How often does your child call home from sleep away camp?

amother

Sun, Jul 31 2022, 9:24 pm

Please include age, gender and if this is his/her first time attending sleepaway camp?

Also please include if the camp has rules as to how often the campers are allowed to call home

TIA…very nervous first time mom here Smile

My son is calling everyday…his first time in sleepaway camp. But when I speak to my son he sounds happy. I’m so nervous. Why is he calling so much?

happy7

Sun, Jul 31 2022, 9:32 pm

Some camps don’t allow calling. It is so much better when the campers are allowed to call
home. Your son will call while he is getting used to camp. It is fine. He is calling for reassurance and because he misses you. As he gets more comfortable and more busy, he won’t call as well often.

amother

Sun, Jul 31 2022, 9:34 pm

happy7 wrote:

It’s better for him to be allowed to call, because…?
Really trying to understand this

HonesttoGod

Sun, Jul 31 2022, 9:43 pm

The first year my son went to camp he called every day. Multiple times. Basically if he saw a phone not in use or he was bored he’d call.

I liked that there was no limit on the phones because I liked to hear from him , I needed him to check in for my anxiety lol. However sometiems it did get annoying.

He was totally fine though not home sick at all.
These days he calls once a day, occasionally twice if he has a question.

happy7

Sun, Jul 31 2022, 11:49 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

It’s better for him to be allowed to call, because…?
Really trying to understand this

Because children should be able to access their parents. This is 2022.
I have sent many kids to overnight camp BH. There is no reason that children should be denied access to their parents. Perhaps limit the calling to be made within one hour during the day or evening if you don’t want kids calling all the time. But when the kids go to camps and they can’t call home, their small issues become so big. And if chalilah there is a actually an issue, by the time they call home, it’s too big to get under control.
Homesickness is solved when children are able to call, not by denying them the opportunity. I have had children away from home. In yeshivas and seminaries they can call whenever they need. So the first week or two, they call often. After that, they get busy and comfortable and they call less. If a child gets off the phone and knows that he/she can’t call parents again for 10 days, the ache is so big. But if They get off the phone and They know they can call again tomorrow, it’s a lot easier.
I see the difference with my children. The ones who can call are doing a lot better. It’s unnatural and unnecessary to deny children access to their safety.

amother

Eggplant

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 12:30 am

DS12 first year of camp there was trouble with the phones, many didn't work, and very limited hours so he called once or twice a week. I was nervous as hell when I didnt hear from him but whenever we spoke he sounded so happy.

amother

Bottlebrush

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 1:13 am

Children in camp over the years from ages 7th grade to post high school. They can't call first week then have phone home as an activity 2x a week plus Friday (they can call home other times too).

I usually hear from my girls 1x during the week plus Friday. My boys call Friday only, and usually skip one. Sometimes the first one (ma, the lines were so long!)

amother

Lightpink

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 1:38 am

happy7 wrote:

100 percent agree.

I literally do not understand people who insist that phone calls must be limited in camp. There is never a good reason to deny children access to their parents.

amother

White

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 10:39 pm

DS, 11 first time in camp. Its been almost a week, he's called 3 times. He sounds great and doesn't chat long. I think like another poster mentioned he's calling more for reassurance and cuz the phone is available. there are set calling times during the day when campers have access to phone

amother

Tiffanyblue

Mon, Aug 01 2022, 10:53 pm

happy7 wrote:

I disagree. Campers being allowed to call home every day doesn’t allow them to get used to camp. Instead of focusing on camp, they focus on the next phone call, and on the anxiety, and on the homesickness.
My daughter (now 13) went to camp first half last summer and this summer. Last year she called almost every day in the first week, but by the second week she was having a great time- once we all told her she wasn’t allowed to call anymore except when other campers called. This year she called the first day of camp to tel me she broke her finger, then the next two days because she was homesick. After that she only called when it was her time to call. I told her if she goes to camp next summer, I’m sending her up a week early so she can get all her anxiety and homesickness put, and by the time camp starts she will be able to enjoy the whole thing!

amother

Olive

Tue, Aug 02 2022, 12:05 am

the first summer my son went to camp he called almost daily. the camp allowed it even though officially they weren't supposed to call that often. at some point I said you can call me any time you need but you really don't need to call every day. and then toward the end of camp he called less often. the next summer he called for shabbos or as needed.

asmileaday

Tue, Aug 02 2022, 12:20 am

My boys call every second day, sometimes every day and sometimes twice a day. There's no rhyme or reason. I think it's good for them not to be restricted.
Phone calls aren't long and I always tell them I love hearing their voice (even though sometimes the timing isn't great).
I guess if you know you have an overly anxious child you may need to set limits. But for typical kids why restrict? Camp isn't a prison. It's a home away from home and if a kid wants to hear their parents' voice there's nothing wrong with that.