I would be pissed. What camp was it? You should have been given the option of a refund or doing the older kids cabin.

One of the dive practices (indoors) that my DD (11) goes to, is almost always her, and a bunch of older boys in the 15-17 age group. They are supervised, but even with that, the language is colorful (including the person supervising). Because they're busy working, they don't have time to discuss anything inappropriate, but if that was a bunch of guys just hanging out, there would be. I would give these folks a piece of my mind, and let them know that you will be leaving reviews detailing your experience (about the only way to get a response).

Anonymous wrote:I am a much more laissez-faire parent than most on this board, but this would make me pretty angry. I do not want to spend money (camps are not cheap!) for my 12 year old to be in a cabin 15-16 year olds as peers. The conversations 16 year olds have, particularly with no counselors around, are not things a 12 year old needs to be a part of. They’re in totally different stages.

+1. I'm another pretty relaxed parent and yes, I would make a stink about this, and also about the fact that your phone call was not returned.

Yes, I would be upset. The maturity level is HUGE at that age.

I would also be upset that the camp did not answer the phone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes you make a deal out of it! They need accountability, they are in charge of people's children. Don't make a stink out of it, but do make a big deal of it, it MATTERS! I would not want my almost 12 year old son with unknown 15-16 year old kids in a cabin. There are way too many variables that my child does not need to be introduced to yet. I could go on.

You are why people hate dealing with kids.

You are why people think they can take
take advantage of kids

I have a 16 yr and and would be upset by the reverse. I also know that my 16 yr old is fiah out of water with the 3 plus yr older college students at his summer job. 3 years is too big an age gap to be bunking together. (also, why wasnt he moved with 13-14 yr olds??)

I would demand at least a partial refund.
That's absolute lunacy and your kid missed out on making forever friends. What a crock

Anonymous wrote:12-year-olds can be in 6th grade, and 16-year-olds can be in 11th grade. As a PP mentioned, they should not be bunking together at camp unless it's a counselor/camper situation.

+1000. I cannot believe that there are parents on here who think this appropriate!!

I've actually been there. As a kid, I was thrown into a cabin with boys 3 years older for similar reasons. Nothing bad happened to me, I just didn't have a fun summer because 3 years is a lifetime in a kid's eyes so none of the guys in the cabin were friendly to me.

So it might depend on your kid more than anything, you know him best. If a couple of 10th-11th graders are going to be a "bad influence" because of where he is developmentally, or if he's going to have a hard time feeling like an outcast for not being "one of them," or if he's going to have a hard time taking some inevitable ribbing of some sort for being a "kid," you can try to keep pushing the camp. But he'll probably come out of the experience just fine. It's weird and unprofessional that the camp couldn't come up with a better solution or return your call, though.

At a minimum, you should expect the camp to break their rules on kids talking to their parents by phone for you to check in directly with your DS once or twice. I would also expect the camp leadership to be able to assure you that they can keep a discreet eye on how your DS is doing in the situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I would be upset. In BSA safety rules you’re not allowed to tent/cabin with more than a 2 year age difference.

BSA and safety rules in the same sentence? And you take that seriously?

BSA, the morally and now financially bankupt organization where they moved known child molesters to new locations to molest other children?

Yeah, BSA knows everything to know about safety

If you knew anything about the current BSA, you would know they have one of the highest levels of youth protection that is used as a model by other organizations.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I would be upset. In BSA safety rules you’re not allowed to tent/cabin with more than a 2 year age difference.

BSA and safety rules in the same sentence? And you take that seriously?

BSA, the morally and now financially bankupt organization where they moved known child molesters to new locations to molest other children?

Yeah, BSA knows everything to know about safety

If you knew anything about the current BSA, you would know they have one of the highest levels of youth protection that is used as a model by other organizations.

I have a 16yo and an almost 12yo (turns 12 on the first of August).

No way should they be bunked together. Completely different worlds at that age!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 years old are still little boys. 16 year olds are pretty much men. Yes, it's odd.

Maybe physically but definitely not mentally. They'll have a blast together telling fart jokes.

Was this written by a grandma in 1783?

Anonymous wrote:Say your drop off your 12 year old at camp for a week and on the third or fourth day you notice through pictures that it appears he's in a cabin with 15/16 year olds, so you call the camp but get no return call.

So on pick up day you ask whats up and they say they over booked the 12 age group so they moved a few up to the underenrolled 15/16 year old cabin.

Do you make a deal out of it?

I would be livid.
16 year olds discuss topics 12 year old do not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12-year-olds can be in 6th grade, and 16-year-olds can be in 11th grade. As a PP mentioned, they should not be bunking together at camp unless it's a counselor/camper situation.

They can. But 12 yr olds can also be entering 9th grade, and 16 yr olds can be entering 10th.

Only a kid who was held back would be 16 and entering his Sophomore year of HS. Precisely zero 12 year olds are entering 9th grade.