Camping With Kids: Everything You Need to Know.

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Outdoorsy types will attest that there's nothing better than a family camping adventure--loads of free time, no screens and green as far as the eye can see. Camping can be a family-friendly bonding activity for kids of all ages. But how do you make your trip to the Great Outdoors fun, safe and kid-friendly? We'll share our pro tips to make your next family camping trip amazing.

Make a Plan!

Before you pack up the tents and fill your canteens, you'll need to pick a campsite location. If you're a seasoned camper, then you may need to downplay your own expectations for what your kids can handle. Depending on their ages, they may not be up for long hikes to the campsite or carrying heavy packs with gear.

Some campsites offer basic amenities such as bathrooms and showers, whereas some camping spots are just a patch of dirt for your tents. For your first camping trip with the family, pro rangers suggest that you might be more comfortable with modern amenities--bathrooms, running water and a place to change.

Gear Up!

Once your family has picked out the right campsite, it's time to start prepping for your trip. The first step will be assembling the gear you'll need. What do you really need? It depends on how well stocked or remote your campsite is.

At a minimum, you're going to need a family tent and a backpack for each family member. Of course, you'll also need clothes, food, toiletries and medications for each person. For babies, you'll need the comforts of home--diapers, wipes, bottles, a sleeping space, etc.

Long gone are the days of restless nights and neck or back pain in the morning. Modern tents and sleeping pads can provide a level of comfort almost equivalent to your bed at home. For a family of four or more, look for a tent that can accommodate all of you.

Pro tip: Know that spending a little more on quality gear can keep you dry and toasty, so don't skimp on the big purchases. Two doors on the tent means that nobody gets feet in their face while others are coming and going. And a rain-coverage fly helps repel water and bugs.

Pack Up!

Make a list and stick to it. List all the necessities, and then cross off items as you add them to your gear. Having a list means that you won't forget essentials or overpack.

Remember that you're going to be carrying these packs through the woods, so don't stuff them or your back will regret it. Include garbage bags for each family member to make the chore of returning with damp, muddy clothing and shoes less offensive.

For a terrific resource on packing lists for kids, check out wildernessforkids.com. Their downloadable, customizable forms can keep your family organized and on track.

Pro Tip: Older kids can help prep for the trip. Simply hand them their own lists and then put them in charge of getting together their own gear and clothes. Of course, double-check before you head out to make sure the kids packed what they need.
Plan Meals!

Some families like to fish out of the river and cook what they catch. Other families want to know that their campsite is within an hour of local sushi delivery. Figure out what your family's meal expectations and dietary needs are, and then plan accordingly.

Prepping dinner over an open flame is fun, just keep it simple. The good news is that most developed campgrounds provide either a grill or a fire pit at each site. This means you won't need to drag along a special (heavy!) camping stove or any special cookware. All you need is a roll of aluminum foil and some basic cooking utensils, and you're a wilderness chef.

Pro tip: If your site doesn't provide a grill, simply bring an oven rack from home to use over the fire pit. Prop the rack on top of the fire pit and use it as a makeshift grill top. At home, wash it and then put it back in your stove.

Have Fun!
Any seasoned parent will tell you that part of traveling with kids is learning to roll with it. Your goals should be to bask in nature and sleep under the stars--that's all you need for a memorable camping experience.

Plan to let the kids tell you what they want to do, rather than planning a schedule full of long hikes, structured sight-seeing and elaborate meals. Your kids will just be happy to be there, with you, in the outdoors! There are no schedules or commitments out in the woods, so enjoy the down time.

Pro Tip: Breathe in the fresh air and simply be. You're there to spend time as a family, together.

Family camping is a magical, inexpensive way to create lifelong memories with your kids. The Great Outdoors beckons your family to plan an epic trip you'll cherish. What are you waiting for? (By Katie Morton).

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Providing reasonable arrangements to the terrorists, hoping they will accept, is like nourishing crocodiles with lettuce, hoping they will becomes veg... (Boucar Diouf).

Answer: The “Golden Rule” is the name given to a principle Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount. The actual words “Golden Rule” are not found in Scripture, just as the words “Sermon on the Mount” are also not found. These titles were later added by Bible translation teams in order to make Bible study a little easier. The phrase “Golden Rule” began to be ascribed to this Jesus’ teaching during the 16th–17th centuries.
What we call the Golden Rule refers to Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus knew the human heart and its selfishness. In fact, in the preceding verse, He describes human beings as innately “evil” (verse 11). Jesus’ Golden Rule gives us a standard by which naturally selfish people can gauge their actions: actively treat others the way they themselves like to be treated.
The English Standard Version translates the Golden Rule like this: “Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus brilliantly condenses the entire Old Testament into this single principle, taken from Leviticus 19:18: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Again, we see the implication that people are naturally lovers of self, and the command uses that human flaw as a place to start in how to treat others.
People universally demand respect, love, and appreciation, whether they deserve it or not. Jesus understood this desire and used it to promote godly behavior. Do you want to be shown respect? Then respect others. Do you crave a kind word? Then speak words of kindness to others. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The Golden Rule is also part of the second greatest commandment, preceded only by the command to love God Himself (Matthew 22:37–39).
What is interesting to note about the Golden Rule is that no other religious or philosophical system has its equal. Jesus’ Golden Rule is not the “ethic of reciprocity” so commonly espoused by non-Christian moralists. Frequently, liberal critics and secular humanists attempt to explain away the uniqueness of the Golden Rule, saying it is a common ethic shared by all religions. This is not the case. Jesus’ command has a subtle, but very important, difference. A quick survey of the sayings of Eastern religions will make this plain:
• Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" (Analects 15:23)
• Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you” (Mahabharata 5:1517)
• Buddhism: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful" (Udanavarga 5:18)
These sayings are similar to the Golden Rule but are stated negatively and rely on passivity. Jesus’ Golden Rule is a positive command to show love proactively. The Eastern religions say, “Refrain from doing”; Jesus says, “Do!” The Eastern religions say it is enough to hold your negative behavior in check; Jesus says to look for ways to act positively. Because of the “inverted” nature of the non-Christian sayings, they have been described as the “silver rule.”
Some have accused Jesus of “borrowing” the idea of the Golden Rule from the Eastern religions. However, the texts for Confucianism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, cited above, were all written between 500 and 400 BC, at the earliest. Jesus takes the Golden Rule from Leviticus, written about 1450 BC. So, Jesus’ source for the Golden Rule predates the “silver rule” by about 1,000 years. Who “borrowed” from whom?
The command to love is what separates the Christian ethic from every other religion’s ethic. In fact, the Bible’s championing of love includes the radical command to love even one’s enemies (Matthew 5:43–44; cf. Exodus 23:4–5). This is unheard of in other religions.
Obeying the Christian imperative to love others is a mark of a true Christian (John 13:35). In fact, Christians cannot claim to love God if they don’t actively love other people as well. “If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). The Golden Rule encapsulates this idea and is unique to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures.
http://www.gotquestions.org/Golden-Rule.html

DOUBLE STANDARD!