2017 children education parenting relationships

Summer Camp Struggles

Tikeetha TMby
22 Comments on Summer Camp Struggles

Okay, the struggle is real. When you are a parent with a child too young to stay home alone during the summer, you really try to find quality child care that combines both fun times and educational learning opportunities. It’s hard. Because many of those programs are pricey. Overnight camp is so darn expensive that you would have to scrap any vacation plans for the summer to pay for one week at overnight camp. But, ya’ll know that I’m too protective and I probably wouldn’t let Munch attend anything prior to age 12. I’m just not feeling it.

That being said, I actually applied to a FREE STEM camp for the summer. Ugh, Munch didn’t get in. Why? We’re not poor enough. Economics. Munch’s grades and achievements would qualify, but because of my income he gets kicked out of FREE programs. Apparently, I have to be poor in order to send him to a FREE Camp.  Is it fair? Nope. Does it suck? Yep. But, I don’t want to lie. So, I don’t.

This year Munch asked to go to an art camp. See, Munch is this talented artist that can draw absolutely anything. He’s brilliant. I know it. I love it. I want to make it happen. He still needs to continue with swim as he needs to work on his endurance and rotary breathing. I’m hoping to let him go everyday for a week straight during the day for a couple of months. Hoping that his dad can take him during that time because he said he wants to join the swim team this fall. So, we need to help him get there by hook or by crook.

The school year ends June 9th and some summer camps aren’t starting until 2 weeks later, yep June 26th. I’m like WTH? Can I please catch a break? I’m hoping that Munch’s cousins are free to stay a week with me and keep him that week. I need childcare for 1 week. Oh, and the fact that most summer camps are starting at 9 am and ending at 3 pm blows. How am I supposed to work during those limited times?

I have all these color coded calendars printed out whereby I’m trying to figure this thing out. Ugh! How am I expected to get it all done? I have no idea.

I don’t know how I’m going to do it all, but I did book his art camp for the last two weeks before school starts. He’s going to love that.  We’re going to work on math all summer long, read a few books and take day trips to the beach and amusement park. I want him to have fun, but not forget what he’s learned this school year. He’s brilliant, but summer camp ain’t cheap. These are the real deal summer camp struggles of a single parent.

 

Want to keep in touch? You can find me on social media at the following links: Twitter @mskeeinmd, Facebook page A Thomas Point of View and my Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/mskeeinmd/.

22 comments

  2. I remember those years. Paying for camp was so difficult and those two weeks off … Now I’m dealing with college. I’m not poor enough to get enough help to cover the room & board. I got tuition covered but not that. So you can go to college but you can’t stay there WTF.??? I’m on full disability for god sake.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      2. I know. I can’t imagine that rate multiplied by 3 with only a 10% discount. That sucks. My allergist used to tell me that she was working to pay her nanny. I died laughing because I wasn’t a mom at the time, but it is true. There has to be a better way.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ours are likely old enough to stay home now, oldest 14 and twins are 12. But, the Y will keep em going and running and swimming. If we let em stay at home I’m afraid they’d just live on a device or Xbox all summer. Nope. That’s not gonna happen! 😃

        Liked by 1 person

      5. We did that with ours a couple years ago. Whole week they were gone. It was great for them, but cost prohibitive. Hell, I could’ve bought a decent used car for what that set us back. Glad we did it, but it’s not an every summer thing. 😳

        Like

  4. they’re real struggles of ANY parent. between my husband and i and the kids’ mom, none of us really make enough money to pay for a week long, all intensive summer camp. not without making the other kid eat ramen every day and having to keep the lights off all week, anyway. all three of us work full time. none of us can budge on our schedules too much- mine is the most lenient, but that’s a stretch itself. i feel you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Preach. I thought it would be easier with multiple incomes, but I stand corrected. Ramen is no joke, but we have to work and we have to find somewhere for them to go during the day. Ugh!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. We are still in it and my kids are older. The cost is crazy. I too have a gifted son and he is doing summer school, he’s going into 9th grade next year, to free up time in his schedule of classes for GT classes but we have to pay for him to take summer school. I thank God I can stay home and work from home but I can’t imagine why they don’t think of parents when they make their schedules for pick up and drop off or offer wrap around.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yep, cost is a huge factor. I don’t know how people can do it. Is summer school expensive? I wish I could work from home. That would save a crap load of money. Then the camp in the County ends at 3 pm and I have no one to pick him up. Trying to coordinate this.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. It isn’t too bad but it makes me mad that we have to pay during the summer for something he could get for free just because he is trying to open up his schedule to take outside classes. He goes to one college for a GT English class (he will be done with high school English requirements by end of 9th grade) and to another college for GT Latin (he will finish 4 years of Latin in 2 years). I have to provide transportation to these classes AND pay for part of it too just because the district doesn’t provide enough for him. I feel bad for the kids whose parents can’t do things like this and are stuck. It is not like we can just change to another school. There is not one in town.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Wow! What a blessing though. I would be disappointed, but excited at the same time. I hope my son can do what your son is doing. That is so amazing. Yep, I can complain, but there is someone who is always worse off than I am. Thank you for putting it in perspective. I can’t imagine what the parents who can’t afford childcare are going to do this summer.

        Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment