Single Parent Camping Guide

I want to take my daughter camping–tent camping, like my parents used to do with me and my brother and sister when we were little and before everyone moved up to RVs with showers and hd tvs.

Problem: I don’t have a clue how to tent camp. I can’t be the only single parent that thinks this is going to be a humongous activity to figure out.

My To Do List:

1. Food
What the hell are we going to eat? I don’t really even stove-cook. I’ve been told to buy one of those cooking stoves as opposed to learning quick how to start a fire. I need to research which is cheaper and easier. It’s also been suggested to just pack a cooler full of sandwiches.

2. Tent
I’ll need to buy a tent and make sure I can put it together before we actually go camping.

3. Location
Since I currently live in the land of the camping, this should be the simplest. I almost live across the street from a campground if I get desperate. I would like to find someplace with a lake or beach because that would pretty much take care of #4 (see #4).

4. Activities
My daughter’s an active 5 so I don’t imagine sitting around the campfire (or cooking stove, whichever I figure out is easiest). I don’t think I have enough time this summer to find a boat, figure out how to use a boat and fish so I think we’ll stick to swimming.

5. List of Supplies

Crap. I just realized I’ll also need sleeping bags, some form of lantern or flashlight and other miscellaneous camping supplies. Bug repellant, first aid kit…

Geez, this is going to be a lot of figuring out. She really wants to go camping and I fully intend on doing this before summer’s over. And by myself.

Wish me luck.