How to go camping with kids

I was a reluctant camper. A fashion-loving, urban-living editor, the outdoors were not my strong suit. "But there's no WIFI! Or Starbucks! How is it a vacation if I have to SURVIVE it?" I would cry, obsessively checking the forecast for days before we left, and being horrified at the site of cloud icons with lightening bolts over top.

Then last summer, it occurred to me that I now loved it. It hit me out of the blue, looking out over the lake with my sleepless daughter (who always wakes at 5:30am when we camp). I realized that I was a pretty good camper too! When did that happen?

Here are some tips to help you enjoy camping as a family.