Spent $200 for nothing

[zumbamama]

I enrolled DS in baseball camp...$200 for one week and the first day he comes home hating it and with the sniffles. Part of me wanted him to suck it up and tell him give it another shot, and part of me doesn't want to send him back to something he hates while he is sniffling. So I caved and let him stay home with grandma...but wasted my money. No refunds, didn't even get the shirt or hat that I ordered. Should I have tried to encourage him more or should I just get over it the wasted benjamins?

[Anonymous]

how old is your child? does he have any friends at the camp? Is it all day or just part of the day? Why did he say he hated it, what did he hate about it?

[Anonymous]

That's a hard one. Luckily we haven't faced this yet, but later this summer we are sending DS to a camp that will challenge him, and I'm worried about a similar response. I've already started laying the groundwork for staying at least 3 days -- I haven't told him, but I've told myself that if he hates it after 3 days, I won't make him go back. I've been telling DS that it's good to try new things, that sometimes it takes a while to start enjoying things (and reminding him about how at the start of preschool he was also reticent, but then he really loved it), etc. My husband still has bad memories of the camp his parents made him go to (though he did make a lifelong friend there who also hated it!).

[Anonymous]

Why does he hate it? Is there a mean kid at the camp who picked on him? Does he dislike baseball? Not good at baseball (yet)? The reason would be a huge factor in my decision whether to make him go back. If it's something I might be able to address (confont counselor about bully) or that will exist in any new situation (anxiety at the beginning--fear of not being as good as others), then I probably would have made a real effort to get him to go back. But if he really just doesn't enjoy baseball, and camp confirmed that, I think I would have let him stay home and just chalk it up to wasted money (and think long and hard before investing next time).

[Anonymous]

Sorry about the situation. I'm of two minds, here. On the one hand, I remember being bullied in sleep-away camp one year, and wanting to leave. Under those circumstances, my parents really should have pulled me out or gotten involved. You didn't say his age or exactly why he wasn't happy, though. Sometimes kids can be nervous about challenges, making new friends, etc., and these things may be challenges they need to learn they can face and overcome. If he's a little older, it might be good for him to learn about keeping commitments and making the best of a tough situation. It depends on the specific situation, really.

[zumbamama]

He was very excited to go at first, but I think it was so hot outside that he felt exhausted the following day, on top of the sniffles. He said he was hot and hungry and felt sick in the stomach...and that they didn't eat lunch until late (but maybe he was just hungry before lunch)...The camp is from 9-2. If it wasn't for the heat exhaustion and sniffles, I would've made him go again, at least one more day...but my grandmother kept coaxing me to let him stay with her so I just gave in the craziness of the morning rush. He didn't have any of his school friends there, but met two new friends on his first day and no word about any bullying. Oh, and he is 6, never played baseball before, but is always eager to try anything. I know he will like swimming for sure, so maybe I line that up for August.

[Anonymous]

I know how you feel. I have a 4 year-old daughter. I spent $75 on ballet - she refused to go after 3 sessions. $50 on soccer, refused after 2 sessions and $200+ on gymnastics where every week it was a struggle to get her to go. Now she wants to do karate. Well, that's not gonna happen until she is older and can really deal because I am sick of throwing money away!