Please help... dd wants to go to sleep away camp

amother

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:14 pm

I have no idea how to send her, shop for her, pack for her—
I’m an older mother. This is my oldest daughter. I’d rather she stay home... but she is 13 and begging.
She spoke with friends and pretty much chose a camp.
At home, I’ll wash her tops and hang them to dry. She’ll wear her skirts 2-3 times and then I’ll wash and hang.
What happens in camp? Everything gets thrown in the dryer?
Summer things especially need ironing.
She often wears long nightgowns from frum stores but I heard that girls don’t wear that in camp. What DO they wear???
How many tops, skirts, bras, shabbos outfits?
So much easier to just keep her home until she can take care of herself!
I need step by step instructions...

amother

Cyan

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:20 pm

Do you live in Europe? Who has overnight camp now?

What age is your daughter?

Some camps have the girls do there own laundry, and they can do them as they please.

Other camps have a laundry system where the kids hand in the laundry.

Find out how your camp works.

amother

Jade

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:22 pm

There are several months to go until summer. Plenty of time to teach her how to do laundry/care for her clothes.
Also, most camps have a list of recommended items to bring, including what type of clothing and how much of each item.

Fave

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:22 pm

Good thing that you have 8+ months to shop. Get a list from camp and use that as a basic guideline.

She will need clothing that will be enough for at least 8 days (might be more, depends on the campS laundry schedule). Enough tops, skirts, socks and underwear for daily changing. 2-3 Shabbos outfits.

Nightwear depends on camp type. Best if your daughter asks her friends.

Good Luck!

amother

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:31 pm

Fave wrote:

Most helpful/ thank you!

You mean people buy 8 skirts?? 8 bras? This past summer she had 4 of each.
I think laundry is done once a week.

amother

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:34 pm

She’s not going to camp now but applying now.
The camp opened last summer so we are assuming they’ll open up again.
Right now we we are living everything is open, schools, businesses, extra curricular... but masks are being worn.
If they opened in the midst of the chaos last year I’m sure they’ll open again... obviously time will tell but we don’t want to loose our spot and therefore need to send in the application.

ra_mom

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:40 pm

She's the right age. This is how she will learn how to take care of herself.

She'll need:
12-14 t-shirts
6 skirts
3-4 sets of shabbos
6 pantyhose
1 robe or maxi
6 pjs
16 prs socks
16 undies
2-3 bathing suits
1 swim robe

Keep in mind laundry is picked up every 8 days. Find how how long it takes for it to come back.

Regarding skirts that usually get hung up, send along a small bottle of woolite hand wash detergent, and teach her how to wash the skirts in the sink and hang them up.

amother

Navy

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:42 pm

You need to buy a lot of stuff. Speak to other mother's who send there so you'll know what's really necessary.
Sure it's easier to keep her home but sometimes diapers is easier than toilet training too. She will gain independence, learn new things, get a chance to blossom in a different way.

amother

Smokey

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:47 pm

I also washed and hung my daughters' clothes at home.
At camp, they wore lots of plainer t shirts.Maybe you can buy some long sleeve hanes t shirts and hem them to 3/4 sleeve so they are not too warm. They can survive the rougher camp laundry and the dryer, and if not, well you've spent $8 on each. Camp costs so much that even $100 on new more disposable clothing is a pittance in the realm of things, and means you can keep more of her good clothes at home.

The nicer shirts, even for everday, did not go in the camp laundry.
My dd's went for 4 weeks, and after 2 weeks was visiting day.
On visiting day, I picked up the nicer shirts/shabbos outfits which had been placed in the "home laundry bag" and at least I knew she would be coming back to some clothes that had survived camps.

I think the most important thing is to go to a camp where many people are not bringing their best clothes. Shabbos in camp was shabbos afternoon at home clothes. Who knows if that will fly nowadays--you need to find out more about the camp she wants to attend.

amother

Lilac

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 9:55 pm

Start looking for sales. Socks, underwear, basic summer tops. Buy lots.

Don't send anything that you will be upset if destroyed. My kids were instructed not to bring home socks. Easier to throw them out there, and they weren't worth salvaging. And camp laundries are not so gentle.

She may hand wash one or two special things, but she is not going to hand wash her everyday things.

I also wouldn't anticipate her wearing a skirt 3 times. Camp isn't a sedentary experience. B'li ayin hara, she will be running around, doing crafts and activities, and getting filthy every day. 4 skirts isn't enough, by far.

amother

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 10:36 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Omg! That’s way more clothing than I ever bought!
Is it normal in camp for girls to wear their skirts more than once (sometimes)?

amother

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 10:38 pm

amother [ Navy ] wrote:

You are right but I was hoping to wait just one more year...

amother

Sienna

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 10:40 pm

Dd has a lot of clothes even more that on that list. Girls who go to camp can manage with the laundry. Everything else is being served to them. You sound very naive. How old is Dd?

familyfirst

Sat, Oct 17 2020, 11:04 pm

Minimalist here:
8 shirts,
6 skirts,
10 pairs socks
4 pairs pajamas
12 undies
6 bras
3 shabbos outfits

If you’re already looking towards summer, kidichic had a great sale on their tshirts and skirts

Good luck! Do t expect daughter to come home with all her clothes intact but I found that after A few washingS at home after Camp they were salvageable

ra_mom

Sun, Oct 18 2020, 12:23 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Omg! That’s way more clothing than I ever bought!
Is it normal in camp for girls to wear their skirts more than once (sometimes)?

Yes, but 6 is the least you can get away with. They get dirty quickly. But an $18 maxi skirt. Buy $8 tees. Send some old ones.

essie14

Sun, Oct 18 2020, 1:17 am

I started going to camp when I was 10. It was amazing for my independence.
Don't sent any clothing that you want back in good condition. If it survives, bonus!
She is not going to hand wash anything in the sink, except maybe bras.
Buy inexpensive t shirts and skirts, socks and underwear.
Do not let her take her nicest shabbat clothes.
Cotton t shirts and denim skirts dont need to be ironed.

zigi

Sun, Oct 18 2020, 1:54 am

start saving, buy items that she won't grow out of so fast. I bought my daughters camp wardrobe in the kidichic 1/2 or more sale. like 3.50 for a shirt. I knew it had a nice neckline etc. she went for a month, her shabbos is cold wash. she just put it away for when she came home. also try to wash things at home at first it might only need cold wash but if it gets washed warm and dried it might be fine.