Do you worry about sending your kid to camps not knowing anyone?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering and how have they done?

[Anonymous]

Nope, done it at sleepaway since DS was 7. But he is social. I think it’s good, because it helps to develop social skills, make conversations with people you don’t know and try to connect with them.

DS has a good group of friends at school and the parents will try to coordinate camps together. We are busy and I don’t go out of my way reaching out and if it comes up, I just say here are the camps we are doing (day and sleepaway) and if it works and DS friends want to join great. If not, no problem.

[Anonymous]

Nope, not at all.

[Anonymous]

Not really. Kids meet new people all the time. They have only been alive for a few years total so it’s not like they only experience deep longstanding relationships at that age. Even their own parents are practically strangers.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think it's better to go not knowing anyone. It's good to step outside of your comfort zone and force yourself to make friends.

My DC is not naturally outgoing but handles herself well at camps filled with new people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, done it at sleepaway since DS was 7. But he is social. I think it’s good, because it helps to develop social skills, make conversations with people you don’t know and try to connect with them.

DS has a good group of friends at school and the parents will try to coordinate camps together. We are busy and I don’t go out of my way reaching out and if it comes up, I just say here are the camps we are doing (day and sleepaway) and if it works and DS friends want to join great. If not, no problem.

+1 I rarely coordinate with friends. If it works out great but most of the time they end up meeting kids once they are there. I know some kids who refuse to go unless a friend is going as well. I tell my DD9 that that is the best way to miss out on fun experiences. If you want to do an activity don’t wait for a friend.

She’s going to sleepaway camp this summer for 4 weeks and doesn’t know anyone. She’s excited and is confident she’ll make new friends.

[Anonymous]

My oldest not at all. She thrives in that department. I never realized how fortunate I was to have that be her situation until my youngest hit camp age. He has ADHD and is very very shy (some features of ASD but no diagnosis).

[Anonymous]

No. We visited camps the previous summer so my son knew what it was like there. He went for six summers and loved it.

[Anonymous]

When they were younger, The one time I went out of my way to send my kid with a friend, they grew apart between booking and camp and the other girl refused to be in the same cabin as her. So, I stopped worrying about it for the most part.

I have 1 camp I do coordinate on because it’s for a sport/hobby and the only time she sees a certain friend who is in a different school district.

[Anonymous]

No I think it's a great opportunity to learn to meet new friends.

[Anonymous]

My now adult kids both say it was stressful to go to camp not knowing anyone..especially for short 1 or 2 week camps. I was not aware of this when they were kids.

[Anonymous]

To day camp? No. We've not tried sleep away camp yet and haven't planned on that this summer.

[Anonymous]

No, whether sleep away camp or day camp, I think it’s a better experience if they go in not knowing anyone.

Knowing a friend already can be problematic: it can make your kid want to only hang around them and not meet anyone or it can create expectations that since they are already friends, they need to socialize at camp. But the friend may meet someone at camp on the bus there and or whatever, and now your kid feels left out or a third wheel. That happens A LOT at camp when go already having friends. Friendships are different at camp than they are at school,neighborhood etc.

[Anonymous]

I have always sent my elementary kids to day camps without issue… I think most people sign up for childcare purposes, so the parents aren’t really worried about booking with friends. Since the camps are local, there are almost always kids they know there anyway. It’s been fine.

I will say that my teenager refused to go to a sleepaway camp without knowing anyone.

[Anonymous]

For day camps I will sometimes send friends the list of camps we are doing and ask if anyone wants to carpool. Sometimes a friend will join. But I'm not planning it around them.

For sleepaway, yes, we make sure a friend or cousin is going the same week. It's a lot to be away from everyone and helps to have at least one connection imo.