MomofSeven Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 dc could attend more camps throughout the course of the summer? Dh and I discussed this the other night and we've agreed that instead of taking a one week holiday to the beach this year, we'd instead sign the kids up for a few week long camps. Right now that includes vacation Bible school, soccer camp, dance camp and a one week overnight Christian camp. We'll also be doing swim lessons during the first three weeks of June. We'll probably do 2 or 3 long weekend camping trips staggered throughout the summer months. All total this amounts to about the same amount as a beach vacation, probably less with the soaring cost of gas. I think that this is a wise choice for our family this year, especially considering we have a new baby to contend with. Just curious if anyone else has passed on a family vacation in order to have a greater variety of activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Yes, last summer we skipped our family vacation entirely. The children all had camp; soccer camps and tryouts. There were several academic camps over the summer, as well. DH had school, and I chaperoned exchange students in NYC. We took a family vacation to Italy in December, and hope to spend alone time this summer. Even though we hs, it seems as if the time is never our own. There are external obligations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 The kids do three shows a year and it's EXPENSIVE between classes, gas, food, related events...the list is endless. So last year and this year we opted to eliminate a vacation so we can fund CYT. The kids enjoy it year round and dh and I are quite involved, too. Dd did their summer camp for the past two years but this year she and ds have opted to be counselors for the CYT day camps instead of going to camp themselves. So what we save in camp fees might be offset by the gas to get them to and from camp every day...and they want to do it for two or three sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 partially to give the older dc a chance to participate in various camps, and partly because vacation isn't much of a vacation with a 1 and 2 y.o. anyway:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 would I give up our family vacation for camps. Our family vacations are the highlight of our years. Dh loves planning them, we love being together, the memories of our trips are the most precious family memories. I wouldn't invest that money so that my kids could be away from us more. I think camps are fine, but I just wouldn't trade our vacation time for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 would I give up our family vacation for camps. Our family vacations are the highlight of our years. Dh loves planning them, we love being together, the memories of our trips are the most precious family memories. I wouldn't invest that money so that my kids could be away from us more. I think camps are fine, but I just wouldn't trade our vacation time for them. Mindy, has anyone told you that you look like Jane Seymore? Everytime I see your photo, I feel like I 'know' you. Finally realized you have a famous twin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Mindy, has anyone told you that you look like Jane Seymore? Everytime I see your photo, I feel like I 'know' you. Finally realized you have a famous twin! I've heard that a couple times, but not usually in real life-usually from a picture. I always wanted a twin. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 camp would be off the list. It wouldn't be summer if we didn't make the trek.:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy in MI Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 We got to Maine every summer for vacation. There's no way we would give that up for camps. The boys wouldn't want to. That's where they get to see family, play in the ocean, etc! The last 2 years we have asked the boys to do without camp for a couple of big family trips-Hawaii 2 years ago, and Korea last summer. They had no problem with that. I wouldn't have a problem doing the opposite-skipping a family trip so they could do more camps. Just don't ask me to skip summer in Maine!;) Nancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Because the Girls Scout camp for both dds, and the Special Needs Camp for one twin ... where his brother was a counselor...were all the SAME WEEK! Hubby and I took off for a few days in Galena, IL at a B&B. Sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Our regular family vacation is an off-season week of camping, and it doesn't cost as much as sending *one* kid to camp. If the kids want to go away to camp, they have to get scholarships (which they have). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I would if forgoing the trip did not mean that I missed my one chance a year to unwind. If the beach vacation is the one thing you do that allows you a release from all the hubbub of the year, don't skip it. Shuttling kids back and forth to camps might not be what you want or need. On the other hand, if trips to the beach are simply transferring your life at home to another location, give it up and get the kids out of the house. That is a really vacation! ;) I LOVE the beach and find the salt air, warm sand, and ocean to be so rejuvenating in theory. For me, however, life doesn't change much to make it relaxing - cooking, cleaning, bedtime battles, etc. Right at this moment, sending the kids to various camps is a bit more appealing. It gives me time at home to get things done (purging old toys, clothes, deep cleaning, putting my feet up with a cup of coffee, etc.). So, I think you do what is best for you (and by extension, your family). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I've heard that a couple times, but not usually in real life-usually from a picture. I always wanted a twin. :-) Me me!!!! I think you are *my* twin. Not based on looks (unfortunately for me) but because I agree with everything you post. Sometimes I think I will just stop posting because you handle it well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Hen Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 would I give up our family vacation for camps. Our family vacations are the highlight of our years. Dh loves planning them, we love being together, the memories of our trips are the most precious family memories. I wouldn't invest that money so that my kids could be away from us more. I think camps are fine, but I just wouldn't trade our vacation time for them. I am so with you on this. There is NO WAY I would give up a family vacation so the kids could go off to camp. :eek: That in my book would just be awful. In early January my sisters and I gathered at my Dad's home to divide all his personal property--he passed away in '07. My sisters are not close but the one common memory were our few family vacations. Discussing these together brought back some fond memories, smiles, and laughter among very estranged folks. DH and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in a few weeks. He so wants us to go away, just us, which we have not done since the kids appeared. Yea, that's right we have not even had one night away, together, for 16 years. Last night I told him that I'd rather we take a family vacation to NYC for our DS 16th birthday celebration. We made the reservations and we are foregoing our celebration until the fall. Family time is just so precious, and the memories of trips really bonds us all together. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomofSeven Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 I would if forgoing the trip did not mean that I missed my one chance a year to unwind. If the beach vacation is the one thing you do that allows you a release from all the hubbub of the year, don't skip it. Shuttling kids back and forth to camps might not be what you want or need. On the other hand, if trips to the beach are simply transferring your life at home to another location, give it up and get the kids out of the house. That is a really vacation! ;) I LOVE the beach and find the salt air, warm sand, and ocean to be so rejuvenating in theory. For me, however, life doesn't change much to make it relaxing - cooking, cleaning, bedtime battles, etc. Right at this moment, sending the kids to various camps is a bit more appealing. It gives me time at home to get things done (purging old toys, clothes, deep cleaning, putting my feet up with a cup of coffee, etc.). So, I think you do what is best for you (and by extension, your family). I guess that's just the problem. I feel more tightly wound on vacations than I do at home. Really, with six dc under nine, it's not much a vacation for me. It's just a relocation of all the day to day chores that I am always responsible for. And in the end, I usually become resentful because I seem to be the only one not "vacationing". That's why a summer at home, interspersed with a few day camps seems so much more appealing, at least to me. I just hope the kids agree...that's my concern. I appreciate all the opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I guess that's just the problem. I feel more tightly wound on vacations than I do at home. Really, with six dc under nine, it's not much a vacation for me. It's just a relocation of all the day to day chores that I am always responsible for. And in the end, I usually become resentful because I seem to be the only one not "vacationing". That's why a summer at home, interspersed with a few day camps seems so much more appealing, at least to me. I just hope the kids agree...that's my concern. I appreciate all the opinions. Given that, I say forgo the vacation and let them pick some camps. One year off the vacation routine is not going to ruin their childhood memories. The kids will have tons of fun and you might get some down time. Sounds like a win-win situation for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I think it's totally legitimate... I guess for some people, the family vacation is an important tradition -- perhaps they do the same thing at the same time of year and look forward to it all year... Our family had never even had a vacation till two years ago (besides going to visit my family or dh's), so even though I've really enjoyed the ones we've taken since then, I don't see them as a vital part of our family life. When I was a child, family vacations weren't a *regular* part of our year either -- I remember the ones we did have, but there were many years when we didn't have a vacation at all (and I seem to have survived and I'm quite close to my family)... I think if it makes sense to both you and your dh -- neither of you feels deprived or that your kids will be missing out on some significant family-bonding time -- then go for it. Certain camps I went to as a kid were really important experiences for me in their own right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 camp would be off the list. It wouldn't be summer if we didn't make the trek.:cool: Dana, can I ask where you go in Michigan? My parents live in the Upper Peninsula right on Lake Superior. Dh's parents live in the Detroit area (Dearborn) with a cottage in the northern Lower Peninsula. I'm from the (very rural) Lansing area, and I have lots of friends & relatives over on the Lake Michigan side too. Just curious. :) We go to Michigan every summer. Last year the kids did horse camp, but it was planned around our Michigan trip (and my pregnancy, LOL). I am not sure we will make the drive this year with the wee boy, but we're already talking about my flying up with the boy and dh driving up with the girlies. I can't picture a summer without some time in Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrscopterdoc Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 We don't give up vacation for camps, just tournaments. My daughter competes in taekwondo and not a single one can be close to home so we travel all over during the year. In July are the two big tournaments, nationals and Jr Olympics. They are usually somewhere 'neat' like San Antonio, Ft Lauderdale, San Jose, etc and since it is a week long, we just count that as our "vacation". When you don't have much money you do what you can.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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