Before the sunset, the kids play in the sand

Originally uploaded by joaobambu

I am currently trying to figure out what I’m going to do with the kids in the summer. It’s strange to me now that I am in the school-aged phase that it’s a huge deal what summer camps you choose for you kids. Every mother I speak to always adds “And what summer camps are you putting your children in?”

I know that Cebastian is going to an overnight camp for a week, and Isabelle might go to the one at her school. We might go to Italy (or definitely, a public beach). However, after that, i am pretty much clueless. The problem lies on how much these camps want. The cheapest camp is $340 a week. Let’s do the math:

$340 * 2 (kids) * 4 (weeks) = $2,720 a month

This is close to $3000 because this doesn’t include supplies and activity fees they love to add to this number. Also, my ex isn’t the type to really help. I can just see that conversation:

“Eric, I probably need a little extra for the kids’ summer camps.”

“Ummm…I give you child support, so sorry, take it from there.”

My coworker says that our neighborhood has a half-day summer camp that has tennis, pool, and walking on nature trails. However, I am pretty uncomfortable paying lifeguards to watch my kids until I get home. They are watching everyone else, so what happens if they miss my kid? I don’t know…maybe I am paranoid. I think if all else fails, the kids will go to Isabelle’s school, which is Cebstian’s old school.

I want my children to have a fun summer, but do I really have to pay this money for them to have fun? These summer camps know that working parents need to place their kids in something, so they are upping that price like crazy to kind of screw us. I really don’t know what people are living paycheck-to-paycheck do.

For school-aged parents out there, what are you doing with the kids this summer?