To Summer Camp or Not to Summer Camp
March 10, 2010 by christine.duval
Filed under Just for Moms, New, Summer Camp Programs
Horseback riding camp, computer camp, Girl Scout camp, camp with swim lessons, camp without, sailing camp, environmental camp, marine biology camp…Breathe… Sleep-away camp – is she ready? Am I? No. Traditional day camp – is it worth the money? Do they bus? Yikes. Enough already!
The Summer Camp Dilmena
by Christine Duval
Summer Camp - to go or no?
I think the hardest thing I’m facing right now is weighing the desire for my daughter to experience sleep-away camp (or as they call them now, residential camp) versus the part of me that isn’t ready to let go. So, the guilty side of me that feels like maybe I’m holding her back has become obsessed with finding the perfect day camp. That way, she won’t notice if she’s home all summer. She’ll be having so much fun, she won’t think about it.
Or I won’t, at least…until next year.
My girls (10 years old) go to an all girls day camp and they love it and I love it. But this year they want to go to a sports camp that has two options…Stay on campus or commute. Commuting is a 45 minute drive for me and that will interfere with my work (considering I would have return to pick them up). They are only 10 so staying overnight seems very leery to me since I don’t think they are mature enough to stay away by themselves. This year we might have to pass overnight camps. Hopefully their maturity level will increase for next year and if so, we MIGHT consider it.
Choosing a summer camp can be one of the most difficult decision that a family will face. As a camp director, I have had the opportunity to work with many nervous families and coach them through this tough decision.
Choosing a camp for you child can be scary and you should feel like you are making the right decision for your child and family. It is natural to be nervous and you should be! There are lots of camps across the country and choosing the right one will take some work on your part. Prepare a list of questions and concerns that will help you narrow down the search. Ask your friends, family and other know associates if for recommendations. Word of mouth is how we get 90% of our new campers at my camp. Search engines such as google and bing can work well but just because they are on the top of the list doesn’t make them the best choice for you. Ask questions and lot of them!
Find out if the camps that you are considering are licensed or accredited by organizations like the American Camp Association. Camps that are members of such organization are held to a high standard of care and must maintain these standards through regular audits to maintain their accreditation. If the camp that you are considering is not, ask why. Most camps travel during their off-season and will likely be doing a presentation close to you town and some will even schedule a one on one home visit with you and your family. Ask the camp that you are considering if they going to be in your area doing a camp presentation.
Remind yourself why you are considering camp for your child. Everyone has their reasons but one thing is for sure and that is that camp can provide an opportunity for children to become more independent and self-reliant and allows children to grow and learn in a safe, structured and fun environment. Giving your child this experience provides an outlet for them to enjoy all of the freedoms that you did as a child and maybe a little more. Most camp programs are also “unplugged” and provide environments where important life skills and experiences can develop like verbal communication and group interaction. Skills that are second nature for most of us but are becoming learned skills in our digital world.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. No question is out of bounds when it comes to your child’s safety and you probably won’t be the first parent to ask the question. Most camps will do anything they can to bend your ear in a down economy so make them work for you business! Camp is fun and provides an experience that your child will remember forever. This is a good thing and all parents are “camper sick” when their child is away at camp. Most camps provide “camper-sick” parents with a password to login to secure portion of their website where you view photos of camp in action and send one-way email to your child. The sky is the limit and if I can be of assistance I would be happy to help! You can contact me through our website at http://www.camptonawandah.com
Be sure to check out resources like http://www.campparent.org and http://www.acacamps.org which provide endless resource for camp parents.
Regards,
Garrett Graham
My youngest daughter was 10 and went to a 4-H week-long camp with her older sister who was 12 … I probably would not have let her go on her own at that age. This year, though she will be 12 and she will go without big sister. There are so many advantages to 4-H camps, one being that they are very inexpensive. Club members from her class usually attend, relieving me of any worries that she won’t know anyone there.
As with any camp, it is always a good idea to inquire about staffing at these camps and how well they are trained. Another concern that I have addressed is whether or not campsites do background checks on their staff. With all the news about predators/pedophiles, parents can’t be too careful.