The soil is frozen, the trees are bare, and groundhogs across the nation have sought refuge in warmer regions after catching sight of their shadows. Although summer still appears distant, for numerous parents in or near urban areas, the dreaded Summer Camp Signup Season has arrived. Amidst the winter chill, it’s time to estimate summer workloads, chart out vacation plans, compete for camp slots, and gather the necessary funds to secure spots. Acting too tardily or, heaven forbid, forgetting to enroll could result in a summer filled with lengthy commutes to camp, inconvenient schedules, activities disliked by the kids, and unaffordable prices.
In typical fashion, when faced with daunting challenges, parents turn to social media to share their woes. “Happy Summer Camp Registration Day to all who observe,” quipped a father from Massachusetts on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, in early January.
A mother from Maine swiftly added, “Preparing to register the boys for summer camp at 9 am, updates to follow.”
A resident of San Francisco expressed frustration, “Missed out on securing a spot at Wheel Kids summer camp this morning. Despite refreshing continuously, having my form pre-filled, and knowing my preferred sessions, I still couldn’t register in time.”
Another parent shared, “How do I manage to forget—every year—that summer camp registration is in January?”
For those unfamiliar with this ritual—a process termed the “epic scramble to get the kid into summer camps” by a dad from North Carolina—it might be easy to dismiss these parents as exaggerating or excessively eager. Perhaps they are perceived as overly involved helicopter parents? However, the notion of camp solely as an extracurricular activity meant for fun during school closures contributes to the logistical nightmare faced by many families when planning for summer, as noted by Raena Boston, co-founder of the Chamber of Mothers and a mother of three residing in Florida. For a significant portion of families where both parents work, camp serves as essential child care, ensuring children’s safety during school breaks while parents remain employed. In essence, it is not merely an optional activity.
Boston emphasizes, “Parents are not enrolling kids in camp just because they have excess income. They genuinely need a solution to cover the 10 weeks when kids are out of school and parents need to work every day.”
The perception of camp as a luxury rather than a critical support system contributes to the summer chaos: a scarcity of affordable public camp options, an overwhelming array of private specialty camps with steep fees, camps closing well before the workday concludes and weeks before the school year starts, and parents—often mothers—forced to piece together summer child care on a week-by-week or even hourly basis.
Challenges with Summer Child Care Begin Early
Finding a solution requires a meticulous approach, as highlighted by Stephanie Mayers, a working mother from New Jersey. Camp enrollments often open at the start of the year, with Early Bird rates announced before Thanksgiving and priority registration commencing even earlier for returning campers.
Two summers ago, Mayers was urged to reserve a spot for her daughter at a camp shortly after the previous summer ended. Reluctant to commit so far in advance, she eventually found all spots taken when she decided to register. Learning from this experience, Mayers secured several weeks of summer camp well in advance for the upcoming summer.
In policy discussions, the challenges of summer camp often take a backseat to the early childhood child care crisis, resulting in limited research on summer child care for school-aged children. However, existing studies, such as the 2019 report by the Center for American Progress, reveal that a significant number of parents encounter difficulties in arranging summer child care, with issues ranging from insufficient camp slots to cost constraints.
Securing a camp spot often hinges on factors like tracking enrollment openings, having the time and resources to register online, and possessing the financial means to pay in advance. This process can be inequitable for lower-income families, as noted by education researcher Betsy Wolf, who has three children.
In Washington DC, where Wolf resides, city-run summer camps provide a more affordable alternative to private options. However, these government-funded slots fill up rapidly through a complex lottery system that opens weeks after private camp registrations, presenting parents with a dilemma: opt for the pricier private camps in January for guaranteed child care or gamble on securing a spot in the more affordable city-run camps.
The overarching issue, according to Boston, is the lack of accessible and affordable public options. Insufficient government investment in summer child care exacerbates the problem, leading to scenarios like the New York City Summer Rising program, which had to turn away thousands of children due to limited space despite accommodating 110,000 children.
Meanwhile, Boston discreetly mentions securing spots for her children in an affordable and popular camp run by the parks department in Florida, underscoring the scarcity of such programs.
Challenges Persist Even After Securing Camp Spots
Despite locking in camp plans, parents still face challenges during the summer months. Camp hours often fall short of a typical school day, necessitating additional child care arrangements post-camp or opting for “extended hours” at an extra cost to match the workday. The cumulative expenses can be significant, with full-day coverage at New York City’s YMCA camps costing over \(550 per week in some neighborhoods, while the national average rate for a summer babysitter hovers around \)24 per hour for one child.
For single mother Corrine Terrell, who earns less than $10 an hour as a tip worker in Chicago, affording full-day child care is unfeasible. With schools closed, she not only loses essential child care but also free school meals. The financial strain forces Terrell to seek permission for shortened workdays, resulting in substantial income loss during the financially challenging summer months.
The struggle to find comprehensive summer child care is a common theme, as highlighted by Marisa LaScala, a senior editor, who faced the daunting task of arranging over 20 days of care between the end of New York City’s Summer Rising program and the start of her daughter’s school year, both operated by the Department of Education. The lack of seamless child care solutions forces parents to navigate complex arrangements to bridge the summer gap.
Given the complexities and costs involved, it is unsurprising that many families opt out of formal camp arrangements, as evidenced by a 2018 study from the New America Foundation’s Better Life Lab. While some families have the luxury of stay-at-home parents or supportive grandparents, shift and gig workers with unpredictable schedules find traditional camps unfeasible. As a result, parents often resort to hiring babysitters or devising makeshift solutions, albeit with challenges and uncertainties.
Tranicea Dixon, a service worker in Chicago, exemplifies the struggles faced by parents with fluctuating work hours. Last summer, Dixon relied on her sister for child care, but this year, with her sister unavailable, she faces the daunting task of juggling work and child care responsibilities, potentially involving free camp options and adjusting her work schedule.
The lack of reliable child care options leads to significant consequences, with more than half of parents surveyed planning job changes during the summer, resulting in income loss. In some cases, children are left in less-than-ideal or unsafe situations, such as excessive screen time or unsupervised periods, posing risks that could trigger child welfare concerns.
Exploring Viable Solutions
While challenges persist, solutions and alternatives exist for some families. Policy changes, such as paid family leave, expanded free and affordable summer child care, and higher wages for low-income workers, are critical steps needed to address the systemic issues surrounding summer child care. Drawing inspiration from countries like Sweden, which offer extensive paid leave and government-funded child care, the United States lags behind in providing comprehensive support for working families.
In the absence of federal policies ensuring parental leave or subsidized summer child care, the burden falls heavily on individual families to navigate the complex landscape of summer child care. The prevailing perception of summer camp as a recreational activity rather than a crucial support system perpetuates the challenges faced by many parents, leading to financial strain, career sacrifices, and heightened stress levels during the summer months.