Day camp vs Camp Mom

Day camp vs Camp Mom

I’ve been sending my boys to summer camp every summer since they were three.

They would prefer to stay at home, but what would they do for two months? Play video games and fight?

I wouldn’t be able to get any work done or even go for a walk. How would I get groceries when they hate running errands? And frankly, I don’t have the energy to entertain them from morning until night.

But lots of parents do it. They call it Camp Mom and they plan outings and make play dates with other kids also attending Camp Mom.

Isn’t it better for kids to have structure? To be organized, meet new people, try new games or sports? Mine will be going to sports camp. I think they are lucky to spend their days improving their skills and being active with other kids.

Yet the concept of Camp Mom is also sort of intriguing. How fun would it be if you had total freedom to do whatever you wanted every day? After 10 months of structure and classroom learning, maybe kids need free reign to sleep in, learn to entertain themselves and determine their own day.

At the same time, I’m in awe of these Camp Mom parents and perhaps even jealous of their energy and initiative. My kids exhaust me plenty in the hours we have after school until bedtime.

As I write this in the dark of night, they are still awake. They can’t sleep. The day never seems to end. I don’t think I could survive a summer of Camp Mom. Camp is the only possible choice for me.

Is day camp the way to go or is Camp Mom what kids really need?

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  • amberg

    I am a stay at home mom and I do find the summer can be long But my kids love the unstructured play and honestly I think it is good for kids to learn to entertain themselves. We send them to 1 week of camp at our church then we have a couple weekends of camping in the summer and go to the splashpad, beach etc... whenever we  ( let`s be honest lol when I feel like it). I don`t generally structure or plan crafts etc... To be honest I don`t think I could afford to send my kids to camp for the entire summer either. I think a good mix of both is probably In the best interest of the kids, but of course every family is different :) 

    • shoppingpenguin

      Camp Mom is only for the kids who can play independently and peacefully with the sibblings, without the need of mom's attention for every second.  It is almost impossible for working moms, as the kids will seek for Full-Time attentions when mom's home.  I often have to play two different games with my son and daughter at the same time once I'm home from work.  It is exhausting just to pretend that I am listening to them, one after the other, and endlessly.  I cannot imagine myself doing Camp Mom for more than a week, that's why I signed up for summer camps in feburary, making sure that there are spots available. Had every week planned with different camp experiences, so they won't get bored.  This is the only way that I can appreciate spending time with the kids on weekends.