We haven't really finalized plans for summer and I'm trying to determine what to do without burdening anyone too much. Is everyone basically looking at something full time? Work for both of us is up in the air with regards to returning. I'm looking at maybe July, DH is TBD.
We have 3 options, but I'm torn if I go with #2 would it be too much for my parents?
1. I did get a spot in the summer camp through the before/after care program. It's full time and where she went Summer 2019.
2. My retired (now local) parents have said they would take her all summer. So there are a few half-day/day camps we're looking at and probably a good chunk of time at our beach house.
3. A combination of summer camp (I can pick/choose days) and grandparents. Which logistically, DH and I aren't digging, but a possibility.
Also, if we aren't going to use the summer camp, I would like to go ahead and drop her registration before summer so they can open it to another student.
ETA: Even for me returning to work won't be FT in the office. I'm looking at 2 days WFH and then 2-3 days in the office with every other Friday off. DH is hoping for a similar setup with only in office 2 days a week at most.
I am SAHM and DH will be WFH until probably at least September so we don't have to do any camps but DD needs them mentally and socially.
We have a few things lined up, all are half days:
*Two week theatre camp (if the masks are no longer required I will drop this one). *One week volleyball camp *Two weeks of tennis camp along with semi-private lessons all summer.
We also have a beach trip planned in late July.
What does your DD want to do? I would probably have her do some time with your parents early in the summer and then some camps later on but I always like to use summer to expose DD to new things she has been interested in throughout the year.
abs, she doesn't really say. Two of the day camps are sports, soccer and volleyball. We used to do soccer recreationally, but then there was a falling out with the team and then COVID and so we sort of put it on the back burner.
She's also asked about horse back riding, but OMG the $$$, but maybe a week camp to expose her would be good.
I would also love to get her into a swimming stroke program. She can swim, but the strokes are the issue, but we don't have a neighborhood pool.
I'd probably try and piecemeal a bunch of camps with grandparents, if I needed full time. Like you, I wouldn't want to burden the grandparents with full time, even if they said it was ok.
For us, I am hoping DD can do a couple week-long GS camps (though she is waitlisted for all of them, sigh). Then I'll add in some day stuff with my (local) mom and TaeKwonDo day camps on a drop in basis when I need a freaking break.
I'm winging this summer. I should still be at home through mid-August. DH is home for 2 week chunks of time, so we dont' need anything those weeks. The weeks he's not off, well, we'll see. As I'll be home, I want to save the $$. DS is 12 so he doesn't really need to be WATCHED by me.
We joined a pool that is right around the corner and he's now old enough to go without me, so I'm sure he'll do that some days with friends. And if I can, I'll go there and work from there when possible.
If any friends join a camp that he wants to do too - I'll definitely consider it. But I'm not sending him to camp just to send him.
ETA: My stepmother will want to spend some time with him too - so I'm sure they'll have some adventures a few times this summer.
I would do the grandparents. This might be a downer post, but I’m really getting the sense lately of how fast my kids are growing up and how fast all of us are aging. It might be a time of special memories for both kids and grandparents. I would try to break it up, like you said, with some other things that give your parents a break.
Post by ilikedonuts on Apr 16, 2021 8:02:06 GMT -5
I’d probably piece together camps along with grandparents or staying home a week or so if you are still WFH. Here we have some great camps that are 2-3 week sessions which makes it easier to piece a summer together rather then having to do tons of single week camps. Is there anything like that by you?
I SAH and I’m essentially at the mercy of our swim schedule which is a mess because of covid. My kids have been virtual this entire time though and I NEED a break even just a couple weeks so I’m sending them to a week or two of camp at the private school they swim at and I drop them at 7am for practice and pick up at 4 when camp gets out or 6:30 when afternoon practice is over.
My parents can keep DD (age 7) and drive her places with no issues. She can buckle herself, toilet herself, turn on the TV herself, listen to directions, etc. They totally don't mind it and my mom and DD like hanging out together. It's DS (age 3) that makes everyone run for the hills. So while DS stays at full time daycare for the summer, we are sending DD to math camp at a private school in the mornings, and then she wants to do an arts and crafts camp at a local place in town in the afternoons. This is for July. My dad could probably drive her between math camp and art class, while she eats lunch with grandma in between. I think for August, I'll just free style it since my husband will still be WFH. I also want her to take piano lessons. The piano is at my parents' house and is supposed to be moved to our house, but I kinda just want to leave it there for a bit longer because I like the silence at our house. So I have to figure out how to arrange that as well.
I have been back 4 days a week in person since last June. DH works from home but is on phone calls the entire day and can’t watch the kids at all except he is there in case of an emergency.
We plan to do our regular day camp. Last summer we had a nanny but she has another family now.
We have a few specialty camps planned: Girl Scout camp 1 week for DD. Special needs bike camp for DS 1 week. It’s only 90 minutes a day so I am envisioning him staying home with dad and then me transporting him to bike camp in the afternoon. 1 week sleepaway camp for both kids.
My kids are doing camp. They did camp last year too. NYC had very low cases last year and while I have always worked from home I continue to find it challenging when the kids are always here.
To me the considerations are
1. What is safe? 2. What would be best for the kids?
Camps vary in how they manage the risks of covid and case levels are all over the map. If you feel camp would be safe then we can move on.
Have your kids expressed a view on camp vs. grandparents? My kids tend to stay with my inlaws in the weeks before or after camp and they enjoy that but would NOT want to spend a whole summer with them. That is especially true this year with the limited social opportunities they had. We're pretty limited in what we do and we're remaining that way to make sure the kids don't catch Covid before camp.
In terms of your parents -- I can't say if it would be too much. Are they usually good having the kids for long stretches?
FWIW In my experience camp never runs the whole summer so I would probably plan for grandparents to help in the gap weeks before or after and full camp but I don't know your summer situation. Are you taking a vacation in the gap weeks between school and camp? We are not so I have about 3 weeks to cover this year after camp ends. We're doing a gap week camp, week at my inlaws or possible more, and some home days where I might do virtual camps so I don't get asked every 5 min about snacks.
Post by Velar Fricative on Apr 16, 2021 8:34:38 GMT -5
ssmjlm, I know logistically it isn't the smoothest but I do think #3 is the best option. Maybe one month with the grandparents and the other month with camp so it's not a different pattern every day or week?
We definitely need to put our kids in full-time summer camp. DH didn't work last summer because there were no summer school/camp opportunities, but he will this summer, and after a year of disruption with my job and not being able to go into my office as much as I would have liked, I need some semblance of regular childcare again. DD2 will just continue at her preschool through the summer and DD1 will go to the nearby Y.
I will say, after a year of very little childcare (and mostly free in the form of public school), I'm getting sticker shock at summer camp prices even though they're totally normal and we've paid for daycare/summer camp for yeeeeeeears. So it's going to be a big mental shift to pay for full-time care again.
Both DH and I will be working from home most of the summer. DS (1) will go to his regular daycare. DD(5) is registered for three weeks of gymnastics and dance camps full days. I want to do two more weeks in the local rec sports camp if they ever open up registration.
Otherwise she will be hanging out with us during the day. I’m hoping she spends some days with ILs and my Mom. Maybe one or two days a week would be great. Her best friend lives one street over and her Mom is off as a teacher and they put in a pool last year so she said she can also hang out there.
If Covid cases are high all these plans go out the window. I’m not thinking about it.
ETA: I didn’t answer your question. I would do Option 3. That’s basically what I’m doing.
Post by cricketwife on Apr 16, 2021 8:51:23 GMT -5
I would do number 3, but I see camp as a good thing. I'm off for the summer and we still have some camps lined up. Summer is long, I think just being with the grandparents could get difficult for all three of them. I would choose a few high interest camps and balance with time at grandparents. That said, I'm not sure if what I've just described is actually your number 2 where you said "there are a few half-day/day camps we're looking at"?
I'd opt for #3, especially with willing grandparents. It gives her some variety and you some flexibility for the beach house.
Summers are always a bit chaotic here -- I work for myself, so I just work around my kids' schedules and take on a little less over the summer. My oldest will do a lot of dance, but the younger two just like to kick it at home and go to the pool, so we aren't doing any camps this year due to lack of interest. But, my work is flexible enough that I can pull it off.
I have both signed up at DD's daycare. She starts K in September and can stay in daycare through the summer. DD is in 1st grade now and is able to be in their school aged summer camp. But because of COVID, they're not doing any of the fun things that DS is looking forward to. In the before times, they would be going on weekly field trips and having water play days, visits from the Fun Bus etc. None of that is possible this year and it's making me hesitate on spending the equivalent of a mortgage payment for them to not have get really anything extra out of it. Socially, it would be good. And it would be nice to have some quiet while I work.
Work hasn't mentioned when we're officially back. Even if we go back, I don't think I'll be in the office more than two days a week. Grandparents are all fully vaccinated and are hoping to make up for some lost time. But my ILs are flaky. What MIL says today might be totally different a month from now. I'd hate to drop them from camp and then she changes her mind and I'm stuck.
If I could commit to just some weeks, I'd do camp a few weeks, off for a few weeks. Instead, we have to pay for the whole summer with one vacation week off.
Post by goldengirlz on Apr 16, 2021 9:39:39 GMT -5
We’re doing full time day camp and I am PUMPED.
After a year of distance learning and more recently hybrid, I think it’s going to be great for her to see kids everyday and have structure and a routine.
That said, even with full-time camp, I still have three weeks where I’ll need to find something for her to do, because the camp dates don’t line up precisely with the school calendar.
Post by secretagent on Apr 16, 2021 9:41:06 GMT -5
My kids are going to day camp for at least 5 weeks. If we can swing it we will skip aftercare (I am in my office FT so really up to my spouse). We did part of the summer last year once the state allowed them to open and it was life changing for my kids who were a mess after not see anyone besides their siblings for 4 months. They did a GREAT job last summer keeping everyone safe and I'm very confident this summer will be the same! We are fairly recently hybrid and things are getting better but one of my kids is still struggling and I think the lack of consistent schedule contributes so I'm really looking forward to this.
We haven't figured out August yet as we're considering some grandparent time but we're not sure about flying the kids around the country (and it is NOT cheaper than camp as neither of our parents can take them all or handle more than 5-7 days which is already a big ask!). I think in the end the kids will end up going to camp 3 more weeks then being home 2 weeks. I'm hoping to go away one of those weeks.
We don't have time during the day to manage playdates/part time camps/etc so this is best for us.
hocus2, just 1 kid, but she hasn't really said what she wants. She LOVES my parents though and since they've moved closer spends many weekends with them, spending 1 night.
I am a bit concerned about the summer camp and their protocols. Also I'm not sure if she'll have any friends there as her 2 friends are both not confirmed for summer stuff yet either. We don't really have any "great" programs in our area. The YMCA is awful and riddled with issues, so this is the best of our options.
Also, she wouldn't need the camp until July, so I'm not sure if she would be able to integrate for just a few weeks in July? School schedules are shifting earlier, so she'll spend the first 3 weeks of summer at the beach between grandparents and when DH and I have our vacations planned.
I think we're going to hold off on summer camps again this season. DS qualified for a sleep-away camp last summer through an organization that offers camp opportunities for children with medical needs. Obviously camp was cancelled for summer 2020, but they are doing a bit of a hybrid model for this summer. We opted not to participate in their version of camp this summer. (Families getting their own cabin and doing a sleep-away option for 3 nights.) They were still utilizing indoor dining, which didn't sit well with us. We've done a family weekend before and it rained. Being outside for all activities (minus eating) in the rain is pretty horrible. We'll send him to sleep-away camp next summer, assuming the world is mostly back to normal.
We also usually attends karate camp, but we're likely going to hold off on that until next summer, too. He'll continue with outdoor class 3x/wk.
I'm a SAHM so we don't need weekday child-care. We'll just try to connect him with friends ongoing through the summer. Anything will be an improvement over last summer's isolation.
Both my kids are doing camp. DS1 (14) goes to overnight camp and will be gone for 7 weeks (and due to Covid no visiting weekend this year 😢). DS2 (9) will be doing day camp. All at the same place but different specialties on different weeks.
I feel like anything I can do to get the kids out of the house, away from electronics, and moving around is critical after a year of being stuck at home. I feel pretty good about all the camp protocols (and DS1’s overnight camp ran last summer so we know their protocol is effective). Fingers crossed for everything!
This is kind of a tough summer because my 15 year old is too old for most camps, but not old enough to drive/work (most jobs around here require you to be 16 minimum). She really wants to work and can’t wait for next summer when she’ll be eligible.
She’s going to take one summer school class (health), bike to our neighborhood pool with friends, occasionally babysit, etc. Probably way too much screen time.
If she's interested, I bet she could find a full time babysitting job, especially this year.
This is kind of a tough summer because my 15 year old is too old for most camps, but not old enough to drive/work (most jobs around here require you to be 16 minimum). She really wants to work and can’t wait for next summer when she’ll be eligible.
She’s going to take one summer school class (health), bike to our neighborhood pool with friends, occasionally babysit, etc. Probably way too much screen time.
My 14 year old (will be 15 in July) got a job at a local water park in food services. They are one of the few places that hires 14-15. My 15 year old cousin got a job lifeguarding at a local reservoir. There are places, but it takes a decent amount of work to find them
My oldest will be working (yay!) and horseback riding all summer.
My 12 year old will be on the tennis team and hopefully haunting the neighborhood pool with friends all summer. And going to overnight camp for 2 weeks.
My 9 year old has a week of martial arts day camp, a week of fly fishing day camp, a week of overnight camp, and probably my parents will take him camping for a few long weekends. Otherwise he will be around. Not sure how that is going to go. DH works from home FT and I work in a lab, but can also work partially from home. We will see.
DS1 is going for 5 weeks to one of the few camps in session this year. Normally he would go there for 2 or 3 weeks because it’s about twice as expensive as the other camps he also attends during a normal summer and it’s an hour round trip, but we want to keep him off screens and with other kids. In addition he’ll keep up with soccer and swimming.
Post by edwardo123 on Apr 16, 2021 16:34:05 GMT -5
I’m home during the summer, but I will still send my girls to camp, activities, and maybe some time with my sister-in-law(she and her three high school-college age kids are all vaccinated). My kids love staying there because that are spoiled with non-stop attention.
The first six weeks will be swim team every day. My 11 year old is a coach in training and gets to demonstrate form in the pool to younger kids. She will practice 7-9 with her club team, then volunteer 10-12. My youngest will swim and hangout during the 10-12 time. They will have meets every Tuesday and Thursday, plus a couple of travel meets for their club team.
Both girls will do an art camp at a local studio. My youngest is doing a couple camps with our park district. I am trying to convince my oldest to try a learn to row camp or cooking classes.
We are remodeling two bathrooms and updating our electric, so we aren’t planning a vacation this summer.
My 7 year old is signed up for two weeks of half days camp in our town (engineering & art)
I’m a SAHM so I don’t technically neeeed to sign him up for anything, but after a year of virtual school I need him out of my hair, and I need him to make some local friends.
My 2 year old is signed up for 7 weeks of half day camp. The world shut down the week before his first birthday, and now he has a speech delay and desperately needs socialization.
DD will do a week at the science museum (day camp) and at least one week of tennis/swim camp at the local country club. We will be OOT for a week at the lake and we have a few shorter trips planned.
We still don’t know. School is offering camp for the month of June. Other camps haven’t laid out their plans yet but should in the next week. We have one week of sleepaway came scheduled. Camps for two is sticker shock for me though. $1500 a month for two kids, eek!
Post by penguingrrl on Apr 17, 2021 10:39:11 GMT -5
My 13 year old is doing two weeks of virtual music camp through our flagship state university. They’ll also be beginning HS marching band. That’s about it, other than likely hanging out with friends a lot. The group will be splitting up and going to a few different high schools so they’re planning to enjoy their last summer as a big group.
My middle (11) will be doing a week long softball camp. It was supposed to be an overnight camp (we initially signed up for last summer) but it switched to a day camp. She will also be continuing her travel softball team and 1:1 pitching lessons.
My son (8) will be going to full day day camp. It includes door to door bus service. I’m assuming that a mostly outdoor camp that got through last summer without a single incident of spread in camp will be able to keep things safe. H needs him gone so he can work from home, which has been a nightmare for the past year. I work outside the house, so we need our son somewhere safe and where he’ll be active.