November 2024
Whether family gatherings bring you joy, trepidation, or a bit of both, they’re sure to bring lots of people (and lots of dishes!).
This year, why not turn the tables and put all that together-time to work for you? Thanksgiving and winter holidays can be the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on your summer planning.
Calendar conversations
The first step in figuring out your camp plans is to identify the weeks when you DON’T need camp. Are there family vacations in the works? Special birthdays, weddings, or reunions to plan around? Or, perhaps your folks or the in-laws would consider taking the kids for a week of “Camp Grandparents”? The kids might get totally spoiled, but everyone will have a good time!
Many families also find that coordinating camps with cousins can be a great way to foster family bonding. If your family lives nearby, this works with day camps, but even far-flung cousins might be able to bunk together at the same sleepaway camp.
Holiday gatherings are the perfect time to start these calendar conversations. It might be too early to nail down all the specifics, but you can at least get a handle on what the possibilities are and what decisions need to be made.
Looking for leads
Your family can also be a great resource for leads and advice. And, pumping them for info on camps is a great way to divert the conversation away from “helpful” tips on your holiday recipes or dishwasher-loading techniques 🙄! Share what your kids did and didn’t like last summer and ask about their own experiences. You never know when your sister’s friend’s kid’s classmate could lead you to the perfect camp solution for your hardest-to-satisfy kid.
Even the older folks in your life probably have some wisdom to share about camp choices, or would at least have fun reminiscing about their own childhood summers. Hey! Maybe you could haul out hilarious old camp photos or re-enact the closing-night song-and-dance routine you did with your sister. It’s not family time without a bit of cringe, so embrace it!
The gift of summer fun
Final thought: Did you know that a week of camp makes a terrific gift? If that idea might appeal to the gift-givers in your life, now is a great time to drop a hint. Who wouldn’t love to have their holiday shopping taken care of without ever falling down an Amazon rabbit hole? And, your budget will thank you come summer. Many camps even offer gift certificates, making it easy for family members to support your kids’ summer fun at whatever level they want.
Speaking of budgets, now is also a great time to think about optimizing your childcare benefits and tax breaks for next year. Hop over to our article on Fun with Camp Finances for all the deets!
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