Boys daycamp- no friends, but wants to go

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children

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amother

OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 3:33 pm

My boys have been going to a certain daycamp because at the time we signed up we had a neighbor going. This year none of their friends are going back but my kids want to stay in this camp. It’s very well run, they have fun trips, it’s a geshmak and “cool” camp. Their friends switched to simpler camps (which I’d be happy to send to!!). My boys want to stay in this camp even with no friends in the camp. It’s a very big camp. One ds is not the type to make friends easily, he’s shy (but cute and funny and liked by his school friends). The other one prob will make friends but I can imagine it will be very hard at first.

Wwyd? Try to convince them to switch or let them go and see how it goes this year?

My older son is almost up to the most exciting years of camp that he’s been so looking forward to.

amother

cornflower

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 3:38 pm

Don't they have camp friends from previous years?

abound

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 3:38 pm

Its great to go on your own and make new feinss

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 3:39 pm

amother cornflower wrote:

Don't they have camp friends from previous years?

No

It’s a huge camp and they mix up the bunks every year. And it’s hard to make friends in 4 weeks.

amother

Lightpink

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 4:04 pm

amother OP wrote:

No

It’s a huge camp and they mix up the bunks every year. And it’s hard to make friends in 4 weeks.

What about "friendlies"?
I'm sure they have plenty of familiar faces that they can recognize and be comfortable with in a matter of days... no?

amother

Antiquewhite

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 4:08 pm

I would not only let them go, but I would encourage them.
If they are feeling confident and comfortable and wanna go, I would encourage that.
This could be a great summer of maturity in the sense of self-sufficiency and accomplishment.
And if it doesn’t work they can try a different camp next summer. Please
don’t put your fears and anxieties on them. It would be a shame to crush them.
I say let them go for it!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 4:12 pm

amother Lightpink wrote:

What about "friendlies"?
I'm sure they have plenty of familiar faces that they can recognize and be comfortable with in a matter of days... no?

No
It’s 200 boys in a grade I don’t know who will be in their bunk

amother

Nemesia

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 10:59 pm

Let them go without friends.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Aug 20 2024, 6:12 pm

Update: so far so good. They are both very happy and found a classmate as well as people the recognized from last time.

I noticed that my 10 yo doesn’t really have a buddy to go around amusement park on camp trip, sit on the bus etc.
he sits next to whomever, and went around the oark himself and sat next to any random boy from camp on the rides.

This is different from when I was in camp when we had to have a partner the entire time and it was a big deal who would be partners with who.

If my son is happy, is it ok that he doesn’t seem to have a very close camp friend to walk around with on trips? Day to day in camp he’s fine and happy- plays sports, enjoys the learning and activities. He also enjoys the trips- it’s just that when I ask who he did the rides with he’s like “whoever was there.” No specific friend.

amother

Seafoam

Tue, Aug 20 2024, 6:16 pm

This describes my 10 yr old this summer exactly! It seems fine to me. Boys are different than girls. My son was in a group, but didn't want to go on the ride they wanted to, so he just said I left the group and did the thing I wanted and then I saw them later. He didn't seem disturbed about it at all.

amother

Feverfew

Tue, Aug 20 2024, 6:26 pm

I think it’s the difference between girls and boys also.

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