Teenagers on The Camino

[johan.steenkamp]

I though I was going to walk the Camino on my own, but my wife and four children have decided to join me.
My children are between 13 and 18. Does anyone have advice or pointers on this?
Have not seen any children on any of the documentaries that I have watched?
Is this a bad idea?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

It is a fabulous idea! Many, many entire families walk to Santiago and we see them in the pilgrims' off ice overflowing with pride at their achievement. Given the ages of your children I can't foresee you would have any problems - parents bring much younger children. Go for it and let us know how you get on is my advice!

John

 

[Kiwi-family]

Just tell them not to walk too fast!
(I took eight kids aged 6 to 18)

 

[Anniesantiago]

My only advice would be to have a talk with them ahead of time about pilgrim manners.
Things like not being unnecessarily noisy in the albergue, especially after 9 or 10 pm when people are trying to sleep. And not leaving toilet paper along the trail. Not eating food that happens to be in the fridge unless it's theirs. Things like that. Just good manners in general. Things they may not think about at home when they're not in such close quarters.

Otherwise, I think they'll have a great time! What an adventure!

 

[johan.steenkamp]

Wow ! Thank you soo much!

 

[Viva Terlingua]

Reviving this thread.

I was thinking of seeing if my nieces would like to do the Camino next year. They would be 17 then. While they are fairly mature, they are teenagers. I have no concerns about their durability, they’re both elite level cross country runners. My main concern is that they would get bored after a week or two. What is relaxing or enjoyable for a 60 year old man (me) is completely different for a teenager. I can’t picture myself enjoying the Camino when I was that age.

Has anyone had experience doing the Camino with children of this age?

P.s. One takes Spanish and the other French, so they would probably enjoy the practice.

 

[DeansFamily]

Has anyone had experience doing the Camino with children of this age?

P.s. One takes Spanish and the other French, so they would probably enjoy the practice.

We planned our first Camino in 2017 to give our then 14 year old daughter the opportunity to practice by immersion as she was studying Spanish through Distance Education. Definitely the best way to inspire learning Spanish is to use it in day to day life. As we all enjoyed the experience so much we applied for a residency visa and lived in Spain for most of 2018. This allowed us to complete a few more Caminos without worrying about the 3 month limit of a Shengen visa.
We then came back to walk the VdlP in October 2019 and also give our daughter the opportunity to complete 3 weeks of Intensive Spanish living with a homestay family in Seville prior to walking, and a week doing the same in Salamanca which gave her a rest from walking. Whilst walking the VdlP she polished her Spanish so that now she is fluent. This has prepared her for completing her HSC in Spanish in Year 11 (usually Year 12) in 2020. She has been an elite distance runner since the age of 8. Taking her on the Camino has been a huge positive in her life.
If you have children who are really willing to walk with you and have the right attitude to completing a challenge like this then grab the opportunity. You’ll have episodes where someone will get tired and cranky or sore, but if you can stay flexible with distances and rest days then you can work around any issues. If you are walking the Frances then food won’t be an issue as everyone can snack away to their hearts content. If you are walking other Caminos carry snacks to eat along the way and you’ll stop them getting “hanngry”. Make sure they have roomier walking shoes, not their normal runners and make sure they don’t pack unnecessary items that make their backpacks too heavy. I’m sure that if you involve them in the planning and preparation of walking a Camino they will be just as excited as you will be to get started. Good luck and enjoy the experience.

 

[David Tallan]

Reviving this thread.

I was thinking of seeing if my nieces would like to do the Camino next year. They would be 17 then. While they are fairly mature, they are teenagers. I have no concerns about their durability, they’re both elite level cross country runners. My main concern is that they would get bored after a week or two. What is relaxing or enjoyable for a 60 year old man (me) is completely different for a teenager. I can’t picture myself enjoying the Camino when I was that age.

Has anyone had experience doing the Camino with children of this age?

P.s. One takes Spanish and the other French, so they would probably enjoy the practice.

I walked with my son when he was 15/16. It was his idea. At the time he didn't seem to be enjoying it immensely but afterward he said he enjoyed it and would like to do it again. He certainly enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment in Finisterre.