How young is too young for sleepaway camp?
For parents, not kids.
I’m convinced that I could hit the big 8-0 and still worry about my kid being away from home.
And by home, I mean me.
Because hi, I am THAT Mom.
Allow my baby to attend summer sleepaway camp?
Never.
Actually, I’ll probably give in when she turns 30… I mean 10.
That’s considered the “age of reason” for most sleepaway camps in our neck of the woods.
However, on the East Coast there are many summer camps that allow kids as young as 6 years old to spend weeks at a time away from their families.
Six.
Personally, the thought of sending my 6-year-old to sleepaway camp for two to three weeks makes me nauseous.
She’d probably survive.
Me, not so much.
Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against kids exploring the great outdoors with their peers, making s’mores, and potentially, lifelong friends.
If I do my research well I’m sure I could find a reputable summer camp that features top-notch employees, who will protect my kid from bullies, bears and blistering sunburns.
The question is how much research do I have to complete to find a camp staffed with workers who will be sympathetic to a parent who has a hard time letting go?
Our 12-year-old neighbor left for sleepaway camp this morning; hence the contemplative thoughts on the subject.
Twelve is plenty old to be attending camp for two weeks, especially since he’s not my kid.
Six may be fine too for some children… and their parents. After all, moms and dads know their kids best, right?
You may have a 15-year-old, who spends the majority of the day with his head in the clouds and nix the idea of him spending three weeks at sleepaway camp, but allow your savvy, street smart 11-year-old the opportunity given her advance maturity.
The amount of hand-holding necessary depends on each kid, and parents have the right to use their discretion in deciding when their offspring is capable of not only surviving summer camp, but thriving there.
So, how young is too young for sleepaway camp?
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