BWCA Kids and Storms Boundary Waters Group Forum: Canoeing with kids
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05/30/2013 10:24AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Taking a buddy and both of our 6 year old kids with us in July. We were just talking about how neither kid really likes thunderstorms too much. What do the experienced trippers do to deal with thunderstorm trauma? Make some kind of weird game out of it, like counting distance of lightening strikes?

OR is it possible I am over thinking this a little bit too much?
 
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05/30/2013 11:17AM  
My son(9) had a blast watching the lightening. This is an activity strictly forbidden at home, but in the woods, we were forced to sit under the tarp. His response to the situation was much better than when we were at home, where he would hide from the storm and claim to be not afraid of it. He now no longer goes to the basement to watch TV in any and all storms.

Or you could always pray real hard for sunshine. lol
 
05/30/2013 12:24PM  
One of my daughters used to have a storm phobia. It was pretty bad. We still did things like camping, but yeah, she'd be terrified during a storm. I remember one trip where we had to sit in the van during the storm, which obviously won't be an option for you. But she had a real phobia, not normal kid fears, so I'll bet it won't be that bad for you.

They will take their cues from you, so remain calm and also don't belittle their fears. "You look pretty scared; come sit with me," is one thing you can say that doesn't focus on the storm but still acknowledges their fear. You could tell (calm) stories about storms you'd been through in the past, being sure to mention how it all came out all right in the end. Or things like, "my mom used to tell me thunder was God bowling," or something similar (make something up if you have to, haha). Or maybe something like "Even though the storm seems scary, I can tell we'll be okay because of X," again, making something up if you have to. They also might be worried about the tent blowing away, or the canoe, or what have you. At the same time, try not to give them ideas they might not have thought up on their own.

And then just go on with what you have to do, tell stories about your childhood not related to storms, or maybe use the opportunity to fix something special under the tarp. And pray they stay sleeping if the storm comes up during the night. :)
 
05/30/2013 06:51PM  
Mine sleep though them. I'm usually the only one wide awake praying for safety in the middle of the night lol
 
05/31/2013 12:42PM  
Thanks for the suggestions!
 
luft
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06/03/2013 05:40PM  
quote Canoearoo: "Mine sleep though them. I'm usually the only one wide awake praying for safety in the middle of the night lol"


+1!

 
03/31/2014 08:12PM  
While I have not been on a BWCA trip yet, we have had a number of experiences of bad thunderstorms while backpacking with our three kids now ages 9,8,8. If in camp they just climb in the tent and my wife tells old Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox and Brer Bear stories. I guess you just stay calm so they learn by example.
 
04/08/2014 03:48PM  
I wonder how it went for bumabu?

Baby (just under 1) slept soundly through 10 hours of storms in the BWCA. Bigger kids have really not made any huge deal out of them... and we've paddled through downpours.

I agree they take their cues from the adults around them, and that it can be hard to walk a fine line between acknowledging any worries they have and feeding them... which I struggle with in other areas but not storms.

I'm not racing out to have them research how lightning travels either though!!
 
04/14/2015 02:40PM  
I took my son for his first trip in 2012. Our first night was the night of the Duluth Floods.

Boy did we get hammered. 9" in 8 hours. I went in at lake One and was into the Burn area when it started raining. We ground through the rain, stopping during the lightning.

With no trees to absorb the thunder, it kept rolling and rolling. Was inspiring and made me nervous. But he did fine, kept telling him that we were fine.

Spent the night on the first campsite on Insula north of the burnout area when it really got crazy, he slept through the whole thing.

I also outfitted him very well. Full rain suit, rain boots, wool socks, fleece (picked up the last minute in Ely thank god). He was dry so for him it was a very memorable trip.

I know under the surface I was concerned because he was with me, had he not been, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it.

Each kid is different, but as long as they are prepared physically (gear) and mentally (parents not freaking out)
 
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