A “no camp” summer

[Anonymous]

How would you structure this? Kids are 7 and 4. Working parents with FT nanny. The no-camp was requested by 7yo.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand the question. You have a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Do you think she says that now but will be bored on day 4? Do you have a pool she could do swim team at? I would maybe suggest some different camps (from last summer if she did not like them) ? Or camps with a friend?

[Anonymous]

You’d better have a pool membership

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’d better have a pool membership

We do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think she says that now but will be bored on day 4? Do you have a pool she could do swim team at? I would maybe suggest some different camps (from last summer if she did not like them) ? Or camps with a friend?

She liked the camps last summer, and she was with friends (who remain friends). But she doesn’t like structured stuff and wants a break. She also loves being home, going to the playgrounds and parks nearby, etc.

[Anonymous]

Does the nanny allow screens? As long as they are outside and playing all summer, getting a lot of exercise, and screens are banned, I’d be fine with it.

[Anonymous]

You might book one or two they did like. We did no camps last summer (kid was 8). I was home part time and her day wfh, we stayed busy but she missed the intensive kid time. We took a lot of lazy days and pool days too.

[Anonymous]

Mine has always done 1 week of camp at most. It’s pretty atypical but she chafes at the structure of school and the wasted time of transitions and discipline for others and she seems more like herself during the summer. She spends a ton of time at the pool and does a year-round sport so she does have some structure to her days. I think it’s great as long as there are neighborhood kids and kids at the pool.

[Anonymous]

If you've never done this before, I would book at least a week or two of camps, or one or two weekly ongoing activities. One of my kids always loved unstructured, but all day every day was a bit much, especially if friends were usually busy with camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the nanny allow screens? As long as they are outside and playing all summer, getting a lot of exercise, and screens are banned, I’d be fine with it.

She doesn’t allow and the kids aren’t into screens anyway. Older one is a bookworm so any downtime at home will be spent on reading.

If anything, I fear my older one will miss being with other kids her age. All the families around me (even those with SAHMs and nannies) are planning to book camps for the entire summer, other than travel weeks.

[Anonymous]

Be sure she understands that she can not change her mind when she finds out that Sally will not be at the pool next week because she is going to Learn how to make friendship bracelet camp. Camps fill up early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’d better have a pool membership

We do.

Then you’ll be fine, don’t even worry about it, that’s what you pay the nanny for. Extra towels and an extra swimsuit, extra snacks, pack a pool bag each night, call it a day. Really it’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Let your kids be bored and be okay with your house being a little messier. I wouldn’t try to plan everything out. At those ages you can spend a lot of time in pools, libraries, playgrounds and the zoo.

[Anonymous]

For downtime I’d have plenty of books, backyard toys, legos, simple games they can both play, etc. but if I were that nanny I’d do breakfast, pool, lunch, pool, downtime, dinner. Assuming NT kids plenty of things for 7 yo to do independently and 4 yo with minimal supervision. Even nanny needs a break.