Anonymous wrote:I know it's not what OP wants to hear, but how did you not know this or prepare for this? Did someone in your family lose their job or did you have a financial set back this year?

Kids are expensive, this is not new information nor an unpublicized piece of information.

Why are you making her feel bad? Some people work their behinds off and can’t afford camp. Op is only working PT because of Covid. Not everyone had a cushy work from home job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work very PT and I feel the same way. My son and I go places, to the pool, watch tv, go on little adventures, etc. It is what it is and he seems happy.

Thank you for that solidarity and perspective. Kid is stoked to have me all summer. It’s a mostly in my head problem.

This is what we do. Lots of play dates, sleeping in, siblings play together, pool, outings.

I can’t believe you feel like a failure bc you can’t send your kids to camp! Kids hate camp! Unless it’s sleep away camp.

Anonymous wrote:I work very PT and I feel the same way. My son and I go places, to the pool, watch tv, go on little adventures, etc. It is what it is and he seems happy.

Thank you for that solidarity and perspective. Kid is stoked to have me all summer. It’s a mostly in my head problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like a failure.

How old are your kids?

Turning 6 over summer. I’ve been on the Arlington parks site. I found one open class for mid August, in Fairfax for $370, for 4 days. I’d rather buy us a rack of pool/park day passes for that $$ and hope we can find kids at playground. I’m working weekends, but will be home during week. My parents can’t provide care, but we can visit as soon as they are vaccinated. I like the idea of occasional babysitter so she has someone besides me to interact with. Even little kids need breaks from their parents and sitters have younger energy. That’s something that’s more affordable as well. Her father is unable to help during weekday daytimes, but is amazing on weekends

Next year we’re hoping more of the regular day camps/school programs
will be open. We will be managing that differently, and I will be back to work full time. I know we’re lucky I have this flexibility, but it’s dramatically changed our options.

Anonymous wrote:I feel like a failure.

How old are your kids?

My parents couldn't afford camp either- at most we went to a Girl Scout daycamp for a week, which I think we got a discount for because my mom would volunteer at it. We spent summers playing with other kids in the neighborhood. Admittedly I WAS envious of those who got to go to sleepaway camp and sort of wish I had asked for a week as a combined birthday/Christmas gift. If you can, I'd try to swing one week each year for something your kids would really like. Not necessarily this year, but starting next year. You could get them to buy in by raising some money petsitting, bake sale, etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you handle (or pay for childcare) coverage before this ie. when they younger?

I was working full-time. I am in a position that I can’t work as often because of Covid. I cannot work remotely. I work weekends and I’m home with her during the week until school is open. Previously we paid for daycare, after that they were in school and I worked around the public school schedule. We don’t have the extra cash to sign up for camps until I work and I can’t work unless we do camps.

This is our first year that we needed to set up elementary summer care. We would have budgeted for it if I had been able to work full-time. Does anyone not have job loss due to Covid here?

Anonymous wrote:I have to send my kids to camp due to work and they hate it. That makes me feel like a failure. Sorry, OP, seems like there’s a million ways to feel like your not doing the best thing for your kids. Hopefully some of the suggestions offered will work for you. Good luck.

Thank you. It’s the worst damn year. Wishing you well also.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Her kids don't want to to go, what's so hard to understand? I'm not trying to be sparky, but kids don't need camp and 900 activities to have a great summer.

That is way different than the title of this post.

How so? Camps are outrageously expensive, I totally agree with that. I probably wouldn't send my kid because of that either, even if I could afford it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring in grandma. Hire a neighborhood teenager/college kid.
Piecemeal this summer together with your PTO, DH PTO, babysitter, 2 or 3 week-long camps, Grandma, etc.

You don't give a lot of context OP - not even your kids' ages.

We can afford camps. We don't send our kids to camps just to send our kids to camps. Our kids don't even ask to go to camps. I didn't even know that sending kids to camps was a status thing. Oh well.

^^^ Is this Op?

NO

Anonymous wrote:How did you handle (or pay for childcare) coverage before this ie. when they younger?

I was working full-time. I am in a position that I can’t work as often because of Covid. I cannot work remotely. I work weekends and I’m home with her during the week until school is open. Previously we paid for daycare, after that they were in school and I worked around the public school schedule. We don’t have the extra cash to sign up for camps until I work and I can’t work unless we do camps.

I have to send my kids to camp due to work and they hate it. That makes me feel like a failure. Sorry, OP, seems like there’s a million ways to feel like your not doing the best thing for your kids. Hopefully some of the suggestions offered will work for you. Good luck.

My kids are still little so I am not yet looking into camps.

But what do you do about childcare all summer if you don't send kids to camp and you are not a SAHM?

Anonymous wrote:Her kids don't want to to go, what's so hard to understand? I'm not trying to be sparky, but kids don't need camp and 900 activities to have a great summer.

That is way different than the title of this post.