Can someone explain to me?

amother

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 1:36 am

Why modox/rich send their kids to sleepaway camp at 7/8 years old for the entire summer?
I would never ever look at this as a money thing, since rich shouldn’t have to do with sending away such young kids for so long. A good friend of mines 7 year old is in camp for 8 weeks-, yes, she can afford to, but why would she want to?
Why would ANY parent be ok with sending away a 7 year old for an entire summer ?
I find this mindset very popular amongst modox.
Of course a big answer why typical yeshivish people don’t send so young is because they can’t afford it but that’s not what I’m commenting on. I’m saying in general, the idea of a 7 year old (or even 8 or 9 year old) being ready to be away from their parents so long, boggled my mind.

amother

Crimson

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 1:49 am

More 'yeshivish' sleep away camps generally don't have an option to send kids that young even if parents wanted to... Which still doesn't really answer your question since now you can ask which came first, lack of demand or lack of options for that demographic, I dunno.....

amother

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 1:52 am

DrMom wrote:

All Modern Orthodox and "rich people " send their kids to full summer camp at age 7? I don't think so...

I didn’t say “all”.
I have a friend who has a 7 year old in camp lavi for 8 weeks straight. Her bunk is jam packed.
Is there more of a maturity in these types of kids? Do they actually enjoy being away from home for so long? I would never ever in a million years send away a 7 year old for one week let alone 8.
My daughter is 11 and was offered the option this year for the first time to go to sleepaway and she chose not to since she “didn’t feel ready yet”.

amother

Celeste

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 1:52 am

I sent my 7yo (almost 8) to one month of overnight camp.

He was my oldest so I guess I saw him as older or more mature than he really was.

But when he came home, he told me that next time I should make sure to send him second month too.

So I'd say that some kids are ready and do enjoy it. And presumably only those with sufficient disposable income would even be willing to find out.

amother

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 1:59 am

amother Celeste wrote:

Wow! So interesting. My kids would be miserable at that age, being away for so long.
Curious what camp you sent to?

amother

Pear

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 3:28 am

They don't all start so young, but if I had to guess I would guess it's related to smaller families= less playmates at home. And parents working full time = less time for family activities- if we can't take the whole family up to the mountains, send just the kids.
Generally the norm is to start sleepaway after 4th or 5th grade- around 10 give or take. The 7 year olds are definitely the exceptions.

DrMom

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 4:05 am

amother OP wrote:

I'd send a 7-year-old away for a week if I knew he were with friends and were properly supervised. I think 8 weeks is a bit much at that age, but every kid is different. Camp sounds fun -- my kids would see it as an adventure and be happy to go.

imasinger

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 7:30 am

One bunk, no matter how jam packed, is a tiny percentage of the population.

I live near and work with a variety of communities (MO, yeshivish, Chabad), and the overwhelming majority of 7-8 year olds are home, or in day camp.

amother

Taupe

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 7:44 am

I don't send my kids so early (jpf).
But I hv worked in the MO community around kids that age. If tons of friends are going, the kids see it as more normal & are emotionally prepared for it. When a lot of your classmates are in camp in 3rd grade, you don't see it as a scary or adult like thing.

amother

Aubergine

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 8:50 am

amother OP wrote:

In the chassidish world they also send so young.
It's not exclusively a modox thing - although maybe it's exclusively not a chassidish thing.

amother

Powderblue

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 8:54 am

amother Aubergine wrote:

In the chassidish world they also send so young.
It's not exclusively a modox thing - although maybe it's exclusively not a chassidish thing.

No chassidish camp starts before end of 6th or 7th grade. Mostly 7th.

seeker

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 9:19 am

AFAIK most camps don't have a bunk for that age. That's why your friend's bunk was jam packed, because all the kids everywhere who want/need to go to camp that age are there and not spread among many camps.

Personally I would never be comfortable having such a young kid outside direct parental care/ supervision but I also understand why it's a compelling option. Say both parents work long hours and there's no one on the block to play with... and x100 if there is a family member in medical crisis or the like that ties up the parents or that the kid could really use a break from... you don't know what's going on for each of the kids in the jam packed bunk.

amother

Mint

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 9:21 am

amother OP wrote:

Are you sure your information is accurate? I am modern orthodox. I live in a modern orthodox community. I don’t know anyone whose kids go away starting seven. I have a nine year old and only a few of her friends are away this summer, for one month.

giftedmom

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 9:24 am

amother Aubergine wrote:

In the chassidish world they also send so young.
It's not exclusively a modox thing - although maybe it's exclusively not a chassidish thing.

No one chassidish sends before ten

amother

Alyssum

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 9:33 am

RWMO here married sephardi (for reference)

Just sent my youngest at 9 yo (just finished grade 3) to a Bnei Akiva camp for the first time.

For reference, my oldest went to camp for the first time at age 12 years ago.
I think it helps that my 9 yo has older siblings at the same camp. The older ones are staying for 6 weeks (no 8 week option) and the 9 year old is staying 2 weeks.

Also for reference, kids can go to this particular camp starting after grade 2 (so usually 8 years old, although there may be a few 7 year olds also, turning 8 a bit later).

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 18 2023, 9:39 am

I started going to camp (not the whole summer that first year) going into 3rd grade. IIRC, I really wanted to go after spending a visiting day with cousins, my siblings were much older than me and not many neighbors on the block, and camp seemed like so much fun! I had a great time. It was the youngest bunk and it was a couple of staff kids and a few regular campers. And a couple of kids coming during the day from nearby bungalow colonies.

Could be my mother's job back then required her to be away for a few weeks in the summer and my father worked full-time, so it probably made sense for them in terms of that too.

But I can not imagine sending my daughter who is going into 3rd grade. Not that she is interested, anyhow.