Camp or no camp with new baby coming?

My son will be 5 in June. I am expecting at the end of June, and I am trying to figure out my sons camp schedule. To give you an idea of the timing:

My due date (yea right) is June 21
Camp starts June 29
Camp day is 8:10 -4:20, including bus time, since the camp is out of the way.

For the more experienced parents of more than one kid (or anyone else with $.02 to add):

1)Should I plan on sending him the first week? If I am on time, the baby will only be a week old. If I am late, the bay will be less than a week....and if I am very late, than the baby might not even be born yet.

On one hand, I don't want to have to worry about entertaining him with either a new baby, or when I am overdue. On the other hand, I don't want him to feel like he is being 'sent away' when the new baby is here. (and just in case it matters, he is in full day pre-k now)

2) Should I send him 5 days a week, or should I let him be home some days, so he can get used to the new baby and still feel a part of the family? If so, would it makes sense to do that the whole summer, or only later in the summer once our routine is more established?

3) Are there any other options I am missing?

TIA
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Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48139

What else would he be doing otherwise? If you can afford it, send him the whole time. Are his friends going ?

Posted: Sun, Mar 08 2009, 10:01 am Post subject:

When I had my babies I continued to send them to school like their normal schedule. There will be plenty of time for him to get used to the baby.
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I only have one, but for what its worth ...

Talk up camp as something exciting that big boys get to do. Sports. Swimming. Fun with friends. Great stuff!! This is a treat he gets because he's such a big boy. When the baby comes, s/he'll be home with you, because s/he's not old enough.

But play it by ear. If one day, your older son wants to be home to be with you and the baby, let him. No big deal.

Camp's not that long. He has the rest of the day, the weekend, the next 18 years to get used to and get to know the baby. And smaller doses (ie, not all day) are likely to make that process even more fun.

The one thing I would NOT do, if possible, is keep him home the first week. Its always more difficult to start when everyone else has their friends and knows the routine, where to go, what's the best lunch, etc.

B'shaa tovah.

Diamond Member Joined: Aug 26 2007 Posts: 4037

I agree with cm. send him the whole summer if you can. it will give you the chance to recover. I had a summer like this twice, new babies due at the end of school and right before camp started. I really used the camp time to recover.

I also agree with barbara.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20484

I would not change his schedule. If he's used to being out of the house all day long anyway, then keep it that way.

If he's used to being out all day, I don't think that he'll feel he's being sent away when you have a baby. But you didn't really say how you felt about him being home - is it something that you want, to spend more time with him? Or that you feel you have to do?

It seems the decision depends on what is going to emotionally work best for you, since you're comfortable with the long hours he's out. How much pressure will you feel in getting him to camp on time in the morning? Will you have a bus pick him up or do you have to drive him? How do you handle time pressure? If you're going to need to go out with a tiny baby and rush around to get him there on time every morning and then again to pick him up, I'd think hard about sending him to camp for the first few weeks. Little kids don't need to be constantly occupied at home to enjoy themselves; they get a lot out of being around you in a low key environment. But if having him home means that you're emotionally going to feel pressured all day long, then camp would be a better option for both of you.
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Posted: Mon, Mar 09 2009, 4:11 am Post subject:

I think kids need a summer break without the pressures of having to leave home ...

add on a new baby - as an only child ... you don't want him to feel left out of all the new changes ...
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Platinum Member Joined: Sep 10 2006 Posts: 6561

It's daycamp, and he's used to being gone all day as it is with school, right?

If he knows he's going to camp now, then to go and have the baby come around the same time may not even occur to him. He'll go to see his friends and kvell over his new baby, iyh.

You have to recuperate too.

To repeat: he's used to being gone all day now, he did camp last year. It's not going to be "new" in many ways (ie. bc he's used to being out of the house).

He'll have the evenings/weekends to get to know the baby, and you'll probably be more attentive when he is home if you can get your rest, do errands, etc. during the day with only the baby.

If he's like my son, he needs to get out and run around, and really, how well can you accomodate that if you are just having given birth, trying to nurse, etc. especially in a nice humid summer?

He'll burn all his energy out with his friends, playing games, socializing, etc. You'll have a good 4 hrs or so every evening and all the weekend to have him bond with the baby. If anything, I think the 1st 6 weeks after the baby is born he should go to camp, and then if you want to have him home more at the end of the summer, have family time, etc. you'll probably all be happier.
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Posted: Thu, Mar 12 2009, 4:38 pm Post subject: