From “No Thank You” to “Yes Please” :: Why I’ve Changed My Take on Summer Camp

Why No Camp?

Two years ago, I wrote a post explaining why I was a “No Thank You” to summer camp. I cited reasons such as the kids needed unstructured down time and how I was looking forward to time for them to riding bikes, swimming and playing too much Minecraft.

Change of Heart

Now here I am two short years later changing my mind. This year, for the first time ever, I’ve signed all four of my children up for summer camp. The boys will go off to visit Nana for a week, and we’ll all go on our summer vacation together, but otherwise, they’ll be spending their days in summer camp. I am as confident in my decision this year as I was two years ago because we’re simply in a new season and ready to take on new adventures.

New Experiences

My children range from two to ten years old. They each need socialization and summer experiences, but they are at different levels of maturity. This year, we chose summer camps that fit their personalities and reflect their passions. The girls are attending age appropriate camp that offers lots of summer activities while they continue their preschool learning. The boys are doing a few weeks of Adventure Camp where they will engage in activities centering around collecting artifacts and will have the opportunity to take elective hours in golf, rugby, swimming, theater, cooking, hip-hop dancing and 3D art. They will also be attending a week of swim camp and a week of Boy Scout camp. Each camp offers different levels of engagement, various occasions for socialization and best of all, new experiences to develop their character outside of home.

Bring It On!

Today was the last day of school for all of my children and summer camp starts Monday. I’m looking forward to watching them each grow as they build new friendships, develop their social skills and engage in new activities. I may change my mind again in two years, but that’s okay, too! Staying flexible is how I survive this motherhood gig.

What do your children do to stay busy over the summer?

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