Are We Asleep Yet? First Night With Kids

Issue for this posting:  How to SURVIVE Putting Kids to Bed that First Night...

So, you just spent three days planning meals, shopping, folding laundry, making lists, checking them twice, all just to get to your campsite and shove it all back in the minivan because YOUR KIDS WON'T GO TO SLEEP that first night!

Whew!  Putting kids to bed that first night can be sooooo frustrating!

The problem is that you are tired but they are wired. Bad combination. I have decided that there is no way to really solve the first night to bed difficulties, so I have invoked a truism:  What cannot be solved, can perhaps be SURVIVED. So, here are my tips for helping you to SURVIVE that first night putting kids to bed.

 
Tip One-->  Adjust expectations.  Even though you were up until 2 AM finding the missing aqua socks, your kids don't care. To you, the hard work of getting to camp site has mercifully finally ended; but, to them, the fun has just begun, so just realize you are going to be  more crabby than they want, and they are going to be  more hyper than you want. That first night is probably not going to be the highlight of the trip. Just make it through, ok?  If you do, some great days are ahead of you.

Tip Two-->  Talk through rules and expectations ahead of time.  The time to give "expectations" is not at 11:42 PM the first night when you are telling the kids for the one millionth time to stop bouncing on the air mattress. To be honest I have never tried talking through expectations before going on the trip, but my next trip, we will review camp rules, assign chores, and give expectations for the first night the day before we leave.  Will it help?  Maybe.  But it certainly can't hurt.

Tip Three--> Set up all the physical aspects you can ahead of time right when you get to the camp.  You can at least not ADD to the frustrations by misplacing the washcloth and stepping on a tube of toothpaste.

Tip Three, Continued -->  When setting up the tent upon arrival: lay out everyone's jammies, towels, reading books, nightlitghts, stuffed animals, etc, on their pillows.   At least now you know where everything is, so when everything is dark YOU at least know where to find things.

So, jammies are ready. Towels ready.  Sleeping stuff ready. Nice job.

Tip Four--> Have an organized toiletry bag.  A gardening tote bag (try to find them on sale at the end of summer) works great with all the pouches--or even a five-gallon bucket with one of those tool skirts. Just replace the spade and tools with toothbrushes and hair gel and you get the idea.  I like a kit that is BIG so I can hold towels and clothes, as well Have TWO identical kits if you have boys AND girls and hence have to split up. Again, having everything needed for the first night will reduce frustration.

--> Side Note: Keep the toiletries kit or kits in the same place during the whole trip so it or they are easy to find.  I usually keep our kit in the trunk of the van for the whole trip so it's easy to find and not attracting critters to the tent.  It's just a great feeling to always know where the toiletries kit is.....(Now, if you can just find your toddler who seems to have wandered off toward the poison ivy...again!)

Tip Five-->  Plan a quick, easy, pre-made first-night dinner that's easy to clean.  (See my GAMBIT MEAL post). So, you have minimized the energy there.

Tip Six--> Plan on NO smores or super sugary desserts the first night.  Are you kidding me?  They need no more encouragement.

Tip Seven-->  If you can, locate the park nearby and let the kids run around before dinner.

After dinner:

Tip Eight-->  Eat, put on jammies, brush teeth, etc, AND THEN GO ON A FAMILY DRIVE!  Yes, I am serious. The must frrustrating first night sleepers are the three-and-below kids. They just don't have the wiring yet for reasoning so no amount of shhhing or pleading is going to get them to settle right into their pack-n-play. From their perspective everything is so strange and new and sort of wildfunscarey at once.  Don't fight it.  Take them for a ride and lull them to sleep.Maybe visit the beach and let the older ones take a little walk while someone stays back with the toddler in the van.

Tip Nine-->  When you get back to camp, consider having one of the grown ups sleep between the kids the first night.  You are probably saving yourself time, cause you are going to have to lay between them anyway to stop the pokefestival or gigglepalooza. 

--> Plan "B".  If the littlest one did NOT fall asleep on the car trip, take them on a long walk in the stroller.  We are blessed to currently own a Chariot Cougar stroller, and I highly recommend you have a good comfy stroller if you have a child aged three-or below because you will need to walk them at night and possibly early mornings.

A different approach:  Try to get to your destination early enough so kids can run around and you can get some activities in early.  Ok, here's a wild idea:  Reserve the sight a day ahead: CHECK TO MAKE SURE, but I think most places will not cancel your reservation until 24 hours later.  Your plan, though, will be to arrive late morning. Instead of having to wait for the afternoon check-in time (usually earliest is 2:00), you can set right up AND get a day's worth of activities in.  Worth a try!

But, overall adjust your expectations.  They are excited.  You are exhuasted.  Bad combo.  Just chill.  Do the things you know to do as a good parent:  Talk about expectations before going on the camping trip; have the first night physically planned out (jammies, toiletries ready, first night book ready, etc) so those frustrations are at a minimum. Take the car ride.  Plan on sleeping between the kids.  Most of all, let me remind you of something beautiful coming your way:

By day two or three, after loooooooooooong days at the beach and hiking and playing with new camp friends, they often lay down like lambs. And, that's a beautiful thing.


Night-Night! Sweet dreams.