RE: I love a good camp fire, but I m afraid....

my4cuties · Sep 28, 2003, 07:05 PM

Every time my kids get around the camp fire, I get very nervous! How do you (with small children) handle that scenario? I ve heard horror stories about little kids (or bigger clumsy kids) getting badly burned.

Thanks for any advice you can offer to make our " S More Time" more fun a stress-free!

jawilson · Mar 13, 2003, 12:00 PM

my4cutiesOne word; rules! My girls have been camping since they were 1, 3 and 5 (now 11, 13 and 15) and we haven t had a single instance with them. Why? No questions asked rules. They aren t (well, it s weren t now because they re all old enough) allowed to poke sticks into the fire, weren t allowed to start it, couldn t put ANYTHING into the flames unless we told them how and when, had to keep there chair as close/far from the fire as we said, no running through the campsite... basically, all common sense items. Breach of any rule meant you went and sat at the picnic table until it was decided that the lesson was learned. But, in all honesty, they were very good about it and the number of " time outs" they had to endure was quite minimal.

Cheryl · Mar 13, 2003, 12:12 PM

my4cutiesI think this is one of the hardest areas for parents to deal with.
When my two kids were young we were very strict about their behavior in and around the fire ring, whether it was burning or not. Those metal rings stay hot for a VERY long time. I never allowed the younger kids to walk around when the fire was burning, they had to stay in their chair. We explained the rules we expected each child to follow and we NEVER treated the fire as a PLAYTHING, as I ve seen some adults do. The other very strict rule we made the kids follow was to NEVER leave our campsite without letting a parent know exactly where they were going (as they got older of course). ANY deviation from these rules resulted in a MAJOR punishment. We went over the few major rules as soon as we arrived in the campground and each child had to repeat them. We usually had one episode a season when one of the kids forgot a rule, was punished as the other child watched (punishment was usually a lose of a privelege, being grounded at the campsite for a time period, or a major time-out depending on age level) and that was all that was needed (until the next season!).
Nothing is ever perfect, and only you know how your child will behave. I do know of other campers with very young ones who have created fire barriers to inclose the fire ring and others who do not light the fire until the younger kids go to bed.
Good luck,
Cheryl
P.S. They do seem to grow up VERY fast.

AustinBoston · Mar 13, 2003, 12:14 PM

my4cutiesWhat he said.

Ours are now 19, 17, and 12, and each was camping with fires from infancy.

There did come a time with each of them that we did allow them to poke at the fire (but only one at a time) And no taking flaming, glowing, or hot poker sticks out of the fire!

Flaming marshmallows are probably the #1 fire hazard. It is insinct for some kids to swing them to put them out. Bad idea! We have never had a problem, but there are plenty of cases of serious burns when a swinging, flaming marshmallow became a sticky, flaming missile.

Very small children won t " get it" by having rules explained to them. So the first time you have a fire with a very small child, bring them close to the fire. Take them by the hand. Make sure YOU can feel what the child feels. SLOWLY bring their hand near the fire. When it feels hot, just draw them back and say " HOT! NO!" They shouldn t need a second explanation. It might not be a bad idea to keep siblings away during this process, or someone else may try it.

Some have also put those flexible toddler fences around the fire (or around the todler).

Austin

Camperroo · Mar 13, 2003, 12:35 PM

my4cutiesour friends had little ones and it wasn t so much as knowing the rules, but worrying about someone slipping or tripping near the fire. While the kids were young enough she would put up a playyard around the firepit. Acted as a barrier so the kids couldn t get too close and was low enough to still enjoy the fire and sit by it.

4Galvs · Mar 13, 2003, 12:48 PM

my4cutiesmy4:

See attached thread and notes regarding fire grate:

[link=http://www.popuptimes.com/members/tm.asp?m=11068&appid=&p=&mpage=1&key=&language=&tmode=&s=#11852]Camp Safety[/link]

GaryWT · Mar 13, 2003, 01:10 PM

my4cutiesI agree with the rules, set them and keep them. When the kids were real young, we would bungie cord them in the chairs so they could not get out, as they got older they followed the rules. At 1 time I was the only one who could toast marshmellows, now that they are older, they can do it but since they grew up around fires they understand what to do.

Kelly · Mar 13, 2003, 01:30 PM

my4cuties[font=" comic sans ms" ]What they all said! One other rule we have is that kids must stay BEHIND the chairs that are at the fire. If they want to go from one side to the other they have to walk behind the chairs. That way I don t have to worry (as much [

]) about them tripping over someone s feet.

Start them young and be consistent with the rules.[/font]

4campinfoxes · Mar 13, 2003, 02:19 PM

my4cutiesI would ditto Kelly s response. My kids are reminded that they go behind chairs to walk around. They are allowed to help make the fire as they get older (my oldest has learned in Girl Scouts as well). There is no running around or goofing off or they go to bed. Rules work!

Sharon

6Quigs · Mar 13, 2003, 02:53 PM

my4cuties

QuoteRules work!

I agree.
With 4 young children, we have always enforced the rules around the fire very strictly.
The only times I have been concerned, was when the children were not my own, and were not following my set of rules.
It was very comforting to see my children telling their friends to sit down, or not to put stuff in the fire, or how to hold the Marshmallow sticks.
We generally only light a fire in the evenings, and usually when the younger ones are in bed.

AustinBoston · Mar 13, 2003, 04:13 PM

AustinBoston

QuoteORIGINAL: AustinBoston

Ours are now 19, 17, and 12, and each was camping with fires from infancy.

There did come a time with each of them that we did allow them to poke at the fire (but only one at a time) And no taking flaming, glowing, or hot poker sticks out of the fire!

I forgot to add that all of them are able to build and light the fire (12 YO DS with supervision) at this point.

Austin

jawilson · Mar 13, 2003, 04:51 PM

GaryWT

QuoteORIGINAL: GaryWT

When the kids were real young, we would bungie cord them in the chairs so they could not get out

That must have been one helluva site. Did anyone call DYFS on you? [

]

GeneF · Mar 13, 2003, 05:04 PM

my4cutiesAnother word of caution if my memory serves me right.

DO NOT let your children swing those metal forks around that are sometimes used to cook hot dogs or roast marshmellows.

Last year there was an unfortunate incident at a another campground near the Tenn Rally campground.

A young boy was swinging one of those forks around and the metal part came off of the wooden handle. The fork struck his sister and she later died. So PLEASE be careful.

GaryWT · Mar 13, 2003, 10:00 PM

my4cutiesBungie cording the kids was not different than running the carriage up to the fir ewith them in it.

We also have the walk around the back of the chairs rule, it is a ggod one.

Tim5055 · Mar 13, 2003, 10:20 PM

my4cutiesI agree with what most folks say, set rules and enforce them. This works for both kids as well as adults - especially when consuming adult beverages.

[link=http://www.title-3.com/Safety.htm]Campsite Safety[/link]

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