When I met my husband-to-be Dennis, he was already an outdoor enthusiast. Before he turned into a full-time parent, he was basically a wilderness expert—majoring in geology and going on expeditions everywhere from northern India to the Egyptian desert where he camped with teams of scientists for weeks or months at a time.

Once we started our family, camping became our go-to vacation.

I remember the year we camped next to a shallow, muddy stream in a normally dry arroyo. Our three kids, ages 3, 5, and 7, were in pure bliss. No screen time. They spent all day every day wading, making mud pies, and building epic forts and bridges out of whatever nature provided. It was a total win.

Then again, let's be real, it’s not always a perfect Instagram moment.

We had the year our tent flooded on my birthday, forcing a chaotic, late-night move to a motel. And who could forget the time we realized we forgot all the utensils and had to whittle our own chopsticks just to eat dinner? It happens.

Ready to dive in?

"If this is your first time trying tent camping," Dennis advises, "try to link up with a more seasoned family. They can fast-track you on all the campsite hacks and tricks."

And even if you have tent camping experience from your pre-parenting days, plan to camp in one place for a while to gain experience camping with children before trying to combine travel with camping.

Don't skip the gear check.

Pro-tip: Treat the setup like a fun trial run. Pitch the tent in your backyard a few days before the trip. "This is your chance to make sure that you have all the pieces," Dennis says, "and that you can actually assemble the thing without a YouTube tutorial."

If the poles are a maze, color-code or mark them so it will be easier next time. If rain is in the forecast where you intend to camp, give the tent a quick test with a garden hose to check for leaks. "The usual problems are along the seams," he says. "If there are leaks, you can buy material at a sporting goods store to seal it up.”

Once it's up, let your children play in it and even try sleeping outside once or twice. It will build hype and familiarize them with part of the camping experience.

Consider tentless camping.

When we were just going for a couple days, we often skipped the tent. We put the sleeping bags on top of ground cloths and enjoyed the stars.

Allow time. Prioritize the chill. Seriously.

"The biggest mistake we always made,” Dennis admits, “was holding out too long for the perfect campsite instead of stopping early to set up."

You need to stop early enough that the process of setting up camp and cooking dinner can be pleasant instead of stressful. Stop before children are hungry and tired, so they can help set up the tent as a fun project. They need time to explore the site and enjoy it before dark, too.

And remember: flexibility is your superpower.

If you feel the stress creeping in, check your expectations at the tent flap and discard the unrealistic ones. “Camping out is not a time of leisure,” Dennis notes, “but it’s a lot of fun if what you’re going for is a different pace, a different setting, and a different focus.”

“You’re not going to do some things the way you do at home because you’re not at home. You won’t have microwave meals, for example. Part of the fun of camping is learning how to cook in different circumstances.”

Embrace the dirt (and the slow life).

If you’re camping at an undeveloped site, forget the daily wash-and-style. A quick shower at a truck stop or commercial campground every three or four days will be fine.

“Also, when you are camping, you can’t go do tourist things until 7 p.m. and then arrive back in camp expecting to feed everyone and enjoy it,” Dennis said. “You need to take short day trips from the camp, do shorter things, come back earlier and enjoy the campsite.”

Level up the learning (and play). 

Bring field guides to birds, bugs, trees or wildflowers to turn the setting into an impromptu science lesson.

And let children bring along a few simple toys like cars and trucks that they can play with in a natural setting, constructing log bridges over a mountain stream or making lean-to houses and garages with twigs.

"Once you nail the basic setup and teardown," Dennis concludes, "it really isn't that hard. It’s an awesome way to unplug and have genuine fun with your family.”

Warning!! Always check to be sure that making fires is permitted at your campsite. Use a cook stove if fires are prohibited or if there is danger of fire spreading due to windy, dry conditions.

© Becky Cerling Powers 2026

Reprint with attribution only https://beckypowers.com/ 

https://beckypowers.com/blog/234-A-Parents-Guide-to-StressFree-Tent-Camping-with-Children

For more parenting insights from Becky Cerling Powers, go to her website (https://beckypowers.com/) and

see her book Sticky Fingers, Sticky Minds: quick reads for helping kids thrive in the Bookstore

The teen years have a reputation for being rough, but I disagree. A well-trained teen is marvelously competent. 

The proof?

When a medical emergency landed me in surgery, our three children (17, 14, and 12) completely took over all the cooking, cleaning, and laundry for months, with minimal help from Dad. If you invest the time when they’re young, teaching your kids crucial work habits, skills, and attitudes pays serious dividends later.

Summer is the perfect window to establish these lifelong habits.

The 3-Step Chore System Blueprint

1. Define the Mission (Clear Expectations)
   • Scope the Tasks: Determine which household tasks your child can realistically master this summer.
   • Create the Checklist: On a simple card, list every step needed to complete the job in the correct order. Example: “Bathroom Clean Checklist: 1) Clean mirror. 2) Tidy and wipe vanity. 3) Scrub sink..."
   • Pro Tip: Always make "Put away cleaning supplies" the very last item. It prevents clutter!
   • Post It: Tape the direction card permanently in the area (e.g., inside the medicine cabinet) for easy reference.
2. Train and Reward (The Motivation Matrix)
   • Model the Behavior: Demonstrate each step. Then, have your child perform the work while you watch. Crucially, show them how to use the direction card as a checklist. This is non-negotiable for consistent results.
   • Implement a Motivation Matrix (Carrot & Stick): Design a system that includes both short-term and long-term incentives.
     • Carrot (Positive Reinforcement): This includes a long-term goal (like a special trip or big purchase) plus smaller, immediate rewards (points, payment for completion). These smaller wins keep them engaged.
     • Stick (Natural Consequences): This is a consequence uncomfortable enough that choosing the work is preferable to avoiding it. A simple example: You must complete this task and have it approved before you are free to play or leave the room.
   • Repeat: You may need several joint performances before they are ready for a solo run, depending on their age and skill level.
3. Inspect and Respect (Consistent Follow-Up)
   • Solo Performance: Once ready, ask them to tackle the job alone.
   • The Inspection: When they announce they are finished, inspect the work together. Read the direction card aloud and check each task.
   • The Fix: If they forgot the checklist (which is common for beginners), patiently wait as they complete the missed steps. Give immediate praise for tasks done correctly.
   • The Bonus: Independent, successful work earns an extra reward (more points or pay).
   • Mindset Shift: Be patient. Beginners don’t instinctively see dirt or use checklists. You will only frustrate yourself and discourage them by expecting immediate, adult-level results.

The Core Parenting Philosophy

Training children in chores aligns with three foundational parenting principles that apply to every area of life:

• Clear Expectations: The direction cards are the definitive standard for success.
• Definite Consequences (Positive and Negative): The established "carrot and stick" framework provides structure.
• Consistent Follow-Up: Check the job every time and ensure the reward or consequence is delivered.

When expectations are clear, praise is plentiful, discipline is applied to rebellion, and follow-through is consistent, kids accept chores willingly. You want your child’s mindset to be: “The sun rises every morning in the east, and I clean the bathroom every Saturday.”

Fostering Autonomy, Not "Third Arms"

It's easy for us adults to view our children as extensions of ourselves—a kind of 'third arm' to get work done. But as they hit the teen years, they start the vital transition to adulthood by asserting their individuality and demanding the freedom to make decisions.

They may not be able to articulate it, but they resent being treated as a personal assistant.

In any healthy adult relationship, you don't decide for another person. You don't volunteer your spouse without consulting them; it’s disrespectful. Similarly, as kids grow into teens, they need increasing autonomy.

For example, when I had a babysitting business as a teen, my parents never took a job for me. They would pass along the name, number, and request, allowing me to make the decision. Even when they asked me to babysit my younger siblings for free, they never made me give up a paying job for their unpaid work.

(Side note: homeschool parents may award academic credit for skills like cooking and housecleaning under the label "Life Skills Education")

Bottom Line:

Clear communication about expectations and consequences.

Consistent follow-through. 

Always treating each other with respect.

© 2026 Becky Cerling Powers

Reprint with attribution only (www.beckypowers.com)

You’ll find more parenting insights from Becky Cerling Powers in her story-based parenting book:

 Sticky Fingers, Sticky Minds: quick reads for helping kids thrive 

Times have changed, but the mystery of solo socks remains.

In the whirlwind of housework, cooking, school pickups, work, making sure you have some focused time with the kids…you collect the dirty laundry and toss in a load. You put in thirty pairs of socks, and voila! out come twenty-seven pairs—plus three lonely, unmatched singles.

I always called those our solo socks.

Back in the Day you could buy little gizmos that attached one sock to another sock so that paired partners stayed together on their journey through the washer and dryer.

Maybe you can still buy them, and maybe some families actually use them. For most of my friends, it seemed like too much trouble to train everyone in the family to attach their dirty sock pairs together before tossing them into the hamper. We felt successful if we just trained everyone in the family to use the hamper.

So today, as in the past, the solo socks pile up in a drawer, just waiting for their missing partner to miraculously appear in the next load. Sometimes it actually happens! But usually parents start buying more socks because they run out of matching pairs, and then the drawer gets crammed until it won't open, and you realize it’s time for a big solo sock purge.

But before you toss them... why not turn them into some old-fashioned, screen-free boredom busters for your family?

Here are a few ideas for those lonely solo socks:

• Simple Target Practice for the Littles: Roll those socks tightly from the toe and fold the cuff back to keep them neat. Then, find a simple container—a laundry basket or wastebasket works perfectly—and set up a little sock-tossing competition. You can make up the scoring rules as you go; the simpler, the better.
•  
• Practice for Your Future Big-Leaguer: Take two solo socks, roll them up tight, and stuff them inside a third sock. Tie it shut with a rubber band, and you have a soft indoor pitching ball. Set a pillow fifteen feet away and let them practice their throws. Hitting the pillow is a strike, missing is a ball. It’s quiet, and it keeps them active on a rainy day.
•  
• Recycle Them into Puppets: This one is always a favorite. Use markers, a few buttons, some felt scraps, or yarn for hair. Sew or glue on a little face. If you push in the toe end, you can make a mouth that opens and closes. Then, just drape a sheet over two chairs for a simple stage, and let their imaginations run wild.
•  
• Make a Homemade Hacky-Sock Game: Remember playing games that just used your body and a small ball? Stuff three socks together like you did for the pitching ball and show your child how to toss it up and keep it off the floor just by kicking it with their feet. No hands after the first toss! It takes practice, but it's a nice way for them to develop coordination. Once they get good, two or three of them can pass the hacky-sock between players.

• Turn Them into Bean Bags for Target Fun: For a little heavier fun, pour about half a cup of uncooked beans into a small Ziploc bag. Squeeze the air out, seal it, and leave just enough room for the beans to jiggle. Stuff that bag into the toe of a solo sock, tie it tight, and trim off the extra material. Now you have bean bags for a host of games:

• Lean a piece of cardboard against the wall and cut a few holes in it. If you hang an aluminum pie pan inside one of the holes, it makes a wonderful ding when they hit it!
• Use a large pot on the kitchen or den floor as a "hoop" for bean bag basketball. Adjust the tossing distance to match their skill level.
• Toss one bean bag on the floor, and see who in the family can toss theirs the closest to it without actually touching it.