I read in the newspaper recently an article about researching summer camps for your children, and it reminded me once again of how over-complicated we have made parenting. The “camp advisor” stated that “the best way to find the “perfect” summer experience for their child was to plan early, because done right, the process of finding the right camp can take an entire year’s worth of research.” Really?
Are our children so delicate and special that it takes 12 months of investigation to find a place where a kid can play in a lake and eat s’mores? I have run camps now for 24 years, so I know a week of camp involves more than that. But not THAT much more!
Going to camp fairs and talking to a camp’s staff, checking out their websites, and maybe calling a parent or two on their reference list should be more than enough research to ensure the camp is safe and a good fit. Many parents and kids pick camps where a friend has attended, so that word-of-mouth is probably the best way to trust a camp.
When you read about the need for a years worth of research, please don’t allow that to put you into overdrive. Relax. And since most parents don’t have time for more than my above-mentioned steps, please don’t feel guilty or like a bad parent if you fail to make camp selection your full-time job. Relax. It’s summer camp, not brain surgery.
There are many places in our parenting lives where we are micromanaging and too involved. Don’t over-complicate something like picking a fun camp experience for your children. And check out my camps at www.campweloki.com. Hope to see you there.