CAPE FEAR, N.C. — So the plan was this: Take seven urchins, ages 3 to 17, on an old-fashioned vacation without high-tech gizmos. A noble intent, correct? Well, you know what they say about good intentions. The road to hell is paved with them.

Back in the pre-tech era, family vacations usually involved fresh air. But now, many American kids don’t want to go outside unless there is someone handing out money. Many modern children stay indoors so they can feed their machine addictions. Why bother risking the elements when any kind of visual you want is a click away?