Summer Camp - One week or two??

[DND]

We have my daughter going to IGC this summer and it is her first time going to camp. She is 7yo and will be 8yo in August.

I have her booked for one week right now, but she is thinking that she would like to go for two weeks.

She has never been away to camp before - here let alone out of the country - and I am unsure of what the right thing to do is.

She thinks that she will not get enough from just one week (I do see her point on this) and that is why she would like to go for two. I think that since it is her first time away from home she should try one week and then once she has had the experience then do two weeks next year.

I would hate for her to leave with a bad taste in her mouth because two weeks was too long to be away, but I also have no problem with her gaining the personal growth that going to camp on her own will give her.

Any thoughts??

 

[bogwoppit]

Stick with one week, she is very young and as you say she has never been away from home for a week before. You can always tell her if this week goes well next year she can do two weeks.

The week is very busy and she will be tired, she may not be up to two full weeks with no mom to help her out.

Six nights at camp is a big learning experience for a 7 year old.

 

[gym law mom]

I would only send her for 1 week this 1st summer. These camps keep the girls pretty busy with either gymnastics or camp type activities and she may be rather tired at the end of a week. If she really does well with 1 week this year then you could look at 2 weeks next year. She's still quite young to be away from home.

 

[DND]

The camp mentioned they have alot of "beginners" that attend there. Has anyone sent cildren to this camp? Do you know if there will be kids her age?

 

[MaryA]

A friend of mine whose daughter is a pretty serious level 9 gymnast said that she thinks that anyone who sends their daughter to gymnastics camp (she was talking about Woodward, but I'd imagine it's the same) for more than a week is asking for injuries. She said she thinks the amount and intensity of practice time is too instense to maintain for 2 weeks.

 

[bogwoppit]

There will be lots of girls her age, she will be in a cabin with girls her age, one year difference at most. She will also train with girls her age and level.

 

[Optionals United]

i have been to woodward 3 times and all 3 times there has been girls of every age and level. So I wouldnt worry about none of the girls being her age. I would also recomened only going for one week this time. it is a long week and she will be very tired! I dont think that she will have as good of a time if she goes for 2 weeks.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

As others have said, one week. There are plenty of girls her age. She will be grouped with girls her age, or one year younger or older. They keep them busy as little bees!!

 

[flipper's fan]

God bless you if you can afford two weeks! Save that cash for when she is older, and spend it at a camp that offers more skill building. IGC has a reputation for heavily spotting gymnasts and not letting them try new skills on their own so she might not get anything more out of two weeks than one week. It's a great camp, there will be lots of kids her age, and it is heavily supervised and directed so she will have a great first experience.

 

[DND]

Thanks to all I feel more at ease with my decision!

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

My daughter who is 10 went last year after several years of begging me to go. She is very outgoing and pretty independent she also went with 2 other teammates who stated they were afraid they would get homesick. My daughter was not in the least worried yet after 2 days she was homesick. She finished out the week and ended up having a lot of fun. My point is she is only 7 and she is telling you she would get more out of being there 2 weeks. I would agree with the others stick with one week. I am sure she will have fun but my daughter did not get much out of the gymnastics part of it they spot for everything and do not really do much uptraining. My daughter had a great time meeting other gymnasts and the celebrities and the activites. They are well supervised but I was annoyed that my daughter spent the night in the nurses station and I was never called till the next day and then I had to argue with them to let them allow me to talk to her.

 

[emorymom]

I can't speak to the gymnastics injury issue, but when I was a Girl Scout (general camp program) camp counselor assigned to the Brownies (mostly 2nd-3rd graders), I noticed that the 2 weekers did better than the 1 weekers. Some of the one weekers were homesick for almost their whole stay. The two weekers were not able to sustain that past the first week. They had real fun that second week. So if you can decide if the program will be good / safe for 2 weeks, I would consider sending your daughter for 2.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

1 week only

 

[bogwoppit]

Emorymom, the difference between IGC and scout camp is the gymnastics. It is a huge part of the time there. If your kid finds her training group to be a poor fit, if she gets injured or if her body is overworked from too many hours she is not used to, then two weeks will be torture. Seven is terribly young, with no prior sleepaway experience, to toss in at the deep end.

I totally agree about the homesickness thing, but IGC isn't a regular summer camp.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

accurately described ^^^

 

[mariposa]

Just wanted to agree that one week will be plenty! My daughter went to a day camp (they had sleepover option, but I felt she was too young) gymnastics camp this past summer and by the end of the week she was exhausted. And it was only Sunday-Friday. Actually by midweek she was getting tired and I think the only reason she made it through was BECAUSE she was actually getting to bed at a reasonable hour and in her own bed. I think she would have gotten less out of it had she stayed the night. The workouts were intense and they did other things, swimming, games, etc, but 2 a day workouts that are intense was a lot for her and she is used to working out 12-13 hours a week and is a very active kid. I think she will have a great time after a week and be ready to go home and rest! LOL.

Hope she has fun!

 

[jdf]

Also, she will see all (or most) of the other girls go home on Saturday and it will just be her, the others who stay for more than one week, who will most likely be older, and the counselors until the new girls come on Sunday.

 

[<3gymgurl26<3]

I would agree with going for one week. Considering her age and it's her first year attending an overnight summer camp, I would stick with one week.
PS. IGC is amazing!! It's the best gymnastics camp I have ever been to!! It's a lot of fun and I hope your daughter enjoys it!!

 

[<3gymgurl26<3]

I would stick with one week. Considering her age and that she has never been to an overnight summer camp before, I would stick with one week.
PS. IGC is amazing!! It's the best gymnastics camp I have ever been to. It's a lot of fun and I hope your daughter enjoys it!!
Sorry I posted it twice it was an accident!! sorry

 

[DND]

No worries for the double post...it is nice to see it is still alive thread! I have convinced her that one week will be fine as she only gets three weeks off over the summer from her own program. This way with travel time she still should have about a week off of free time. Also we just got two new pups since Christmas so it makes coming home to see them (or the hint they will e missing her) a reasonable request.

Her only disappointment is they announced today that Nastia is coming week one and she is regsitered for week three!