Excellent point.
My kids used to laugh when we used to go out for even just a day in the woods, they'd say, "Dad, why do you bring so much stuff with you when you take us out?"
One day we were in our local woods, probably no more than half an hour from home and there was a torrential downpour for about two hours.
As i calmly got out my tarps, set up a shelter, then cooked us all up some spag bol and a cuppa, we must have seen a dozen families pass us with kids (at least one had a baby wearing next to nothing), and despite me offering them to duck under our shelter which i could have made bigger with another tarp, they refused.
I know of one couple that went down with a serious chest infection that day as a result of being soaked and trying to make it home. I hope the kids were ok. The woods around here are close by, but to a lost stranger, they could trap you all day and night.
A couple of hours later, the rain ceased, we packed up and carried on with our day. Whether you call it camping or a pathetic case of survival, me and my kids were not subjected to possible hypothermia that day. Thats all that matters to me.
So it was a great example for the kids, and myself of why i take a few things to "survive" the unexpected.
My kids have had the best times learning little bits from me over the years, and i'm proud to say if i asked them what would they rather do, sit and watch telly all night or try some fire making or knife skills outside, the fire making and an hour with their Frosts Mora wins every time.
I think the art of survival should be fun whilst learning it, so that when the time comes to use it for real, it's not traumatic, but second nature.
CX.
