Are Kids Camps as Safe as Posh Pet Retreats?

The following post was submitted by guest blogger, Marisa Aud, communications specialist with Our Youth at Work foundation.

Curtis Geesman 15, dies at a camp in Ohio after participating in sumo-suit match.

Sean Whitley, 17, of Marlton died in Philadelphia, the result of a fire at a Boy Scout camp.

There’s been a lot of commotion over the past several summers regarding where pet owners are going to leave their four-legged family members while they’re away at their summer hot-spots. I’m not talking about just leaving their furry pal with a trusted neighbor or family member; I mean what's known as "doggie daycare" or "pet motel" and in some cases "pet retreats."

Now don’t get me wrong - we ought to treat the animals of our earth with love and respect. It just seems ironic that we shell out a few extra bucks for our pets in order to know they'll be taken care of and loved...

But when it comes to our children, we tend think the opposite when sending them off to summer camp: “The rougher the better, it’ll be good for their character!”

I’m not saying that we don’t read the camp brochure. Sure, we take the time to check into what kind of activities they might participate in, the counsellor-to-camper ratio, cost and whether or not the kids are allowed to bring a cell phone.

But do we take the time to see if:

• Those counsellors have had criminal and background checks?
• Are they certified in Red Cross and CPR procedures?
• Do we know what kind of meals they serve and if the health inspectors regularly check up on staffers while camp is on?
• Will there be a nurse on site the entire time of camp?
• Are the campers instructed on safety procedures in all areas, when it comes to: swimming (buddy system in the water, boating (mandatory life jackets?] hiking (bar repellant, if needed?), etc.?

I’m doing all of us parents a little favor by reminding you that it’s OK to be overly-aware of their summer camp before they even get there.

And if your child has already been to camp this summer, go over the details of their week with them: What their schedule was like, what activities they participated in, who supervised. Find out if there was something that could have been better and speak with the camp director about what changes they might consider for next year - believe me, courteous feedback is always welcome.

Rating the quality of summer camps online

It’s up to us as parents to take the necessary precautions, it’s just the required homework that comes with the position.

Check out a great website: www.campratingz.com to read other campers' experiences about the camp you’re interested in and be sure to get your child to post their rating when they return from camp.

If we can’t be with our kids when they go to camp, perhaps we should make a visit to the camp and meet the staff for ourselves before they get there. (And of course, we should be safety-cautious on our family camping trips, too.)

The truth is, there will always be a risk associated with giving a child a little independence. However, knowing that the people who will be spending up to 170 hours with our child are on our side can greatly reduce that risk.

Let’s do what we can to insure summer camp is as fun and safe as it can be for our kids - I’m referring to the ones who walk on two legs ;)