Sleepaway at 7

[Anonymous]

DD cries every day that she misses her older bro having fun at sleepaway camp. She wants to go there next summer for a week. They won't be at the same cabins due to age and gender. If I let her go, I would want to find a friend to go with her. She is a bit shy. The camp has lake, pool and rope etc.. Before other parents may call me crazy, what is the chance that you will let you 7 year old daughter to go to a sleepaway camp with a buddy for a week if I call you. DD will turn 7 next summer in May, so her friends will be 7 next summer. DH says no, but we think we may be okay if she has a friend to go with her.

[Anonymous]

My kid was turning 8 while at camp. It was supposed to be her first year (cancelled bc of covid). I wouldn’t have sent her a year earlier, but some kids did start them.

[Anonymous]

Have her join Brownies. They do outdoor activities and practice camping.
Has she ever had a sleepover other than with family?

[Anonymous]

You know your kid; some would love it and some would not be ready. My DD's camp has a 2-week session for rising 2nd graders (i.e., 7 year olds) -- they have a blast. Otherwise, her camp it is all 4 or 7 week sessions for rising 3rd graders and up, and plenty of rising 3rd graders go for 4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

My DD started at 7. But honestly it was to early and she was homesick. She went again at 8 but it was a similar experience. I also think the camp was not a great fit. She then took a couple year break from sleepaway camp. She tried a new camp at 11 that she loves and is still going to as a teen. But there are lots of 7 year olds that go and if she has an older sibling she may be more prepared. Its very kid dependent at that age.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t send a 7 yr old. 8 yr olds are even iffy. I work at a sleepaway camp that does have 7 yr olds. It’s too young.

[Anonymous]

Why not? My kid went at age 8 for a week.

[Anonymous]

I went at six and I remember really liking it, and I also remember one summer when I was 11 and insanely homesick.

[Anonymous]

It’s young. They have no idea what they’re signing up for. I used to work at a camp and there was a lot of crying.

[Anonymous]

Does she know what sleepaway camp entails? At only 6, she’s probably focusing on the highlights her brother has bragged about (banana boat rides on the lake! dessert at every meal! campfires with s’mores!) and not processing that camp also includes walking to the bathroom in the dark, sleeping away from home, and going without her TV shows/neighborhood friends/pets for a looooong period of time.

If she’s crying every day, that sounds like a parenting problem, not a “do I send to camp?” problem. Does she always cry when she doesn’t get what she wants? Is she able to separate from family members? How often does she perseverate about something she doesn’t like as opposed to re-channeling her energies?

[Anonymous]

Just for a week? Totally fine!

I would just make sure right before signup that she understands she wouldn't be in the same group as him at camp. They won't eat together, sleep together, do the same activities at the same time - really spell it out for her so she can visualize maybe running into him for two minutes each day, but nothing more.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who sent her DD for 7 weeks at age 7. But the DD wanted to go and the parents made her complete a list of tasks to show that she was ready to go before they agreed. She followed through and completed everything and went and had a great time. But that is a unique situation. I would say more kids start going at 8 or 9.

I think the issue is that if your DD needs a friend to go then shes not ready. Part of going to sleepaway camp is meeting new people and making new friends. You shouldn't have to tie your DD's happiness or success at sleepaway camp to another kid (that you have to convince to go). What happens if you sign-up and by next summer they are not as close anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have her join Brownies. They do outdoor activities and practice camping.
Has she ever had a sleepover other than with family?

Girls can join cubs scouts now, too, and they do far more camping and outdoor activities.

[Anonymous]

My seven year old son is way too young. And I’m all about independence at a young age. Way way way too young.

[Anonymous]

You trust strangers with constant access to your vulnerable child?