Post-Spring Break is always a hectic time. Great vacation time quickly turns into FCATs, Finals, AP exams, graduations, proms, awards ceremonies and before you know it, the first of June has arrived. You are so busy with day to day activity that planning for the summer is so hard to even contemplate right now.
And you are kicking yourself! Why didn’t I take care of this months ago when I really planned to do it!!
Well, spinning in class is far preferred to spinning in circles. You can have the kids home all summer and run CAMP MOM. I’ve done it.
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WEEK ONE: We relaxed, we bonded, we went to the movies, the beach, played in the balls, trampolined, swam in the pool. We did chemistry and math while we cooked and we made play dates with friends. We went to the grocery store and shopped together. GREAT times!
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WEEK TWO: It rained. We played balloon tennis, we played board games, we had friends over, we decorated cupcakes, we ate lots of junk food, we read about characters of Greek mythology, we cleaned the house together (as if it was a game). GOOD times!
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WEEK THREE: Weather improved but now the storm was in the attitudes. Kids saying, “We’re bored, no one home to play with, our friends are all at camp…” I never felt the need to entertain my children 24/7 but it was hard to co-exist, entertain, and enrich three very active boys and stay on a budget.
Of course, as they got older, I was no longer a stay at home mom. Instead of being Camp Mom to my three boys, I became Camp Director. And needless to say, the budget was much bigger!!
There is great benefit in planning a summer that allows the kids to be away from you, so that you get some time, and they get some independent time. But alas, you have waited till the last minute of summer planning. So, here are your options:
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Day camp – lots of choices for those 12 and under.
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Sleep away camp – available to all kids between 6 and about 14 years old – many choices, prices, locations, personalities and activities.
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Teen camps - for middle and high school students, age appropriate but get to do all the general activities from sports to dance to water skiing to sing around the camp fire. But without the little kids around.
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Middle School and High School Programs:
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Outdoor Adventure – hiking, biking, sailing, kayaking, canoeing — the great outdoors
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Community Service - travel with a purpose and teach English, develop sustainable environments, be part of a medical team, and more
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Travel – seeing the world or seeing someone else’s neighborhood all opens the eyes of young and impressionable teens. Traveling young establishes a taste for travel for life.
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Language learning and immersion – Whether the language is Mandarin, Spanish, French or Portuguese, your teens can learn while living. No better way to improve than living the language.
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Improved Academics - If your teen is having trouble with a class, needs help in developing study skills, leadership development, SAT/ACT Prep, or special needs assistance, there are excellent summer programs.
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Study Abroad – Any class you want can be taken for credit or for enrichment, while also experiencing a few weeks or a full summer overseas.
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Pre-College Programs – So much to gain from learning what it’s like to be at a big college, small college, in a dorm, taking classes, eating in a school cafeteria (AND NOT GAINING THE FRESHMAN 10)…. Classes for enrichment, for college credit, and all over the country/world for that matter.
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The College Prep Summer Plan - LET’S TALK. Two to four years of summer and school planning and coordination designed to help your teen prepare for decision making when it comes to college direction.
But now, in order to plan the 13 weeks of summer that the children are out of school, you better get going. I am sure you know by now that a Camp and Teen Consulting Expert is the only way to handle this situation quickly, efficiently and effectively.