April 14, 2023
Recently, while browsing through social media, I came across an advertisement for an exciting summer writing camp for kids. My son has a flair for storytelling, and I’m always eager to nurture that talent—after all, every parent dreams of having a future New York Times bestselling author in the family. Intrigued, I clicked on the ad to learn more about the program, which offered week-long sessions for four hours a day at a location conveniently close to home. But then, I saw the price tag: nearly $800! Plus, I would need to pack lunch for him every day while still figuring out how to pay for the other nine weeks of summer activities.
It’s time we have a candid conversation about the financial burden summer break puts on families. As a working mother managing a budget, the stress of this season is overwhelming. My inbox fills up with offers urging me to register for summer camps early, yet the reality is that I simply cannot justify spending up to $1,000 a week on these experiences.
If my son doesn’t attend camp, what are my options? Finding childcare here can cost around $15 an hour. Even if I adjust my work schedule to end my day early and only need care for five or six hours, that’s still nearly $100 a day. It seems less common nowadays to have a family member, like a grandparent or aunt, willing to watch the kids while parents work. When I was young, summers were filled with hanging out with relatives, watching TV, and visiting the library. Back then, family members were always around to keep an eye on us, and we could spend our days at someone’s house with an adult ensuring we had meals and came in when the streetlights turned on.
Summer camps in my childhood were affordable, often costing no more than $50 a week, meals included. Today, however, the emphasis on structured activities and enrichment programs means kids often require more than just a few weeks at camp. Their school year is jam-packed, and after such a rigorous schedule, the pressure of figuring out how to keep them engaged during summer intensifies for me.
Having managed summer camps for nearly a decade, I understand the financial dynamics at play. Our non-profit camp relied on grants, allowing most families to pay less than $200 for a full ten weeks, inclusive of meals and field trips. For-profit camps don’t have that luxury, and specialized camps that teach skills like writing or coding often require higher fees to pay experienced instructors. Still, $800 a week, especially for just four hours, feels exorbitant. When I factor in after-camp care or the cost of having someone pick up my son and supervise him until I finish work, it can feel demoralizing. Only affluent families can truly afford these options, and sadly, that’s not us.
As a middle-class family, our income places us in a tricky position—we earn too much to access affordable summer programs, yet not enough to easily cover the costs of tuition and babysitting. Without qualifying for scholarships or reduced rates, my son’s summer activities are largely determined by our financial limits instead of his interests. Fortunately, a couple of summers ago, I discovered a fantastic camp that allowed me to barter marketing services for a session in their program, and they’ve been accommodating ever since. I realize that most families won’t find such arrangements.
Finding Solutions
So what’s the solution? How can we afford summer break when just a couple of weeks of camp or even part-time babysitting fees surpass our mortgage? I don’t think summer camp administrators will feel compelled to change their pricing as long as some families continue to pay these exorbitant fees. Instead, we need to address our employers.
To avoid taking advantage of friends letting my son attend their camp, I limit his enrollment to a few sessions. The rest of the time, we create our own “Mommy Camp,” which includes affordable summer classes. My flexible job allows me to mix enjoyable educational experiences with my work responsibilities. Last summer, we enjoyed mini-golf, library visits, and trips to historical sites in our area.
As working parents, we must advocate for more flexibility from our employers during summer months. They should be partners in ensuring our children are cared for while we fulfill our work commitments. Worrying about childcare options and affordability detracts from our ability to focus on our jobs.
Ideally, summer camp providers would prioritize making their programs accessible to all interested children. However, in our capitalist society, profit drives decision-making. I won’t let this discourage me from continuing to seek out quality, affordable summer options. Until that elusive perfect program appears, I’ll be enrolling my kids in another summer of “Mommy Camp,” which I know I can manage financially.
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In summary, summer break can be a daunting financial challenge for many families, particularly those in the middle class. The high costs of camps and childcare leave parents feeling overwhelmed and searching for alternative solutions to create enriching summer experiences for their children.