I am thinking that it's always good to keep them busy even when they are older-from camp participant to camp teacher...

Anonymous wrote:My son is now 14. He could probably just hang out at home for a while and then go to the community pool for the balance of the day. But I'd rather have the structure and enrichment of a camp. Is there an age where most kids age-out of summer camps?

When I was growing up, the only camps anyone went to after age 14 were specialized (academic or music, or sports at a competitive level) or else people were the camp counselors or counselors-in-training, rather than the campers. Maybe it's changed since then. The media is full of talk that today's children are over-structured and over-enriched, but structure certainly has it's place.

When my oldest was 13, I started allowing him to do the LIT program and to take a few weeks off in the summer ostensibly to do his summer reading and math, which I know he didn't do. It was fine. He liked the free time and I was able to set him up with some volunteer work in nursing homes for a day or so each week he was off. This summer, he is going to camp and LIT for half of the summer and the rest he is on his own. One of the differences this year is that he is old enough to be taking public transportation, so he can do more than just hang out at home or at the pool. Not sure when I'm going to say ok to off all summer. And, not sure that my younger kids will get to stop camp at the same age - depends on their maturity and behavior and also whether they want it. My oldest likes unstructured time more than the younger ones do.

The summer I was 14 was the first summer my mom worked full-time. I had a small job, but it was only a few hours a week. We lived in the burbs and there weren't many other kids my age in close walking/biking distance, and my older siblings all had full-time jobs. I remember being REALLY bored and lonely, and watching way, way too much television. Maybe he could work/volunteer/take a class for most of the summer with just a few weeks off to bum around?

Agreed...we stop needing babysitting at certain age...

The summer after 8th grade was the last time I went to camp. The summer after 9th grade I worked (and secretly missed camp!).

Summer should be free to do what they want but need a few weeks of structure in a camp or internship.

Mine is 14 and this is the first summer we haven't done much camp. He will go to a few days of a sports camp with his team, but otherwise he'll be volunteering and taking a class in summer school.

I agree that they still need some structure at this age.

Agree to let him volunteer at a camp. If necessary, for motivation, you could pay him for going. Of course, a small amount but enough to reward him and allow him to be responsible.

I stopped when I got a full-time job at age 14, so that's what my kids have done too. It's fine if they get a job AT a camp, but there's no hanging out all day shit going on. Be productive in some way.

My son is now 14. He could probably just hang out at home for a while and then go to the community pool for the balance of the day. But I'd rather have the structure and enrichment of a camp. Is there an age where most kids age-out of summer camps?