Recession watch: $10,000 for summer camp? Not this year
Filed under: Bargains, Extracurriculars, Recession
This post is part of a series about real-life signs we're in a recession.
When I was a kid, summers were spent playing in the backyard with my brothers and sister and about two dozen children who lived in my neighborhood, a small farming town in New Jersey. If you look around the suburban neighborhood where I live now on a summer day, it's devoid of children. Kids as young as three gear up every morning and head to day camp. If you have a couple of kids enrolled for four to six weeks, as many are, summer camp can set you back more than $10,000.
The thing that kills me is that my kids don't really like going to camp. Last summer they each spent two weeks at an ESF Camp (which has locations in Delaware, CT, PA and NJ) and one week at a nature day camp at our local Audubon Center. Three weeks of camp cost just under $3,000.
It seems like a waste of money, given that I usually ship them off to camp because there are no kids around to play with! I'm not the only one with summer camp sticker shock. This year, I plan to cut back on camp expenses by skipping camp altogether or finding less expensive ones. For example, I'm looking into a town-run baseball camp that one of my son's buddies is attending for $400 for two weeks and my daughter may sign up for a similarly priced art and music camp.
That begs the question: how will I entertain my kids the rest of the summer and still manage to get some work done (I'm a freelance writer and editor)? Let's not forgot that I'd like to still be sane come September.
Given the state of the economy, I'm guessing there are some other like-minded parents loathe to fork over thousands for camp this summer. We have a pool, and I'm pretty certain that if we invite kids over for swim play dates, we'll get takers. We don't have big vacation plans but we own a time share, so I put in a request for a large three bedroom unit in Vermont. If my husband can't go, I'll invite some girlfriends and their kids. That will cost $164 for the exchange fee, plus food and other expenses similar to those incurred at home since there's a kitchen where I can cook. Otherwise, I'll line up day trips to places like the beach (free) and the Bronx Zoo where we already have an annual membership. And I'll still have some money left over to pay a babysitter once or twice a week so I can get some work done.
How much is your mom worth?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-30-2008 @ 4:30PM
Bruce Watson said...
Michele-
While you're in the Bronx, you should check out the Botanical Gardens and Woodlawn Cemetery. The gardens are free on Saturdays, as long as you get in before noon, and are pretty amazing. Woodlawn is absolutely beautiful, and the kids that I've gone their with have really enjoyed it. Seriously, it's worth a peek!
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4-30-2008 @ 4:58PM
Marty said...
I would just like to point out that you have inappropriately used the phrase "Begs the question."
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4-30-2008 @ 11:31PM
Lauren said...
I went to a very high priced summer camp for a few years on Long Island for free because my mother worked there. Some parents can look into that option, if needed. My mother also worked at that same camp during the school year, as it was a private school. She had summers off and was able to spend the days with me and my younger sister, unless she worked there at camp then obviously we went to camp too. I think summer camp for 1 week or so is a good idea, depending on your childs ability to stay away from you for longer periods of time. City camps are usually cheap, but I can't really tell you if they'd be the most fun for your child. I went to a sleepaway girl scout camp once and had to come back after a few days because I missed my mother! And I was 13 or older, I can't remember. I just wasn't in the right mindset to be going away for so long so far away from my mom. It was too scary for me!
With that being said, if you are able to have the time to spend with your children during the summer...please do. It will be their most fond memories, even if they are going through their teenage angst phase and swear they hate the world!
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5-08-2008 @ 11:19AM
Lyndsay said...
Summer camps are just a glorified babysitting service.
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5-09-2008 @ 6:56AM
EQM said...
As a stay at home mom sending my kids to camp seemed a litttle crazy, but my husband went to camp and wanted to have our kids try it too. My children all attend private, sleepover camps. They LOVE it. I feel I could be up 24/7 and I still couldn't give them what camp does. At this point they go for most of the summer. Yes we have to sacrafice other things (a lot of other things) so this can happen, but camp really gives my kids a lot, confidence, people skills that most kids won't get till college and it shows. They have friends from all around the country and when the mean girl thing rears it's ugly head at home, there are still many friends available by phone or computer so my daughter can and does just shake her head and go on with day.
Not all kids are meant for camp, but if you find a good one, and can make it work it is an unbelievale gift for your children.
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