Overnight Camp Parent Employment or Volunteer Opportunities

Hello, E.!
Welcome to mamapedia!

Have you called the camps you are interested in to see if they offer this type of arrangement?

You didn't give a location or a name or even WHEN you would like to happen. So it's really hard to help you.

Good luck!

When I was a camp director, I did have a few staff members who lived and worked at camp with their children. I was willing to make the arrangement with them because the positions that they filled were really hard positions to find qualified applicants for. (One was a nurse, the other was the kitchen manager.) The arrangement worked because their kids were old enough that they didn't need constant supervision, and because there were private cabins for these positions so that they could have family time.

I don't think it would have worked for a camp counselor to have their own kids on site. Camp counselor positions are pretty much 24 hour a day positions, and having a child in the group would have diminished the cohesiveness of the group. (Other campers would have constantly felt that the child was being favored.)

I think you need to approach this the same way that you would approach any other job. Think about what skills you have to offer the camp, and then start contacting camps and negotiating with them.

What I'd encourage you to think about though is what type of impact your being there will have on your child. Part of the reason that summer camp is almost magical for so many kids is because their parents aren't present. They become more independent and more courageous because they, oftentimes for the first time in their life, have to rely on themselves. I attended summer camp for many years as a child, and I don't think my experience would have been the same if my mother was there.

Most summer camps offer scholarships or reduced fees. That may be your best option.

What camps are you interested in?

Call each one and ask.

I imagine you talk to the camps and get in touch with their employment department and see if there are any openings.
You might have to be certified for CPR, to work/teach children, have a background check (that's what they do at schools to keep pedophiles out), etc - so ask what their requirements are.
Also find out what the deadlines are - it's probably just about the right time to get a handle on things to get things rolling for next summer.]
Actually - Google:
"summer camp employment"
see what turns up and then follow through.

They may want you to work for the whole summer regardless of how many weeks your kids attend.
I'm really not sure how it works.

I have quite a few colleagues who have done this. It depends on your skills and certifications. One worked in the office/admin, others worked as specialists in different areas. There are also jobs that are hard to fill, not just due to skill levels but due to lack of interest. Sometimes it's hard to get dining hall workers, sometimes it's hard to get a drama specialist or a sports coach or a one-on-one aide to a camper with a disability.

The thing to do is to look for the jobs first to see which camps are hiring for which positions, and then to negotiate the salary in exchange for tuition abatement. I think if you approach camps saying, "I can't afford you, so can I clean toilets for you?" you won't get as many takers as if you are a wanted professional in any area and then they negotiate with you which can have benefits for both you and them.

Please review camps though and make sure you are only looking at camps that will interest both of your children and be a good fit for them.

Barb makes some excellent points.

My kids go to sleepover camps, and my family did growing up. I also went to girl scout camps as a child and my kids have gone to scouting camps too.

I think getting it subsidized would be the way to go - if it were me. The big sleep away camp my kids do is a Christian based camp - kids do not have to be Christian to go, nor go to church, it's just who it is run by - they are willing to negotiate camp fees I believe. That's the whole reason they do the camp - so it's inclusive. I know a lot of kids are from foster care, etc.

I think that's the same for sports camps around here also. They are not necessarily sleepover camps - but I know they support all income levels.

As for working there too - I have not run into this with my kids experiences. Seems to me that might have been the case when I went to camp - I don't remember the child mingling with the rest very much, but it would depend on the child. I agree with Barb that part of the experience for kids is to be on their own and gain independence. However, i'm sure it happens and works for some families.

It would help to know what area in particular you are looking at, so that moms in that area could respond with actual camp suggestions to give you.

**My husband has volunteered at scouting camps now that I think of it. They were more for long weekends, but that was a simple enough process - he just had to have his security checks done. With scouting, I think there are always some parent volunteers. He was on kitchen duty (preparing bonfires, clean up, making breakfast, etc.). On the plus side, he is still good friends with the dad that he met while doing that.

Do you have daughters? Girl Scouts offers scholarships for those who qualify, or you can probably get discounted fees if you volunteer but you will need to do mandatory training and be approved. Call your local Girl Scout office for info (and no, a girl doesn't need to be a scout to attend camp.)
Beyond that just start contacting the camps that your kids would be interested in and see what they offer.

I have heard of this happening from time to time. Usually though, the staff at summer camps are young adults, not parental figures. Kids really want camp staff who are more mentors than parental types. Also, having a parent at camp would diminish the camp experience for the child. If you want to have a summer camp experience with your kids, I would suggest attending a family camp.