Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I am a teacher and I will be sending them to camp. It will be 1/2 day and if we could afford more it would be more. They love it! They are engaged and socializing and they don't have mommy telling them no. I use to have the same view as you. I use to think, why would a mother or father wan to spend time away from their kids. Well for my sanity and their enjoyment I can now see why. I know I wouldn't do as
Much as the camps do with them. They love it
I just want to add that when you go pick them up and had a couple of hours to be you that you actually are more active with them and fun.

Message edited 4/17/2014 9:10:33 PM.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Camp is awesome. That's why!

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

IMO it's just bc kids get so bored. Depends on the kids too. Last yr I sent my older one to camp ( I'm a ptwm) and he disliked it. He isn't old enough to go to a camp with a lot of different activities imo. Like I really wouldn't trust him in the water etc. yet. This year I'm keeping them home but have a lot of plans. They're also the type of kids that are happy to hang around the house a couple days a week. You really can't run around seven days a week, you know? But some kids, I think more elementary school aged, really need to stay active all day. They're used to long days of school and sports etc.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

My mom stayed home with me. I went to camp for 4 summers in a row and absolutely hated it. I stopped going the summer after fourth grade. I was so much happier hanging at home, socializing with friends who weren't in camp etc. I suppose that is depends on the child and what they want. Personally, I would rather take my kid to different lessons, to play sports, the pool, the beach than place him / her in a super structured environment with a long day. I feel they get enough of that during the school year ! Ultimately, you base it on the child's temperament,

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Message edited 4/18/2014 12:14:03 AM.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

My mom was a SAHM, and I did some camps. I still had plenty of time to play outdoors with neighborhood friends though, so it wasn't too extensive.

I never thought anything of it. I spent my summers outside regardless.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I get what you are saying. But, I went to camp and loved it. Now I had to go to full day- day camp because my mom worked. I won't do that because I have summers off. I cherish our time in the summer. HOWEVER. I went to sleep away camp and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED every second of it. So DS will surely go to some kind of camp when he gets older. For a week or so. And the sports camps are important when the kids get older. A lot of the kids go to hone skills and remain competitive.

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I think the difference is that today, at least in my neighborhood, there are absolutely no children who are not in camp. There would be no one DD's age to play with at all. When I was a kid, I didn't go to camp. We played outside all day but my friends were all home. If someone went to camp is was only for a week or so and the rest of the time they were home.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I'm a teacher and I am sending them to camp. I always went to camp when I was a child and luckily we can afford to provide that opportunity to our children as well. Plus all of their friends go to camp so they would have nobody to play with. They would be bored out of their mind by the 2nd week. My DD by the 3rd day of spring break was like " What are we doing today?" I am just not that much fun to be able to entertain them for 9 weeks.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I am a teacher and off all summer. I never went to camp, but I have two athletic boys who I'm pretty sure would LOVE camp, but they refuse to go. If I even say the "c" word they flip out. They do go to hockey camp for a week and my little one does a week of football camp, but I would love for them to try day camp.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I went to camp and then I later worked at camp. I want my son to have that experience. I would feel terrible if I didn't or couldn't give him that. The memories are priceless to me. I'd still make it happen if I didn't work. I can't think of anything that my friends who didn't go to camp got to do that I didn't.

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I've send ,y child to vbs for the last 4 summers, and it is not free. It's $75 for the week, relatively inexpensive, but not free. She goes to spend time with her cousins and she loves it. My youngest will go for the first time this year.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I don't send my kids to camp. My daughter does a gymnastics camp sporadically only because it's at her gym, and is only $20 for 3 hours, and you can sign up the day of. But other than that, I like our Summer to have no daily commitment to something. We like to go away last minute, and I actually enjoy spending time with my kids, taking them places, etc. Yes, by the end of the Summer I'm ready for them to go back to school, they are ready to go back to school, but I like to make the most of the time I have with them for that 8 weeks.

Growing up, my mother sent all 3 of us to sleepaway camp for 3 weeks each Summer. I remember my younger sister was FIVE years old at sleepaway camp.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Im in the boat, what other people do with their kids is not for me to "understand." I WFT and my kids go to summer camp, but even if I didnt, I would still send them. They have a BLAST. They have experiences, make new friends and have experiences I probably wouldnt give them. The summer is LONG and it gives them something else to do. Where my kids go, they go kayaking, stand up boarding, swimming, sports, crafts, games, this list goes on and on and on. They BEG to go every year. The reason is no different than signing them up for sports or other activities. They LOVE it so they go. I dont/wouldnt do it to "get rid of my kids" or bc I dont want to spend time with them, its something they love, is enriching and they have a BLAST!

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I work part time and am off all summer. My older DS has gone to camp since he was just shy of 3. He is a tough kid who strives and excels in a structured environment. Camp was a great fit for him, and I can't lie, those 3 hours were definitely a break for me as we'll. He went 2 mornings the first year, then 3 and then 5. Once he was in kindergarten he started regular full day day camp for 7 weeks. And he has loved every minute! This year since there was no break between school and camp I am giving him the first two weeks off. We'll chill for the first week, then we're going to Williamsburg for the second week. Then he'll go to town camp for 2 weeks. Then another 2 weeks off for family fun like Lake Compounce and the zoo. And then he will have a week of sports camp. Then he'll have 2 more weeks before school starts for play dates and more day trips.
My younger DS went 3 mornings last year. He didn't really care either way. This year he's not doing camp at all. He's just the kind if kid who happily goes with the flow. He doesn't need structure and routine the way my older DS did.

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Is anyone really going to admit that they send their kid to camp while they are home, and that their kid hates it?

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Who cares? my cousin is a Sahm and sends her kids. It keeps them involved and active, plus it's not the entire time. She has other days off with them. I think it's a good thing for the kids to do rather than sit and pay video ages or watch tv or whatever. ( not saying people who don't send their kids are couch potatoes either before someone pulls an LIF on me )

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I have friends whose kids leave for sleep away the sunday after school ends and are gone for 8 weeks. They work, don't work, are teachers and are off for the summer. I work full time but I always thought I could NEVER do that (I still don't think I could), but my daughter BEGGED me to go to GS camp in the Hamptons, she didn't know anyone going and most of her school friends do not go to sleep away camp. The first year we let her go for 4 days as a trial, she LOVED it, she got off the bus saying she didn't want to leave and couldn't wait to go back. (Who could blame her - in the Hamptons, on the bay, with sailing and beach time and activities and all that goes with it). Last year she went for a week -- and said the same thing. This year she is going for 2 weeks....at her begging to go. Would I have sent her without her insistence probably NOT -- but I also didn't want her to grow up and always wonder what it would have been like. Financially, it is actually cheaper than the day camp I sent her to.

Message edited 4/20/2014 11:47:58 AM.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Where we live, every kid attends camp. Some go 1/2 days, and others go full days, but everyone here attends some form of camp. My kids would be bored out of their minds after 3 days at home. I have some things planned for the summer, and we have the pool too, but my kids will be going to camp. I went as a kid and it was a lot of fun. For those that have never experienced camp, there are adult camp and urban explorer places that I would highly recommend you try out.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Posted by BargainMama

Is anyone really going to admit that they send their kid to camp while they are home, and that their kid hates it?

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I sent DD to swim camp last year, two hours a day, and a week of music camp and a week of art camp. I work at home so it was really a necessity- but to be honest she wanted to go. This year she only wants to go to art camp so that is what she is doing.

Even if I was at home with no outside work I would still hope for her to want to go- I feel like there is so much potential for academic backsliding, it's good to do things that are physical and keep the brain occupied. It's not just about getting kids out of mom's hair even though some will always view it that way.

Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I am off in the summer and will be very pregnant this summer. I was thinking of sending my son a couple days a week to his school but I know I will miss him so much so I leaning towards no. Well we are
Away this week and everyday he asks for his teacher and tells us how much he misses school.

I know that I can't stimulate him the way school can, he loves his friends and all the activities so I think we will send him a couple days a week this summer.

Message edited 4/20/2014 5:00:17 PM.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

I see nothing wrong with it. I am also a teacher. My one son will be in school for summer school program. I send my other to camp 2 weeks out of the whole summer. It gives him a chance to socialize, and do there things, and gives me a chance to do things I need to do.
I also do many things with them when they are home.

Re: Sending your kid to camp when you're off.

Posted by Millie3

Posted by BargainMama

Is anyone really going to admit that they send their kid to camp while they are home, and that their kid hates it?

Exactly this. I know many kids complain and don't really like it. They go anyway, all summer, all day long , even though mom is home all day