Is this normal/ would you say something/ if so how

[wildrice]

Jun 24, 2024 10:06:25 GMT -5 jobae1234 said:

Jun 24, 2024 8:31:22 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

How many kids are staying at the camp when the others are going on the field trips? What are the field trips? Are there still fun activities happening at the camp when the other kids are gone on the field trips?

I'd complain about the "camp days suck" part when it's a field trip day.  I get that maybe they can't take all of the kids on the field trips, but the kids that have to stay behind should be given the opportunity to have special activities that they normally wouldn't be able to do because of the number of kids that are usually there.

The field trips are broken down into age groups. So like the 6-7 year old group and the 7-8 year old group go to a trampoline park. The few kids who stay behind are immersed into another group. So it doesn’t suck because the camp day sucks, it sucks because 90% of your friends and your counselors are gone and you’re with strange kids for the day essentially.

If it's really 90%, that's extra shitty. I would probably get it more if it was like half or less of the group got to go but if all but a few kids are going somewhere, then WTF to leaving just those few behind.

I think I would say something, even if it doesn't change anything at least it might make them think about how to do things better in the future. If nobody complains they won't see any reason to change things, and you are probably not the only one annoyed about this!

[ilikedonuts]

I have never heard of a camp that didn’t included field trips let alone one that had limits on the number of kids allowed to go on those field trips.

[hermione]

Our camp limits the number of kids enrolled - you have to register for each week and it sucks. But, if you are enrolled, you get to go on the field trips...of course.

[niq]

When I was a kid I went to some overnight camps where there were these optional overnight excursions. But only a small fraction of the campers would go on them. That makes some sense to me.

Sending 80% or 90% but not 100% of campers on the field trip, though, that seems weird and punitive to the kids who have to stay. I would ask what can be done to support 100% attendance at least for anyone who wants to go.

[joy]

Camp is a field trip for my kid. I’m glad there aren’t these extras to deal with. I am sorry their policy sucks.

[momin2013]

Just chiming in to agree that this is not normal and absolutely sucks. So much so that I’d be emailing the director about it - they need to do better. It would be different if the field trips were optional and some kids opted not to go, but all kids should at least get the choice.

[konapoppy]

Apparently I am the only one who has had this before. It was the camp that our aftercare offered. I think it was mostly a transportation issue more than anything else.

But I’m annoyed because the pool wasn’t ready for 1/6 swim lessons for our extremely expensive camp, so I am sure I would be irritated in your situation.

[loira]

Agree this is not normal. Our day camps that come with field trips have them for everyone. Sleep away camp has out trip options for different age groups but again open to everyone.

[countthestars]

I don’t think this is “normal”, but I’m guessing that it’s offered because so people didn’t want to / couldn’t pay the additional $30 for the trip but needed care, so there is a “stay back” option. I don’t love it, but I don’t think it’s outrageous. Our camp doesn’t offer this but does do field trips 2x per week. Sign ups are day to day which we love because we don’t have to pay for full weeks if we only need partial care, but we missed out on some field trips this year because we didn’t sign up fast enough. We don’t have a stay back option, so we had to find alternative care for the field trip days (ex this week’s Tuesday field trip filled up quick, so my kids are only going to camp M/W/Th and I am WFH today.

[kath16]

Jun 25, 2024 6:54:50 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I don’t think this is “normal”, but I’m guessing that it’s offered because so people didn’t want to / couldn’t pay the additional $30 for the trip but needed care, so there is a “stay back” option. I don’t love it, but I don’t think it’s outrageous. Our camp doesn’t offer this but does do field trips 2x per week. Sign ups are day to day which we love because we don’t have to pay for full weeks if we only need partial care, but we missed out on some field trips this year because we didn’t sign up fast enough. We don’t have a stay back option, so we had to find alternative care for the field trip days (ex this week’s Tuesday field trip filled up quick, so my kids are only going to camp M/W/Th and I am WFH today.

but it's not based on willingness/ability to pay the extra - it's who can register the fastest. that seems dumb. 

if it's truly a vast majority like you're saying and 90% of kids are on the field trip, the i'd say something. or at least ask if there is a way to include all of the kids on the age group field trips. if they're local and it's a bus issue or something, perhaps their could be two trips and the 7 year olds leave for the trampoline park at 10am, then the driver loops back around to pick up the 8 year olds and they start at 11. idk, i'd want to know what specifically the issue was and then decide how annoyed to be.

[countthestars]

Jun 25, 2024 7:58:54 GMT -5 kath16 said:

Jun 25, 2024 6:54:50 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I don’t think this is “normal”, but I’m guessing that it’s offered because so people didn’t want to / couldn’t pay the additional $30 for the trip but needed care, so there is a “stay back” option. I don’t love it, but I don’t think it’s outrageous. Our camp doesn’t offer this but does do field trips 2x per week. Sign ups are day to day which we love because we don’t have to pay for full weeks if we only need partial care, but we missed out on some field trips this year because we didn’t sign up fast enough. We don’t have a stay back option, so we had to find alternative care for the field trip days (ex this week’s Tuesday field trip filled up quick, so my kids are only going to camp M/W/Th and I am WFH today.

but it's not based on willingness/ability to pay the extra - it's who can register the fastest. that seems dumb. 

if it's truly a vast majority like you're saying and 90% of kids are on the field trip, the i'd say something. or at least ask if there is a way to include all of the kids on the age group field trips. if they're local and it's a bus issue or something, perhaps their could be two trips and the 7 year olds leave for the trampoline park at 10am, then the driver loops back around to pick up the 8 year olds and they start at 11. idk, i'd want to know what specifically the issue was and then decide how annoyed to be.

We don't really know that though? My kids would have happily gone on today's field trip and I would have paid for it, but I was slow to sign up. I knew when sign ups were, like OP, and I didn't jump fast enough. I don't even know why I'm playing devil's advocate here because I agree that it's annoying, but I have a very "assume positive intent" so I would assume that there's a good reason that they've thought through already. There are so many moving parts with field trips (ratios of staff to campers, how many buses there are and the cost to add another for just a few kids or the logistics of looping back around etc etc). I don't think it's a terrible idea to ask why it's done that way though. 

[noodleoo]

I would definitely be annoyed by this! And yes, I'd say something. jinkies had wording upthread that I liked. Not accusatory, but making them aware that you were disappointed your kid missed out on the field trip.

Our summer camp that is run by the school's aftercare program does field trips, but it is for all kids and there is no stay behind option. The cost is already rolled into the camp. I can't imagine them limiting who can go, especially if there is no extra cost, as it would be so disappointing for the kids left behind. It would be one thing if a kid/parent chose for them to stay, but not having enough space for everyone who wants to go seems exclusive and harsh.

[sparty04]

The school district that I used to work for had this problem too because people could sign up by the day for camp and some people only wanted to do field trip days. I believe they ended up making it mandatory that kids that went on field trips attended at least 3 days a week on a normal basis (it's really a safety issue too, they need to know who the kids are) and maybe even extended it to it needing to be a day of the week that they regularly attended. I think the system that your camp uses is pretty crappy though

[jorja]

That’s a really shitty way to set things up on the camps part.

They should alternate so everyone gets to go on one or two instead of some kids getting to go on all, and some on none.

[livinitup]

Not normal.

I also hate how they are making it a “you” problem, like you did something wrong, were too slow, whatever - instead of what it is - a ridiculous, short sighted policy, and system deficit that resulted in a poor outcome for a camper and a bunch of campers.

[jg183]

it seems like they need to raise their price to include the field trips and just take everyone. This is silly

[midwestmama]

I'm with everyone else - there should be equal opportunity for kids to attend all field trips they want to sign up for, or, each kid can sign up for X number of field trips. If the field trip is paid for in advance, which I assume it is, it seems like it should provide enough time for the camp to get additional transportation arranged and staffing planned to cover the field trip and those who are at camp. And they should have enough fun activities at the camp on field trip days for those kids who can't or choose not to go on the field trips so that kids at camp aren't feeling like field trip days are the worst if you didn't get to go.