Most parents I know send their kids to summer camp every year. I was actually in the same boat. With my husband and I both working full-time, sending our kids to camp was necessary. When I quit my job a year ago, we still enrolled them to allow for a smoother transition. But this year, we decided to avoid sending our kids to summer camp.
3 reasons to avoid sending kids to summer camp
It’s less expensive to keep them home
My husband and I spent over 3000 dollars on summer camp every year. Now that I’m no longer getting a full-time salary, there’s no point enrolling them again. Although it would be nice to have “me time,” financially it wouldn’t make sense. However, if I do get called in to fill-in at work, there is emergency day care available that won’t cost us a ton of money.
We get to spend quality time together
It was tough only seeing the kids for about an hour during the week. The only really quality time was saved for weekends. This new schedule allows us to hang out more. Despite being able to see my kids more, I did have a few concerns.
What will we do? What if they become bored? What if I lose my mind? These were some of the questions that ran through my head, and it freaked me out at first. That’s when I decided to do some research and figure out a plan. I’ve managed to work out a daily schedule involving various summer activities with breaks in between.
Promote sibling bonding
My kids are three years apart. So if they attended camp, they’d be placed in different rooms – which is how it’s been for the last few years. Being home for the summer is a great way to promote and strengthen their sibling bond.
At first, I wasn’t sure if we should avoid sending our kids to summer camp. But now that summer’s here, we’ve been having so much fun. There is a nice balance of family time, swimming and dance lessons among other activities to keep them occupied.
Does your summer plans involve summer camp?
CommentsPhotos: Stacy-Ann Gooden
Stacy-Ann Gooden (aka Weather Anchor Mama) can be seen delivering the weather forecast on the news in New York City. But her most important role is being a wife and mom. She writes about balancing career and motherhood in her blog, Weather Anchor Mama. You can also follow her on twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
