Mother-Daughter Camino, Philly area

[Cmeckley]

After 10+ years of dreaming about it, I am planning on beginning my Camino this June, with my 14 year old daughter. We spend a lot of time in Spain every year, so we are familiar with the area, and language won't be a problem. Although she is thrilled about going, my biggest concern is my daughter managing it, both physically and mentally. I was surprised to read the statistic that nearly 10% of all pilgrims are under age 17.

 

[Anna-Marie]

When I was walking, there was an Australian couple walking with their fourteen-year-old daughter--Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago. They were on the slower side (like me), but she did really well--better than her mother, who had physical problems.

I know overall they really enjoyed the trip.

If you'd like, I can ask them if I can PM you their e-mail address so you can ask them about it directly.

Buen Camino!

Anna-Marie

 

[andy.d]

I'm planing to walk the Camino Ingles with my daughter who will be 15 this autumn. We'll be getting underway with some training soon. I'm really looking forward to it and don't really have any concerns about it (we're walking the shorter route because it fits school holidays).

Andy

 

[sillydoll]

In the 2004 Holy Year 7% of the pilgrims registered at Santiago were from 0 - 10 years of age (925 children) and in the 11 - 15 years there were 15 967 children.

YOu can buy a book on a 12 year-old's journey on el camino.

"El Camino de Santiago: Rites of Passage" Chimenti, Wayne (2006) Trafford Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-1412056380. is about the Chimenti family's travels on a 500-mile walking pilgrimage. It started as Nahja, their 12-year old daughter's "rite of passage". It turned out to be a test for everyone.
"Santiago de Compostela"
ISBN/EAN - 9788424105839 (English) 9788424105594(Spanish)
Author - Alonso, Juan Ramón

 

[mcmanamy5]

Hi Cmeckley,
I walked part of the Camino from Astorga to Santiago last September with my twins aged 14 and my 18 year old. I was concerned not as much with the athletic requirements of the walk but with the potential monotony for teens. I could not have been more wrong! My teens absolutely loved it: the changing scenery, the companions we met on the route and the implicit athletic challenge. How many kilometers and miles did we walk today, where should we stop, what is our average pace, etc. All this became a most agreeable math exercise for them and helping to plan our route and timing was most interesting to them. I should say that my teens are in good aerobic shape with team sports and we do hike as a family. We did not do much of any practice beforehand however. The only problem we had was blisters. Wearing boots that many hours per day invites blisters. We found that the best method was to alternate boots and sturdy sandals (Tevas) worn with hiking socks. The kids soon got over looking like dorks and were happy to joke about it!
Enjoy this special time with your daughter!

 

[hel&scott]

The average teen / pre teen should have the strength to tackle a camino, problem is more like putting up with such an intimate and prolonged time with ones mother!

My parents began dragging their four daughters over mountains and along rocky roads from the time we could walk, either as an entire family or one-on-one tramps. While it may have been hell at times (for us and them I am sure), looking back those trips are some of the strongest memories I have - and they taught me a lot about myself, and my folks. Sadly my mothers hip ops means she no longer walks, but I still tramp with my 80 year old father. And I have dragged my daughter along on a number of walks including a couple of caminos.

Try and keep a steady pace as she may want to run ahead and may get bored on long stretches, but if you establish a good routine (usually around food) it's easier. And remember walking along saying nothing can be as bonding as sitting down at the end of the day with a bottle of beer and watching the sunset (okay maybe not that one at 14).

Cheers Hel

 

[Vigdis]

I was concerned too, when I walked a small part of the Camino with my daughter in 2009. She's was a bit older than yours daughter though, 18. I suspected her of wanting to go just to get on a "holiday", but she surprised me. She was persistent, and I discovered that she all of a sudden had became a grown-up, taking decisions with me and for me, not just letting her mother decide everything allthough I was the one that had been on the camino before

As long as your daughter is thrilled about it I am sure it will work out fine for you. Enjoy your luck in the fact that you can have your daughter with you, it is great to share this thing with your own child. Good luck to both of you!

 

[Nandy61]

I walked with my daughter from StJPP to Santiago this past June/July 2010. She's older than your daughter; she just graduated from high-school. She wasn't really that keen on walking! She wanted to go to Spain, sure, but very few teenagers really want to walk 18 miles/day! All in all, she did fine, not great, but fine. Some days were harder than others, depending upon her mood, her blisters, the weather or the company! (She was great when there were other youngins around.) Having said all that, the last two weeks we walked with a Spanish father, his 13 year old son and his 24 yr old niece. The young boy did awesome. They were much slower than us, but we would always try to save them a beds near us in the albergue, and they would always show up an hour or so after us. He would come out with us to the cafes and the restaurants. We loved having him around; it was all in his attitude. He was chatty and outgoing, and we never heard him complain once. So I think the bottom line is that is really up to the individual kid. By the way, when my daughter did finish, she had quite a change of attitude. I think she realized what a feat she had accomplished, and now she's quite proud of her Camino. So definitely go for it. In the end, you won't regret it.

 

[hel&scott]

After reading my last post, Fran (my daughter) would like me to report that she now drags me along (well up hills anyway)..