I know, camp is a luxury. But the truth is, leaving boys and girls home during the summer to is just not a reasonable option nowadays.
So I’m forced to send my children to camp with his friends. However, there needs to be a better option than paying about four times the amount of tuition for just four weeks of camp.
But it’s not just the price of camp, it’s the preparing for camp too which costs another few hundred dollars, totaling the price of about five months of tuition.
Is this normal?
Yes, I choose to send to camp, but families need to have a better and cheaper option to keep my children in a Toradig atmosphere during the Summer.
Thank you.
Esther,
Lakewood.
(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to mailto:[email protected])
If camp would simply be 4 weeks of school it wouldn’t be that much….
Try day camp. It is perfectly in line with my cost of tuition per month maybe even less. Unless of course you don’t pay full tuition but as you said Camp is a bit of a luxury so you cannot expect day camps to charge you a subsidised rate. If your child is older many boys nowadays work as counselors. I don’t mean to be rude but if you cannot afford to send your child to Camp there are many feasible affordable options.
Based on your calculations, it appears that you at least pay the full tuition. Many people don’t pay the tuition by claiming they don’t have the money. Yet when “forced” to send to camp because there are no alternatives, they come up with the equivalent of 6-8 months tuition.
Why is camp a luxury? Like you said the kids need it.Yes life costs money hatzlacha
Agree!
Camp is not and never was a luxury. Many campers grow b’ruchniyous and b’gashmiyous when spending their summer with chaveirim. As for the cost, there are some camps that offer scholarships and even payment plan options. I myself have physically been out of camp for several decades, however, camp never left me.
People don’t appreciate schools. They will haggle for tuition but for camps or seminary they pay 4 times as much without saying boo.
in the lower east side things were different, I recall my father talking about the depression and their “needs” back then.
Do some research there are cheeper camps
You don’t need to send to a very expensive camp
. some camps are expensive some are not but c”v you will send your kids to a “cheap camp”
Hi to start camp isn’t a luxury unless your in a Luxurious camp. Second there are so many options to do besides camp. .work in a day camp work Ina sleep away camp lifeguard family trip …and it goes without saying kids always complain about things and imagine camp would be less giving and fun then it is now??so the price they charge is not overpriced maybe you feel overpaying. ..so that’s your decision to make on what camp to send your child…
If you are strong and call you’re sons friends parents and together to go to a Cheeper camp then it might be a lot easier
It could be close to half
Unfortunately camps also have their share of problems…
Your job as a parent is to raise your children, teaching them to live within their means, will one day be appreciated then 4 weeks in camp.
Bottom line, teach them to be happy with that you/they have
Don’t think that they stay on camp grounds and do mitzvohs all day,
camps have plenty of room for improvement
Just parents think that out of sight is out of mind…
OUT OF MIND is TRUE
AS an old time Lakewood resident, I recall when my children had to go to camp there were 2 or 3 busloads of very Yeshivish kids going to, dare I say, Camp Sternberg. In those days we didn’t have so many good day camps, but we couldn’t afford sleep away camp. We didn’t buy what we could not afford so many, many Lakewood girls went to Camp Sternberg, which was subsidised. I don’t think they were damaged by the experience. Today, however, there are so many great day camps. If you can’t afford camp, you can send to the day camps. They will also grow beruchnius and begashmius there. You don’t buy what’s is not affordable to you! I know that’s a strange concept today.
Wait until your girls are ready for seminary! THAT is ridiculous
I assume the writer was referring to day camp as well as sleepaway camp. Isnt it rediculous that on average most Yungerlite pay in the range of 500-700 tuition per month of school and day camp costs a whopping $700 for 3 and a half weeks??? We should all get together and say enough is enough!! we dont need the camp bags, t shirts, bumperstickers, keychains , fancy overnights or even high end day trips. Lets finally make day camp affordable!!
Actually, If schools had school on Sunday, it would save me a few hundred $$ per month ,
I would save $ from clubs to other unnecessary spending on Sunday, I would be able to pay full tuition.
Rather give the girls off on Friday & let them cook & bake & prepare for shabbas
So that when they grow up, they don’t need that much more $ to live on takeout…
Its basically, that we are spoiling our kids rotten….
I have a 15 yr old son. To whoever said there are affordable options.
Can you please tell me what they are? I don’t know of any!
(He finished yeshiva this week! Tuition is not cheaper because of it!!)
#16
i remember when day camps cost was $200 a month or $300 for the most expensive day camp. & it wasn’t such a long time ago
the most expensive sleepaway camp was $1000 only 10 to 15 years ago
insane prices for the insane physical desire world where we just want more & more.
Agree to just curious no need for all those flags and bumper stickers
to #20:
i was in a non high-end sleepaway camp over 25 years ago, the price then was about 1300 per half a summer.
wow. Kids don’t need a break. They should work hard all year in school (which in Lakewood runs later than any where else in the country). then come summer instead of enjoying their time off they should go to work for a camp. Work all year and no time off. Great plan. NOT!
There’s not much to do about it
It is what it is
Just bite the bullet cause when u send ur child to camp , you save home from the streets ( and when that happens , it’s way more expensive)
One possible solution for girls could be extended school year like the boys