It felt good to help a fellow Camper

[Ron045]

We were packing up to leave our campsite this morning when we saw the two families across the street struggle to get out of their sites and onto the one way road out of the campground. The road is narrow and the sites are small with lots of mature trees. Somehow they narrowly managed to get out.

A third family just down from us started to leave and got their trailer stuck up against a tree. He asked around for some help and myself and two other gentlemen walked over. I did not know at the time but later found out this was their first time out with this trailer.

The driver looked a little frazzled and embarrassed but the 1st helper said, "Look, relax... we were all in your spot at sometime and this is our way of paying back the folks that helped us". An instant relief came over the driver.

The four of us assessed the situation and determined he should unhitch and drive around the block with the truck pointed in the wrong direction of the one way street. Then hitchup and go the wrong way which should swing the back end away from the tree. The results worked and he was able to swing the trailer into a neighboring pull through site.

The driver got out of the truck and looked very grateful. Before he could say thank you, the 1st helper shook the drivers hand and congratulated him on making such a wonderful maneuver. "You did great and you are gonna be great at this... Keep it up".

What a great thing to say to someone learning. He now installed confidence in the driver instead of the driver believing he could not do this without help.

The only thing I noted of disappointment was there were two teenage boys in the truck who just sat in there playing with their phones the whole time. What a great learning opportunity this could have been for them.

As I started return to my site, I thought I need to put it into high gear to make it out by checkout time. As I walked up I saw that my two kids took care of the water, sewer and electric. My son installed the hitch and got the truck in position for hook up so my Daughter could do chocks and blocks.

What great helpers I have and a great end to our 2018 camping season.
Have Fun!
Ron

[CampingGator]

You are teaching your children well! They saw you roll model helpful behavior and I am sure you thank them when they help you. Everyone felt good in this situation!!

[BarabooBob]

Your children are doing what they have seen you do for years. We traveled with our 4 children throughout the US for years and they were expected to help at every stop. All 4 kids are now grown and they still exhibit the same habits that were instilled in them as children.
3 years ago, we took 2 of our kids and 2 grandkids on a 3 week vacation through the Rockies. On the first night of the trip, the mother of the 2 grandkids set the stage for then entire trip by explaining the family rules for camping, that included helping with ALL of the camping chores. The all still talk about what a great time they had. By the way, no electronic games were allowed on the trip.

[NJKris]

Great story. I love when my brother takes his kid camping with scouts, no electronics allowed. Kids will behave the way their parents allow them to behave. Sounds like you are doing right by yours. BTW, I have no kids, so I am an EXPERT in parenting, lol.

[UT_Grandpa]

Just a week ago my wife and I were camping in an old Forest Service campground near our home for a couple of nights. Later in the afternoon I saw a Ford Excursion pulling a popup trying to back into a site. Back and Forth and Right and Left for a bit. I walked over and discovered it was a Mom and 4 kids doing the camping. I helped her get backed in (very narrow site) and unhooked.

The kids started unloading the popup, getting firewood by the fire ring, pulling coolers out and duffle bags and food. They ranged in age from 11-2 years old.

I helped them pull the slides out and one wouldn't go all the way so we pushed it back in and there was a pocket knife in the slide (for safe keeping I am sure) stopping it from extending. Knife removed, slide out, canvas up and they were on their way.

Later in the evening we took them some Tootsie Pop suckers. Thanks from all. We saw a little campfire that night when we went to bed. As we were pulling out of our site they all came running out, a little dirty but with big grins and thanked us for the help and suckers.

If you aren't having these experiences - go make them!

[Susanmcnabb]

Omg i love it

[Iwannacamp]

My little share is pale in comparison, but here it goes. We have a 25, 21, 17, 11 and not 5 and <1 YO kids and grand kids. One trip we took with the old 5er I think the only thing we left home was the house. We had a 12X12ish pop-up shelter, big outdoor rugs, various bag chairs, coolers and the normal crappola. When we started packing I was in sheer delight as the 17 and 21 YO had started packing up(and did most of the stuff mentioned). I just wasn't used to getting help and still remember this 4-5 years later.

[adrinkard]

What great stories and learning experiences. I actually got goose bumps reading them and picturing them in my head. This is what is all about.

[waybeck2018]

Our grandson now 10, has always wanted to help and learn how to set up and disconnect. He has done everything now except sewage hook up and drain.
I just bought him gloves yesterday. Next trip he learns the sewage drill!
He understands all phases of this thing called camping. But, I have to be careful what I teach him. Early on he learned to always wipe down the electric cord before pushing it in to the storage pit. One time it had been dry and nice so I just started putting the cord a way, no wiping. He promptly advised me that i could not do that without wiping it down! Of course i agreed and wiped it down.
And BTW, he is permitted only two 30 minute periods of online/electronic time a day. He knows the rule and always follows them. No

[Islander]

Originally Posted by Ron045

The driver looked a little frazzled and embarrassed but the 1st helper said, "Look, relax... we were all in your spot at sometime and this is our way of paying back the folks that helped us". An instant relief came over the driver.

Ron

Ron, Good for you and your helpers

I witnessed much the same circumstance last week during our stay at an RV park.
An obvious novice pulled in the wrong way of a pull-thru unaware of the positioning of the hook up's.

It was only a minute before a fellow camper informed him to go around and come in the other way.

Upon his attempt go around and to re-enter he was having difficulty making the turn, then other fellow campers were quick to help with directions.

At that point I thought the crew had everything was under control.

I looked over when I heard... 'turn it hard'... then I saw it was too late as the rear of the 5th wheel's "tail wag" hit a parked truck.
Also the rear side and rear panel was damaged on the 5th wheel.

Sadly, There was nobody watching the rear.

Islander

[510Rick]

Cool stories!! I have 2 kids myself my daughter is a little young to help out with a lot of the camping chores but she still trys .(shes only 4) My son is a full on knucklehead. I encourage him to help but like most kids these days he thinks he above it . DRIVES ME CRAZY !! He loves to camp just hates anything remotely similar to work. I struggle to understand how he and I are so different . I would be helping my father or grandfather every step of the way weather it was camping set up or chores or wrenching on equipment if my dad was doing it I had to be there doing it with him. Its refreshing to read stories like these to remind me not all kids are anti work like mine . OK enough sniveling about my son lol

I have helped more then one person at the campground . Once I spotted a lady trying to dump with no hose by barely cracking the black water valve over the dump hole but I knew that would just let the moisture out and make the solids even worse to deal with so I intervened before it began to flow and offered to let her dump though my hose . She told me she thinks her dump hose was stolen(did happened to me once) I mentioned to her I saw one on the highway heading towards the campground and she said was it orange and I said it sure was . We laughed . Once I got her dumped and flushed out she tried to tip me she was so grateful apparently she didn't even know the tank had a flusher .

One time I was at the lake waiting for launching on a holiday and a kid and his mom were really struggling trying to launch a $100k wakeboard boat the poor kid was all over the ramp people were honking at him and screaming profanities his direction . After about 5 minutes of him getting verbally abused by other waiting boaters I walked over and opened his door . The kid had to be barely 16 years old and never backed up a trailer. I think he thought I was going to punch him by the look on his face . I told him hey dude jump in the back seat and ill put this thing in the water for you . Luckily for them I came to help as I began to back it down the ramp I asked them all the important questions they learned a lot that day the boat didn't have a plug in it nor was it unstrapped from the trailer which would have been another fiasco . The kid and his rich mom was really appreciative and really grateful . I did watch mom drive off in the boat and she knew how to drive a boat at least .

I guess my moral is always help when you can because you never know when you will need help yourself .

[youroo]

I always thought that "FRF " was for helping out Fellow Campers! Youroo! !

[kittlecat]

I'm so glad you were able to help a fellow camper who was in a pinch.

You have taught your children well, and they will carry that education with them for a lifetime. I was raised as you have raised your children. My dad used to love to tell people about when we went camping as a much younger family, each of us kids (there were 5 of us) knew exactly what our duties were to set up/tear down the campsite and we got to it so we could go explore/play when we were done with set up.

I raised my son the same way and even as a young adult, when we go camping now, he knows exactly what needs doing, or has the sense to ask me what needs to be done.

That does my heart good!