Guilty as charged. I swear I wish I wasn't this way but I can't seem to help it. I'm paranoid ever since I lost Mother.

I'll be honest. The gun is a bad idea. But that's just where I am from (Europe) and from what I read.

Other than that he will be fine.

It's normal for a mom to worry about her son.

My mom would be (and still is) in floods of tears everytime I say goodbye.

To college.

To the US.

Anywhere, you name it.

I am still her baby.

Which is very embarassing for me, but hey.

Just trying to help out, Nova, but OMG, it's a state park, not the deepest wilds of Alaska or something! My husband and I camp in state parks all the time. The closest run in with wildlife I had was letting a hysterical chipmunk out of the bathroom.

My experience goes for here on the east coast. State parks have designated camping areas that are lit and patrolled by rangers at least twice a day. The alternative is rough camping, usually called backcountry, and requires packing in EVERYTHING (including water), on your back, not in a car. Somehow I don't think that's something you'd want to do over a weekend first time out of the box, seems like a huge PITA.

However, I have never been in a state park that permitted guns (except for when they hold special hunts) so Dad may want to double check state park regs. They usually don't allow alcohol, firearms, fireworks or nudity.

As far as bears, you have to use common sense. This time of year bears are getting ready to hunker down. You don't leave garbage out, you don't leave food out. Ideally you pack everything away in the car at night.

The one and only time I did see a bear was when my husband and I were cooking steaks over an open fire while camping in the Poconos. It was about this time of year. We looked up and here comes a bear strolling through the campground, sort of like he's inviting himself to the cook out. We shouted at him, and he bolted away.

Raccoons, skunks, mosquitoes and ticks are the really annoying wildlife.

Yes, you need to let him experience life and this age he needs to do "male" things. You are so lucky he has a father who wants to connect with him and do these things! Enjoy your weekend, go out with some friends or something! Go have grown up fun! Trust me, they're going to hike or fish during the day, then sit around a camp fire, roast hot dogs on a stick, eat beans out of a can and have farting contests.

Is there a place where you can do all those things simultaneously? West Virginia perhaps?

I've been causing my mom worry since 1986 when I was born, and continue to cause her worry probably every single day of her life until the end of time! LOL I wouldn't say there is anything "wrong" with you because of it. But maybe you can find a way to preoccupy your mind so that you won't be sitting at home worrying the whole time.

Is there a reason for the gun? Are they going hunting? Are they just camping in a campground?

*shrug* Private camping facilities can have any rules they want, it's private property. If they get drunk, get naked, light fires and play with things that explode as long as nobody gets critically injured or dead and all participants are of consenting age and willing who is going to know?

I see a vacation coming.

Slow down there, stud, considering your idea of fun seems to be eating a pound of kippers after a five mile run you better start off slow or you're liable to pull a muscle. Take a box of sparklers to a topless beach and work your way up.

Alaska....definitely Alaska....except it gets a little too cold and buggy for much nudity....

We went camping on an island once with assorted related families, where everything was brought in by skiff on high tide and hauled up...There was definitely alcohol, firearms (everyone owns one up here and carries it) and fireworks....Even managed to light a tree on fire by accident (doused it with beer)....We were all down on the beach with a friend who was shooting his AK-47 and the campsite looked a LITTLE too bright back there and when I went back to look, a whole tree was going up in flames by the campfire....oops...

and to the original poster.....state campsites are well-patrolled and protected and it's good for him to get out and do "grown up" things with his dad...my DH had our little boy shooting BB guns when he was 6-7 and now he owns his own BB gun....anyhow, they sound protected and safe

when I'm worried about my kids, I try to keep myself busy and "treat" myself to things that I wouldn't be able to do with kids around....i do alot of house cleaning

in fact, one time when my teenage niece lived with us for a few years, when she ran away one time and was gone for 3 days, I spent a good deal of my time cleaning the house LOL i think my house was spotless by the time she turned up again

on a side note, a good way to keep kids from taking off in the middle of the night - hide their shoes

I don't know anything about camping and probably never will. But boy do I understand worry. Loving a child is fraught with fears, I have so many! If he so much as coughs I worry that he's coming down with pneumonia. It's kind of ridiculous. I won't sleep all night if he's sick. I couldn't sleep all night the night before the first day of school. I'm just a worry wart.

My husband on the other hand sleeps through anything, he just shrugs. I hate all this worry, it's going to give me gray hairs!

I know what you're saying. Keep in mind I have an anxiety disorder and have irrational fears about my son since losing my mom unexpectedly. I'm aware it's irrational, I wasn't always this paranoid. I'm doing better today, tonight I'm going out so I'll have a few beers and put it out of my mind. I also have plans for tomorrow. It's going to be cold at night though. I don't know why the heck his Dad didn't take him when it was still warmer but I digress. Oh, and firearms/conceal carry are allowed in IL state parks. Things have changed. I don't have a problem with that but I understand people that do...but that's another thread and we can't get into politics here.

Wannabe, I already have white hairs coming in but I'm 40 so...

Thanks for listening, everyone. I have so much going on right now and feel overwhelmed. This camping trip is only small fries. Besides several other things my wedding is in 6 weeks.

Nova, I totally get anxiety issues, trust me, I have major problems, too, I empathize. I've never been allowed to worry over my son because he's a decidedly independent cuss, has been since he stopped crawling. I got compulsive over, of all things, my cats. I lost my mom unexpectedly too. I can remember thinking one of the cats was missing, my mother's cat, actually, and being nearly hysterical over finding her. Dratted thing never comes when calls and it's amazing the amount of hiding places a black cat can find ...

Anyway, like I've said, I've camped since the late 1990s, in virtually every way possible, in everything from tents to 35' travel trailers, all up and down the east coast, as early as March, as late as the end of November. We're possibly going away in two weeks and I don't consider it too cold (ah, well, except for the 4:00 a.m. piddle calls, sigh, but he's a boy, they can pee anywhere) and if they're using sleeping bags, those things are like toasters! Believe me, camping in cooler weather is almost better because you don't have to deal with bugs! I hate mosquitoes and unfortunately, they seem to love me. The woods are so beautiful this time of year. One of the best things on the planet is sitting around an autumn campfire on a cool evening, listening to the crickets, looking at the stars, hearing nature all around you without a care in the world and realizing there's more to life than work or school or stupid stuff like television, computers and video games!

You're doing the right thing for yourself, too! Go have some free fun, decompress! He'll be able to come home and tell you about his adventures and you'll be able to appreciate him even more

I just want to say novangel, that while worry is normal, you are doing the right thing by recognizing that your son still needs to explore the world and allowing these experiences at the cost of you being worried sick. You are being a great mom, both worrying but dealing with the worry (or trying to find out how to) so you don't hold your son back.

I think the problem is parents that act on that excessive worry and keep their kids in a bubble their whole childhood.

You're doing a good job, try to give yourself a break.

Thanks, Glamour. I really do want him to experience life to the fullest so I try to keep my worries in check.

I got a call from my son today and he said they froze their @sses off last night and barely slept. I guess the tent, sleeping bags, and layers of clothing/jackets didn't do it. I said to my ex not to go right now because it will be too cold overnight but what do I know. He laughed at me....now he's laughing all the way to the store for more items to keep them warm. At least it's 60 during the day.

One more night. $20 says next time he takes him in August like I said.