Workamping with kids


Floridariz

New Member
Hi there! Was wondering if State and National parks would allow volunteering with children in tow? We have to excellently behaved :cool: boys (12, 9) who would help any any way they could or were allowed!

Does anyone know what the genral feel is on this? Our PLAN is to accompany dh on his work assignments (contract engineer) for 3 months at a time and I would love to park in state/nat parks rather than an rv park and volunteer with my fellas. They homeschool and are terrific, polite boys. They would LOVE to help in a gift store, give tours, you name it! My oldest is a reptile expert and could keep people enthralled for hours on his creatures (which live in his room! :laugh: )

My LAST hangup to taking the plunge is the thought of living in an rv park...ugh! We have acreage and are used to quiet and no people and are perfectly suited for areas that might make others lonely. It would be a dream come true to volunteer and what a way for my guys to learn!

Paula in Fl
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Workamping with kids

If you like quite forget State/Nat'l Parks during the vacation season. The reason you get free hookups is to help with ALL the VISITORS. It isn't fun and game time. Your "ugh" to RV Parks is kind of a slap in the face to us RV'ers. That is our way of life on the road. We visit State/Nat'l Parks, but we also stay in fun and interesting towns/locations that offer great camping. My big "ugh" is your little polite guys/gals running all over and disturbing my quite time.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Workamping with kids

Paula, Hope we are reading the way you express the desire to camphost wrong :eek: Meeting, greeting, and helping your fellow campers is a part of hosting. There are some National parks that are located way off the beaten path but even those can get busy in prime time. Maybe you meant mobile home and rv parks where a lot of campers stay all the time and never move with your "ugh". I have seen a lot of those in Fl. Welcome to the forum
 

Texas_Camper

New Member
Re: Workamping with kids

Keep in mind that hosting and Workamping are real jobs, although part time. Most campgrounds, both govermental and private have certain liability requirements that preclude using children. While I disagree with the child labor laws in general and think kids should have the opportunity to learn how to work, the current laws are in place. In Texas, anyone under 16 cannot work after 8 pm, ( It's either 7 or 8), nor around machinery, nor around a hot stove in a kitchen. To be a host or workamper, your skills and abilities must meet the needs of the particular campground. Jobs are clerical or janitoral/maintenance. I have volunteered at parks and really haven't seen any jobs suitable for a 12 year old. It is difficult to keep a youngster focused and interested in a task day after day.

Some popular sites require a 3 month commitment during the summer. It's all summer or nothing.

If I understand you correctly, you prefer the open, country feel of a state/national park vs a "parking lot" style rv park. That is understandable. As a contract engineer, I would assume your DH's work would not be in a rural area, but closer to "downtown", therefore his commute would be long if you were at a state/nat. park. There are many things to consider about this venture. If he is off to work, how could you camp host and care for the boys at the same time?

I hate to throw cold water on your dreams, and I wish you success in your quest....
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Workamping with kids

Hey Floridariz, sorry for my bad manners. Welcome to the forum. Your "ugh" hit me wrong. But to be truthful, sometimes I say "ugh" when at the end of a hard day of driving, I find out the only RV Park is an "ugh". We hosted at a Nat'l Park in 2001 and it turned out to be alot of fun and new experiences, but it was also long days and hard work. Good luck.
 

Floridariz

New Member
RE: Workamping with kids

No problem, DL! My ugh was more toward keeping my kids quiet in an rv park, but I can see how my it may have looked!

I guess I am thinking more the 'volunteer' part than the "workamper" part. But really, the workamper is a 'worker' and is doing a job.

Perhaps we should just stick to VISITING the national parks!

Paula
 

DL Rupper

Senior Member
Re: Workamping with kids

Paula, when I was a Campground Host at Capitol Reef Nat'l ParK in Utah, some volunteers did work in the Visitor Center and historic sites providing info and selling items, but most of the volunteers were "Sierra Club" types that did heavy, heavy landscape work. They came in groups and only stayed about 2 weeks/group. They camped in tents and ate at group field kitchens. They were classified as V.I.P.s (Voluteers in Parks). Hope this info is helpful. :)
 
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