Is long-range summer planning really that insane?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I’m a different poster and I also think it’s an expression of anxiety, trying to get the perfect outcome from the very best camps and trips and experiences. Most of life can’t be ranked. What experiences made the most impression on you or your husband when you were kids? It takes zero advance planning to spend a perfect day at a swimming hole 2 hours away, and takes a year in advance to book a room at a lodge at a national park. Who’s to say which one will be more memorable for your kid?

Also, definitely don’t plan camps ages 16 and up because they’re better off getting the experience of a job.

I can see this point of view, but then what would a non-anxious person do instead, and where is the line? Because I think most anxiety has some truth underlying it. Like when people say you can't get lodging in some places if you don't book a year or so out, isn't that true?

[Anonymous]

I hate planning this stuff so put it off as much as possible and refuse to plan every week, or even most weeks. I also like to keep some flexibility in the summer for vacations, and my work can be unpredictable. This year, I had big events in July and August…we booked a 3 wk sleepaway camp for rising 7th and two weeks at a sleepaway for the rising 10th. The older one is filling her time with volunteering,babysitting having with friends, TV and fitting in some but not much reading

[Anonymous]

I'm on board with your long-range summer planning. I kept Pinterest boards for camps and stuff I thought my kids would be into, and updated them as time went by; it was the best way I could think of to keep track of those types of things you're always hearing of and then forgetting until it's too late. First time I've admitted that to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do this because we are doing 50 states trips and trying to get all of them done before she leaves for college. So this year we did the west coast, next year we'll do Hawaii, after that Alaska and then Europe. Big trips require advanced planning.

Wut

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, I’m a different poster and I also think it’s an expression of anxiety, trying to get the perfect outcome from the very best camps and trips and experiences. Most of life can’t be ranked. What experiences made the most impression on you or your husband when you were kids? It takes zero advance planning to spend a perfect day at a swimming hole 2 hours away, and takes a year in advance to book a room at a lodge at a national park. Who’s to say which one will be more memorable for your kid?

Also, definitely don’t plan camps ages 16 and up because they’re better off getting the experience of a job.

Smart and reasonable person here

[Anonymous]

The only harm is if things don’t work out how you planned in your head, you get disappointed and sad. I say this from experience.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s anxious and controlling, tbh.