A disconnect at camp

greccogirl wrote:
L. wrote:
greccogirl wrote:

My god, what the children of the world do, before cell phones? I guess
they were just abused by having to go to camp without a phone! ROTFLMAO

A lot of them got in trouble and had no way to contact anyone for help.
I want my child to have the means to contact me anytime, anywhere,
regardless of anyone else's policies.

-L.

A lot of them? Doubtful! I went to camp all my life and never "got
into trouble". I didn't know anyone who did! A child doesn't need a
cell phone at camp, unless they are too immature to be there in the
first place, or possibly his parents are too immature to let their kid
out of their sight.

Well, aren't you lucky! You never met anyone who was bullied at camp.
Or who was placed with a group of kids who smoked/did drugs/were
sexually promiscuous, and really didn't know how to get out of the
situation. Had a counselor who harrassed them, or left the kids on
their own while going out to smoke/yadda yadda. Was abused or
molested. Otherwise faced a situation that s/he couldn't handle on
his/her own. Well, that doesn't mean that those things don't happen,
or that kids should be forced to face those things without parental
assistance.

I don't believe that cell phones are *necessary* for all kids who goes
to overnight camp. Indeed, there's probably a lot to be said for
cutting that cord. OTOH, I don't think that Lyn's position is out of
line, overprotective, or otherwise ridiculous. IIRC, her son is now
about 2 years old, so I don't think that overnight camp is imminent.
However, whomever said that when the time comes -- if it comes -- she
should seek out a camp that permits cell phones (and they do exist) is
correct; that's what I would do.

Barbara