my kids actually sleep in a tent? Do we have enough food, milk, toys, water, clothing to last us 2 nights with YOUNG children who attract dirt like it is air? Will my kids sleep in the tent--and do we have enough wine in case they don't?? What if it rains? WILL MY KIDS SLEEP IN A TENT?????? Do I have enough diapers? WILLLLLL MYYYYYYY KIIIIIIIIDDDSSS SLEEEEEEEP INNNNN AAAAA TENNNNNNNNNNTTTTT?
Yes, I had my concerns.
As we traveled up the winding road and "out of service" from all connections to our daily world I could feel us literally checking out. I couldn't remember the last time I had disconnected like that. It was a bit unnerving at first to say the least...but also strangely liberating at the same time.
Turns out...it was a fabulous experience from the start to the finish, and one that brought back all sorts of nostalgic memories from my own childhood camping experiences. Yes, we had rain--and lots of it. Yes, we had enough food, milk, water, toys and clothing to last us 2 nights with YOUNG children who attract dirt like it is air. Yes, we had a blast exploring the muddy beach of the lake while tossing rocks into the bluest water you've ever seen. Yes, we had neighbors who partied til 3 in the morning despite the campground "quiet hours". Yes, we had more marshmallows in one night than I hope to ever ingest again in my lifetime. (Somehow all of the ones I took out of the bag were half eaten with tiny bite marks already out of them...Sienna????) And yes, my children went to sleep in the tent. Eventually.
What struck me most about this beautiful weekend is how easy it is to find yourself swept up into the "internet age" and how we can forget to slow down and really BE with our families. Oh I'm not knocking my iphone...believe me I had that thing up and running the MINUTE it had a single bar available for me to use. But after this weekend I am thankful for the "forced" opportunity to check out...in order to find myself fully checked in.
I can't wait for the next adventure...half-eaten marshmallows and all.
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