Sleep away camps & maturity?!
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I grew up going to sleep away camps, but they scare me a little more these days with all the technology, social media and stories these days about counselors/teachers etc doing inappropriate things?!
At what age do you feel comfortable sending the kids, and how do you know if they are mature enough to tell someone if they get put into a bad situation or make sure they can stand up for themselves?!
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My daughter is 9 and this is her second year going to camp longhorn. I can’t speak for other camps, but this is one where there is no technology and kids are busy all day playing and being outside. My daughter came home last year with new friends, tons of fun stories and she’s excited to come back this summer.
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Our kids are 9 and 11. They both started sleep-away camp between 8-9 years old.
I grew up going to summer camp, starting in 1st grade and went all through school, until college- when I worked as a counselor all 5 summers. I think camp is HUGE for fostering independence. So I would say - find out what kind of background checks and supervision is done of the counselors and just make sure u find one u feel comfortable with. The unfortunate truth is that our kids could have a situation of possible abuse anywhere. So it’s important to have some hard but clear conversations with the kids on sexual abuse prevention steps (like knowing that no one should ask to see their private or want to show theirs, etc). There are some great books out there to help with the conversation if it’s uncomfortable for you.
I hope you find a great place (like our family did).
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C Camryn-MomBrain moved this topic from Smartphones, Social Media, Technology
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My kids went to camp every summer for the past 5 summers. 7 weeks at Camp Fernwood in Maine. It was probably one of the most rewarding decisions we have made as parents. It was good for everyone. I’m not saying do 7 weeks. But any amount of time for a kid to be in a beautiful setting with no technology building friendships, navigating homesickness, learning to live in close quarters with other kids their age, and doing lots of activities they’d probably never be exposed to at home (canoeing, campfire songs, target shooting, ceramics, photography, etc) is a win. It’s such a great opportunity. It’s also great for the parents because we had to force ourselves to let go a little and let them spread their wings, but in a very controlled, manageable way that felt doable.
8-9 is a great age to begin camp. There are a bunch of reputable ones out there that have been around for ages. Camp Longhorn, Camp Mystic, Camp Kickapoo are in Texas. Go visit before they begin. Meet the camp director. Meet the owner. Ask them how they deal with tough situations like homesickness, friendship trouble, etc.
Good luck!
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I am a mom of four kiddos and we have done sleep away camp with the older two at the same camp where I attended camp as a child and had the absolute BEST time of my life. After two years it came out that the camp had a pretty big cover up surrounding sexual abuse between a camp director and kids who had attended in the years I attended as a child. It was a REAL wakeup call call for me and forced me to really engage this in an intentional and honest way. We pulled back and decided to used the money we had slotted for camp for longer family vacations over the next two years. My oldest is now entering HS and I find myself really longing for a space where he can disconnect from the outside world, connect with nature, and engage with new friends as he grows into a more mature version of himself. As we look for a new camp experience I am interviewing directors and researching their background. Unfortunately, think there is going to continue being issues, at camp, at school, at friends houses...nowhere is "safe" but as I have matured in my motherhood journey I feel more confident that I know how to navigate understanding when and where my kids feel comfortable, I am learning to hold space for their questions while keeping my fears at bay and opening curious conversation on what they need. I that that is very important when thinking about sleep away camp. Does your child want to go? Do they feel empowered to speak their mind, to seek help to advocate for themselves, to stand up for themselves. I have two who I feel are equipped to do that and two who I don't feel are quite there yet. Age is not the determining factor, although it does play a role. In closing, it's not easy and there isn't a "one size fits all" it's a year by year, kid by kid, camp by camp decision. But, what is ALWAYS right... YOUR MOM GUT! Trust that over everything and don't diminish your concerns, even when you don't have proof that they are valid. THEY ARE VALID!
