I took my kids on 2-night trips from when they were in diapers. We rarely made more than 7 miles in a day, mostly because I was carrying most of the stuff in an old aluminum-frame pack that was packed about like Cheryl Strayed's in "Wild." I also had the younger one on my shoulders for part of the time. We had a huge 7-pound dome tent. The key to all of us enjoying it was to not be in a hurry or to worry about making a specific distance. It was great seeing things again for the first time through their eyes.

I remember once in the primitive camping section of a state park when a bunch of scouts hiked by our site just a few miles up hill from the parking area complaining about how how tough it was. They were a little embarrassed when then saw my tiny daughter in a diaper with her little Mermaid pack having a great time playing with sticks and pine cones.