I need perspective

[PumpkinSeeds]

Would you let your almost 7 year old go away for camp for two nights with his martial arts group (for example)? The group is mixed aged kids from 6yo to tweeners. The group of kids (I'm guessing about 50 kids) is great and the teachers (4 of them) have good control of the kids during class time. Let's say you more or less trust the teachers.

So, good teachers, good kids, the question is the age of your kid. If he was almost 7 do you think that's old enough?


I personally don't think that's old enough, but some of the comments from the other parents got me thinking. We homeschool so I just need some outside perspective if I'm being reasonable with regard to "letting go".

[twilight girl]

Hmmm. Tough one. We have German friends who have let their child travel from Costa Rica to Germany with friends, where he was delivered to his grandmother. He was 6 or 7 at the time. He's 9 now, and he has since made the trip to Germany by himself!

Would I let my 6 y.o. travel to the US with friends ... well, they'd have to be really super close friends. Would I let her do it alone? No way.

So, in other words, what's right for some is not necessarily right for you. Is there a possibility of you or your DH going along as a chaperon?

For us, so far 6 y.o. DD's only overnight has been with my parents. Personally, I'm not ready yet ... I might allow a sleepover at her best friend's house, because I know and feel comfortable with the parents.

good luck with your decision!!

[Jessy1019]

How far away would they be going? I'm guessing not very since two days isn't a long time.

I think it would be okay, as long as your child is eager to go and you trust the chaperones. I'd allow it if it didn't involve going more than 4 or so hours from home.

[angela&avery]

if I was nervous, I would see if I could go too.

[hottmama]

I would let my 5 yr. old go.

[alegna]

Depends on the kid. Some 7yr olds are more than ready for that sort of thing. Others aren't.

-Angela

[Lingmom]

Maybe, but I'd be nervous too.

My 6 yr old is going to a diocese camp this summer for 2 nights... but what makes me less nervous is that it's a well-established program, ACA accredited, has lots of oversight, high staff-child ratio (like 1:4) and the children are only ages 5-8 years old. And, most importantly we've been there as a family, so I know what the cabins are like and the staff are like, and I know the activities she'll participate in and I know she loved it and desperately wants to go again.

What you're talking about doesn't seem so well-established and involves a lot of unknowns.... I'd try to go if I were you... then you could feel better about letting him go by himself next year. How far is it? Could you take him for the day and then check how he's doing in the evening?

[journeymom]

I wouldn't send my 7 y.o. away for two nights with a class. Two nights with grandparents or really close friends, maybe. But even then I'd have to know that they weren't going to push my kid beyond what he is capable of for their own convenience sake. If it were one night instead of two I might re think it, but really, my gut reaction is No.

Are there any more chaperones than the four teachers? 50 kids to 4 teachers (about 13:1) seems like way too few adults. 4:1 or maybe 6:1 is more reasonable. Maybe there are parent volunteers coming along? How old are the oldest kids? I'd prefer the 6/7 year olds not to sleep with the 10/11 year olds.

How far away is camp? 20 minutes? One hour? Three hours? Can you drive there at 10:30 p.m. if your child wants out?

I'd need to know a lot more about it.

[ann_of_loxley]

How far away? - Driving distance from you should anything happen?

If he is asking to go - I would let him.

I trust my son - okay hes only 2.5.... I would like to think I still trust him at 7. If he was asking me to go, then I would let him I think. I can remember my own childhood at 7. I would have personally been fine with it! hehe

However it does seem like way too few adults per children...How well do you know them? If I knew them well and trusted them with all my gut - then I would be fine with it. I if I didnt, then I am not sure how I would feel...But once again, how does your son feel?

I would like to think, if I were you - I would be asking my child all these questions myself and seeing what they say and how they feel about it and if they really wanted to go and let them decide at the end of the day.

[greeny]

Depends on the kid. Some 7yr olds are more than ready for that sort of thing. Others aren't.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I would have to say "it depends" as well. In general are some 7 YOs ready for this? Yes, probably. But I would want to know about the overall set-up. Is this like a kids summer camp -- away from outsiders? What is the total staff to kid ratio? I would want to see something like 1:6 or better, I think. What is the transportation plan -- private cars or a bus? Have they done this before?

For the specific child I would want to know: Does the child go to sleep on his own easily? We still read and cuddle with my 8 YO and he decided he wasn't ready for sleep-away camp this year because he was worried about bedtimes. How much time has he spent away from home, especially at night? How comfortable with this group of kids/friends is he? Will he readily eat food that might be different from what he gets at home? Is he good about monitoring and caring for his own needs?

Lots of questions that only you can answer. In the end, would I let my son go if a few key answers were yes? Yes, I probably would, assuming he wanted to go and told me he was comfortable.

[One_Girl]

If your child really is pushing to do it I think it would be fine as long as he understands that you won't be there and he still wants to go. If you trust these people and they have done it before then let him go, the seperation is the hardest part.

[Ruthla]

It really depends on the child- how independent that particular child is, how well bonded they are with the others (adults as well as "big kids") going on the trip, etc.

I can tell you without a doubt that my daughters would not have been ready for a trip like that before age 8 or 9, and I can't imagine my current 6.5yo being anywhere NEAR ready to spend the night away from me- and all 3 of my kids have been in preschool by age 3 at the latest (so this isn't just a "homeschoolers" perspective.)

Age 6.75 is really the youngest age I could imagine any child being ready for a trip like this, and most kids that age would not be ready.

[PumpkinSeeds]

Yes, I don't think my son is anywhere near ready to go on his own. I've asked to go and there is a possibility that there is extra room for me. My son is not that invested in going and he's already stated that he would not go without me (or dh).

I was just curious based on a conversation I had. I don't think I'm a hovering mom at all nor do I think I'm overprotective. But the conversation did leave me thinking.

Thanks for your responses.

[journeymom]

I was just curious based on a conversation I had. I don't think I'm a hovering mom at all nor do I think I'm overprotective. But the conversation did leave me thinking.

Along the lines of what another poster said, my girlfriend sent her 11 y.o. ds from Virginia to South Korea on his own. His father was on the other end to receive him and off they went to a martial arts competition. This boy had already flown several times. I don't know if he'd flown on his own, though. Anyway, I was dumbfounded. She said he was well prepared and she knows what he's capable of. Not for me, though. I was nervous enough flying by myself from Salt Lake City to Sacramento when I was 16 y.o.