Kids, they’re expensive.
I don’t even what to think about how much it costs to raise a child from birth
to age 18.
And then there’s college.
Hopefully they graduate and get into a decent career.
Fingers crossed they aren’t in debt from student loans.
Fingers and toes crossed they don’t need to be bailed out at every turn in the
road.
Hey y’all, it’s thatgirljen – today I want to share a precious parenting gem
with you.
GET. RID. OF. YOUR. KIDS.
Trust me, your kids will thank you!
I’m not saying load them into the mini-van and head to the nearest “safe-haven”
or fire station to part ways… NOPE- I’m talking about SUMMER CAMP!!!
Growing up, my parents would NEVER have considered to send me, my sister and
brother off to summer camp. I think the attitude was, “Why should the kids get a
really cool summer ‘vacation’ while we’re stuck home being responsible adults.”
Well that’s kinda the deal when you have kids, they get to be kids, you get to
be the adult.
OH adulting is so tough isn’t it?
But seriously, get rid of your kids.
Now I’m not talking about that ‘day camp’ stuff where, you have to wake up at
the butt crack of dawn to drive them there, and then pick them up before dinner
and rush hour traffic. I’m talking about that kind of summer camp like in that
Disney movie called the Parent Trap!
Summer camp is a place where kids are away from the helicopter parents. A place
where kids have to be responsible for themselves and their cabin mates. They
gain so much more independence and learn a lot about themselves. It’s great for
them to learn how to deal and live with other people for a week or two, in a
controlled environment, without mom or dad there to “make sure everything is
OK.” A week at summer camp is just a great way to test the waters for when they
might head out of the nest and have roommates.
You’re not sending your kid off on vacation, you’re investing in their well
being.
The kiddo has done summer camp over the past few years and it’s been an amazing
experience.
While at camp the kids have to manage their time, get to their assigned courses,
eat a balanced meal, make good decisions, navigate new people and friendships,
work as a team with strangers… get out of their bubble comfort zones, try new
things.
Just be a kid.
They also get to make memories, add to their life’s story, and come home
excited, ready to tell everyone all about it.
More importantly, they come home with a new kind of appreciation.
Going to camp isn’t a right. It’s a privilege. Being away, they might even miss
you and realize all that you do for them. They might even come home, wanting to
help out more around the house! 🙂
Now, I just recently went to a weekend at camp with the kiddo. Together, we
experienced her camp program, just like she does during the summer.
And let me be honest, I’m kinda jealous, but so excited for this summer.
We shot off rockets, made friendship bracelets, did archery and went kayaking.
We spent REAL time together, away from technology, and other daily life
distractions. We braved a huge rain storm and a freak cold front. We managed a
few bad cabin mates, made some new friends in the process and slept in bunk
beds. I met many of the camp counselors, and saw how much THEY love working
there. There were silly songs to be sung, good food to eat, and nice hot
showers. Most importantly we had a lot of great shared moments.
It was a healthy experience for the both of us.
Did I mention that we’re creeping into the teen years, and well this is usually
the age where kids begin to break away, and start to grow up… and yet, at the
end of our camp weekend, I asked, “Would you want to do this again next year?”
and got a very firm “YES!”
So, check around, and see if there’s a sleep-away camp that still has openings
and availability. A lot of camps start registration sometime in the fall, and
book quickly. Many camps have parent child weekends- which is a good way to
check it out. Other camps have open tour dates to walk the grounds, and then
there’s the internet…
Just do it, for you and most importantly for your kid.
