First, there was Mesa Verde National Park.
Then, there was Spring Kite Farm.
Last week, I chaperoned my third camping trip for Hadley’s class, this time to Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.
Just look at these views from our campground at San Luis State Park.
There is a lot that goes into pulling off a camping trip with 20 kids. Hadley’s teacher and the chaperones have it down to a science–from our meal planning to pillaging the basement of the school’s Great Hall that is chock full of camping gear (how cool is that?) But something you can’t pre-plan is exactly what we got: snow. And a lot of it. Hadley’s teacher wisely pushed the trip back a day but temperatures were still below freezing at night, causing some parents to panic.
I posted this rant on Facebook: “I totally get that we want our kids to have a smooth-sailing life but when did we become so overprotective that we shelter them from reaching beyond their comfort zones? If it’s too cold, too hot, too dirty, too contentious, or just too hard, we pamper them and bow out citing they can’t handle it. Some of my kids’ shining moments have been when they work through their struggles and realize they CAN do that which they never dreamed possible. ‘Hard’ can be life’s greatest teacher.”
Last summer when Hadley went to overnight camp, she refused to take the warm sleeping bag I told her to and froze her butt off the night they had to sleep under the stars–cried all night. Of course, as a mom I felt horribly for her but my gosh if she didn’t learn invaluable lessons from it and is such a rock star with preparing for the cold now. She was among the hardiest campers in her class.
What I’m saying: suck it up, parents, and don’t be afraid to let your kids tough it out.
The Gators
Another way to toughen them up? Take them to the Colorado Gators Reptile Park and let them hold a real-life alligator.
Note: this challenge does not apply to parents because we need to survive long enough to take care of our tough children.
The gator park was a short distance from the sand dunes but felt like a world away. This 80-acre ramshackle farm has become an educational sanctuary for overgrown alligators and other reptiles like large pythons, tortoises, iguanas and other exotic animals like peacocks and ostriches. It was a stinky facility but downright fascinating to watch Elvis, a Godzilla-of-an-alligator, gobble a huge hunk of beef like it was a mosquito.
There were plenty of mid-size gators as well. In the middle of them was a comment box for people to submit their complaints. Gotta love gator humor.
Side note: For just $100, you can take alligator wrestling lessons. It’s like they were totally reading my mind.
The Drama
I love chaperoning Hadley’s class camping trips because I see a completely different side of her when she’s in her element with all her friends.
Campfire reading
Piggy back rides with her friend London
Let me tell you, navigating fourth grade is tricky. She has always been equally comfortable hanging out with boys and girls. 
But now, the innuendos are starting. She spent some time hanging out with a boy we’ll call Harry. They were having a lot of fun but then another girl (whom we’ll call Andrea) jealously watched the two of them. When they separated, Andrea approached Harry and with a forced casualness asked, “So, do you like Hadley?”
Poor Harry was taken aback and muttered something like “no, we’re just friends” but already the wheels are turning for the clueless boys as the more-mature girls are already jockeying for position.
It’s only going to get better from here, folks.
Tomorrow: stay tuned for our adventures summittng the tallest dune in North America!
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 