Happy Campers: 1, 2, 3, 7 or 8

There are 3 types of Summer Camps out there in parental realm. First there are Community Camps which run partially on a limited schedule daily. These camps are for the parents who aren’t ready to let go of their little ones, and are okay with them going away for a few hours at a time. Community camps companies or organizations, utilize this model to maximize their profit with less headache. The second camp type are 9 to 5 Camps, I don’t call them that based on timing but because of the devotion involved in running a camp for a full day. Then there is the 3rd camp type, which I like to call Shaping Your Young Adult. These camps are resident camps where your child spends anywhere from 1 to 8 weeks of the summer away at camp.

Our 3 little HK’s were scheduled for resident camp this summer, but the outlook is grimm with the whole covid-19 scare and shelter in place. The twins were joining Paley for a one-week session away from home. This would be our first entire week away from the kids. The most we’ve done in the past was a 4 day trip to NYC. Resident camps differ depending on the coast. Here on the west coast, the vast majority of resident camps range from 3 night (intro camps) to 1-week/2week sessions. On the east coast, the camps are more like boarding school for the summer. Kids typically are away at camp for full 7-8 weeks of summer. I have many friends who grew up spending the summer away at camp and now their own children are follow in their footsteps. 

I will be completely honest, before I had kids, I thought that was nuts. After having kids, I was pretty much sold on the fact my friends were certifiable to let their kids go away the whole summer. I couldn’t wrap my head around only seeing my kids for less than a week each summer. Then Paley started pre-school and I saw how, my family, my upbringing is so not the norm! Over the last 7 years I’ve grown to understand how each family dynamic truly works. While I never grew up going to away camp over the summer, we did have a nanny at a young age and by the age of 11 we were in a Jr. Lifeguard program, and paid guards by 14. So our summers, were very busy with work schedules and sports, namely swimming. 

In middle America, you will find a big mixture of part-time and full-time summer camp. Pretty much every state in the middle has a 50/50 split for the options. What amazes me is that most full-time camps, require campers to stay the entire 7 or 8 weeks. Recently, we just found out about a family wedding coming up in the middle of Paley’s 2 week session at camp. I tried to see if we could pick her up for a day pass and the camp said in their 50+ year history they have not allowed such a thing unless it’s emergency. Who am I to question a long history such as that. 

Going back to Happy Campers, I think every family is different when it comes to the best option. For our family being around the kids 24/7 truly dictates the direction we have gone. Growing up, Clem was only away no more than 2 weeks when he was younger. The same has been evident with Paley in the last two years. This summer will be her 3rd summer away for 2 weeks straight. In the past two summers, she was completely fine being away until the day before the last day. She found herself getting homesick and by the last day she was ready to get away. This summer we will see how it work with her spending a full week at camp with the twins and then coming home for one day and then heading right back to camp. 

When you pick up your camper from their second summer, they are gushing with stories and stories of their entire stay at camp. The twins have done two straight weeks of day-camp at the same camp as Paley but they were in two separate locations. While they are starting one whole year before Paley started over-night. I blame the difference for myself not being ready to have a kid just disappear. The twins are ready for sure. The only concern is Lochlan’s need to have someone in his room sleeping with him. That will certainly not be a problem. The three are going to be over the moon after that first week and I am sure the twins are going to be begging to go back to resident instead of Day Camp. 

Will your resident camper be happy? I can’t guarantee it, but I think some independence will breed a more positive kid. If the camp you are interested in, offers day camp, jump at this option. Before you freak out and say it’s way too late for your tween or teen……check day camp ages. Last summer the twins were the minority age for one of the sessions. It was an early session and one of the administrators mentioned it’s pretty common for parents to send their tween or teen for week of day camp to help the parents to adjust before jumping in resident camp. What I loved was the admin also said, “but if you asked the parent that in front of other parents, they will immediately say its for their child.” Now, there are some kids who will need it, but the majority does not. For now, I am crossing toes and fingers, summer camp is not cancelled. 

** Update: Camp for 2020 is no more! It’s sad to think the kids are missing these experiences, but I think it important to think of the bigger picture, peoples health. Too many people are jumping on to “OPEN UP” band wagon, but we need to honest. We live in a time where there is little known about this virus. We live in a time where we have allowed certain people access to run our country and are abusing their power for personal gain, while placing us all in danger. We control our own lives. We make our own choices on how we will live. Think of others before going on and on about what you need or how your rights are being infringed upon. I am bummed for my kids but it’s not the end of summer. It’s not the end of anything other than, you as a parent have to keep doing the job you have been doing for however long your kids have been alive. As of this morning, there has been 95,506 documented deaths in the U.S. In the world there has bee 332,924 documented deaths. Just think of the deaths that have not been documented. Just think of all those people who have died and how they could have gotten another chance if we had better processes in place. Camp will return next summer or the following. Fun will be had. We need to be better citizens and more aware and demand more of our government when it comes to being prepared. One thing for sure, Paley won’t have any grudge that the twins got to do resident camp before she did. The twins are now official walking in big sis’s foot steps.