We're all on budgets. DPR camps are not great, but they are safe and kids seem to have fun. Yes, suck it up, just like the rest of us.

I pay thousands of dollars a month for my son's camp. When I was a kid, my mom dropped me off at a decrepit community center in our blue collar, rural town. My impression is that my son and I enjoy our camp experiences exactly as much as one another.

Anonymous wrote:Have you applied for scholarship at the rpicey camps?

Hi OP- It might be too late for this summer but-I think you should start looking at pricier camps in February next year. There are many that offer substantial scholarships for campers. It might actually cost you less in the long run.

Id spend the 440 and let my child complain. In the end, lame summer camps aren't on my list on concerns. paying the bills etc are

Not to be a jerk but you're not going to get "impressive" for $440/summer. Around here, you're lucky to get "impressive" for $440/week. I'm spending $485 for a single week of camp at the Knights of Columbus and it is nowhere near impressive.

Count yourself incredibly lucky that you can get away with spending that little. I'm spending $4,000 for our summer, and I'm a single mom too.

it is fine, op! think back to your own summers as a kid - i grew up solidly middle class, with two working parents, and my sibs and I mostly roamed around doing nothing in the summers, and when we did go to camp for a week or two, it was to a town rec association camp. I have great memories of my summers!

ps - my kids go to a private but low key camp in the summers with sports, swimming, arts and crafts, etc, and what they mostly talk about is the "hang time" at camp when they make lanyard bracelets and play uno - I am sure that the dpr camp does those things, too

Have you applied for scholarship at the rpicey camps?

We did it before & we'll do it again. Will spring for 2 weeks of a fancier camp.

Everyone does what they can. Your child will survive and may grumble but that's life. If it's safe, convenient, and affordable-- then yes.

I reserve "suck it up" for the needy things in life.

on a budget, single mom. can do dc dpr all summer for $440. not impressed last year but affordable.
can't really imagine spending that per week or even $200 per week.

would you do this? or suck it up?