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The Power of Kindness vs. Rudeness: A Tale of Two Campsites During Our Homeschooling Adventure | Day 238 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Aug 26, 2023

Rude vs. kind

We spent three nights at a caravan camping near the showground where the big homeschooling event HEFF was happening:

One before and two after.

The place did its job: We could hang with our friends (essential) and wash our clothes (equally important but on a different level), and there was a pool table and an arcade game for us to compete in (fun). 



But the place had such a negative vibe.

The owner wanted the money the second you arrived. Not that I mind paying, but I have the energy of give-me-money-right-now I don’t like.

Equally, I don’t like her rushing through showing me around while smoking a cigarette in my face. 



And I have yet to mention the signs.

This place was full of rude written communication. One even called the dogs “Don't wash your bloody dogs in the shower.” They could just say I am not allowed to wash my dog; no need to swear.

Another with at least 15 exclamation marks and as many spelling mistakes telling me to wipe the floor after showering left me wondering if they expect me to travel with a mob or vibe the floor with my towel?!

I am happy to pay for facilities, share spaces, and clean up after my family. But I would like to be talked to with just a bit of kindness.

The next place we arrived was a COMPLETELY different vibe.

The dog needed to stop driving, so we went to the nearest campsite. It was full, but the owner approached us and said we were more than welcome to stay at her overspill parking for big events and showed us around kindly and full of smiles.

We could stay for free, as it was not a real pitch, and were welcome to have a drink or not at the very nice pub-like bar or beer-garden style place between the flowers and the handmade furniture. 



Sunshine. People laughing. So many flowers. Pigs and chicken. Grass. Even a running area for the dogs!

Everything was nice and welcoming, with instructions rather than personal attacks on the signs; every written communication was kind and welcoming, with no rudeness, no swearwords.

When we left the next day, we chose to pay for the stay just because we felt like it because kindness is nice.

Kindness.

Just saying.

With love

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Cecilie Conrad

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Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad. I'm a trained psychologist, mother of four, radical unschooler and full-time traveller. I have lived with unschooling for over a decade and help other families find their own path – whether it is about homeschooling, unschooling, or the bigger question of how you want to live as a family.

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