Do your kids attend a sleep away summer camp?

[soccerdad72]

My kids have always loved their 'Camp Grandma' weeks through the years as well (hashtag free ). It's usually late in the summer because a lot of regular summer camps around us don't often operate the last couple weeks of summer break. I assume some of that is because counselors, who are often college students, are back at school earlier.

 

[tcufrog]

My kids attend a coed week long sleepaway camp run by the local Camp Fire council. It’s a good old fashioned summer camp that’s been in operation since the ‘30s. DS7 went for the first time last summer and DS11 will be going for his fourth time this summer. I’m glad they love it because it’s one of the most affordable summer camps around that isn’t religious.

I was very careful regarding which camp to choose because several years ago there was a molestation scandal at one of the large family run boys’ camps in Texas. I did a lot of research and learned that the local Camp Fire council has an excellent reputation and is very well run. Since then we’ve done a weekend of family camp and I was impressed by how professional the operation is and how well maintained the camp grounds are.

 

[BLAZEY]

I am sending DD9 to week long camp this summer. Cost $85 and is 15 minutes from home. It is a Girl Guide camp and I'm sure some of the cost is covered from cookie sales etc.

 

[DizneyMommy]

My oldest does, but it is not $2000. She has been going since she was 7, she is now 13. Camp is free, because it is a camp for kids with a specific medical condition. It is 5 nights, 6 days, and a boat ride away on an island. They sleep in cabins ON THE BEACH! Lucky buggers. Not really, because I'd rather her not have a reason to even qualify to go there, but still, when I was a kid I had to camp in the dusty dirty mountains of SoCal. We moved last year, so now we do have to drive her about 6 hours away to get to the boat, but luckily it is near Grandma's house, and we have a good friend near us who also goes and we carpool. She did also get in to a one week honors program at the university near us, which would have cost $700, and included sleeping in the dorms, food, etc. I nearly fell over, but for something like that I would happily fork it over. We ended up scheduling our WDW trip the same week unknowingly, so she will go next year instead.

My middle child on the other hand (she's 10)... nope. She would be the one I would get a call to pick up on day 2 because she couldn't follow camp rules lol.

On second thought... DD10 may need a week at Camp Grandma (read: MOMMY needs DD10 to spend a week at Camp Grandma!!) Now that we live more than 5 minutes away, I'm kind of digging this idea!

 

[DawnM]

My boys did a few.

Boy Scout camp every year. It started out at $180 for a week. It is now up to $300. Still not too bad.
Church camp occasionally. Mostly weekend camps, but one year they offered it at $100/5 nights. We jumped! They loved it.

The only time we spent the kind of money you are talking about is when my son went to Philmont, but it was $1500 including airfare, and 12 nights.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I am sending DD9 to week long camp this summer. Cost $85 and is 15 minutes from home. It is a Girl Guide camp and I'm sure some of the cost is covered from cookie sales etc.

That's crazy cheap! Our Girl Scout camp is $900 for 5 days up to $2400 for 12 days with horses!

 

[shoney]

That's crazy cheap! Our Girl Scout camp is $900 for 5 days up to $2400 for 12 days with horses!

I was thinking the same thing. I paid $250 per kid per week for town day camp 8 years ago!

 

[lorijohnhill]

I went to sleepover camps as a kid. Loved most of them. My daughter had gone to church camp twice, but then the camp closed down. That was about $800 for a week, but my mom paid it.

This year I am attending Camp Set Up The New House in PA for two months while my daughter stays here in CA with my mom. I may have to call for pick up after a week... I don’t know if I can handle two months. Lol!

 

[msjprincess]

My kids only went to Girl/Boy Scout camp. Cost was $450-$550 for 6 nights.

 

[CT Yankee]

My kids have been going to sleep away camp since they were very young (about 6 years old). They love it and we enjoy the time "off" for a few weeks. They will both be counselors this summer and will also attend some specialized training camps. It really helps build up their sense of independence, and is a good way to prepare them for being away from home if they end up going away to college. My daughter just wrapped up her freshman year of college and we had no problems with homesickness.

I would seriously caution the OP about being prepared in the event that Susie decides not to go. If her mom is on the fence, it seems like it would be a very real possibility Susie does not go - what would your daughter do at that point? Would she still be willing to go? Frankly, I don't have much patience for the "if my friend does it I will do it too" line of thinking. I'm not trying to be judgmental, but we have been burned enough times in this scenario that we now just take the approach that we do what is best for our family.

 

[powellrj]

I came to post about my kids experiences with camp, but after reading about Camp Grandma, I think I will open one this summer.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

where kids do canoeing, archery, tennis, hiking, arts and crafts like the camp in The Parent Trap movie!

I would have loved going to a Parent Trap type camp when I was growing up

When I was growing up, I went to Girl Scout camp near Lake Tahoe. Much less cost, and we had all that. My kids also went to scout camps (in Southern California) and they, also, had all those activities.

 

[BLAZEY]

That's crazy cheap! Our Girl Scout camp is $900 for 5 days up to $2400 for 12 days with horses!

Only about 60 kids per camp, Girl Guide of Canada owns the camp, and no paid staff (all volunteers) probably help with the cost.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

One week is going to be over $2k if we are counting travel costs.

AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I came to post about my kids experiences with camp, but after reading about Camp Grandma, I think I will open one this summer.

They plan on having cooking classes, learning gardening skills, and field trips to local places like the zoo and waterpark (Tampa area). They got season passes to those places as their Christmas gifts and they have lists of recipes they (*we) want them to learn

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My kids will be attending an uber exclusive summer camp at their grandparent's house in FL.

OK, so a story:

My wife went to camp in the greater Albany area, where her Mom lived, and then was a counselor at that same camp. It was a non-profit Christian camp that was overnight. She wanted our kids to go to this camp, but neither our daughter nor son was in the least bit interested. I think it had to do with being away from us for a long time and the idea of "camping" in general, along with being in a camp 4 hours away with kids they didn't know.

A few years later, after my wife's mom got remarried and moved north to along the St. Lawrence River, she asked to have both children come stay with her for a week in the summer. This turned into a tradition where they would spend a week with grandma and grandpa. They'd help her in her quilt shop and in the garden and go to bingo and her church, etc. One year, Grandma started teaching our daughter piano, which turned into a lifelong love of music and eventually a college degree. This week also gave my wife and I some time just the two of us. One year, we were talked into letting them go up the week of Fourth of July. My wife was bummed because she loves July 4th, and to cheer her up I suggested we go camping. I wasn't really interested in camping but I knew how upset she was. So she jumps at the chance; we buy equipment, book that weekend in a state park, and have a wonderful time. That weekend was my first time in a kayak and my first time building my own campfire.

Now we go camping every year, sometimes with our now (just about) adult children.

Grandma passed away in 2014. Grandpa in 2015.

I am so grateful that my wife's mom convinced us to let them stay with them for a week each year. It got them alone time with my wife's mom and step-dad, and gave us some time just to ourselves, and really had an affect on a lot of our lives.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

OK, so a story:

My wife went to camp in the greater Albany area, where her Mom lived, and then was a counselor at that same camp. It was a non-profit Christian camp that was overnight. She wanted our kids to go to this camp, but neither our daughter nor son was in the least bit interested. I think it had to do with being away from us for a long time and the idea of "camping" in general, along with being in a camp 4 hours away away with kids they didn't know.

A few years later, after my wife's mom got remarried and moved north to along the St. Lawrence River, she asked to have both children come stay with her for a week in the summer. This turned into a tradition where they would spend a week with grandma and grandpa. They'd help her in her quilt shop and in the garden and go to bingo and her church, etc. One year, Grandma started teaching our daughter piano, which turned into a lifelong love of music and eventually a college degree. This week also gave my wife and I some time just the two of us. One year, we were talked into letting them go up the week of Fourth of July. My wife was bummed because she loves July 4th, and to cheer her up I suggested we go camping. I wasn't really interested in camping but I knew how upset she was. So she jumps at the chance; we buy equipment, book that weekend in a state park, and have a wonderful time. That weekend was my first time in a kayak and my first time building my own campfire.

Now we go camping every year, sometimes with our now (just about) adult children.

Grandma passed away in 2014. Grandpa in 2015.

I am so grateful that my wife's mom convinced us to let them stay with them for a week each year. It got them alone time with my wife's mom and step-dad, and gave us some time just to ourselves, and really had an affect on a lot of our lives.

Aw I love that.

 

[sa cheermom]

No, this is a very specific camp. The weekly rates vary from around $1000 to $1600 depending on the chosen week. It would be over 16 hour drive so we normally fly. Which means three round trip tickets (one for her, one for the parent dropping off, and one for parent picking up). I am considering letting her take the return flight home alone. The camp charges extra to transport the kids to/from the closest airport which is a more expensive airport. Then the rental car (need one for both drop off and pick up) and one night hotel cost (the night before check in).

Many kids stay multiple weeks. Next year she will be eligible to apply to be a junior counselor. Which means paying for one week and she would stay an additional two weeks as a junior counselor free.

She meets up with previous year camp friends if they can all attend the same week. One of her friends stayed three weeks last year but said friend older sister was a junior counselor who had to be there for three weeks.

Cheer camps can be expensive (sorry, dead giveaway with the Summit rant and that her friend's name is Susie, the popular, non-so-nice generic name used for helicoptered children in the cheer world.) What are your child's aspirations? Is she on a world's team? Does she aspire to be on one? If her coach is one of the coaches at the camp, that $2,000 would go a long way and would probably more productive using it for privates with him. And then pick a local camp to get the camp experience.

 

[cabanafrau]

I came to post about my kids experiences with camp, but after reading about Camp Grandma, I think I will open one this summer.

Keep in mind, it's only worthwhile if it's got a #.

 

[cabanafrau]

OK, so a story:

My wife went to camp in the greater Albany area, where her Mom lived, and then was a counselor at that same camp. It was a non-profit Christian camp that was overnight. She wanted our kids to go to this camp, but neither our daughter nor son was in the least bit interested. I think it had to do with being away from us for a long time and the idea of "camping" in general, along with being in a camp 4 hours away with kids they didn't know.

A few years later, after my wife's mom got remarried and moved north to along the St. Lawrence River, she asked to have both children come stay with her for a week in the summer. This turned into a tradition where they would spend a week with grandma and grandpa. They'd help her in her quilt shop and in the garden and go to bingo and her church, etc. One year, Grandma started teaching our daughter piano, which turned into a lifelong love of music and eventually a college degree. This week also gave my wife and I some time just the two of us. One year, we were talked into letting them go up the week of Fourth of July. My wife was bummed because she loves July 4th, and to cheer her up I suggested we go camping. I wasn't really interested in camping but I knew how upset she was. So she jumps at the chance; we buy equipment, book that weekend in a state park, and have a wonderful time. That weekend was my first time in a kayak and my first time building my own campfire.

Now we go camping every year, sometimes with our now (just about) adult children.

Grandma passed away in 2014. Grandpa in 2015.

I am so grateful that my wife's mom convinced us to let them stay with them for a week each year. It got them alone time with my wife's mom and step-dad, and gave us some time just to ourselves, and really had an affect on a lot of our lives.

Man, my office sure is dusty this morning -- or is the pollen count high?