Grandkids to Oshkosh

AuntPeggy

AuntPeggy

Final Approach
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Last night we talked to our daughter about taking a grandson to Oshkosh with us. Talked about tenting and warm clothes for night and rainwear for the inevitable downpour and shorts for the pounding sun and good shoes for the miles and miles of walking. Turns out they don't have anything warmer than hooded jerseys.

Then we found out that we have 2 eight-year-old grandsons expecting to go with us, not 1. OK. We have a 3-man tent and a 2-man tent. We'll put the boys in one under one wing and we'll sleep in the other under the other wing. No, they each have to be in a tent with an adult because there isn't enough security at OSH. They might get kidnapped. What is really funny is that this is coming from the same daughter who absolutely refused to sleep in the tent with us when we went camping. She ended up sleeping in the car.

They are afraid of the dark so we must provide a light, too.:lightning: Their mom said they have to be near a bathroom so that if they wake up in the middle of the night they can find their way. I suggested they would be fine so long as they don't water the plane or tents. (gasp)

Am I being a crotchety old <whatever> for thinking these kids are over-protected?:dunno:
 
Tell her what she wants to here, and then swear the kids to secrecy and go have a good time. :fcross: I'm mean it's not like you don't have an interest in the kids and in the end you'll be their "favoritest" people in the whole wide world.
Do you know what grandparents and children have in common? A commom enemy. :D

:blueplane:
 
Peggy,

While two eight year olds may tire you out, you certainly don't have to worry about them being kidnapped/beaten/etc at OSH if they sleep in the same tent. Keeping them from fighting in the tent may be a bigger challenge. I agree with Dave, but if you can make the father an ally against the mother that would probably be a good idea. It would be too bad if you had to lie to the mom to get to take the kids.
 
God forbid they actually meet the kids of a "stranger" at OSH!
 
Dave2 said:
<snip> swear the kids to secrecy and go have a good time.</snip>
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Not quite the direction we want to go with these kids. So far they are really honest little guys. But I agree with the idea of doing it our own way.
 
TMetzinger said:
Peggy,

While two eight year olds may tire you out, you certainly don't have to worry about them being kidnapped/beaten/etc at OSH if they sleep in the same tent. Keeping them from fighting in the tent may be a bigger challenge. I agree with Dave, but if you can make the father an ally against the mother that would probably be a good idea. It would be too bad if you had to lie to the mom to get to take the kids.
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Don't want to pit Mom against Dad either. Rather have them hate us instead. Gives us more incentive to spend their inheritance on ourselves.

I actually expect the boys to climb into their tent exhausted as soon as the runway is closed at dusk and stay asleep until engines start up again at dawn. That's how it works with me.

My biggest fear is losing sight of one or both and spending all day trying to locate him/them. I don't expect them to be abducted - merely excited and distracted.
 
AuntPeggy said:
Don't want to pit Mom against Dad either. Rather have them both hate us. Gives us more incentive to spend their inheritance on ourselves.

I actually expect the boys to climb into their tent exhausted as soon as the runway is closed at dusk and stay asleep until engines start up again at dawn. That's how it works with me.

My biggest fear is losing sight of one or both and spending all day trying to locate him/them. I don't expect them to be abducted - merely excited and distracted.
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I recommend you get some of the family radio systems (FRS) walkie-talkies. They're cheap and work very well.
 
Aunt Peggy,

I'll have an 8 yr old girl with us & we will be out in Camp Sholler. We should hook up some evening for dinner and marshmellows. : )

Missa
 
As you know if you are a camper, nothing ever goes exactly as planned. #1 set their tent between your's and the plane with openings facing each other. #2 Get a battery powered camp light for their night light. #3 If having to be near a port-a-potty is critical, forget the whole thing, because there are no bets on that, that is unless you want to promise to get up and walk them there in the middle of the night.
 
Dave2 said:
As you know if you are a camper, nothing ever goes exactly as planned. #1 set their tent between your's and the plane with openings facing each other. #2 Get a battery powered camp light for their night light. #3 If having to be near a port-a-potty is critical, forget the whole thing, because there are no bets on that, that is unless you want to promise to get up and walk them there in the middle of the night.
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Good ideas.
 
Dave2 said:
#3 If having to be near a port-a-potty is critical, forget the whole thing, because there are no bets on that, that is unless you want to promise to get up and walk them there in the middle of the night.
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Or go to a boat store and get a cheap porta potty. Line it with a small trash bag instead of filling it with water, and make it clear it's for emergency use only. And then at the end of the show, take it back if they don't use it.

We've had our little porta potty for 12 years and it's been used only once, but it's nice to know it's there if they need it. We take it on the boat, and I used to keep it in the hangar when we were in a hangar far from a bathroom.
 
well their mother either trusts you with the kids or she doesnt... so just tell her "i'll be responsible" and i don't see what the big deal is...
 
I started taking grankids when they turned 11 to volunteer at the seaplane base. One year we had 4 grandkids and 2 daughters there with our motorhome and a tent or two. We will be there agin this year but not all the grandkids will be there the whole week. We have 6 old enough this year so at least one mom has to go along and we may take 2 RV's or the motorhome and two or three tents. We can camp at the seabase as we all volunteer there full time. stop out and see us. Jan works in the in the office and I am all over the place LOL. Bill
 
AuntPeggy said:
They are afraid of the dark so we must provide a light, too.:lightning: Their mom said they have to be near a bathroom so that if they wake up in the middle of the night they can find their way. I suggested they would be fine so long as they don't water the plane or tents. (gasp)
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I'd go by a wheel, and say the tire killed the grass.
 
TMetzinger said:
I recommend you get some of the family radio systems (FRS) walkie-talkies. They're cheap and work very well.
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I third this recommendation :).

Several years ago, we moved my mother-in-law from FL to TX. There were 3 vehicles in the on-going caravan. I purchased 4 of those walkie-talkies for us to use. They worked fantastic on the trip. They allowed us to keep in touch with each other even when spread over a several mile distance. Make sure you get the ones that have at least 2 channels. The ones we got were AUDIOVOX and it has 3 (each channel is a different freq.)

Enjoy OSH! Sure wish we could make it this year :(.
 
harryg said:
I third this recommendation :).

Several years ago, we moved my mother-in-law from FL to TX. There were 3 vehicles in the on-going caravan. I purchased 4 of those walkie-talkies for us to use. They worked fantastic on the trip. They allowed us to keep in touch with each other even when spread over a several mile distance. Make sure you get the ones that have at least 2 channels. The ones we got were AUDIOVOX and it has 3 (each channel is a different freq.)

Enjoy OSH! Sure wish we could make it this year :(.
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I don't think even 3 channels will work unless you also have a digital pairing ID/encryption feature. You'll be FAR from the only ones in crowd of 150,000 at Oshkosh using the same frequencies.
 
Mike, I'm quite sure you are correct in that there will be many others using the same type devices. The point, I was trying to make, albeit not very well, was don't buy a cheap set with only a single channel. So yes, you will be sharing the airwaves with others - we even had that experience on our trip :) :). But, it is a better option than physically searching "all day" for someone who may be lost or at least separated from the family.

Best.
 
Better yet, it seems like everyone and their aunties have cell phones these days...
 
We tried the personal walkie talkies a few years ago, 3 channel models. I ended up talking to some kid that thought I was his Dad and I never could get ahold of my son, they both had the same name. Maybe now that cell phones have exploded, the walkie talkies might work better, but 3 & 4 years ago, it was a royal cluster, couldn't get a word in edgewise. Lately, I wish I had the income from just one days cell phone usage at OSH... it's unreal.
 
AuntPeggy said:
I actually expect the boys to climb into their tent exhausted as soon as the runway is closed at dusk and stay asleep until engines start up again at dawn. That's how it works with me.
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Please forgive me, but based on my admittedly limited experience with young boys, the above sounds like wishful thinking.
 
steingar said:
Please forgive me, but based on my admittedly limited experience with young boys, the above sounds like wishful thinking.
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You are the first to call me on that one!

Based upon my experience with young boys and these in particular, there is no telling how long it will take to get them to sleep.
 
We just went out and bought another 3-man tent and air mattress for the boys. Brought them home and set up in the driveway to see how hard it is. Now we have decided we need to go back and buy an air pump for the mattress. Not as young as we were 20 years ago. sigh.

The old Oshkosh list has been dusted off and updated.
 
AuntPeggy said:
We just went out and bought another 3-man tent and air mattress for the boys. Brought them home and set up in the driveway to see how hard it is. Now we have decided we need to go back and buy an air pump for the mattress. Not as young as we were 20 years ago. sigh.

The old Oshkosh list has been dusted off and updated.
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We've been taking our kids to OSH since birth. In their young lives (they're now 14 and 17), three things have been invented that has changed the Oshkosh camping experience for the better:

1. Air beds. Far from the old "air mattresses" of my mis-spent youth (the kind that wouldn't hold air till morning), these air "beds" are not only more comfortable than most REAL beds, but they actually don't leak. We've had one for the last six (?) years, and usually only fill it again once, mid-week. We've since purchased twin-sized versions for each kid, and we all sleep very, very well. (In fact, we take them on regular vacations, and the kids use them in hotel rooms. They are vastly superior to any roll-away or pull-out.)

Good move buying the battery-powered pump. You only need one for all of your mattresses.

2. Cell phones. Before cell phones, OSH was "the wilderness". Now, you can reach anyone, anywhere, anytime.

3. On-field bicycles. At the start of the show we buy a "beater" bike for each of us at the nearby Oshkosh Goodwill store. We use it throughout the week, saving our feet for walking the grounds -- and then donate the bikes back to Goodwill at week's end. This saves us tens of miles of walking the North 40 campground, which becomes more important to me each year!

Oshkosh is heaven for kids. Ours now know the grounds as well as their own neighborhoods here at home, and we can let them roam at will. It's a family atmosphere, with a healthy, wholesome theme. The kids absolutely love it.
 
One of you need to talk to my boyfriend.... he thinks Cassie (9) will want to call it quits after two days. I think he underestamates Osh (he's never been there before). With KidVenture, the airshow, all the kid's craft booths and the kid's pavilion in Sholler... I think she'd be good all week. I may have talked him into 4 days... Monday till Thursday (I MUST see Diana's presentation).
 
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