September 18, 2025
When Kids Want to Skip Summer Camp, Should Parents Push Them Forward?
Ben Moss
Every summer, countless families face the same challenge: kids who resist the idea of camp. They say they’re too tired, too busy, or simply want to stay home. On the surface, it can feel like a battle of wills, but this pushback often masks a deeper need: time, space, and experiences that help children grow beyond screens, routines, and schedules. Summer camp isn’t just another activity, it’s an environment designed to nurture independence, confidence, and resilience. So, when your child resists, thequestion isn’t just whether to push—it’s how to guide them toward an experience thatcould change their summer—and maybe even themselves.
Pay Attention Early
The school year is packed. Between academics, athletics, extra curriculars, and just basically being a kid, your child is doing A LOT. Your household is doing A LOT. During the school year, take a little time to assess what summer could potentially look like.Observe how your child is handling everything on their plate and how they are evolving.Do they have new interests? How do they reflect on their activities from the previous summer? This may give insight on how to approach potentially attending overnight camp.
Listen Openly and Validate
Rest matters. Children need downtime to process, recharge, and explore their own creativity. After a school year filled with assignments, sports, and extracurriculars, a summer with less structure can sound like the perfect way to protect a child’s mental and emotional well-being.
Overnight camp is a pause and the perfect solution! It is a change of scenery, a chance to unplug, and a space to recharge in a supportive environment, without losing the joy of discovery and connection.
Inform and Encourage
Needing a break is warranted, but balance is important too. When met with resistance, it’s important to listen and acknowledge their concerns. After listening, reframe camp asa privilege rather than a chore. Sharing photos, stories, and allowing input on activities can help a child see overnight camp as something to look forward to rather than avoid. The alternative to no summer camp can lead to “doing nothing” which often turns into weeks spent on screens, in bedrooms, and away from meaningful social interaction. Overnight camp fosters the kind of growth that helps kids to navigate friendships, discover new skills, and build confidence–this isn’t by chance, but by design. It is an environment intentionally curated to balance structure and freedom.
Camp is filled with adventure and has routine. There’s independence, coupled with guidance. Being at home for the summer cannot offer a community of peers living, playing, and problem-solving together.It Just Takes the First StepMany campers arrive hesitant and leave transformed. They have a summer full of new friendships, newfound confidence, and skills they never expected to learn. The most challenging part is simply taking the first step.The question for parents is not whether camp is worth it, but whether they’re willing to be the driving force and give their children the kind of summer that will be worth remembering.
