its not the kids who don't want to go, its the parents?

[acroyear]

Loosen the Apron Strings - New York Times:

But recently, reading in The Chicago Tribune how increasing numbers of struggling Midwestern sleep-away camps are selling out to real estate developers, I discovered something new: parents aren’t not sending their kids away to traditional camps just because they want them home drilling for the SAT. They’re not sending them away to camp because they want them home, period.

Many parents “don’t want their kids to be gone for long periods or at all,” is how The Tribune put it.

Parents today, apparently, don’t want their kids out in the wilds, where they might walk in the paths of potentially tick-bearing Bambis. They don’t want the kids out of reach, where they can’t take a mood reading at each and every at-risk moment of the day.

Jeff Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association, told The Wall Street Journal a few months back that some parents even question whether those who send their children away for extended camps “really love their kids.” Seems the bonds of loving family life feel so fragile that, it’s feared, they might be broken by a protracted separation (during which the kids might actually have fun).

I have to admit that as much as faireraven is a proponent for our hopeful/eventual kid(s) to go to camps in the summer, I'm of mixed feelings.  Not least of which is that aside from the study factor (I've learned first aid skills that are still in my head as fresh as they were 20 years ago), I rarely had a "good time".  I was always way too much smaller than the others around me, though granted, this was Boy Scouts, and I was 12 compared to the 15-17 year olds that dominated the place and made me feel terribly insignificant - thus creating the image to others that was easily picked on and bullied, making the situation even worse.

In short, being among strangers was rarely productive for me, except for adults who recognized my intellect and my desire to learn.

High school band camp (for the one year I attended when it was off-campus and held at Bridgewater - the next year it was on campus and we all stayed at home because of the King's Dominion law) was much more interesting, but then again, I was already friends with at least some people there before it happened.

But "camp" just brings out really bad memories or more often shut doors of memories I don't want to recall, mostly involving public embarrasment I'd rather not relive.

Maybe our kid will have her social butterfly aspect, maybe (s)he'll be as introverted as I, and have my then-pathetic build.  I don't know.

But there's one factor the Times editorial didn't mention.  Yes, there are some parents who can't "cut the strings" to let the kids go on their own.

On the other hand, there are many parents for whom their 10 hour work days (counting commutes) means that during the school year they never see their own kids, so any chance to spend any time with them in the summer is something to be valued.  In the summer (80 and 83), mom and I bonded in our long trips together studying geography, history, and family history driving up the coastline with my grandmother.  Trips like that were FAR more important to me than any "camp" I ever went to.

Comments

[fiona64.livejournal.com]

I was always way too much smaller than the others around me, though granted, this was Boy Scouts, and I was 12 compared to the 15-17 year olds that dominated the place and made me feel terribly insignificant - thus creating the image to others that was easily picked on and bullied, making the situation even worse.

I went to Camp Fire Girls camps for most of my elementary school years (one week each summer) and viewed it as a great treat. When we moved to another area, there was no Camp Fire group for me to join and, without affiliation, you can't go to the camps.

What was nice about the camps is that each "unit" was set up based on the school year of the girls (e.g., all 2nd graders in "Blue Wing," 3rd grade in "Sherwood," etc.). I didn't run into any problems as a result, since we were all pretty much peers.

In the summer (80 and 83), mom and I bonded in our long trips together studying geography, history, and family history driving up the coastline with my grandmother. Trips like that were FAR more important to me than any "camp" I ever went to.

I wish we could have done that kind of thing. My folks scrimped to send me to camp for one week (both of them worked, but we still didn't have much "extra") ... and I actually suspect that they were relieved not to have the additional expense after we moved.

[faireraven.livejournal.com]

*bingo*

My summer camp put kids together by age, and also by subject matter. When I say subject matter we had an arts camp, a computer camp, a wilderness camp, a sports camp, and then there was the general "camp".

I ADORED camp. I had a better time at camp than at any other place in my youth... My maid-of-honor was someone I met at summer camp when we were 8.

I want my kid(s) to not only learn independance, but have the wonderfully fun experiences I did. And you can tailor the camp you send the kid to based upon the age and interests of the child.

If your kid is a scout and enjoys scouts, then the kid may enjoy summer camp. If your kid is an artist, then arts camp is a good thing. If your kid is a backpacker type, then maybe wilderness camp. But I firmly believe that my summer camp experiences were some of the most freeing, learning, and uplifting times of my youth. I don't want my kid to miss that.

[just-showtune.livejournal.com]

I went to sleep away Girl Scount Camp for 1-4 weeks every summer for 6 years and I would look forward to it all year round. We were grouped by grade level, so I never felt out of place. And I would save my money from allowance and baby sitting to pay for half of camp every summer. I hope to be able to give an experience like it to any children I might have.
However, I also did day camp every summer and most often I hated it. It was only when I got older and I got to choose an activity specific day camp that I was happy. Anything involving sports or swimming just made me miserable. My parents both worked, so we had to go somewhere.

well

[zammis.livejournal.com]

there are many different kinds of camps too. I actually went to computer camp in the early 80s and learned LOGO and played games... now they have programming and geek camps, so you'd get a balance of stuff with the outdoors.

For me- I loved camp and hated family trips, so I guess its all in your perspective. :)

[theshaggyfreak.livejournal.com]

I did both Boy Scout camp and Band camp as well...

There are certain skills that I gained in the Scouts that I still use today. Camping, cooking, first aid, etc. I too was much smaller than most of the other kids (and slow due to my legs) but I enjoyed it for the most part. My father did spend a lot of time with our troop as well and I think that helped a lot in our bonding. I have a lot of nice memories going out camping and fishing with my father and the Scouts just gave us more chances to do that.

I loved band camp. Every year we went to Edinboro University for a week where about 10-12 other schools also held camp. These were the times that I began to be a bit more social. Between chasing girls from other schools and getting really involved in music, I finally started to discover who I was. I was lucky to have two really great teachers for band, though, and they made sure that we had fun. They let us be teenagers.

[ladyaelfwynn.livejournal.com]

Call me geeky, but I hated summer break. I grew up in rural south-eastern Virginia, in front of a soybean field across from a cow pasture. None of my friends lived nearby and the nearest anything was about a 20 min. drive. My summers were filled with boredom.

I looked forward to girl scout day camp because it meant I'd be doing something, anything, other than watching boring soap operas (no cable and before VCRs were everywhere) or chores.

Sure, I read lots of books and played outside some but when your only playmate is your annoying little sister who gets on your nerves for fun, you welcome a trip to camp.

Over the past 30 years or so, we've been told that our kids are fragile and they'll die or a maniac sex fiend will get them if we let them out of our sight. We've got anti-bacterial soaps to kill germs and helmets and knee pads and so many organized activities that kids rarely get any time alone to goof off and do kid things.

There are times I'm made to feel like a bad mom for letting my daughter play at the playground just out our back gate. I can see it from my kitchen and it's in easy shouting distance.

Giving kids time on their own without adults helps them figure things out on their own. When adults are around the often holler for us to be a referee. When we aren't their, they figure it out.

[thelongshot.livejournal.com]

For me, it was a different situation. I only went to summer camp the three years we lived in Germany. It was Boy Scout camp, and my dad was the Scoutmaster for our troop, so my dad was always around. I probably would have been fine if he wasn't around, tho. I've always been of an independant sort.

Course, my son isn't going to have similar experiences, since my wife is dead set aganst the Boy Scouts, for obvious reasons. It is understandable, but unfortunate at the same time.