OT: Anyone here with 14-18-y.o. kids? How do they spend their summers?

Submitted by dupont circle on

Little brother is in tenth grade, dreams of attending U-M, and just got into a selective five-week long summer boarding camp. I told parents he got a full scholarship to attend, which is half true (I'm paying what's left and his travel expenses). What I consider an awesome opportunity, my parents – well, our mom – are treating like it's some sort of punishment. I just think mom is going to miss her "baby" for half the summer. My brother would sit on the couch or by the pool all break on his iPhone if you let him, so I figured an camp (academic day, athletic afternoon, leisure night) would pay numerous dividends. Plus half the camp are girls his age from around the world, how is that punishment?

Perhaps I'm out of touch and there are better alternatives. What are your teenage children, younger siblings and cousins up to?

amir_6

March 12th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^

If he would be intrested, have him try out or join a summer sport at his school (football, soccer, cross country), it is a great way for him to stay in shape and make new friends.

dupont circle

March 12th, 2015 at 3:47 PM ^

Travel teams are cool, but they cost a lot and my parents have to drive him everywhere (he gets his license late summer). And his skill level isn't to the point he'd be invited to be on a good team. Both his academic and athletic skills need some polish, which this program provides. He could hit junior year with some new confidence, and a wider scope of how the world is.

Nacho Man

March 12th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^

Doing drugs and having sex.

Gotta get it out of their system early so they can focus in college.

The Mad Hatter

March 12th, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^

in the 90's.  But I had a job too.  Cigarettes, weed, and booze cost money.

God bless my Mother.  As long as I kept a 3.8+ gpa she gave me a wide berth.  Her only rules were don't drive drunk and don't get anybody pregnant.

pasadenablue

March 12th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^

As someone who went off to camps 10-15 years ago, I'd say they were some of the best learning experiences I ever had.  More than just 'knowledge' or whatever, you learn social skills, teamwork, independence, etc.  Plus its a lot of fun once you make friends and start doing stuff.

It'll be great for your mom as well (she'll learn how to deal with him eventually moving out of the house).

Camps I went to: CAEN (Umich Engin), All-State (Interlochen), CTD (Northwestern), and a bunch of random camps associated with UM.

 

I am a nerd.

gopoohgo

March 12th, 2015 at 6:10 PM ^

They wanted me to switch it up a little.

I think they desperately wanted one of their sons to goto an Ivy, and were trying to make me fall in love with the Northeast.  They knew I was hell-bent on going to Michigan.

It was tough curriculum.  My parents being my parents (and knowing I hated math) they signed me up for precalc.  Bleach.  Really helped for Honor Precalc, AP Calc the following year though.

Was my first time being away from home for THAT long.  Was a good growing experience.  

Boston was a quick train-ride away, and I had friends from my high school who were @ Harvard, Exeter, so we met up as well.

Good times!  Would encourage you to nag at your parents.

dupont circle

March 12th, 2015 at 6:36 PM ^

Good story. Sounds like you had great parents. You nailed all of my motivation in supporting this. I'd love for him to go to follow to U-M, yet getting in isn't a cake walk. Further, for you to have visited NE campuses during your summers and I'm sure had friends get into NE colleges as well, and then still choose U-M is really cool. But having that experience behind you to make a measured college decision is key. If I didn't push to provide opportunities like this he'd never leave his comfort zone, and never know what exists beyond his bubble.

dupont circle

March 12th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^

I was randomly invited to a two week U-M camp before senior year. It was awesome. Prior I didn't even know they existed. I don't think they're dorky. MSU, U-M, and Hope offer 2-week camps. Brown, MIT, Harvard, Exeter and Phillips-Andover offer 5-6 weeks camps. All of this stuff was over my parents' heads. I knew when I made some dough I'd make sure my little brother had the chance to do them. Never would have predicted my parents trying to interfere.

JeepinBen

March 12th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^

I went to sleep-away camp every summer from 3rd grade to sophomore year of high school as a camper. Ranging from 2-7 weeks at a time. As a senior in high school and throughout college I worked at the camp. I made a bit of money, but it was invaluable real-life experience. Moving away to college wasn't my first time "away from home" and since I worked there for so long I definitely got managerial experience. As an engineer I have to give a lot of presentations, having stood by myself in front of 1000 people to make announcements, work is easy.

I'm a big believer in sleep-away summer camps as a way for kids (and counselors) to develop and learn about themselves. OP - Good on you for helping send your brother! Mom will get used to it, it'll be a taste of college for her too. Your dad may benefit as well...

 

mfan_in_ohio

March 12th, 2015 at 4:10 PM ^

Went to summer camp at age 8 for 3 1/2 weeks, at age 9 for 7 weeks, kept on going through high school including a year as a counselor.  Invaluable experience, both from a standpoint of personal independence as well as simply getting to do things that I would not have otherwise had the opportunity to do.  

ypsituckyboy

March 12th, 2015 at 3:36 PM ^

I always had a job. I feel like that's a foreign concept these days for high school kids. Gotta work to pay for college.

NOTE: I graudated H.S. in the 2000's so don't give me that crap about "the economy being too bad these days for H.S. kids to find a job". They're out there. They probably suck and require hard work, but they're out there.

Snake Eyes

March 12th, 2015 at 3:39 PM ^

I don't think lying to your mom because you think you know what is best for your little brother is the best way to go.  I say respect your parents' wishes.

TESOE

March 12th, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^

we don't know enough of the details to make this judgment.  It's not always best to follow the desire of the parents.  If the parents didn't want him to go regardless of money they wouldn't allow it.  If it's a matter of money - this brother is doing someone a huge favor.  It appears in this case it's the latter - albeit from the older brother's POV.

Padog

March 12th, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^

I like to spend my summers playing video games and baseball. I wish it was how it used to be where you could get a pickup game of baseball going in your neighborhood. However I have a job this summer so that is gonna take up a lot of my time.

(Note: I am 16)

Yooper

March 12th, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^

Your failure to schedule every moment of your summer to build your resume in a way that will impress an admissions officer at UM or some other prestigious university has doomed your chances of getting into a good school and therefore your life is basically over.  Too bad for you.

Seriously though, it is too bad that kids can't just get a job and hang out.  There is real value in that as well.

Jon06

March 12th, 2015 at 3:58 PM ^

But I went to UM from out of state in 2002 with very little in the way of extracurricular achievement. Test scores were really good, but still, it's not necessary to schedule yourself to death. Don't let anybody else make your life a rat race.

dupont circle

March 12th, 2015 at 5:37 PM ^

Kids that just "hang" and remain mostly idle every summer end up getting lapped when AP courses start, or freshman year of college, by the kids that stayed constructively occupied (academics, job, volunteering, sports) during the summer. Once a kid is busy, I don't think they can imagine another way of life. Obviously there are extremes but I don't think a 5 week camp (half of summer) full of babes his age is encroaching on extreme.

GoBlueMAGNUS

March 12th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^

You pretty much described my summers growing up. Enjoy every one of them. While it took me a little longer than most, I am pretty successful now so I really don't regret anything except not partying harder and having more fun.




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

The Mad Hatter

March 12th, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^

We've been sending her to Blue Lake for a week each summer since she was in middle school.  Other than that she mostly sits on her ass and watches tv and reads.

She's turning 16 soon, so I told her she'll either be getting a summer job or taking some dual enrollment classes at OCC.  She expects to go to Michigan on my dime, so I'm making her take a bunch of AP and CC classes to save a few bucks.

 

Bando Calrissian

March 12th, 2015 at 3:57 PM ^

This may have (but probably hasn't) changed at Michigan, but all my AP credits did for me was give me a bunch of empty credits with no grades attached to them, waivers to get out of intro-level lectures, and upperclassman tuition my junior year. They did very little, if anything towards my graduation in terms of actual degree requirements. Speaking as someone who now helps teach intro-level lecture courses, even with the level of education I got at my fantastic high school, you get a lot out of college instruction that you don't get in AP English or European History, particularly when it comes to writing.

Yes, AP classes are great, and you should definitely take them. But most schools worth their salt these days aren't going to let you waltz in with a pile of AP credits that let you lop off a couple years of school. That's not how it works.