have you ever made camp mommy?

yo'ma

Wed, Jul 01 2015, 11:10 am

Speaking of keeping kids home and making your own camp, how many of us actually has done it? The poll is if you did or not, but please elaborate in a post. I think I got all the options up there, but if not, there's always other Wink

.

I did it every year until I moved here, to Argentina. I don't know what I would have done if I had to do it here because Brooklyn is so much nicer and easier to play outside. I did it because as with most people, financial reasons. I didn't think twice about it and didn't think it was anything special. As always, you do what you gotta do!! This was mostly before a lot of the internet age and I had and still do have tons of arts and crafts books. I'm an organized person and have taught (assistant) in a preschool for many years, so it was easy to make a schedule.

LisaS

Thu, Jul 02 2015, 2:48 am

Doing it as I type. We have one rotation camp going for my 6th grade daughter, and one rotation camp going for my third grade son. We only have 4 kids in each camp, so only 4 days a week are covered. The fifth day of the week the girls run camp for the boys. They are baking, making tents, treasure hunt etc.

mummiedearest

Thu, Jul 02 2015, 9:00 am

yup, multiple years. we do it because the kids and I enjoy it. it's nice to have a large block of quality time together after a long school year.

zigi

Thu, Jul 02 2015, 9:47 am

yes I lost track of how many years I did it at least half of the summer, I think 5 years. I do enjoy parts of it. spending time with the kids, being forced- in a good way to go different places. the fighting between siblings not so much. I really appreciate school when it starts again. its harder to keep on top of the housework though. when I am out the whole day I am tired

Isramom8

Fri, Jul 03 2015, 10:24 am

Does creating some semblance of a schedule count? One summer I was very organized about the kids davening and doing homeschooling work that I gave each one individually, in the mornings.

This was just during the weeks they didn't have school-day-camp or a family trip, so I guess I'll need to answer no.

Not sure how to vote, though, because:
1. I know lots of things I could do.
but
2. I wouldn't be that okay with it.

Which is why I never seriously considered homeschooling.

mommy3b2c

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 8:35 am

I do mommy camp every summer. Usually for half , sometimes a whole. I do it because we love it. I don't do much of a schedule because we do trips basically every day. It helps that I have a car that I am willing to drive up to an hour and a half away. I am also willing to spend money on the trips if it's something we are interested in.

SRS

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 10:31 am

Except for a specialty camp for a week last summer and some learning programs, my kids are always home all summer. My advice is that you don't need to make a "camp." You can set up activities and help kids locate some friends to play with. You can also organize some home projects like tackling room organization. But mostly make sure there is a schedule for waking up, some programs or activities to do to around town, and lots of free time to read, play, do art, exercise.

Last edited by SRS on Sun, Jul 05 2015, 12:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

yo'ma

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 11:56 am

PinkFridge wrote:

Yo'ma, what is your schedule? Do you have a winter break? What's winter like for you?

Like I said, I no longer make a camp. Some summers they go to camp and others we went away. My break is when the kids are in school or camp Wink

. They do have a two week winter vacation. IMO, there's not much to do here, the playgrounds are lousy except one, but it's not in walking distance and I don't drive, and you can't play outside in the "streets".

amother

Burgundy

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 2:32 pm

I've done it for 3 weeks while kids were up till 3rd grade.
I live in Israel so easier to please them, they are not bored..they can just play outside...bake/water fight...then when cools off we go to parks etc.
Don't think I could do it if all their freinds went to camp unless I'd make it official and FUN!!
How much do you save if need to do major trips every day???

justcallmeima

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 7:50 pm

I did it because camp in our small town was only for four weeks. I found it difficult when I was alone with them, but when I made plans to go with a friend and her kids, it was great! We shmoozed while the kids played! It really helps to have a good friend who has kids similar ages to yours. It was NOT expensive at all. We never went anywhere that cost more than $10 for the whole gang. We went to parks, splash pads, wading pools, the beach and other free outings.

benny

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 10:14 pm

I've done it many times! I take the money I would have spent on camp for each kid and plan a super duper summer at home for them. We spend quality time and make amazing memories Smile

SRS

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 10:27 pm

For those mothers who ask, do we have to do something everyday? What is the savings if we are constantly on the go? I would answer, make it however you and your kids enjoy. Some mothers like to be doing and on the go and in the thick of things. I have a friend and her kids really do "camp." They go on road trips, to amusements parks, on outings. Just thinking about her schedule makes me tired. And fortunately my kids are happy to do a little go, go, going, but they mostly would rather sit in a pile of lego, build a train, or hang at the pool for way too many hours. So we combine some library programs, some small outings, a small road trip here and there (not every summer), and we call it a day. To keep costs low, look for groupon type deals, free programs, free concerts, low cost stage plays. I've spend nearly nothing on summer and it wouldn't be hard to blow through a larger budget if you really enjoy going places.

SRS

Sun, Jul 05 2015, 10:29 pm

Fave wrote:

Does Sundays count? I can barely survive the weekend.

Weekends are much harder than summer. And ppl have to remember that the 1st week of summer isn't how it will be all summer long. Kids have to get used to being around their siblings and learning to regulate themselves. I think a lot of ppl feel they need camp because they can barely make the weekend. I have constant self-doubt too. But about 2 weeks into summer, things are usually ok.