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Backpack, backpacking, conversation, Family, Hiking, Humor, Motherhood, Outdoors, Parenting, shovel, Sleeping bag, Teenagers, tent
A conversation between a mother and a father. Mother and father are lying in bed.
“Honey, I’m kind of nervous about Old Boy heading out on his backpacking trip for school.” – Mother
“Why? He’s going to have a great time.” – Father
“What if he gets hungry? How are they going to be able to pack enough for the backpack for a week? He eats all the time.” – Mother
“There will other boys in his group. They will carry the food and water.” – Father
“But Old Boy is so thin. How can he carry a big backpack with a tent and sleeping bag? The backpack is half his weight.” - Mother
“He’s a strong boy. He can do it. He’s almost a man you know?” – Father
“No he isn’t.” – Mother
“It’ll be so cold. How will he stay warm enough in that flimsy backpacking tent.”- Mother
“He has a new sleeping bag and pad to keep him warm at night. He’s bringing gloves, wool socks, long underwear, warm coat, hat, and is sleeping in the small tent with three other boys. Trust me he won’t be cold in the cramped tent.” – Father
“The whole thing sound awful.” – Mother
“Not to a bunch of teenage boys.” – Father
“Where are they going to go to the bathroom.” – Mother
“Where do you think? Outdoors of course.” – Father
“What if they have to go…you know poop?” – Mother
“I put a shovel in his backpack.” – Father
“A shovel?” – Mother
“Yup. You just dig a hole. Do your business and cover the hole with dirt. No problem.” – Father
Mother stands up and walks out of the room.
“Hey, where are you going?” – Father
“Digging a hole to poop in? That was too much information. And you wonder why I won’t go camping with you.” – Mother (yelling from other room)
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I like how you totally ignored the ” he is almost a man you know”– sigh hard to let go even if it is a little bit. pooping in a hole is not for me either.. yuck
He isn’t a man …yet. He still calls me mommy.
Letting go is very hard. Poop in a dug hole? Never.
All that worrying – you’re such a mom!
I think it may be possible that he has already pooped in a hole. He’s a boy.
Please don’t remind me of this.
With one 16-year-old boy scout veteran (almost Eagle!), I worry less about how he will survive. I worry more about how he will survive in the real world. The toothbrush and toothpaste are never used AT ALL during the weekend campout. Same for the clean underwear. He only puts on clean clothes if something gets wet. Sigh. He will never have a date.
Ha! I don’t have your concerns, Anne. Old Boy has the opposite problem. He is bringing AXE body spray, mouthwash and 8 pairs. of underwear. Mouthwash camping?
Too funny! I would have left the room also! I am not a camper at all, but my husband and boys love it. BTW – love the picture in your header! I came across a few dinosaurs in our downstairs bathroom. No wonder they are extinct!
I am alone is my dislike for camping. The family loves it. Sigh. Opened the fridge one morning and there was a battle in my fridge. Spiderman is losing.