Should I order a prepaid care package at overnight camp?

[american_mama]

DD1, age 13, is going to sleepaway camp for the first time (Girl Scout camp) and I am reading the information packet. There is a $40 care package you can preorder to have delivered to your daughter at camp. I ordinarily would skip this as overpriced, but am concerend that "everyone else" will get a package and DD1 will feel unloved. What a great fundraising racket....

Any experience to share?

I am positive DD1 will want it because, of course, she wants things even if junky. Given her age and personality, she will probably not be very homesick and is used to me saying things are too expensive. The care package includes "camp-themed tote bag, autograph stuffed animal, camp memories journal, LED glow stick, playing cards, bubbles, bandana, and more...." I bet the tote bag is cheap, the last thing I want in the house is another stuffed animal, DD1 will probably not use the journal, a glow stick can be bought for cents on the dollar, we have playing cards that are rarely used, and DD1 doesn't like bandanas even at Girl Scout camp.

But I don't want her to feel like her parents didn't want to show their love if most of the other kids are getting a package. And if all the campers sign the stuffed animal, then I can see why not having one makes you feel left out.

Thoughts?

[lizzywednesday]

Is that the only way to send a care package to your child?

If not, could you assemble a different one with items that you find more acceptable? Like an autograph book and cool pen instead of the journal and stuffed animal? A package of glow sticks (or glow bracelets) she could share with her cabin/tent? A fun string bag or extra hat?

I agree $40 is a lot to spend on stuff she likely won't use.

[Simon]

Personally, I'd likely give my Ds other choices, either with or w/out the care package as one of the options. 1) I can buy you this care package or I will buy you a sweatshirt at the end of the week. 2) I will buy you a care package or I will deposit that money into your camp account so you can choose what to buy yourself. 3) I will buy you a sweatshirt or deposit $, but I will not buy a care package. I think my son would go for #2, but I'm not sure I'd even want to give him the choice of a care package. He, too, is accustomed to hearing me say that something is too much $$. I send email/letters but I don't think a 1-week stay requires extra "care" from home. She might feel left out, but I'd give my son a heads up to expect mail but not a package so he would be ready and not surprise disappointed.

[vonfirmath]

My son is going away to sleepaway camp for the first time this summer. I am VERY thankful there is no "care package" option! We can send mail and I plan to send letters twice -- dropping one in the mail on Friday so it gets there at the beginning and the other in the mail Monday-Tuesday for later in the week.

I know from my friend's kids that they did kind of look forward to the mail call and being "Embarassed" by the mail.

Could you ask others in the troop to see what parents are thinking of? With all the "won't use" You mentioned, I'd be leaning toward another sort of care package, if anything. (Is there an ability to buy camp-themed stuff outside of this care package?)

Note that they sell similar stuff to parents of college students now so anything you do now could set a precedent for the college years.

(ETA the only thing my parents sent me in college that I still remember now is a pair of fun socks. I know there must have been other things. But none of it has stuck)

[megs4413]

I would because I think it's very likely that most of the other girls will get one and she will feel totally left out if she doesn't.

[mmommy]

These are the situations that make me want to organize all of the parents to, as a group, NOT order the thing so that nobody is left out. I think frequently parents only end up ordering just so their kid won't be the one left out.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Can you mail your own packages? I sent my DS two Amazon prime packages while he was gone last year.

This year he's only going for 1 week, so I'll probably just do one ordered on the Friday before.

[alexsmommy]

I do 2 or three prime packages like pp. That way it's stuff he will use again, like a good quality frisbee, fun books.. and I usually send one to share - i.e. glow stick necklaces. He goes for two weeks with Sunday drop off so I set it up to have one arrive that first Tuesday. I also like it that way because I can do smaller thing and he can have a few packages arrive.