NOTEBOOK -- Veronica James

Do you want to bring your family closer together?

Try camping. Believe it or not, camping has been identified as a

common characteristic of close and happy families. But why?

There are lots of possible reasons.

The nature of camping might simply make people happier and more

pleasant to be around. Being away from the responsibilities of work, home

or school and the hustle and bustle of the city or suburbs can reduce

stress. And waking up to a tranquil and natural environment where you can

see streams and lakes and forests and mountains, instead of concrete,

pavement or a neighbor’s block wall, is relaxing and refreshing.

While it’s good for many adults, camping may have been invented for

kids. The two go hand in hand. There’s something about camping that

children adore. Last year while watching our then almost 2-year-old son

frolic in leaves, dirt and grass while camping, my husband commented, “He

is truly in his element.”

Most children are in their element when out in nature, free from the

confines of walls and rooms, rules and structure -- free to roam their

world, watch bugs or squirrels, listen to birds and watch the sunset.

Kids enjoy the fun activities that go along with camping, too, like

hiking, swimming and fishing.

Although most kids would never admit it, a break from the draw of

their TVs, VCRs, computers, CDs, telephones and video games can be

rejuvenating.

Even the “scary” element of the camping adventure can be fun for kids.

Kids may fear being in unfamiliar surroundings, getting lost,

encountering a bear or other wild animal. The excitement of sleeping in a

tent or, better yet, out in the open under a sea of stars with all of

God’s creatures roaming about in the night, can inspire a sense of awe

and excitement in kids -- who are glad to know, nevertheless, that Mom,

Dad, brother and sister are nearby.

In the absence of all the comforts and accouterments of home, family

members are more likely to actually talk and listen to each other and do

all those other things they know they should be doing together. While

camping, families may rediscover checkers, cards and board games, reading

together, telling stories and even singing together.

Being miles from TVs, computers, movie theaters, sporting events,

shopping malls and amusement parks forces the campers to entertain

themselves, a novel experience for many in our sensory and

activity-overloaded culture.

The group venture of camping is unifying. To eat, sleep in relative

comfort and stay safe, everyone has to pitch in, and no one has a good

excuse not to. It’s amazing how a cranky teenager can pitch a tent like a

pro and turn into an expert and helpful outdoor cook once those feet hit

the dirt of a campsite. It’s equally remarkable to watch men who don’t

touch a pot, pan or recipe at home suddenly take over meal preparation,

barbecuing and dish washing. Young children who are reluctant to help out

at home are thrilled to sweep out a tent, fold bedding or gather sticks

for a fire while camping.

There’s something about camping that makes food taste better and

siblings argue less. And there’s something about sitting around the

campfire talking, singing and roasting hot dogs or marshmallows that

can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

Sure, there are drawbacks to camping, like dirt and bugs, extra work

and being subject to changing weather conditions. Many adults would

prefer a hot shower, clean sheets and a hotel swimming pool to roughing

it. But you can’t beat the price of camping, and you’d miss out on all

the family fun.

So if you don’t camp now, how do you start? There are a variety of

camping resources available on the Internet and at public libraries that

discuss the do’s and don’ts of camping, as well as places to go. For the

inexperienced, it’s probably best to try it out first at a local campsite

that doesn’t require a long drive or reservations booked months in

advance.

Camping with a group is also a good idea initially. Boy Scouts, Girl

Scouts, church groups, youth groups, relatives and friends can all

provide experience, knowledge and a helping hand. There are also camping

clubs and RV clubs that map out trips and travel together.

On our last family camping trip, we forgot skewers for our

marshmallows, oil for the popcorn we brought to roast over the campfire,

matches and salt. But we didn’t have to do without or take a trip into

town to purchase these items because the group we went with was more than

happy to share.

My family doesn’t camp a lot, but every time we do we find ourselves

saying the same thing: “We should do this more often.”

* VERONICA JAMES writes about family issues for Inland Valley Voice,

the Daily Pilot’s sister paper. Regular columnist Karen Wight is on

vacation and will return next week.