Camp and letter writing

[Anonymous]

My DD has been at camp for 3 weeks. I've received 1 postcard. She looks happy in the camp pictures and no one is calling me to tell me there is a problem. Therefore, I'm assuming no news is good news. If she was unhappy or needed something, I would hear from her.

[Anonymous]

We all hear about this "adorable letters from camp" that they put in cute little books or talk about on the today show. My kid is at his first sleep away camp this summer. Sure I'd love to get a cute letter I can read at his wedding someday ....maybe that's what OP wants.

[Anonymous]

Ignor these posters, OP. Most of them have no idea what sleep away camp is all about. I went to one for my entire childhood , from 8 to 16. I wrote letters to my parents and grandparents and some friends. They all wrote to me to. I still have some of those letters. My kids are at camp for their 5th summer , they are 12 (DD) and 15 (DS). I expect and get letters and I write to them as well. In fact, the letter I received from my DD today asked why I haven't written more this summer. My son doesn't write as often or give many details and his letters are much funnier but, he writes too and he loves getting letters from me. My kids and I get along well and enjoy each other. Maybe the rest of you PPs have crappy relationships with your kids. My kids like me amd I like them. Besides, writing letters is an important part of the whole camp experience especially in this day and age when everything is electronic. We do it because we like to tell each other what we are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignor these posters, OP. Most of them have no idea what sleep away camp is all about. I went to one for my entire childhood , from 8 to 16. I wrote letters to my parents and grandparents and some friends. They all wrote to me to. I still have some of those letters. My kids are at camp for their 5th summer , they are 12 (DD) and 15 (DS). I expect and get letters and I write to them as well. In fact, the letter I received from my DD today asked why I haven't written more this summer. My son doesn't write as often or give many details and his letters are much funnier but, he writes too and he loves getting letters from me. My kids and I get along well and enjoy each other. Maybe the rest of you PPs have crappy relationships with your kids. My kids like me amd I like them. Besides, writing letters is an important part of the whole camp experience especially in this day and age when everything is electronic. We do it because we like to tell each other what we are doing.

I'm glad this works for you. Trust me, I know what sleep away camp is about -- I went for many years as a kid and wrote good letters to my friends but not to my mom. My son went for six summers and wrote letters that make me think my honors student is an illiterate. We are very close "get along well and enjoy each other." I seem to be more aware than you that part of being a teen is separating.

[Anonymous]

Why on earth would you send him a blank letter to convey your disappointment? That's passive aggressive and crazy. Just send him a letter saying that you get worried about him when you don't hear from him, and would appreciate a letter or postcard, even if it is just a few words saying he is ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12 y.o. DS has attended same sleep away camp for 3 years. This year he has written one postcard, two days in when all campers are required to do so, and we are fairly dismayed. Before camp we discussed his writing twice/week. Basically he only needs to write three lines on a card, stick a stamp on it, and drop in the camp post box. I basically want to send him a blank letter to convey our disappointment. Crazy?

Yes. Crazy. Very few boys are going to sit there and write to their parents at that age no matter what you agreed on at home. Chill out. You are paying big bucks for him to experience some independence. Let him.

[Anonymous]

yep, I agree, BE THANKFUL

I'm getting letters from my DD every day that count the days/hours/minutes/seconds until I pick her up. I am starting to get PTSD when I see the mail in the mailbox

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are crazy.

On the required day, my son sent the postcard to my neighbor that said, "tell my mom I said hi"... that's funny.

Your son IS funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignor these posters, OP. Most of them have no idea what sleep away camp is all about. I went to one for my entire childhood , from 8 to 16. I wrote letters to my parents and grandparents and some friends. They all wrote to me to. I still have some of those letters. My kids are at camp for their 5th summer , they are 12 (DD) and 15 (DS). I expect and get letters and I write to them as well. In fact, the letter I received from my DD today asked why I haven't written more this summer. My son doesn't write as often or give many details and his letters are much funnier but, he writes too and he loves getting letters from me. My kids and I get along well and enjoy each other. Maybe the rest of you PPs have crappy relationships with your kids. My kids like me amd I like them. Besides, writing letters is an important part of the whole camp experience especially in this day and age when everything is electronic. We do it because we like to tell each other what we are doing.

This is not typical. I (a female) went to sleepaway camp, as did my older brother. Now my kids and his all go ("tradition ... tradition!"). I wrote to friends but rarely my parents. My brother never-ever wrote home, no idea if he wrote to friends but I doubt it. Our high maintenance mother still laments it. My daughter writes about once a week, mainly to ask me to send her things ... The camp requires that they write home once a week, but my son often seems to bypass that requirement - the 2 letters over a 4 week period that I've received from him are along the lines of, "Hi. Love, Adam" and "They are making my write you, From Adam." He is 13, not 5, by the way. Both kids adore camp. No news is good news, op ...

[Anonymous]

This is our son's third year away at camp (7 weeks). When he was 11 and 12, we got two sentence post cards. This year, the letters are 3-4 pages each and hilarious! We never pressured---this has evolved on its own (and is really surprising because he's not a very good student)! How often are you writing? Interestingly, this year my son actually asked me to try to write more often (my goal is 3x's per week). This time is for you to have kid-free FUN--not wring your hands over correspondence disappointment. He'll be home before you know it---and part of the beautify of the camp experience is the chance to miss each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our son's third year away at camp (7 weeks). When he was 11 and 12, we got two sentence post cards. This year, the letters are 3-4 pages each and hilarious! We never pressured---this has evolved on its own (and is really surprising because he's not a very good student)! How often are you writing? Interestingly, this year my son actually asked me to try to write more often (my goal is 3x's per week). This time is for you to have kid-free FUN--not wring your hands over correspondence disappointment. He'll be home before you know it---and part of the beautify of the camp experience is the chance to miss each other.

It seems your budding writer found his voice! How awesome.