Convincing your "other half"

[Christina]

Hi all. I'm working on a blog post for the Tiny Yellow Teardrop http://tinyyellowteardrop.blogspot.com/ on how to convince your other half to get/buy/build a TD when they are not fully on board. Did you have this challenge when getting your first tear? If so, what did you do/say to convince them to come along for the ride?

[jss06]

I explained that I could build one for a fraction of what it would cost to buy.

[Socal Tom]

Hi all. I'm working on a blog post for the Tiny Yellow Teardrop http://tinyyellowteardrop.blogspot.com/ on how to convince your other half to get/buy/build a TD when they are not fully on board. Did you have this challenge when getting your first tear? If so, what did you do/say to convince them to come along for the ride?

We were temporarily on the east coast, and planning our move west. The estimated cost to build the TD and the gas for the trip was less than the cost to ship me, the car, and the dogs back to CA. On top of that, traveling with dogs could have been tricky trying to find someplace to stay if I didn't have a TD to sleep in. Now that we have it, she still wants nothing to do with it. She doesn't like to camp, and she is mildly claustrophobic, so I can't even get her inside. But it works great for my son and I to go camping. If the "other half" isn't a camper, then she won't become one. If she is a camper, then look at home much better the TD is vs a tent.
Tom

[Mary C]

I was probably the luckiest person alive, my Husband and I always wanted to be together so conceiving him of anything was not hard. He did not care for backpacking, Although he loved hunting and fishing, and plain camping so we would combine our activities. He would drop me off and fish while I hiked to a camping spot and he would meet me later at night to camp and eat dinner. Ok that wouldn't work for some but we ended up having a wonderful time in the Mountains. both of us doing our own thing together and separate. Convincing him wasn't hard but I do have some suggestions for the woman I would convince Him by promising to build a foamie hunting, and/ or fishing trailer. If it is money argument pick some places to go figure out how much it would cost to fly vs auto, camping vs hotel, list the places you can visit and friends you could see again showing how many vacations you could take in a year just based on cost. on your first trip do all the extra special things that would help make the experience smoother. Favorite foods and check the weather forecast don't go when it is bad weather!!! go on close trips with destinations your spouse would like A hunting special, fishing tournament, a car show, a drag race, and for the lady some antique stores, some sewing quilt shows, some shops, anything she may love. Then plan for bugs, lots of bug spray. Hope this helps.

Mary C.

[kayakdlk]

I built a full size cardboard mock-up of the cabin (With a few wood spars/slats to hold it together) including full size side profile with door opening and walked through my plans with my wife. We sat in through the door, laid down inside etc and she helped decide on a few things (headboard height, shelve height, light switch locations etc.) I hadn't figured out yet, we decide to make the doors wider. Decided that everything we used to camp would fit. I stacked the side profile on some boxes so she would see height of the door to her knees as she sat down. I held the profile up against my Jeep for proportions. I also drew up a full size paper layout of the galley and hung it at the correct height on the wall so we could walk though the layout and come up with ideas for storage, drawers etc. This whole process was also to sell me on the design and made lots of tweaks to get just what I wanted. Maybe if there is a place to rent one, sit in one from a dealer, or go to teardrop gathering that might help also.

Good luck

Dan

[nevadatear]

Like you, I was the one who wanted the tear. What convinced randy was buying him Steve's Fredrick's manual to help him visualize how to build it.

[Woodbutcher]

I always say, "you can't teach someone to have fun".

I built a very nice teardrop, with the hopes that my wife would start to camp again. She said that is a very nice trailer but I am not camping any more. So now we are both happy. I go camping with friends and the dog and she stays home......win-win!

[Shadow Catcher]

As long time tenters and finding the ground getting further down and harder each year, the solution came when we saw the teardrop portion of "RV Crazy" and I discovered a start up company and their first teardrop.

[martymcfly]

I was surprised when my wife agreed to let me build a td. A few years ago, she let me do an EV conversion on a 1970 vw beetle. It was the worst idea that I have ever had. I spent way more money on it than it was worth. When I sold it, I lost my ass. I am sure that when I tell her that I want to start a new project, she probably cringes. I can't believe she has been with me for 30 years.

[robfisher]

I took her to the Dam Gathering. Upon meeting all the nice people, seeing how much fun they were having and seeing all the decorating ideas she was on board.

[Vedette]

I was lucky, Sandi was on board right from the start!
When I met her she was not a camper, nor had she ever been a camper. But, she went along with it for a number of years without complaint. Then came the day when I told her "I have always wanted to build a Teardrop trailer" ........."What do you think? She said "Anything to get us off of the ground and out of the tent".... and... "I don't really care for all of the set up and take down time required while travelling with a tent"
Thus, we started on our new "Adventure" as we call it every time we leave the driveway.
Built "Miss Piggy" and headed of to our first Gathering.
Since that time (April 2013) we have enjoyed many wonderful experiences, while embracing the Teardrop Lifestyle and meeting many new friends in the Teardrop Community!
And as my father used to say when I questioned trying something new " You won't know if you like it or not if you don't at least try it!"
Well so far we both Love it!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Roly Nelson]

14 years ago, my sweet wife said, "you don't expect me to sleep in that thing, do you?" She had trepidations about what "those trailer people" were like. I said they were having a gathering in a nearby campground, and suggested we go over and check them out. A bunch of tears, all parked side by side, we were offered coffee at the second TD and when we got to the end of the line, my wife asked if there was really room enough in there to sleep. She was told to take off her shoes and climb in. "Wow, she says this is really roomy and comfortable". The TD owner asked what we were going to do for dinner, and we said we were fairly close to home, so would go home and eat. "We've got 4 steaks all cooked up with all of the fixins, so why don't you join us for supper right here?" they said.

So, as we injoyed a great meal with perfect strangers, I asked the sweet wife....."Well what do you think of these "trailer people" now" Bingo, she was hooked and we enjoyed our little woody for at least 7 years, until I lost her 5 years ago. The other half can be convinced, just get her out there and meet those great TD folks and she'll be hooked too. Good luck, see you at a gathering some day.
Roly, the li'l ol' So Calif woody guy......among other things.

[working on it]

Just lie about it. Say you can do it for $500, and that it was for the other half's benefit and usage (keeping her safe from the elements, etc...; perhaps it was, initially...I think it was...), then do whatever it takes to make it happen. Once you realize that you really (always) intended to use it yourself, whether or not the other half wants to, then you can pull out all the "stops" and make it yours! Of course, being the good spouse that I am, I still made small adaptations to make it usable by the "other", but I'll have to write an instruction manual for her.

[Vedette]

Oh Christina
In my post I forgot to Thank You for staying with your Tiny Yellow Trailer Blog so long.
I read it Religiously every week and check out your "location photo" every Friday! Always very interesting and well written.
I have it saved to my "Favorites"!
Keep up the good work.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[rowerwet]

My wife is usually OK with trying whatever I like, I was still new to boat building when I mentioned the tear, she wasn't really on board until I needed a place to sleep a few nights a week, NOW. She spent time in it with me, but didnt sleep in it for a year. She loves it now compared to tent camping. She is not super excited about camping in general, this summer we are planning our first full week camping as a family, this could be a challenge.
The nice thing, since I built the tear, I can build all I want for boats and other projects, she just expects it now.