Moms Talk: Summer Camp Hysteria

Jammed Internet servers. Tied-up phone lines. People camping out at the wee hours of the morning in the freezing rain. 

Who knew that summer camp registration would be so intense? 

It's called Potomac Summer Camp Madness. According to a recent Washington Post article, many parents go to extremes such as these in order to enroll their kids in the "right" summer camp - in February. 

Why the rush? There are many factors: community buzz, proximity to work and home, and the appeal in exclusivity of some camps. Mount Vernon parents are fortunate to have a wealth of camps right in their own backyard, but what lengths should parents go to ensure their kids get a coveted space in a camp? Our Moms Council weighs in: 

Jackie Cooney:

I think it's great that our kids have access to so many summer camps in this area.  I have sent my own kids to a few of them, although I don't think I've ever competed for a space or stood in line.  When I have signed my kids up for camps (usually sports-related), they really look forward to them.  A fun camp can break up the monotony of summer and give stay-at-home moms and dads a welcome break from spending each day coming up with fun things to do with the kids.  For parents who work, it's a great way to get kids interested and involved in doing a variety of different activities rather than staying with babysitters or going to daycare.  Sure, kids need time to just play in the back yard and hang out at the pool, but most kids have PLENTY of time to do that in the summer and enjoy a few of the fun camps, as well.  If a child wants to sign up for a particularly popular camp and that requires standing in line to get a spot, I think it's totally worth it!

Vero Autphenne:

My kids haven’t gone to sleep-away camp yet but usually do a week or two of camp locally in July.  They’ve done art camps, sports camps, drama camps, adventure camps, history camps, and nature camps.  Funnily enough, the only one I’ve had to wait on long lines for is a preschool nature camp.  They hold their camp signups in early May for their June and July camps and parents have to wait outside, rain or shine (usually rain). I can always count on being there at least three hours and, although I’ve always gotten in, I didn’t always get the dates I want.  There are plenty of camps that don’t require such tremendous effort so it does seem absurd to go through this every year for a week of camp for a four-year-old. As it turns out, of all the camps and programs my three boys have been in, this one is a hands-down favorite. They spend most of their time outside in the dirt and playing with animals. So as much as I’m already cursing the thought of wasting another evening out there in the rain, I know I’ll be out there again this year, waiting for that coveted spot.

Kristin Matheis: 

I have a six-year-old and a 2 1/2-year-old, so we are relatively new to the summer camp scene, and after reading the Washington Post article...maybe I've been putting my kids in the "wrong" camps (the few that they have gone to), but I've never gone to such drastic measures to get my child into a specific camp and wouldn't even consider doing so. Must everything we try to do for our children be so competitive? It reminds of trying to get into the "right" preschool or private school around here. Why do we stress ourselves out over such things and ultimately pass on that stress to our children? Perhaps I'm just not that over-achiever parent and still hold on to the lazy days of summer and want my kids to experience simply being kids. My children have a circle of friends, a big backyard, a playset and a pool membership. And, we are a hop, skip and a jump from DC which offers a wealth of things to do on summer days. Or maybe I'm too frugal to be spending hundreds of dollars weekly on summer camps that may not meet our expectations; that my child may or may not enjoy; or that my child could potentially be sick at the time and not be able to attend at the last minute, thus forfeiting our camp placement fees. (Yes, all have happened to me.)

Two summers ago, I signed my son up for a weeklong camp that "everyone" said was "the best." Maybe it was an off-year for them, but we found it to be overcrowded and chaotic and my son had a meltdown every morning at drop-off. At the end of the week, the counselors for his group still didn't even know his name. Perhaps I fall into that lucky category of work-at-home mom, which affords me the opportunity to make my schedule work around my family's schedule, and summer camps are not a necessity as much as they are a privilege. There are days, and even weeks, that I need more time for work than others, and for those I try to plan ahead for. I understand that there are dual-income families where the end of the school year means the end of care for their children and filling the summer months up with camps are a must. 

What do you think of Potomac Summer Camp Madness? Is it a bunch of hype, or is it necessary? Weigh in by submitting your comments below.