Say Goodbye to the Summer Camps of Yesteryear
Summer Camps Have Been Revamped
Okay, maybe I’m showing my age a bit, but I remember the days when summer camps consisted of arts and crafts, sports, swimming and maybe some fishing thrown in if you were lucky. So when my wife suggested that we send our three kids to daytime summer camps this year, I didn’t hesitate to agree. After all, some good, wholesome, old-fashioned fun may be just what my kids need after a year full of video games, movies, MP3s and computers. Boy, was I in for a shock.
Summer Camps for Prima Donnas and Video Game Freaks-- You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me
I thought my son would be going to summer camp to get away from video games. To my surprise, my wife enrolled in him in one of the summer camps that actually teaches you how to program your own. So instead of playing video games this summer, my son is going to be making them. What is the world coming to?
Oh, and if you think that’s bad? My daughter’s summer camp is worse. It’s a spa summer camp. Yes, I said spa. Granted, it’s only for a week and it’s only for four hours a day (she’s only 5 after all), but a spa of all things? Yes, the five year old is going to be pampered and is going to learn all about pedicures, manicures, massages and meditation. My wife has lost her mind. I didn’t even know they had summer camps for things like that.
And if you think these specialty summer camps cost an arm and a leg, guess again. The ones in my area were just $25 more a week than the typical YMCA summer camps.
My middle son is my saving grace. He is going to soccer camp and basketball camp this year. Thanks to him, my family retains some semblance of normality when it comes to summer camps.
I find myself wondering if I’m exasperated at the summer camps of today or if I’m just a bit jealous that these camps weren’t around when I was a kid.
So if you want to send your children to one of the many available summer camps, they may be more willing to go than you would think. After all, who wouldn’t want to make their own video games or be pampered for a full week?