Was sleepaway camp exactly as it’s made to seem on television? Group hugs and campfire evenings, fun and adventure?!

[Anonymous]

DH went once to a YMCA camp and said it was absolutely awful. I’ve never been to sleepaway camp. I’d go to one of the adult sleepaway camps that exist now because I’ve always been curious.

People who went as kids, was it like tv makes it out to be?

[Anonymous]

Yes!!

[Anonymous]

My kids go to a very simple, church-run sleep-away camp. Nothing fancy. No horseback riding, no sailing, no rock climbing. They swim, canoe, do some archery, crafts and hike. They have an amazing time every year. I think it's because the only objective is to have fun and make friends. They absolutely love it.

[Anonymous]

My kid just came back from a Y sleep away camp and said it was the best week of her life. She loved the cabin experience, the socializing, being around a range of ages, the activities (kayak, canoe, archery, horseback riding etc)

[Anonymous]

Ha ha. I am like you OP--I never had camp when I was younger (sleepaway or daycamp). That was for rich kids, and I watched the Parent Trap movies and dreamed about having such a life.

But my spouse did go to sleepaway camp and loathed it (lack of AC, mean boys etc), so our kids only went to day camp...

[Anonymous]

This is what I thought so we did a Y family camp. I hated it. I need upscale camp.

[Anonymous]

For me it was. I also went to simple sleepaway camps and had an amazing time. They can be incredibly special places. Our boys go to one now and love it. The camps that run for multiple week sessions with campers that come back summer after summer are usually pretty amazing. Just popping in for a week one time at age 12 will not always be as amazing. Starting your kids on the younger end by 9 or so and then going each year, it becomes a safe space, another group of friends outside of school friends which is great for kids, a place to try new things, feel a sense of community.

But it’s not for everyone and I totally understand why going to a Y family camp as an adult wouldn’t hit! As adults we need a little more creature comforts

[Anonymous]

There are hundreds and hundreds of sleepaway camps in the US, so experiences may vary quite a bit, but I think most of the good ones are like what you see on television. I worked at my DD’s sleepaway camp for a couple weeks this summer, and that was the case. It’s a classic camp with campfire evenings, all sorts of day activities and evening programs, off campus adventure trips, etc.
Wish I could go back in time and be a camper there!

[Anonymous]

For some people yes, for others no. My cousin is in her mid 50's and spent 8 weeks each summer for at least half a dozen summers at the same sleepaway camp, and is still good friends with people she met there.

[Anonymous]

If you have “fond memories of sleep away summer camp”, it pretty much identifies you as privileged snob. Probably a maga too.

News flash - most people didn’t grow up in homes that could afford to send kids to camp in the summer. It’s a gross display of excess wealth.

[Anonymous]

Wrong. Going to sleepaway camp isn’t MAGA. It may be considered privileged because of the cost, but I can tell you that loads of parents that despise Trump and MAGA send their kids to sleep away camp.

[Anonymous]

Summer sleep away camp is for UMC wasps and nyc jews. Opposite of MAGA

[Anonymous]

I was a scholarship kid at an exclusive girls camp (think A-list celebrity families) in New England and the first summer (I was 12) was amazing, then the second one I was horribly bullied by a bad bunkie. I told them my parents were divorcing to try to get out of there. My daughter had a wonderful camp experience but she just went to Girl Scout camps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have “fond memories of sleep away summer camp”, it pretty much identifies you as privileged snob. Probably a maga too.

News flash - most people didn’t grow up in homes that could afford to send kids to camp in the summer. It’s a gross display of excess wealth.

wrong, thats middle class, if you are wealthy you own your own island like we are liars. STFU stop trying to lower our standard of living expectations

[Anonymous]

I also want to push back on the privileged snob part. Some people place a lot of value on what overnight camps offer, and will make sacrifices to be able to pay for it. Many camps have scholarship programs. Sometimes parents can’t afford camp on their own, but grandparents see the value so they pitch in.

Maybe don’t be so quick to judge.