When the Kid Doesn't Like Camp

[Anonymous]

If this is dcps I'd pull him out. Their summer camps aren't always very good. A lot of times they are taught by unemployed people, homeless, etc, that the city wants to give jobs to. A kid I went to elementary school with had his face blown up at a dcps camp (they were making firecrackers).

[Anonymous]

You know your child best--if you see that he is jus bored but nothing else is happening, leave him there and observe.
You need to have conversations about his day there. If he looks distressed and mentions funky details, take him out and save him unnecessary trauma.

[Anonymous]

Maybe he is just bored to be in the same school even for summer... You should change his environment.

[Anonymous]

Agreed. If he was fine at the same school before, he now is frustrated with the same old, and frankly boring options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is 6, and a rising 1st grader. He is enrolled in the full-day summer camp program through his elementary school. It's only been a few days, but so far it's not going well. My son is a quiet, introverted kid who does really well in a structured classroom setting - but even a good camp has less structure and more chaos than school. He comes home complaining that he has a headache, and a sore throat from "screaming all day so people will hear me."

I kind of saw this coming, but he goes to this same program for aftercare during the school year and usually does okay. So I was hoping it would work. But the camp programs have many more kids, and as a 1st grader, my son is among the youngest ones there.

Anyway, since it has only been a few days, I'm not panicking and pulling him out tomorrow, of course. And a big part of me also thinks it might be good to leave him there regardless (unless he gets bullied or is truly totally miserable, or something) because in life it is generally a good thing to be able to adapt outside your comfort zone, and maybe he'll learn from it. Yet it makes sense to consider other options, too. I'm just not sure what those would be. There is no Camp Grandma in our family, and a babysitter is out because I have a 4yo in full-time daycare who is thriving and I don't want to pull him out.

Anyone else have this experience, and/or thoughts, advice, etc.?

This is not a good camp. IME, camps run through schools are daycares, not camps. Your description of the "activities" suggests that is indeed the case.

There are great summer daycamps out there but it sounds like the one you chose is not one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is dcps I'd pull him out. Their summer camps aren't always very good. A lot of times they are taught by unemployed people, homeless, etc, that the city wants to give jobs to. A kid I went to elementary school with had his face blown up at a dcps camp (they were making firecrackers).

I went to school withthat kid too. It was 30+ years ago, so I wouldnt judge camps based on that.

But I agree with pp that if it were my kid, I'd try hard toget him into another camp that would better fit his temperment and interests.

[Anonymous]

Our kids enjoy their aftercare program but they never enjoy it on breaks or half days. It gets too big as there are students from all over. Aftercare programs generally don't have very good activities or really any structured activities. This is fine for after school because the kids need to just hang around with other kids, play, and relax. Its not a good set up for a full day so kids usually find it boring or are upset by it like your son unless they have best buddies going with them.

[Anonymous]

This is not a good camp. IME, camps run through schools are daycares, not camps. Your description of the "activities" suggests that is indeed the case.

There are great summer daycamps out there but it sounds like the one you chose is not one of them.

I don't know why the people on DCUM have to be so damn snobby all the time. The OP didn't list "activities," she listed activities. You might not consider them good enough for your precious princess or prince, but they are activities. No need for the snobbish scare quotes.

[Anonymous]

The problem with those camps for a child of a working parent is that it's the same thing they've been doing all year afterschool, sometimes even at the same place. Kids need a break from that. 2-4 weeks is fine and I actually loved those recreation camps growing up, but I'd get bored by it if it was all summer too.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Thanks to those who took the time to comment, but especially those of you who shared similar experiences. Of course opinions run the gamut, and they always will, but it is super helpful to see how other parents actually dealt with this kind of thing.

Since a few people asked, no, it's not DCPS. I live in Northern Virginia.

I didn't know that I needed to spell this out in my original post - but to everyone who took the time to comment just to tell me that the school program was the wrong choice but offer nothing constructive or helpful at all: yes, thanks. I am aware that I made the wrong choice, otherwise I wouldn't have had a dilemma to post here in the first place. Totally and completely admit my error. I signed my child up for a subpar program and therefore Did a Bad Thing. Message received. It won't be repeated next year. You can stop telling me.

One other thing I genuinely should have spelled out in my post, but didn't, is that money is a concern. You won't see my family in the soup kitchen line next week, we do okay, but...the school program is really stretching a little beyond our budget already. Ugh.

I'm hoping to clear out of the area in a couple of years, but until then summers are just going to be rough, aren't they?

[Anonymous]

There are reasonably priced programs at the community centers that are more interesting than SACC. Can you spread your budget a little tighter to get him a week or two at the community center maybe?

[Anonymous]

My son (12 Yrs) is in day camp and not thrilled. The camp has a focus on sports with a weekly rotation of different sports. They learn the basics and practice the skills they learn. It is not highly competitive but rather exposing kids to different things. My issue is that I have a job and no family around to leave him with. He can stay by himself at home but his day would be reduced to computers and video games. He'll do chores but that will comprise a small amount of his time.

He is very bright but has no initiative when it comes to socials and physical activity so I feel it would be to his benefit that he attends this day camp for 3 weeks. I reward him for good reports and on Fridays I can pick him up earlier. I maintain a good positive attitude even if I don't get that in return.

Today I'll talk to counselors to find out, from another perspective, how are things. Children perceive things differently and maybe, that "big problem" is not too big from an adult's perspective and can be solved with some support and coaching from a caring counselor.

I hope that this is just an initial phase of resistance until he starts to feel better. I also know hat he may be trying a few tricks to get his point across. In the meantime I'll do what I can to help him find and enjoy new experiences.

[Anonymous]

You asked for options... could you go to the camp director, speak with the counselor, see if other parents kids are also complaining? The staff might not be that experienced but you never know, they might be adaptable and responsive enough to change a few things, or give your child a bit more personal attention for a few days, to see if that might smooth the experience out a bit.

[Anonymous]

Op, I sent my daughter to a highly regarded expensive day camp for 6 weeks last year. The first session there were a group of boys that were taunting one of the junior counselors. The second and third sessions had a boy who picked on her relentlessly. She asked specifically not to go back and we spent thousands of dollars for her to be generally unhappy. If you are in NOVA have you tried any of the Parktakes camps? They are far less expensive than private camps. One of my friends sent her son to different ones all summer and he really enjoyed it. And he is kind of a socially awkward introverted kid.

[Anonymous]

In NoVa try the Fairfax county parks and rec camp.