Do you worry about sending your kid to camps not knowing anyone?

[Anonymous]

The biggest reason I send my kid to sleepaway is to foster independence. That includes independence in social settings and not having a friend as a crutch or prevent him from branching out and meeting new people and making new friends.

[Anonymous]

I remember a few friend pairs who went to my sleep away camp. Honestly it seems like a bad thing, looking back on it. They hung out with each other too much and it meant they didn't put themselves out there and make new friends as much.

I remember my niece went to camp with a friend and it caused issues because she thought they were going to be best buds at camp and her friend wanted to be more independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, whether sleep away camp or day camp, I think it’s a better experience if they go in not knowing anyone.

Knowing a friend already can be problematic: it can make your kid want to only hang around them and not meet anyone or it can create expectations that since they are already friends, they need to socialize at camp. But the friend may meet someone at camp on the bus there and or whatever, and now your kid feels left out or a third wheel. That happens A LOT at camp when go already having friends. Friendships are different at camp than they are at school,neighborhood etc.

I've observed that, too. I kind of wish camps posted that in their sign-up materials.

My kid is going to a 3 week camp (backpacking) and the camp limits each 12 kid group to one pair of friends. And even then, the camp calls the parents to hear the reasoning and to persuade them to separate. My kid is not going with a friend. It’s a big confidence booster once kids know that they can make new friends without a wingman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember a few friend pairs who went to my sleep away camp. Honestly it seems like a bad thing, looking back on it. They hung out with each other too much and it meant they didn't put themselves out there and make new friends as much.

I remember my niece went to camp with a friend and it caused issues because she thought they were going to be best buds at camp and her friend wanted to be more independent.

This happens a lot - friendships are often less equal and kids want different things out of their camp experiences. It’s hard on both kids in that situation.

My friend signed up her daughter for sleepaway camp where she didn’t know anyone, and her daughter’s friend, Larla, found out and signed up as well. My friend’s daughter wanted to meet new people and considered Larla to be very intense and protective about their friendship. My friend requested that her daughter be in a different site of the camp and had to explain it to the Larla’s mom. Larla was disappointed and decided not to go. It ended up being fine between the kids, but clearly one kid wanted an adventure with new kids and the other kid wanted to hang out with her friend all summer.