My daughter, who will be 16 in May, is almost four years older than my son. One of the always-interesting aspects of parenting them is seeing how my son’s reaction to a new experience compares to my daughter’s when she was his age. For example, when he was a toddler, I eagerly looked forward to reading him the bedtime classic, Guess How Much I Love You, because my daughter and I read it all the time (and each time was just right).
“But Adam, it’s…wonderful.”
“I don’t like it.”
A child’s taste in board books is one thing. How he feels about summer camp is much more impactful. For a few years now my wife and I have been speculating on whether he’d take to sleepaway camp—and Camp Crane Lake in particular—with the passion and joy that Elena did. Adam was the child who kept up regular visits to our bed at night well into grade school, and we thought that he might not even want to try sleepaway at the same age Elena did (the summer after grade 3). But to our surprise about two years ago he declared his intent to go even before we raised the subject. I must tell you, once he said it, I realized that I kind of didn’t really want to let go, but I did.
The result? Apparently, he had his homesick bouts like most first-timers, but, lo and behold, within three weeks Crane Lake had worked its magic and had another convert.
I share this because I want you to know that, as a parent, I’ve shuffled my kids through a variety of day camps in the city, day camps out of the city, and now sleepaway camp. I don’t view that sequence, however common, as a natural or necessary progression, but I do think that camp can be one of the great gifts a parent can give a child if the child is in agreement. And the mission of our annual Camp Guide is simply to help parents identify camps that are good matches for their children, whether you’re looking for day, sleepaway, or a summer of both. To do that, we offer articles on researching camps as well as articles on what makes the camp experience special.
As you read the issue with your own goals in mind, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to enjoy the most personal story in the issue: Our roundup of camp directors reminiscing about some of their favorite summer traditions. Good camp directors are everyday heroes—you can hear it in their words. Let their passion inspire you to find the right camp for your child.
New York Family also produces the city’s largest Camp Fairs. In February, March, and April, there will Camp Fairs in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Camp Fairs are fun, child-friendly, and allow families to get all their camp-related questions answered. The Camp Fairs are free, but it’s best to pre-register by clicking HERE to secure your spot. The upcoming Camp Fairs, all from 12-3pm, will be held as follows:
- Sunday, February 7, on the Upper West Side: Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83rd Street
- Saturday, February 27, on the Upper East Side: St. Jean Baptiste High School, 167 East 75th Street
- Saturday, March 5, in Battery Park City: Asphalt Green (BPC), 212 North End Avenue
- Sunday, March 6, in Park Slope, Brooklyn: Berkeley Carroll School, 181 Lincoln Place, Brooklyn
- Saturday, April 9, on the Upper East Side: St. Jean Baptiste High School, 167 East 75th Street
- Sunday, April 10, on the Upper West Side: Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83rd Street
Happy Camping,
Eric Messinger, Editor
Eric Messinger is the editor of New York Family. He can be reached at [email protected].
