Attachment parenting and summer camp - Page 8

[churndash]

this is such an old thread...it's probably moot now! Wonder what the OP decided to do after all.

[sisteeesmama]

I will say that I did go to sumer camp, loved it so much, too. But I did get homesick and they had the same policy, but I begged my counselor and eventually she did sneak me into the kitchen to make a call to my mom. It made me feel so much better.
But I had issues with being afraid my mom was going to die. I was so scared alot of the time that she was going to die and hearing her voice reassured me that she was going to be ok and so was I. I didn't need to call her again.

[cschick]

Originally Posted by alllyssa

I'm so surprised to hear how many MDC mamas have experience with extended summer camps. These camps are EXPENSIVE! Can any of you shed some light on how your parents or you paid for these several week long camp experiences? Did you come from wealthy families? Sell peanuts? Gifts from grandparents?

My son went on a 2 week river rafting Outward Bound trip a few years ago and we got a partial scholarship, but still paid $1000 and had to by a plane ticket to SLC.

So curious. I would love to send my big girls off to camp, but it would break the bank :-)

Not all of them are as expensive as others.

The girl scouts camps I went to where at my council's owned campgrounds, so we were bussed to them, and they tended to be inexpensive ($100-$150/week). The music camp I attended a as a pre-teen/teen was at a state university and also subsidized. I believe that the two week camp there was about $350 and my parents drove me down and picked up me.

If there is a local YMCA in your area, they may have inexpensive summer camp programs available. YMCAs are connected with Indian Guides, and many of them own local/remote camps as part of that. We belonged to one of our local Ys a few years back, and I remember glancing through their guide at their away-camps and thinking they were pretty reasonably priced for both members and non-members.

[cschick]

Originally Posted by alllyssa

I'm so surprised to hear how many MDC mamas have experience with extended summer camps. These camps are EXPENSIVE! Can any of you shed some light on how your parents or you paid for these several week long camp experiences? Did you come from wealthy families? Sell peanuts? Gifts from grandparents?

My son went on a 2 week river rafting Outward Bound trip a few years ago and we got a partial scholarship, but still paid $1000 and had to by a plane ticket to SLC.

So curious. I would love to send my big girls off to camp, but it would break the bank :-)

Here, you're in San Diego, here are the San Diego Girl Scout council camps:

http://www.girlscoutssdi.org/site/ca...ident_camp.php (main page)

http://www.girlscoutssdi.org/site/ca...ns_winacka.php

http://www.girlscoutssdi.org/site/ca...ering_oaks.php

It looks like they offer junior high and high school age residence camps that are between $300-$500.

[syn_ack89]

Many church camps are also VERY inexpensive. I also second checking out the YMCA for lower cost options.

Basically, the low cost options require more effort to find because the expensive ones have the money to advertise. But they ARE there!

[pixiekisses]

I wouldn't send my kids of for summer camp in the first place, our summers are spent together. We have stuff going on for most of the year, school, daycare, my dear working, and everything else we have on our plates. And when summer comes we can finally have weeks and months with no, absolutely no, must-does, and just spend our time together enjoying doing exactly what we want all the time. Being together being the que here. (Well, there are some more school holidays where we have a week or two, but summer with about 8 weeks is the longest one, the best one. We all love it.)

But, that's not really my point at all, I got sidetracked.
If they wanted to go, luckily they don't, but if they wanted to go very bad to some sort of camp I would only let them if they could bring a cell and call us at any time they felt like it. I would never agree to a no-calls camp. No way. If they want to talk to us, we are there, no matter what. I wouldn't expect them to call, or tell them too, but I would need to know that they had the option if they wanted it or needed it. (And the camp would certainly need to promise to contact us right away if something happened.)
But camp isn't a big thing where we live now, kids here spend their summers with their families, on vacation often. But together with their families.

[Tanibani]

Originally Posted by alllyssa

I'm so surprised to hear how many MDC mamas have experience with extended summer camps. These camps are EXPENSIVE! Can any of you shed some light on how your parents or you paid for these several week long camp experiences? Did you come from wealthy families? Sell peanuts? Gifts from grandparents?

My son went on a 2 week river rafting Outward Bound trip a few years ago and we got a partial scholarship, but still paid $1000 and had to by a plane ticket to SLC.

So curious. I would love to send my big girls off to camp, but it would break the bank :-)

Well, for us (we were on welfare and my mom was a widow) it was FREE in 1977. I think it was chosen for it via the public school due to our income status.

Today though we can afford very pricey camps. And I have paid $1,000 for a 4 day summer day camp (outdoorsy) 3 years ago, but DS HATED it. 45 minute sessions with 2-3 kids doing the activity at one time (rock climbing, horse back riding, etc...) and the rest sitting on their butts, bored, waiting for their turn. I went to observe. Parents have no clue.

I think he would LOVE an roaring rapids camp.... I'll need to look into that, but I'd prefer to be there.

[Super~Single~Mama]

The YMCA can be, but is not always, very expensive when it comes to summer camps. They can, and will, help out with scholarships though! But, if you get a scholarship, don't go the first session - thats a very trying session for the camp staff while they are trying to get into the swing of summer.

Its probably too late this summer to go the first session anyway, but I used to work at a YMCA camp that is very expensive -and very good!

[A&A]

I agree with you 100%.

[Thisbirdwillfly]

My sister and I went to Girl Scout camp and my son goes to camps affiliated with our religioun (UU.)

I loved having the summers with my son and I would have been very happy to go on that way but he wanted to try camp. He made his case and was very persistant about it. He went for a week his first year and fell head over heels in love with camp. Next year he hopes to work as a counselor, which I think is so cool.

We followed his lead, to my mind that's in line with AP.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Originally Posted by alllyssa

I'm so surprised to hear how many MDC mamas have experience with extended summer camps. These camps are EXPENSIVE! Can any of you shed some light on how your parents or you paid for these several week long camp experiences?

I guess it depends on your perspective. Both DH and I WOH, so there needs to be some sort of summer childcare. Nanny for the week: $480. Daycamp: $200-$500 per week (there are more expensive options, but these are "average"). Sleepaway camp we choose for part of the summer: $370 per week. So for us, actually less expensive than some other options. Certainly there are very very pricey camps out there. But there are also "reasonable" options if you are going to be spending money anyway.