We Skipped Every Single Camp This Summer
How I'm Giving My Kids a Faux 90s Summer
No, I’m not opening the back door and telling my kids to stay outside until it’s dark. They don’t go anywhere alone, we don’t do sleepovers, they each own multiple water bottles, and I apply sunscreen pretty regularly.
I keep telling people that I’m giving my kids a 90s summer and then list all the things I’ve planned only to realize that I am absolutely not giving them a 90s summer.
This is the second year that my kids are not enrolled in camp. And if they’re not at camp they’re…here.
I’m not planning on avoiding camps forever, but the girls want to be together, and camp would split them up. It’s also really expensive, and doesn’t make sense when we’re paying a nanny. Many camps are only 3 hours which, sure, it’s something, but to get the two girls in a 3 hour camp for one week, we’d be looking at $700-900. Maybe I’m being cheap, and of course I see the value, but that is a lot of money.
The thing that’s making all of this possible is that our au pair, Estelle, is coming back for seven weeks next week. Without her I would be signing up for camp most weeks this summer. With her, anything is possible.
I spend most of the school year feeling like I'm getting my kids out the door, to an appointment, homework done, and off to bed. Summer is the only time that changes. My kids need to be dressed with teeth brushed before 10AM.
I have to be more present and engaged than I would have had to be if they were enrolled in camp, but I’m also good setting up some art stuff, a water table, bubble machine (for ambiance) and relaxing in a chair while the kids do their thing. So think of it as a loosely planned 90s (ish) summer with supervision. And we have our nanny and Estelle.
The Best Outdoor Toys and Gear
I want to be present enough that I get to do what I couldn’t when I had my first and ran a company with someone else. Not getting a break to take her to the park on a nice day made me so sad. I realize the privilege in that, and as a small business owner, not getting that didn’t feel right. I don't want to repeat that again.
Here’s what we actually have planned (the 90s summer lite version):
The girls are taking tennis lessons 2x a week and have one more weekly class (something they do all year). I may add one more.
Lots of crafts and activities. This is where I shine.
Lazy days at home and lots of playing outside. Parks, crafts, water table, ball, and bike riding.
We’re going to venture into the city for the farmer’s market, zoo, beach, and more. My guess is we will only do this 2-3 times a month. Maybe more once Estelle arrives next week.
Playdates. We love spending time with friends, and most of their friends finish camp between 1 and 3 PM. Some have a few off-days during the week, so it’s easy to get together.
Unlimited popsicles (these have no added sugar).
Reading for 20 minutes every day, and working on these workbooks.
I spent most of yesterday with the kids — an impromptu lunch with my middle after an appointment, two visits to our friends’ house, Dave and Busters (not my favorite but they’ve been asking), and we all went out to dinner. I was able to squeeze an hour or two of work in during the day, and then worked from 9-12PM. A short workday, but I got some work done.
What I want this summer to be is slower, and to have some fun with my kids. I want (and need) to work, and I’m feeling inspired to start blogging more. This isn’t an off-the-grid, phones-down summer. So. No camps. Three classes. One returning au pair. A lot of popsicles. We’ll see how this goes.
Next week for paid subscribers I'm going into what this summer is actually costing us, what I'm paying our au pair, how we’re structuring having an au pair and nanny for almost two months, and whether I think skipping camps is actually saving money or just an elaborate form of chaos.
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