Camp question

[waverly]

I think I know some of your answers.  If you have 2 or more kids, do you try to send them all the same camp or do you send them to whatever camp they choose?


I try to keep them together, but we were going to switch camps for the last 4 weeks (1 week vacation) so it's really only 3 weeks.  DD wants to switch because her friends are there, and it's at the school so it would be a good transition for her for K.


DS wants to stay at the camp they have been at.  Should I just do two drop off and pick ups for 3 weeks or force DS to switch?  He originally agreed, and a kid was bothering him at this camp.  But now the kid is on vacation, and he had fun this week so he doesn't want to switch.


I also don't want them thinking I would do two drop offs and pick ups all summer.  But DH is home, so he could theoretically take one kid and I could take one kid in the mornings.  I probably would force DS over to the other camp if I were on my own.  But DH isn't traveling for the month of July/ Aug for the most part. I checked with DH and he said it was fine with him, so I guess we are a go maybe.  

[2chatter]

Our summer is split usually, but they spend a few weeks together. In June they were in totally different places (the gifted program starts after completing first, so DS was not with DD, and oldest volunteered as a counselor at other camps). Next week Middle is at sleep away camp, DS is at the rec center and DD will go to the driving range a half day (I will drop her when I drop DS, they are 10 minutes apart). I’ll take DS to swim lessons then finish work at our usual dinner time, and start at 6am. The next week both DDs May do a drama camp with oldest being a counselor. The last week before vaca oldest is a counselor at creek
Camp and the younger two are campers - it’s the longest hours and therefore simplest week of summer.

The kids also do their own evening camps - soccer, golf this summer. I finish the daily driving at 9PM four weeks out of the summer.

I am usually a train wreck in summer and all this is why.

[waverly]

Ha 2chatter, I knew you would say your kids are all over the place.

[callmekd]

we always have 2 drop offs and 2 pickups with the twins being at daycare and DD1 being somewhere else (i.e. preschool and now a full time summer camp and then to Kindergarten in the fall.) since it's a way of life for me, I don't hesitate with 2 locations.

[lizlemon19]

I have sent them to the same camp, and then to different specialty camps.  My two boys have very different interests.  Also, I have a toddler who goes to daycare so that is another drop off.  My mother helps with drop off.

[mae0111]

We do both. Kids will be together in camp for 2 weeks, then separated for 4. I wish they had more together, but with their age differences, it was pretty difficult to manage.

[sandandsea]

We are hoping to send them to the same
Camps as much as possible. But they are 4.5 years apart so that’s not always an option. DS 1 is at a camp now that’s close to home and for preK through high school and is academics + activity focused so we are hoping that’s an option for a lot of summers ahead. It goes through about 3/4 of the summer so we have a couple of filler weeks at the end through another camp.

Ds2 is still in daycare so he’s easy at this point.

[hocus2]

My kids are together for logistic reasons right now but I'd be open to 2 camps if the buses pick up and drop off or one day camp and one at sleep away (which we might do for part of next summer). I think when kids are little you can just find a camp that is good enough for both. In middle school I think I need to work more at finding just the right option for the kids. A lot camps around here have a heavy focus on sports for boys and my son is just not that sporty.

[mellym]

Our kids are young yet and we don't have many options for full day camps. DD2 and DD3 are in daycare and the drop off/pick up for DD1's camp is at the same location as daycare. They then bus her to and from camp which is an awesome option for us. We do two different locations during the school year though so I guess I would do two different camps if the kids were really pushing for it.

[jlaok]

This is the first year we've been able to have the kids at the same place during the summer and it's made my life 1,000% easier. Our situation is a little different because my kids go to the same camp throughout the whole summer but if I were you I'd try keep your kids together as much as possible. Sometimes it's okay to put ourselves above our kids' to make our life easier.

[sunbutter]

We play it year by year depending on age and logistics, etc.. My two have been at the same camp for the last three years but I think we may be getting to the end of that. They also do aftercamp so they are there from 8 till a little after 5. The camp is 30 minutes from where I work. I do 99.9% of drop offs and pick ups.
We have done two places in the past and it is a strain on me as the only pick up/drop off. And because the two places are never in the same place in the city and philly area traffic sucks.
If we have to split things up next year, I will have to seriously consider a babysitter/nanny for help.

[cosmowife]

My youngest is finally old enough for camp. They will go to the same camp until they age out. The camp allows for lots of camper choice, so each kid can pick the specials that interest him while at camp. I’ve been waiting for this summer for literally years and have been counting down the days to one drop off and pick up. I will not allow anything else at this point. My kids don’t really have a choice. Convenience is key at this stage of our lives and careers. My kids don’t know any different so that’s how it will be! I’ve already taken about 30 minutes off my nighttime pickup. It’s been so much easier.

[waverly]

I have 5 votes for yes and 3 for no I think. I have always had them at the same place. I have never done two drop off and pick ups and DH will do half or all the mornings. I am thinking of going for it because I don't want to fight with DS if he is happy, and he doesn't love aftercare which is where the camp is at. He liked daycare and the park district more. And it is only 3 weeks.

And now DD is waffling because she is getting good at swimming finally and the one camp does more swimming. The only issue I have for switching her for her friends is what if they are mean to her when she gets there, and she switched for nothing. It might happen it might not. There were a few issues even though I think the friends and their parents are nice- there is some age appropriate fighting. OK I think I will push the unenroll button for DS anyway. His other issue was this bully kid, if the bully kid comes back. But then we could switch him and bully kid could have switched too, so you never know. He was fine until this last week anyway, and I think bully kid can be managed by talking to the counselors. Which I already did but then the kid went on vacation.  But also this is her last chance to be with these friends because next year new classrooms.