It can be quite daunting when you, an outdoorsy person, have to convince your wife, who somehow has hatred for camping, to go with you on the next camping trip to explore the wilderness.
However, camping with partner who is not a fan of camping is possible.
What to do if my wife hates camping? The answer lies in this article, so read on to find out!
How to Guarantee Your Wife Will Hate Camping
This is the first thing you need to make clear. Does your wife really hate camping, or you only think she hates it? These are some ways to guarantee your wife hates camping.
- If your wife is familiar with sleeping in a lemongrass scented room and mint on her pillow, she might not like spending three days in nature. Be considerate when it comes to such things.
- Have you ever caught your wife sitting around, doing nothing more than once? If not, chances are she won’t like it in the woods. You should plan some fun activities ahead to make the most of the camping trip.
- Buy her a proper sleeping bag or air mattress. She might not like camping because she had to sleep in some sort of skimpy, cheap-o cocoon you got at Walmart for $20 the last time. It never hurts to spend big bucks for some extra comfort.
- Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and it sucks. But when such a thing happens, don’t conceal your emotions and pretend everything is fine. Accept the truth, but make a promise to try again. After all, how bad can it possibly be?
- Camping doesn’t always have to be about trail mixed, peanut butter, and hot dogs. Since you will have plenty of time in a day of camping, why not practice some cowboy cooking and surprise your wife with some good old backcountry food and the joy of being outdoors?
Reasons Why Your Wife Hate Camping
It’s great that you enjoy camping, but when you give it some thought, it makes total sense that some people are not on the same boat with you. What can possibly be the reasons, though? Here are a few factors that have an impact on why you won’t be able to go camping with wife.
Insects
This is one of the most common excuses when it comes to why women don’t like camping. But let’s be honest, you don’t have to be a woman to despise bugs.
It can be very annoying, if not terrifying when you’re around hundreds of bugs, not to mention the insect bites! Insect bites can be quite a pain in the neck, especially when they get infected and start to itch!
Read more: How To Keep Bugs Away While Camping
Lack of Comfort
Some misters out there refuse to invest in good sleeping bags for their wives and expect them to like the camping experience and have the most fun? I don’t think so.
Read more: A Full Comparison Of Double Sleeping Bags Vs Two Singles
The lack of comfort can be the key factor that blows your first time camping together. After all, what’s worse than a terrible night’s sleep? Probably the hatred your wife has for you after this trip. If that’s the case, you might as well look for what do you do when your wife hates you now.
Weather
Yes, I know the weather forecast said it would be sunny and dry, but somehow, it rained the whole day, turning this trip into a tortue rather than a camping adventure you would have enjoyed.
The weather and temperatures are the two unpredictable factors; that being said, it won’t hurt if you bring along extra camping gear. Make sure to invest in a good tent and sleeping bags if you’re going to do tent camping, as it will be the fort that keeps you and your spouse warm and dry. This, however, is easier when you camp in an RV, though.
Solutions For The Reasons My Wife Hate Camping
Now that you know why your wife dislikes camping, what to do if my wife hates camping?
For Insects
There are tons of ways to avoid bugs, but the most effective one has got to be insect repellents, including sprays, lights, creams, etc. Scented incense also helps. Natural scents of citrus or citronella keep the bugs away, and they also make your campsite smell more appealing.
A friendly reminder, try not to burn too much incense to avoid the unfortunate event of overpowering smell and foggy smoke inside the tent. You wouldn’t want your wife to suffocate on her first camp trip ever, would you?!
For the Lack of Comfort
This problem can be solved easily. Invest in some good sleeping bags, my friends! Additionally, you should bring a portable heater, in case it gets colder at night, especially during winter camping trips.
If you’re camping for an entire summer, you can bring a small fan to dissipate the heat, provided that you have a generator. But if you don’t, a lighter bedding arrangement is recommended.
When it comes to access to bathrooms and showers, if you’re planning to camp on a campsite, you will likely see bathrooms within close distance where you camp. Oftentimes, they’re not that nice, though.
What you can do is to look for RV parks with decent amenities for a proper shower setup arrangement. Better yet, invest in one of those pressure showers; this little unit can do wonders and change your reluctant other’s initial assumption about camping. You don’t need a “rough it” feeling to know what camping is. Glamping has its charms too!
For the Weather
The weather forecast isn’t always accurate, which is why you need plans for every possible situation.
Even if you’re a seasoned camper, it can be quite a pain to deal with the rain. That being said, always plan with the weather in mind. It never hurts to take precautions to keep your tent and firewood dry. Bring along gears, including rain suits, proper footwear, etc. to stay fully dry. Trust me; nothing is more miserable than being wet while camping.
How can I Convince My Wife to Camp (or Try to Do it)?
If your wife is a first-time camper, you have to make sure all of her needs are met. You might need to bring more than usual for camping, but that is okay. Some RV parks have refrigerators for rent; you should take advantage of that and prepare some ‘fancy’ meals and food (cowboy cooking, of course) with her favorite beverages to provide her the utmost comfort. In other words, glamp it up for her, folks, or at least, for the first few times!
And the most important of all, you have to show your dedication toward this. I know a person who took more than two years to convince his wife to go camping with him, and now, ten years later, they have an annual two-week trip and have never been happier.
The fact that you have planned everything, so your other half doesn’t have to, helps a great deal. It takes the pressure off her shoulder when she has no clue what to do as a first-timer. Also, bring along an experienced friend that your wife knows. Having people around can make it so much fun, especially if this is the first trip.
Make Camping More Comfortable, Interesting For Your Wife?
When you think about camping, most people imagine sitting around on a chair and doing nothing till the day ends, which sounds… boring. That could partially be why your wife doesn’t want to be a part of a camping trip.
You can come up with some fun activities to spice things up a bit, especially when you’re trying to have a good time with your wife. Dancing in the dark with your favorite couple songs can enhance the experience ten times more!
Or better yet, play romantic games! Do you often find it awkward to play this kind of game at home because the kids are around, and the laughters will probably wake your neighbors? Well, now is the perfect time just for the two of you!
One last thing, your spouse will definitely fall head over heels for you again if you bring along some battery powered string lights and place them inside your tent. They set the right mood for cuddling and are great sleeping lights!
Alternative Ideas
Board games can be fun when you’re going with your wife and other friends. You can also do a short hike during day time to get the muscles working and enjoy the fresh air and majestic landscapes of the wilderness. Not something you see every day!
And when it gets dark, story-telling time! Staring into a campfire doesn’t sound too appealing to some people, but story-telling around the fire gives off a different vibe. I’m sure your wife and other people at the camping location would love to hear some amusing or scary stories right before bedtime!
FAQs
How do you camp when you hate camping?
There are still ways to camp when you hate camping, even though many people wouldn’t refer to it as camping. The idea is to go to a camping location where the basic amenities are provided, with trailers and cabins for rent. It’s not entirely wrong if you call it a trailer experience.
If you want to have more of the natural feeling, head to RV parks that provide wood cabins. Worth a shot!
Should I go camping without my partner?
If you’ve tried everything to convince her to go with you, and the answer is still no, there’s no point in sitting around and waiting for her to say yes. If you have been trying to convince her, it means you really want to go on this camping vacation. Your significant other sure can find something to occupy the days you’re not around.
In Conclusion
So, what to do if my wife hates camping? In the end, it only comes down to one thing: be more sensitive!
A nice, comfortable, weather-friendly setup can be a final push to change your significant other’s assumptions about camping.
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