To Attend Summer Camp with a Friend -- or Not: That Is The Question

Some parents insist that their child trek off to summer camp with a best buddy. Others would never hear of it. So is there a right? Is there a wrong? Absolutely! But the answer is different for each family. To decide which choice is right for your child, think carefully about your goals for his or her summer experience.

“I wanted my daughter to go [to summer camp] alone,” said Ivy Cooperman of Long Island. “I wanted Dana to have what I had: a whole separate group of camp friends. One of my best friends today is someone I went to camp with. We wouldn’t have that friendship today had we met any differently.” Prior to summer camp, Cooperman contacted the camp for the name of another first-time camper in her area. The girls met beforehand and even went camp shopping together. As Cooperman said, “If nothing else, it was a familiar face on the bus. It was up to them whether they would forge a lasting friendship.”

Karen Dreyfus, also of Long Island, believes her son Zach had the best of both worlds. “I didn’t plan for him to go to camp with friends,” explained Dreyfus, “but the families of two of his friends ended up choosing the same camp. Luckily, we all agreed to bunk them separately. This way, they had the comfort of a friend nearby, but also the opportunity to spread their wings.”

If you do decide to bunk your child with a friend at sleepaway camp, think carefully about the state of this particular friendship. Does either child get jealous easily? Do the kids know how to successfully work out their differences? Is it an equal partnership? Of course, no child should be too reliant on another child, as this is not good for either of them. And don’t allow another parent to pressure you into a situation that you’re not comfortable with.

So what’s the right answer to this age-old question? The answer is, (like anything else in parenting,) trust your instincts!