I would like some advice please. My grandson is now getting fed up with sharing a sleeping room with his mum. I don't want to go and buy an even bigger tent so we all have separate sleeping areas. How old do you think a youngster need to be to safely sleep in a pup tent on his own? He is used to camping having gone away regularly in tents for the last 5 years or so.
i would have thought at least mid teens and then only in close proximity to the main tent. Why not use the Pup tent for a couple of the adults and let him have the inner in the main tent freed up by this move? Much safer i would have thought.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Mid teens he's probably planning his first mates holiday to Ibiza. For me it would depend on the site and how he felt about it. Has He got a friend he could try it with first?
You could pitch door to door which might help to start.
It was the safety aspect i was thinking of most, we had a nasty experiance on a site up near Alton Towers where some weirdo was trying to peep into our daughters tent as she slept by pulling out some of the pegs to look through the venting mesh, luckily he was spotted and made a fast exit, but imagine if that happened to a child, they would either be scared of ever camping again or worse if the weirdo had got other plans on his mind besides just looking. My daughter was !6 at the time, and was not alone in the tent, we were pitched right next to her.
Also at the age where they are lightly to decide to go off exploring without telling you, if there on their own then this makes life easier for them to do this, what happens then if they have a mishap or got lead into mischief or possible bullying by others in the dead of night when you thought they were tucked up safe and you were fast asleep? He maywell think hes big and brave enough to plan himself a holiday to ibiza, but the reality of doing so without much experiance of life may prove a scary step too far for him if he was to try to do so alone.
I still say it would be best to keep your son safe without so much risk by letting him remain in your main tent. Why cannot a couple of the adults sleep in the new pup tent?
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
I've seen this question come up before and there was alot of variations in what age people thought it was 'safe' to allow kids to sleep in their own pup tent. I think alot depends on the child in question, their level of maturity and camping experience rather than age though.
My neighbour's little boy has slept in his own pup tent since he was 9. As said above, I think you need to take other factors into account, not just the child's age. My eldest was 13 when he slept in his own tent and 14 when we let him go camping on his own with a group of friends (including some adults) when he was racing.
My son slept in a pup tent for the first time this year at Fforest Fields. He did have a friend with him, but the freind had never camped before. They were both 12 at the time and are sensible kids. I positioned there pup tent right next to the bedroom pod on the main tent, and I am a light sleeper. I know Fforest Fields well and was comfortable with this. Not sure if I would have been happy about it on a site I didn't know. Worked well and he enjoyed having his own space.
My mister brat was 8 when he first used a pup tent, it was entirely his idea and he is going to be in it again this year, so I was informed last night !
As it was only a couple of sheets of thin fabric between and my hearing hasn`t gone yet, I saw no problem.
Quote: Originally posted by romany girl on 30/11/2009
It was the safety aspect i was thinking of most, we had a nasty experiance on a site up near Alton Towers where some weirdo was trying to peep into our daughters tent as she slept by pulling out some of the pegs to look through the venting mesh, luckily he was spotted and made a fast exit, but imagine if that happened to a child, they would either be scared of ever camping again or worse if the weirdo had got other plans on his mind besides just looking. My daughter was !6 at the time, and was not alone in the tent, we were pitched right next to her.
Also at the age where they are lightly to decide to go off exploring without telling you, if there on their own then this makes life easier for them to do this, what happens then if they have a mishap or got lead into mischief or possible bullying by others in the dead of night when you thought they were tucked up safe and you were fast asleep? He maywell think hes big and brave enough to plan himself a holiday to ibiza, but the reality of doing so without much experiance of life may prove a scary step too far for him if he was to try to do so alone.
I still say it would be best to keep your son safe without so much risk by letting him remain in your main tent. Why cannot a couple of the adults sleep in the new pup tent?
Julia
That's absolutely terrible about the pervy peeper but by the mid - teens anyone should have enough experience of life? By the time I was 16, I had a job, went to the pub, paid my rent/bills... My mother had me at 15! I didn't earn enough for foreign holidays but am sure I would have been OK in any european country. Somewhere like Nigeria or Ecuador maybe not...
Experience is mainly learnt from mistakes ,is it not? Is it better to make the mistakes earlier or be protected from them?
Reading this one with interest. My daughter will be 12 this year when we go on our main hols and she wants to sleep in her own tent. We have said she can, but OH and me are abit wary but goin to let her and will pitch the tent door next to our tent door to make it safer. We only go to really quiet sites anyway and she is a sensible child.
Will keep popping in on this one and read others thoughts.
From 10 years old onwards, with another child the same age, a bit younger if one of the children is a bit older. Mine were 9 and 13. The pup tent was between our tent and another family members tent. I was still quite worried the first time.
Mid teens should be old enough to sleep alone. You know your grandson very well, so you will know if he is going to be scared on his own or not. He sounds like he is a sensible lad, and will enjoy the freedom of his own space.
Think it depends on several factors and situations as to when is right to let any child sleep in a pup tent...My kids have been in their own tents...on and off since the age of 12...but under controlled circumstances(without the occupant of the pup tent realising the situation was controlled) But there are some places/situations where I would not be happy to allow it
This summer my daughter(22yrs) was off on holiday with her youth group...Staying in a large mansion house with extensive gardens and grounds around it...Being a student..and trying to save money she decided rather than have a room in the building...She would take my 1 man tent and camp in the grounds(allowed apparently!!)At 1st..I was ok with this...Until I heard that the area that was used for camping was some way away from the main building...That the grounds...though extensive....were used as a shortcut by the nearby housing estate(Not allowed apparently!!) and that...contrary to my belief that she would be camping with others of a like mind..she would be on her own in that area...The parent syndrome kicked in..(allsorts running through my mind....and the money for a room in the building was found...22yrs old she may be and a uni graduate?? but shes still my wee girl...and there are some situations I would not willingly put her in...
Let your child sleep in their pup tent....close at hand...and with rules in place...in a controlled environment....and they should be fine....
Jelboy.
------------- Campers of the storm,Into this world are born
Thanks for all the responses. I think we will try it first at a weekend on a site we know well and which is well-controlled. He's 10 now so will be 11 by the time we go away again. He will be close to the main tent where his mum and I will be sleeping.
To Val - sorry to have raised your hopes. I would love another puppy but I'm not sure my little border collie would like the competition. But on the other hand, I saw a beautiful husky/malamute cross this morning - 8 months old and absolutely gorgeous.................
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Young Pup - advice please
