Summer Camp Vent!! Update in comments w/ TW

[starburst604]

For the last week before school starts, which is next week, we signed DD (age 6) up for a hockey camp at the local rink where she's taken skating the last few years, and will start hockey in the fall. It was advertised as this: 

"Players will begin each day with 2 hours of on-ice instruction at Arena followed by an afternoon playing games such as dodgeball, lacrosse, kickball, whiffle ball, Kan-Jam, ladder ball, basketball, capture the flag, obstacle courses and more (half day camp only participates in on-ice sessions)." This is right up her alley and she's been super excited for it. We signed on for the full day session which is 9am-3 and coordinated our work weeks around that because we normally get care for her until 5:30pm but figured we could make this work. Then today we get an email from the rink and along with the usual details it states: "Monday thru Thursday 9AM-11AM On Ice. Lunch at Rink then to B’s Home for swim & games 12PM-2:30PM then back to Rink for 3PM Pick Up At Rink". Full Day Campers.....PLEASE BRING BROWN BAG LUNCH...Campers will head to B's home after lunch for swimming & games. They are transported in our company passenger vans driven by our head coaches who are CPR and First Aid certified. The trip is about 5 miles total both ways. We ask that bathing suits and towels be packed for this activity. A non-refrigerated snack and a drink should be brought from home each day for this afternoon activity. Please be sure to put snack, lunch & drinks in labeled bags or lunch box." B is the guy who manages the skating and hockey programs, I recognize his name from all the rink correspondence but have never met him. I feel like I'm going insane - this camp has been going on all summer so we are new to it, but parents were just ok with their kids getting transported to and from the rink and going swimming at some guy's house? I thought they would skate and then do sports outside since there's a playground there. I am practically 80's mom breezy but I'm not ok with this! Who are these coaches? Are they lifeguards? They have no idea if she can swim or not (she can but it's not happening at some randos house). Are there any female coaches?  Where is my child going to be changing into and out of her suit - this guy's basement bathroom?! 

So now we are freaking stuck. We can try to get a refund for the full day and have her go just for the hockey camp from 9-11 but then we have a huge gap in care. We could see if the gymnastics camp she's been at all summer has a spot for her next week and try for a full refund, but she's been looking forward to this hockey camp so much and will be devastated. I'm trying to craft an email to them now but I don't even know how to express how incredulous I/we are at this. GRRRRRR WTFFFF.

[laterz]

I don't even have kids and that would piss me off. That is not what you paid for. I'd politely but firmly start escalating this.

[cricketwife]

I’d be so pissed. I would insist on a refund, but that’s little help since you signed up because you need care and now you’re stuck. And the last week of summer the the hardest to get care for, even when you plan in advance!!! Argh!!

[noodleoo]

Holy shit! That’s crazy! You better get a refund because that is totally false advertising. I would not be ok with my 6 year old being transported to a private home like this. So much WTF!

[Jalapeñomel]

What? I don’t even have words for this.

[goldengirlz]

Ugh, childcare is such a mess, especially now with the pandemic. I’m sorry; I’d be raging too. And for your DD.

[jewel]

My 6 year old is a very strong swimmer and there’s zero chance I’d let him go to some random person’s house to swim like that. That’s much, much different than advertised. I’m sorry you’re stuck in this position now - that sucks :-(

[outnumbered]

This is crazy. I would not even want my 6th grader being transported to the private home of a person I have never met.

[outnumbered]

Aug 19, 2021 16:52:09 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

Ugh, childcare is such a mess, especially now with the pandemic. I’m sorry; I’d be raging too. And for your DD.

I wonder if going to the man's house is a new thing.

I bet all the college and high school students are back to school and sports so there is no help.  Still totally unacceptable.

[cmeon]

Aug 19, 2021 16:52:43 GMT -5 outnumbered said:

This is crazy. I would not even want my 6th grader being transported to the private home of a person I have never met.

I was thinking the same thing about ours. I hope you're able to sort out the childcare and refund situations, starburst604, what a mess.

[VillainV]

Not just no but HELL NO. There is zero chance he’s adequately insured to be running a child day camp involving swimming in his HOME POOL. I’d also be nervous about the changing situation.

I’d be calling back asking ALL of the questions people have raised here. And even then, I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable sending my kid.

I’m sorry you’re in this position.

[imojoebunny]

Fuck no, and I send my not great at swimming, but could swim, then 4 year old to "children of the corn horse camp" where all the counselors, and there were many, like a 1-3 ratio, of teenage horse enthusiast, and the afternoon activity was swimming, but with a lifeguard, and life jackets required for kids under a certain age, like 8, with dedicated dressing rooms in the barn. There is no insurer who would allow cover this for a camp, and I would use the tact that you thought that it would all be at the rink, which presumably has insurance, and that a personal pool would not be covered. For alternative care, If she can't get into they gym camp, does she have any friends with SAHM? I have kept my kids friends, in the last weeks of summer many times, as a lot of the camps lose counselors in those weeks here, and there aren't enough spaces. My BFF is a teacher and goes back a week before her daughter, so she did "camp us" for years. I have never charged anyone, we are fortunate, but my DD ice skates, and I know it is expensive, so maybe one of her friend's moms would love to watch her, if you offered enough for the mom to take all the kids to do fun things, which can be a struggle for many SAH families. In the last weeks of summer, I love taking my kids and their friends to do fun things.

[smock]

Holy shit that's bad. My 7-year-old CAN'T SWIM and on top of the swim dangers, they expect young children to change into swimsuits at some random man's house?!

I would absolutely ask for a full refund. And hopefully she can go to gymnastics camp? Because a playdate at a stranger's pool is a no go for sure.

[sofamonkey]

I am 100% certain they are being lit up with calls/emails.

That’s so not ok. To add in both transportation, swimming, a random person’s house, needing to change clothes twice at someone’s house. 🚩 Nope. And I’d be one of the calls or emails, because that’s not a small, insignificant change.

So sorry you’re having to deal with this.

[starburst604]

Update w TW:




I posted on the local moms FB page asking if anyone had sent their kids there this summer and a mom PMed me that the guy with the pool was just charged with assaulting one of his teenage female coaches at his home. So yeah, I’ll be calling for a full refund tomorrow. What a fucking world.

[smock]

Aug 19, 2021 17:08:51 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

Update w TW:




I posted on the local moms FB page asking if anyone had sent their kids there this summer and a mom PMed me that the guy with the pool was just charged with assaulting one of his teenage female coaches at his home. So yeah, I’ll be calling for a full refund tomorrow. What a fucking world.

🤯 🤯 🤯

Can you let other parents who might have signed up know, too? Because HOLY SHIT.

[sofamonkey]

Aug 19, 2021 17:08:51 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

Update w TW:




I posted on the local moms FB page asking if anyone had sent their kids there this summer and a mom PMed me that the guy with the pool was just charged with assaulting one of his teenage female coaches at his home. So yeah, I’ll be calling for a full refund tomorrow. What a fucking world.

What the actual fuck?!

[VillainV]

Aug 19, 2021 17:08:51 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

Update w TW:




I posted on the local moms FB page asking if anyone had sent their kids there this summer and a mom PMed me that the guy with the pool was just charged with assaulting one of his teenage female coaches at his home. So yeah, I’ll be calling for a full refund tomorrow. What a fucking world.

Holy shit!!!!

[k3am]

... hard pass, even before your update. Even if you lose out on your money, which I hope you don't, it would be worth it.

[game blouses]

Looks like your intuition was spot on. Good job trusting it and I'm sorry the camp wasn't what it seemed! Definitely spread the word and get a refund.

[cjcouple]

That is insane. I am so glad you found that out.

I missed original post and was thinking no way would I let my kids go to someone house for camp. Then your update had my jaw on the floor!

[starburst604]

What’s so messed up is the article about the charges was dated two days ago, and the email was sent this morning. Like they just hoped no one would know and just keep sending their kids there? We won’t even be sending her there for the regular season hockey lessons anymore.

[isabel]

Holy fucking shit to your update!!!

[TR]

Jesus Christ to that update. If some random mom knows that there’s no way his employers don’t.

[outnumbered]

Honestly I am not surprised about the update. Most adults realize that having strange kids over to swim is not appropriate. When I read the original post I thought 'that is way an adult grooms children'.

[sofamonkey]

Aug 19, 2021 17:16:08 GMT -5 starburst604 said:

What’s so messed up is the article about the charges was dated two days ago, and the email was sent this morning. Like they just hoped no one would know and just keep sending their kids there? We won’t even be sending her there for the regular season hockey lessons anymore.

Are you sure the rink staff knows? They might not yet.

I would certainly inform them, possibly publicly on their FB page so many people know, but I’d make sure they are aware.

[calamity]

WOW, omg you dodged a bullet there!

[starburst604]

Aug 19, 2021 17:22:22 GMT -5 outnumbered said:

Honestly I am not surprised about the update. Most adults realize that having strange kids over to swim is not appropriate. When I read the original post I thought 'that is way an adult grooms children'.

Seriously, NO responsible coach would do something like that. No wonder my radar pinged so hard when I read the email. According to the article he actually owns the ice rink.

[VillainV]

Do you think the cops know he’s trying to run a kids’ summer camp out of his house? Even a rink where he is around kids/coaching kids….they need to shut it down immediately. There’s no telling how many kids he may have harmed over the years.

[dontlook]

Fucking terrifying.