I haven't read the comments but for me the answer was yes.

DD had gone a few times for the two-week session and begged to go for four. I was opposed, but DH was supportive. It turned out that DD was so happy there and it drastically improved her mental health.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1 week summer camps are not a thing in the northeast. It is rare to even find one that will let you go for 2 weeks. 4-8 weeks is the norm and expectation.

Who sends their kids away to camp for the summer. I don’t.

middle and upper class people who can afford it, which you may not be.

I’m middle upper class and I do not Ms judgy —just like I would not nanny my child out I wouldn’t ship them off to camp for more than 1 week unless they were older and asked to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sexual assault is rampant at sleep away camps - but you do you

TF?
you must be a troll.
link to any piece of media that backs this up.

Google it- story after story has been reported

sure in the 70s.
a camp that has been in operation for 100 years is not letting that sh*t happen.
they would lose their entire biz in a heartbeat.

This is dangerous thinking. Don’t be complacent. It helps sexual violence go unnoticed and disclosures to not be taken seriously. Sexual violence can happen anywhere. Every parent sending their kid to camp should ask questions about hiring practices, background checks, abuse prevention policies, and reporting procedures. Here’s a good starting list: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/summer-safety-checklist/

Mine started with one week and then two weeks for a few summers and then four weeks. I would never start with four weeks.

Anonymous wrote:I already have an existential crisis every 2 seconds about missing ANY time with dcs so it's hard for me to get my head around having them be gone for 4 weeks, but i know they'll love it. or i think they'll love it and i should do it, right?

Well, my longest camp ever was German immersion camp which was 1 or 2 nights..l I was super nervous, and so were my parents. But it’s still, to this day, one of my fondest memories. I had such a great time. Wish I woulda been able to do other overnight camps but geographically there weren’t really any in my state, and i really only realized how amazing camp was in high school (German camp was junior year)…

So I’d bet your kid will be fine and think it’s worth going (this is coming from an EXTREMELY introverted perspective, if that says anything.)

I wish I would have been able to go to camps like this, way younger.

I’m from the Deep South too and went to sleep away camp for 6 weeks every summer (in Mentone, Alabama) and so did many of my friends so it’s definitely a thing in the south too, despite what other posters are saying.

He might love it. He might hate it.

If he’s excited, you know that you have to let him try.

Kindly, this is just the beginning of letting go. He will be doing many more things as an individual in the future, as opposed to doing things as part of your family unit. Time to start working on accepting the wonderful growth & independence of your DC.

Anonymous wrote:I could never send their kids my away for that long in the summer. I grew up in the Midwest and no one did except many Jewish families- it was a big part of their culture and most of my Jewish friends had a great time.

Why are you sending your kid away, OP? And how old? It’s strange because you don’t seem to want to but feel like you have to?

op - we live in NYC and among the tristate middle class families it's very common, and something that the kids hear about and get super excited to do.

I know from researching it that a lot of kids have really phenomenal experiences and knowing my kid, who loves sports and loved his school week long field trip, and loves the day camp we send him to, that this could be really impactful and a really wonderful time for him. He also LOVES sports and will get to do like 6-8 of them each and every day all day long. Like - heaven for him.

I REALLY dont want to send him away. but i also want to honor that he wants this experience and it feels like it might be a fit for him. It feels selfish to hold him back just bc i will miss him, if it becomes this great experience. and if it doesn't then fine!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sexual assault is rampant at sleep away camps - but you do you

TF?
you must be a troll.
link to any piece of media that backs this up.

Google it- story after story has been reported

sure in the 70s.
a camp that has been in operation for 100 years is not letting that sh*t happen.
they would lose their entire biz in a heartbeat.

You mean like this? https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/penns-valley/article265721891.html

i'm sorry but one episode at a random competitive gymnastics camp I've never heard of somewhere in pa is not something that concerns me.
you can find a random example of kids being abused at schools too. or at their neighbor's house.
You find well regarded and time honored situations to place your child in and assume that they have it handled. You can't live in such fear of sexual assault that you're paralyzed to do anything unless you're a MAGA crazy person obsessed with pedophilia, who - in reality - has way bigger issues to focus on

I could never send their kids my away for that long in the summer. I grew up in the Midwest and no one did except many Jewish families- it was a big part of their culture and most of my Jewish friends had a great time.

Why are you sending your kid away, OP? And how old? It’s strange because you don’t seem to want to but feel like you have to?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sexual assault is rampant at sleep away camps - but you do you

TF?
you must be a troll.
link to any piece of media that backs this up.

Google it- story after story has been reported

sure in the 70s.
a camp that has been in operation for 100 years is not letting that sh*t happen.
they would lose their entire biz in a heartbeat.

You mean like this? https://www.centredaily.com/news/local/community/penns-valley/article265721891.html

I'm another poster from the south and this is the first I've heard of multi week camps. This thing is completely foreign to me. I always assumed sleep away camp was 1 week long but families routinely ship their kids away for one month up to the entire summer vacation?

What kind of camps are these? What goes on there? People are saying they were live changing... Why?

I'm sincerely curious

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sexual assault is rampant at sleep away camps - but you do you

TF?
you must be a troll.
link to any piece of media that backs this up.

Google it- story after story has been reported

sure in the 70s.
a camp that has been in operation for 100 years is not letting that sh*t happen.
they would lose their entire biz in a heartbeat.

I waited for age 13 to send mine for a six week ballet program that they audition for. Kind of like a work camp but she never complained.

Anonymous wrote:Is it a New England thing, or Jewish culture? In DC I think 4 weeks would sound long, luxurious. Definitely for first time. In the Midwest when I was a kid, many didn't even ever go to camp. Spouse and I have gotten to know some ext family and friends in NYC/NE and Jewish community and I won't lie, they make it sound like they're trying to get rid of their kids for part of the summer.

The Jewish kids in our old Boston metro west town would go for 8 weeks starting at 7 or 8 years old. Not all but a lot of them headed for Maine at an early age.