Sleepaway camp for girls.....when?

[Disney Hot Mama]

When is appropriate for a little girl to attend sleep away camp. We live in So CA so they are not all over the place like other areas. I always thought a mom who sent her child was taking the easy way out and getting a week peace and quiet from her child. I disagree with that thinking at this time.

My daughter just turned 8 and is currently in 2nd grade. She is VERY mature for her age and requires little supervision. Makes appropriate decisions, makes friends easily and is very independant. She has the opportunity to attend a Girl Scout camp this summer for 6 nights. It is a horseback riding program and she loves horses. It is only about 1 1/2 hours away, run by qualified trained Girl Scout staff and I think she would love it.

I am second guessing myself now though. Is she to young? Have you send your daughter to sleepaway camp and if so how old was she?

 

[padams]

Many of the girls and boys in my 2nd grader's class are going to overnight camp this summer. It will be my Ds' 2nd year at camp. Many of the kids here go to camp in North Carolina-approx. 4 hours away.

 

[MAKmom]

Every child is different. My 9 year old could not do this alone. My 11 year old claims he can. What does dd think?

 

[mickeyboat]

One of the 2 week camps around here starts at age 7. It think it really depends on your child.

Denae

 

[allie&mattsmom]

Around here, so many of the kids from my kids school go to a week long camp in Indiana (that's like a 4 hour drive). Most of the boys started going around the summer of 3rd grade and the girls around 4th grade. My DD who just turned 11 just went to her 1st weekend camp a couple hours away this past weekend with her Girl Scout Troup. She had a blast. I, on the other hand, was worried sick the whole week-end, but that's just me, a worrier. Now that she's gotten that under her belt, I'm sure next summer she'll go to the camp in Indiana. My DS-9 will probably go next year too. I've already had the lecture from my MIL on how terrible it is that these people send their kids to camps for a week. So I'm sure she'll think I'm just horrible if they do go. Oh well.

 

[minkydog]

I first went to sleep-away camp at about age 7 or 8. It was a 7 day church camp about 3 hrs from home.There was no one I knew in my cabin. I had not one moment of homesickness That was just the beginning of my annual summer adventures.

My own DD13 was a homebody. She didn't like to "see the world"--it made her throw up to go to Granny's house. She missed her Daddy. and her dog. Then when she was 10 she was offered a scholarship to GS camp about 45 min away. I couldn't believe it, but she took it--slept in a tent with 5 other girls, learned to kayak and climb, learned out to cook over an open fire. Ever since then she wants to go somewhere, anywhere. So far she has been to Omaha, New Orleans, OBX, Charlotte, and north Georgia. Headed for Destin this summer.

Last summer was the hardest for me--DD13 spent a week at oboe camp on a college campus. It hit me that she's growing up. I could really see her being a student there. i'm not ready

 

[Beth76]

I always thought a mom who sent her child was taking the easy way out and getting a week peace and quiet from her child. I disagree with that thinking at this time.

I just had to laugh at that comment! My boys are 1 and 5 and I can not WAIT to send them off to sleepaway camp! I'm counting the years already!

 

[barkley]

dd went for a week to a great sleepaway camp here in northern california at age 9. she is going for 2 weeks (her idea cuz she wants to be able to do more of the activites) this summer. her camp will take kids as young as age 8.

i think the level of supervision and the degree of staff training is key in making a choice. i worked at a camp as a young college student, and although i had ece and redcross training it was scary to see the teens (as young as 16) camps would hire to supervise entire cabins of kids. i feel comfortable with the camp dd attends (we did a week of family camp before i was willing to commit to her going alone) because of the high standards they achieve.

 

[bsnyder]

I think it's totally dependent on the child - their maturity level and comfort with being away from home and parents. Each one will be different.

My DD started going to a camp in NC when she was 8. This will be her 4th summer and she can't wait!

My oldest son (now a senior in college) never did want to go to sleepaway camp. And that was fine too.

 

[froglady]

I think it's totally dependent on the child - their maturity level and comfort with being away from home and parents. Each one will be different.

My DD started going to a camp in NC when she was 8. This will be her 4th summer and she can't wait!

My oldest son (now a senior in college) never did want to go to sleepaway camp. And that was fine too.

Ditto

DD was begging to go to camp in NC when she was 7 or 8; we finally gave in when she was 9, and she went every summer until it closed.(5 years) She also went to a 3 week ballet camp (along with wildlife camp) one summer, and added a trip to Europe between 9th & 10th grade. She's been to Spain 3 times since then, spent a semester in India, and just got back from Africa. She attends college in PA, and is looking for a job/apt in the DC/Baltimore area.

DS (13) finally went to a church camp last year. He would only go for 6 nights at a time, and it's only a little over an hour away. He's going for two weeks this summer, but not consecutively. He's my homebody, and says he'll be happy staying in FL forever.

 

[CarolA]

I was her age when I did Girl Scout camp for the first time for two weeks. I loved it and went until I graduated and then was a counselor for 4 summers....

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

Thanks for your responses. I know she will do fine..... maybe it is more me not wanting to let her go. As I mentioned she is mature and independant. I don't think there will be any homesickness........
Maybe she is not to young afterall....
I think I will leave it up to her at this point. She can go it she wants to.....

 

[Caropooh]

My DD12(6th grade) has gone every summer but last summer since 1st grade. The first summer was only 3 nights but every other summer has been a week. DD7(1st grade) is going for her first time this summer. It will be for a week. They aren't going the same week, so both will be by themselves. It's a girl scout camp about 1 hour from us. They could of both gone the summer after Kindergarten, but it didn't fit in our summer plans.
Out of curiousity, what camp would your daughter be going to? I spent 8 summers going to Camp Joe Sherman which is run by the Girl Scout Council of Orange County. This was back in the 70's and I loved it!

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

Out of curiousity, what camp would your daughter be going to? I spent 8 summers going to Camp Joe Sherman which is run by the Girl Scout Council of Orange County. This was back in the 70's and I loved it!

It is through the San Fernando Girl Scouts Council (we are in Ventura) and is located in Frazier Park area.

I never was able to go to camp (maybe my parents couldn't afford it) so I want her to have the opportunity if possible. I think she will love it.

 

[MoniqueU]

We also live in SO Cal and my 9 year old will be going to www.rawhideranch.com for a week in july. She wanted to go last year but I figured wait one more year. I also have an 8 year old I gave the option of going to and she chose day camp. She just didnt want to be away from home. I have all my kids camps staggered so I only have one kid gone at a time. I sure don't have the easy way out, just more one on one time with the kids I do have at home.

PS I think your daughter might love the camp my daughter chose. You might want to take a look into it.

 

[Caropooh]

We also live in SO Cal and my 9 year old will be going to www.rawhideranch.com for a week in july. She wanted to go last year but I figured wait one more year. I also have an 8 year old I gave the option of going to and she chose day camp. She just didnt want to be away from home. I have all my kids camps staggered so I only have one kid gone at a time. I sure don't have the easy way out, just more one on one time with the kids I do have at home.

PS I think your daughter might love the camp my daughter chose. You might want to take a look into it.

Hey! I remeber going to Rawhide Ranch with Girl Scouts for a weekend overnight! A horse stepped on my toe and more than likely broke it! Don't worry! That won't happen to your 9 year old!

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

We also live in SO Cal and my 9 year old will be going to www.rawhideranch.com for a week in july. She wanted to go last year but I figured wait one more year. I also have an 8 year old I gave the option of going to and she chose day camp. She just didnt want to be away from home. I have all my kids camps staggered so I only have one kid gone at a time. I sure don't have the easy way out, just more one on one time with the kids I do have at home.

PS I think your daughter might love the camp my daughter chose. You might want to take a look into it.

That place looks very nice. The only thing that concerns me is it is co-ed. Since this will be her first sleep away camp I think I want it to be all girls.
But I will have to file this for future reference. It is not that far way.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We take 3rd graders and up to our church camp each summer (4 nights). A few 3rd graders do okay but even then, they are quite young. Don't get me wrong - they usually aren't homesick, it's just caring for themselves that is the issue. They take lots of extra attention =) Many of them aren't used to managing their money, wardrobe, shower schedule, hygiene, etc.

I usually have to keep track of their showers, ensure each of them are taking one each day (minimum!). I have to check and make sure teeth are brushed, hair is brushed, soap is used in the shower, clothes are clean, etc. They usually can't keep up with their money and I become a 'banker' for them.

I never have to do that with 4th-6th graders.

Like I said, not ALL 3rd graders are like that but many are.

One trick we encourage our parents to do is buy the huge ziplock bags and pack a days worth of clothes in each and label the bag. Socks, panty, shorts, tee in each. This helps the girls stay a bit more organized, though the bags often end up strewn about the cabin by day 3 it's better than random white socks being strewn about! Labeling the bag with a day and the child's name helps a lot, too. This also tells them what clothes are clean and what aren't.

A well run camp is prepared for kids that age and offer lots of extra help and TLC for them = plus they give them clear expectations and scheduling information so there isn't a question as to where they should be. I assign more counselors to my younger kids then older kids; 5th graders need much less help than a 3rd grader. Amazing what 2 years will do!

I'm sure she'll have a great time if she goes - Good luck!

 

[Val]

My kids have gone to a variety of camps starting at about age 8....my oldest DD18 and DD14 went to Camp Ondessonk in southern Illinois (they are now too old or into other things, boo hoo!)....my DS10 goes to 4H camp. Last year my DD8 went for a whole week to the Lion's camp for deaf/hard of hearing kids. It was only 10 miles away, so I figured I could always go rescue her.....she did cry- on the way HOME! She will be going again this year to the "farther away" camp.

I hate to admit it, but I am miserable when they are away. Just don't tell THEM that!

 

[clh2]

Don't forget to send them something. (send it before they leave, so it is there on the first "mail day" of camp.)

We never, never ever send our DD letters. (Our letters would be boring - DH and I get up, we go to work, we come home, not too much excitement there.) We take her stuffed dogs, and make stories of their adventures while she is gone, and take/print out digital pics to go with the stories. It is getting harder to come up with "original story lines" for DD (she goes to 3-one week overnight camps in the summer.) Even last summer -which was her 3rd summer of overnight camps - when DD was 11, she really enjoyed the Adventures of the Mutts.

We will also send stuff like a deck of cards which DD has told us is a fun thing to receive.