“I wanted to be close. That's really it. I didn’t feel like I could have him far away,” said Minor, who lives in Evanston, Illinois, several states away from his son’s camp in Alabama. “I think he also sort of felt comforted by the fact that I was nearby, that I wasn't apart.”
It was an added bonus that for the first time in a long time, Minor and his partner were able to enjoy a couples vacation. They are planning a similar trip in August, when Minor's son returns to overnight camp.
“We could get to know each other again as adults, doing things we love, that aren't necessarily related to being parents, like art museums or live music. …We could actually go see live music that starts at 9 p.m., and we don't have to get up and make scrambled eggs at 7:30 p.m.,” she joked.
Every summer, more than 26 million children and adults participate camps, with overnight camps increasing their enrollment, according to the American Camp Association. While some parents organize their children's summer plans and organize a camp packaging lists, they also plan their own trips nearby. Here's how to start thinking about it.
Jody LeVos, chief learning officer at children's education company Begin, said staying nearby while children go to camp can be comforting for parents, but still allows children to form friendships and become independent.
“This will not impact the child’s experience. They’re away from their parents, whether their parents are a half hour away or six hours away, so it’s more about the parent and what makes them comfortable,” LeVos said.
She says each child develops independence at their own pace, but when they are emotionally and mentally prepared, overnight camp can be a great opportunity for children to improve their skills. However, the transition can be distressing for parents who see their child becoming more and more independent.
“Parents may wonder what would happen if my child needed me or got hurt? So there is some anxiety: what will the child do if I am not there to protect him or meet all his needs? LeVos said.
She recommends practicing overnight camp routines with children who are going for the first time, such as having them sleep in their sleeping bag at home first, and practicing other routines that can usually be done with the help from parents.
Melanie Gast plans her first summer vacation without her older children. After years of attending camps close to home in West Palm Beach, Florida, her 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son will attend their first overnight camps in the same week; an outdoor summer camp for the eldest and a nearby overnight science camp for his son.
“I consider this an amazing vacation for my husband and I,” Gast said. She and her husband will take their 2-year-old daughter on the Memphis trip, but they plan to take turns entertaining her at the hotel while the other parent visits Graceland, the National Civil Rights Museum and other tourist sites .
“We'll always have a baby, but it's definitely different having a teenager and a 10-year-old,” Gast said. “So for me, that’s the best you can get.”
Most parents find a camp first, then a nearby town to explore, but it is possible to reverse engineer this part of the process. The most important thing to do is to make sure the camp you choose will be one that will keep your child engaged from start to finish. Once your child is registered, you can start planning your own getaway nearby, but be aware that unforeseen setbacks at camp could cut a parent's vacation short, such as illness.
Gast chose Memphis as the city she wanted to visit for vacation, then found summer camps for her children that were within an exercise radius that made her comfortable. Gast and Minor said that a town that is approximately three hours drive or less of the camp is best.
LeVos says parents who are nervous about how their child is adjusting to their new environment should take time to move to relieve stress.
“Walking at night, looking at the stars, knowing that your child is looking at the same stars can be very helpful and remind families that they may be a little apart, but they are still together,” she said. she declared. .
LeVos also recommends journaling, both for children at camp and their parents, to explore the emotions that arise when the family is separated. Once gathered, family members can use their notes as an entry point to understand how each person's time went.
A victory for parents and children
At the end of camp, LeVos says the kids will likely go home proud of how they took care of themselves and developed new skills for managing their emotions.
That's what Minor experienced when his son came home from camp last year. He did better than she expected. “I was like, 'Oh, okay, did you bring all the clothes home?' Did you actually wear them all rather than wearing the same thing? Oh, you did well. These are important life skills,” she said.
She's more comfortable sending her son to another overnight camp this year, but she'll still vacation nearby, just in case.
“It’s an opportunity to not only remain the best parent – because as a parent you get a lot of credibility when you send your child to space camp, but you also get to enjoy some of the benefits in a rewarding way,” Minor says . “Here, everyone wins. »
Sheeka Sanahori is a travel journalist and video producer based in Atlanta. You can find her on Instagram: @sheeka.sanahori.
