Smart watches and camp

[Anonymous]

Tell your child to wear the watch and if the staff complain have them call you directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Day camp or sleepaway?

At day camp, not a concern especially as it gives parents a way to coordinate with kids and could be in school mode during the day

Day camp and why wouldn't it be a concern? Do you think it should be up to the camp to policy the mode that all these watches are in?

As long as the kids aren’t playing on the watches, leave them be

And you think it should be up to police every watch on every wrist? Come on, the policy is clearly there for a reason and parents like me expect the policy to be followed and enforced. It was part of our consideration in choosing a camp - what was their device policy - and they are allowing parents to violate that policy.

you need to unclench. Your child is not going to be able to exist in a 100% tech free environment, and as kids get older, they will violate policies - intentionally or not.

At camp they can and should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Day camp or sleepaway?

At day camp, not a concern especially as it gives parents a way to coordinate with kids and could be in school mode during the day

Day camp and why wouldn't it be a concern? Do you think it should be up to the camp to policy the mode that all these watches are in?

If it’s day camp- it’s likely hard to enforce. Let it go.

[Anonymous]

My kid’s Apple Watch can’t receive, take ir send photos. That concern isn’t real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

She also had summer swim in the morning before camp and I texted her a few times when afternoon carpool plans changed because of work obligations and parents swapping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid’s Apple Watch can’t receive, take ir send photos. That concern isn’t real.

There was an issue in dc's elementary last year with kids making voice memos of other kids on their Apple Watches. The school shut it down by not allowing any smart watches on wrists, they had to be kept in their backpacks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

She also had summer swim in the morning before camp and I texted her a few times when afternoon carpool plans changed because of work obligations and parents swapping.

She didn't NEED that information. Jane's mom could tell Suzy, I am picking you up today and Suzy goes with Jane's mom instead of Mary's mom. See how that works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

You could have spoken to the other mom about that. You all would have figured it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

She also had summer swim in the morning before camp and I texted her a few times when afternoon carpool plans changed because of work obligations and parents swapping.

She didn't NEED that information. Jane's mom could tell Suzy, I am picking you up today and Suzy goes with Jane's mom instead of Mary's mom. See how that works?

The carpools ended up really complicated with 14 parents, 2 babysitters and 2 au pairs involved. There were often 2-3 cars going to different destinations. So yeah, it was really helpful for her to know what car she was supposed to be in. I probably had 100 texts a day over these stupid logistics, so it was absolutely possible for someone to be confused or miss a text.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would check with the camp and point out the discrepancy between the policy and the practice. I would also observe if kids are wearing watches at drop off and pick up. Then you can decide if you want to return next year, based on the above.

It doesn’t really matter whether people here think a smart watch ban is good/bad. What do you want as a parent? Is the camp delivering what they promised?

My kid is at a six week sleep away camp. No devices, incl smart watches, allowed. Rigorously enforced. Parents are all in.

Could be harder to find a day camp with this policy and have it be enforced.

OP is not going to find any day camp that will not have watches. That is the reality. Kids could be in school mode during the day and then call if they get out early, for pick up, etc…. which is not unreasonable.

The camp is not able to enforce checking all kids watches. They just are not.

Sleepaway camp is a different animal. My DS goes to a 2 week and very strict with absolutely no screens. Enforced also and parents supported.

This, exactly. For day camp, watches are extremely useful.

How are they useful exactly?

My kid had 7 friends at her last day camp in another town and that resulted in a fairly complicated carpool arrangement with families trading off driving. She'd text when she had an ETA (depending on the order of drop off). It was helpful because we had summer swim in the evening and needed to know when she'd be home given other evening carpools with siblings and sibling friends.

You could have spoken to the other mom about that. You all would have figured it out.

It wasn't always a mom, but often a dad, babysitter or au pair. They had enough on their hands to be driving a car full of kids in rush hour traffic without also texting me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid’s Apple Watch can’t receive, take ir send photos. That concern isn’t real.

There was an issue in dc's elementary last year with kids making voice memos of other kids on their Apple Watches. The school shut it down by not allowing any smart watches on wrists, they had to be kept in their backpacks.

So an entire school was capable of enforcing this rule? Were the parents supportive?

Perhaps the problem with enforcement of such a rule at a summer camp is the parents who feel their child MUST have a smart watch for the family to function. And the fact that a camp has a no-devices policy just doesn’t apply to them.

[Anonymous]

Just send your kid without a smart watch.

Kids sneak phones or screens at most camps. They’re still screen free a lot more than they are at home.