The Summer Camp (Sleep-Away) Battles Begins...
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Anonymous
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13 year old daughter not excited about summer camp. She was not excited the last two summers she's gone (these are her only experiences with summer camp). Though she enjoys it while there and has great stories when she comes home, she's never thrilled about going back. She would much rather laze around during the summer.
Should I force the issue and make her go? Not really keen on the idea of her just hanging around doing nothing (while eventually starting in with the "I'm bored" mantra). FWIW, it's a 2-week Girl Scouts sleepaway. |
Anonymous
| There are other options besides camp. What about a LIT program or a daycamp. |
Anonymous
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Girl Scout camp is fun, but DD has gone to both a GS camp and one that was more traditional (with her brother) and had a LOT more fun. Maybe a different camp???
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Anonymous
| We did travel day camp at Congessional. DD loved it. Not sleep away, but takes a up the whole day and really fun. |
Anonymous
| My DD, who loves GS, grew to hate GS sleep away camp. Too basic and regimented, too much standing in line, too hot. I gave in and sent them to private camp for a shorter time. |
Anonymous
| Girl Scouts is considered HIGHLY uncool in the tri-state area - maybe by her age she feels too old for it. There are plenty of other camps she could go to instead. Offer up one of those. |
Anonymous
+1 DD is a secret GS. They pretend it is a social club -- gets together every six weeks for an activity. |
Anonymous
| My DD will be attending her 6th year at GS sleep-a-way camp, and really no longer enjoys it much. She is now in the LIT program where she is there for 2 weeks, and is already talking about how she doesn't want to go this summer. I mostly have her go because compared to the other camps it's a great deal cheaper. I did send her to YMCA camp one year at Camp Letts and she LOVED it (but it was over 2x the cost of GS camp), and was a stretch for me financially. If I had the money, I would definitely send her to a "better" camp for a week, and have her also do a week with the GS (I like the no electricity, no running water aspect of it). |
Anonymous
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Allowing her to lie around all summer is a recipe for an unhappy kid.
Can she choose an alternative camp? Maybe go to a camp fair? |
Anonymous
| How about volunteering somewhere if she's not into camp? I volunteered at my local library every summer, starting at age 13. Mending books, shelving them, that sort of thing. Great for a "resume" when she's old enough to start applying for jobs. |
Anonymous
| Why not find a better sleep away camp? There are lots of options. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Like 15:23, my budget is limited. Can't afford to pay for camps that are really expensive. Girl Scouts is very affordable and will reduce their camping fee if you ask.
Would love to know of other options in the $400-500 range for a 2 week camp. I will also look into volunteer work. Thanks, 16:40. |
Anonymous
| Agree she needs a different camp. I think staying home all summer could be problematic. I love Camp Seafarer in NC. |
Anonymous
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I didn't like camp. I'm a good sport, so I wasn't going to mope around while I was there, and I certainly wasn't tortured, but all that togetherness and singing really isn't for everyone.
I think you need to tell her that lazing around isn't an option, but that you will work with her to find other alternatives for the two weeks. You can suggest summer school - if she'd rather take algebra than go to camp, you should let her. |
Anonymous
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I hated camp! I hated sleeping away from home, thankfully I only did one nighters with GS after the 2 week sleep away one that I hated.
Why make her? A day camp in an area that interests her could be much better. I cannot say how much I hated sleeping away from home at camp. |