Ever send your teen to camp, or away from home for overnights?
Has your teen ever been away from home to overnight camp? Somewhere where they had to stay one or more nights without you or your family?
How did it go?
Did the child have fears about being away from home?
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Yes. My daughter has spent weekends at her girlfriends house and vice versa. She has also traveled with her school to Disneyland for the weekend. All has gone very well. I knew the chaperons and we exchanged emergency information. Naturally, money wasn't an issue. She called me when she arrived, and I called her periodically throughout her stay. She had no fears whatsoever of being away from home. Nor did she require reminders about conducting herself like a young, mannerable, respectable, young lady. I was very upfront about the consequences.
My kids (all 4 of them) have always taken trips without me... vacations with their friends or relatives, band camp/trips, school trips. It was always a privilage when they got to go and my kids treated it as such. My kids have always behaved at their best around others otherwise they wouldn't have been able to go on any more trips without us. However, my kids have always behaved, been respectful and normally make good choices for themselves. I've always gotten good reports from anyone my kids went on trips with and I would let my kids know how much I appreciated hearing those things .
We have sent ours to a week long camp for almost 3 or 4 years. I have lost track. But last summer was the first time she was gone for 2 weeks. They handle the fears and if it gets real bad they call home. Otherwise, her first time? They almost did. But once she saw the swimming hole she got over it real quick. The camp handles it. I think it is the parents who have these fears more so then the children. Last summer I was thrilled to send her off to camp for 2 weeks. Going again for another 2. Good luck in your decision.
Jill
Parents Of Tweens Starting 6th Grade
Camping And Loving It
Overnight camp is my daughter's favorite place in the world. This will be her 7th year; her first was for four nights; she has gone for four weeks for the last few years. This is the camp she attends: www.campchi.com
Robin in Chicago
My 14 year old has been going to overnight camp since he was about 7 years old. The first 2 years it was 1 night overnight. Then, for 2 other years it was I think 3 nights. Since then it has been from Sunday afternoon through Friday afternoon so 5 nights. My son LOVES camp. He starts talking about going the next year the same day he comes home! He has also gone on countless overnight church trips. In May, he will be going to New Orleans on a mission trip with our church for about a week. Then, the last week of June he will go to his week long camp. Then, in July he'll be going on another trip that is several days long. He loves it and we love the "break".
both boys have been to camps and trips on there own. Youngest went to 4-h camp when he was 12 for 5 days, then when he was 13 he went to New Jersey with a friend of his and his family for 10 days. Oldest goes every summer to camp as well as all his FFA trips. They have always since they were babies gone and spent summer time and holiday time with the grandparents or aunt & uncles.
Yes in grade 5 my sons went to an environmental camp with school.I was heartsick with worry.They were gon from monday til friday.They loved it.I was worried sick.
In HS my boys went to football camps~ Hated those too.Boys were fine Mom was not fine but not crazy enough to make them miss out.
funny my kids have been going away with friends and relatives since age5.Yet when they went to camp they took their blankets in thier sleeping bags.
We have done camps, overnight with friends, church trips... You name it, she wants to go! The only time we had any problems was one girl scout trip. Their leader was kinda evil and I think got in over her head and took it out on the troop. I do make sure she has a secret phone. It isn't to be taken out or turned on unless she needs to talk to me. That way she's got a safety net and I know that she's ok, plus the phone doesn't get stolen or lost because she's only used it a few times over the years.
My daughter has been to overnight camps when she was younger. She loved it. She hasn't spent time at overnight camps or been away from home for any extended period of time lately, but I don't think she'd mind. She was just talking the other night about being an exchange student. she does overnights with friends every once in a while, but there are not that many people I let her spend the night with.
My 6th and 8th grader have been doing camps for years, starting with just a 2 night gs camp when they were in 3rd or 4th grade. They now go for 1-4 weeks at a time, the older one would go longer if we chose to spend that much money on summer fun. I think it's important to build this ability up over the years, through a succession of longer and longer camps, going with fewer people they know. It builds important life skills -confidence, self reliance, making friends, plus they come back refreshed, happy to see modern appliances and their family.
How should I have reacted to this? ?
- elvir2babes
on Feb. 7, 2010 at 11:58 PM