My ADD Tent: 7 Benefits of Camping in the Mud

This weekend, our family camped in the Uninta Mountains, not far from Park City, Utah.  While the rest of the country was experiencing record high temperatures, we had rain, near freezing night lows, winds, and eventually snow- on our Memorial Day family camping trip.  Friday night we put up two tents, built a fire, and warmed dinner- while rain down p0urs made mud so deep that we were all walking on 3 inch mud platforms by the end of the night.  Temperatures dipped overnight and we made breakfast around the campfire while watching our breath.  The sun did make an appearance during the day, but when the sunset, clouds and eventually rain returned.  Several times, we considered returning home early.  But we stayed and ultimately the worst weather brought out the best in all of us.

1. Vacation from electronics. When we camp, with the exception of a cell phone for emergencies- no electronics are allowed – no Leapsters, no DS, no ipods, no laptops…really nothing that can disrupt group activity or communication.
2. Learn and demonstrate new valued skills. It is an expectation that everyone contributes to the camping experience whether it be carrying sleeping bags from the car , setting up a tent, holding tent poles, making a dutch oven dinner.  Parents guide, direct, and role model- but kids are expected to do work too.  We have found that productive meaningful work, work that is required to survive and thus appreciated by the whole family, is work our kids with ADHD love to take on.  It is an opportunity for them to demonstrate success, and be appreciated.
3. Breathe. As a society, we are spending more time inside in front of screens.  Being outside, surrounded by nature awakens are senses, lowers our stress.  For kids with ADHD, this experience can be more suited for their tempearment.  They are free to run, touch, roll, and jump.
4. Laugh together. In heavy rain and muddy conditions, you have to find the humor in the experience.  Finding that humor, can be challenging- but we focus on what we want to role-model.  Humor lowers the stress of the situation, lightens the experience, builds community, and is a skill that can enhance social intelligence.
5. Build family-collective of memories. Living with ADHD, can strain family relationships.  Explosive outburst are common, one child may take the lions-share of the parental attention.  Camping in adverse conditions, can bring a group together, spawn imaginative ideas for coping, and provide a common reference point for families, “remember the Memorial Day camping trip in the mud, when we …”
6. Appreciate the little things.  Being cold and dirty can make simple things like warmth and hot showers a luxury.  Experiencing a deprivations of these daily luxuries, can enhance happiness, when we return to our daily modern lives.
7. Bond over adversity.  Surviving a wet and muddy camping trip, demonstrates to kids the strength of their family.  It is an opportunity to experience resiliency personally; as well as admire the resiliency of their fellow family members.

Here’s hoping you get you and yours outside to experience the outdoors.  Summer can be a great time to make wonderful memories!