Do you let your kids sign themselves out of camp?

[suzinva]

I've never put my kid IN a camp, and nor would I let her sign herself out. I certainly don't know any of the 3000 other passengers, and her safety is at the top of the list, just as it is with spending time together on vacation.

 

And after 9 cruises, she's yet to be bored. She's quite comfortable making friends with the other kids who aren't locked in the camps.

 

I had to take a 2nd look at your phrasing, I get your point, but you make it sound like the cruise camps are concentration camps or something :).

 

The cruise camps and summer camps etc are not for all kids. I'm grateful my son loves them. He's an only child, he makes friends easily, thankfully, and the Carnival and RC camps give him a great opportunity to make new friends and do some activities in a structured environment. He got to pick and choose what he wanted to try or liked doing. The rest of the time, he spent with us.

 

It's not a jail, though lol

[pghfour]

I personally would not let my 9 or 10 year old son roam a cruise ship alone unless you can also say you would be comfortable dropping him off in a town of 2000 or 3000 people. No matter how "mature" you may think they are they are still children and predators know how to deceive them. If you do not think predators are on cruises ships think again. One of my closest friends is an agent whose job it is to catch these sickos. He says you have got to be crazy to let kids that young roam around a ship where they know a few people. Believe me he is the one who sees the bad stuff that happens and it does happen on cruise ships.

 

If you are afraid that you son may not like the camp, drop him off for an hour and come back and check to see if he wants to stay. I know many of you had good experiences but are you willing to take the chance to be the one who has a bad one?:confused:

[Manatee Mom]

I am just like you and totally understand. Walkie Talkies are the easiest and best way to communicate. We just got off the Dream and though my son (8) loves camp, sometimes he gets hungry or wants to go on the slides, etc. He call we go get him. I don't keep the volume up full, just loud enough so i can hear it and out by the pool who is it going to disturb? My other son (10) does sign himself in/out. But again he calls us and lets us know where he is/what he's doing.

 

As to kids destroying property or doing some of the other things that were said you also have to look at the families. If the parents have no respect, than...... Not all kids are that way, you know your child and what they will (won't) do.

[bplazo]

I was never comfortable with letting my daughter sign herself out if she went to the kids club. I would give her about an hour and then go check on her if she was having a good time then she would stay. Most of the time though she wanted to hang out with me!

[MamaParrotHead]

Nope, I didn't let my 10 YO sign herself out. And I don't plan on even considering it until she's in the 12-14 age group. Even THEN, it will be STRICTLY enforced as to where she's allowed to be if not with us.

 

I trust my daughter, it's the 2500+ other passengers plus 1000+ crew that I don't know personally that I don't. I'd much rather be safe than sorry, and not have to live with "what ifs" if (God forbid) anything happen to one of my kids. There is a time and a place for teaching independance, IMO, and a ship full of strangers and hundreds of secluded areas and cubby holes on 14+ decks of a ship to do God-knows-what to do.

[chloelocks]

In the OP's case, you seem to know what you need to do in the case of your younger son. I would suggest that you check in with your son at Camp Carnival after the first half hour or so to see if he wants to leave early. That way, you'll be satisfied that he's happy to stay to the end or you'll know if he's bummed and wants to leave.

 

Have a safe and enjoyable trip!:)

 

As for my family . . .

 

I trust my 8 & 9 year old daughters totally and completely. They are intelligent and well-behaved.

 

However, I do not for a split second trust all the people on the ship. Bad things happen everywhere, and parents often think it won't happen to their child. It can!

 

I would not allow my children to roam the ship alone, not even for a minute. I walk them to the ice cream station, the bathroom, the stateroom. It may be a little inconvenient, but it's worth the peace of mind. I doubt I'll let them walk around the ship alone ever, maybe in a group after they're teens.