Issues w/ 3yr sons camp counselor?

Question

I'm sending my 3 boys to a day camp right down the street so I can rest (pregnant & due Sept) and they can make friends in our new area. I have a problem w/ my son Connor's 17yr camp counselor. My son is 3yrs, there are 6 boys in his group and he’s the youngest by a yr. There isn’t 3yr group at the camp but the owner said he would be fine w/ the 4yrs and this counselor. Connor has the social skills & the maturity level of a 4yr but he still isn’t able to do things like get dressed w/out some help, swim well, tie shoes etc like the other boys can and his counselor DOESNT HELP. It was just little things at first, but the big prob was when he came home all cut up on yesterday. A life guard who is on the bus w/ him and saw what happened said Connor was standing on the stairs trying to get his counselor's attention, who was in the pool already, to help him with his swimmies, slipped and fell into the pool. The life gaurd saved him b/c his counselor didn't even notice.

There is no other group he can be switched into. The camp keeps saying how great this 17yr is to others but he's not w/ my kid AT ALL and I’ve said something once already. Normally I'm a yeller, but want to fix this calmly with the pregnancy and all. Who should I go to first? What should I do?

the 3yrs ARE ALLOWED at camp but there isn't a group for them b/c i was the only one who signed him up for his age. It's a new camp and I know 4yrs can't do a lot of things on their own as well.

he's not going to that camp anymore but I don't know who to go to first to talk about the issue.

Answer 1

I don't understand why this counselor can't simply HELP YOUR KID! I have a 4yr and she can't swim very well or tie her shoes and needs a help with buttons/zippers on her pants. My 5yr son still swims with swimmies in the pool b/c he hasn't quite gotten the hang of swimming. It's not that he's too young its that the counselor isn't doing his JOB! I'm sure not all 5 of those other boys can do everything by themselves and if you as a counselor aren't willing to help out then maybe he should be working with older kids or not at all.
Even in general why was your son's counselor not paying attention to your son? No, his eyes shouldn't be only on yours but he should have had a head count in the pool, know where everyone is etc. If he couldn't help him, maybe he could have said "Ask a life guard for help." Why is there only 1 person for this group, especially 4yr boys!?
I would go right to the owners and talk with them. Use your loud voice :)! I don't know who you talked to first, but I would make sure they're aware of the problem. It's not that your son needed help but the fact that he wasn't BEING WATCHED IN A POOL by the person incharge of the group. There should be more than 1 person for that group as well. If this kid can't handle the job, then I would pull your out and ask for your money back. Find another camp or look into the pre-schools. I too understand you need the rest and the break, but its for the safety of your son and others.

Answer 2

The reason why they have the camp for age 4 & higher is because the camp couselors do not have the time to assist the kids with getting dressed,etc. The more time the counselor takes to assist your child is time away from the other children and that is not fair to them. What if the counselor did turn around to help your son and something happened to one of the other kids in the pool while he wasn't paying attention?

It isn't anyone's fault . . . your youngest son is just not age-ready. I understand you need that break to rest, but for your son's safety (and your peace of mind) take him out of camp this year and keep him home with you. Besides, how much rest are you getting if you are worried about his safety while he is gone? With you being pregnant, I GUARANTEE you that you do not need that additional worry right now.

Answer 3

It sounds like the camp owner was more concerned with the dollar signs tan anything else. Most threes are not ready for the highly structured routines of a day camp.You can complain to the director but I am not sure it would do any good. A seventeen year old probably doesn't have the flexibility or patience to deal with a child who requires more attention than the rest of the group. It sounds to me as if you need to take him out of camp for his own protection. He probably would enjoy some 1:1 time with you. Invest in a sprinkler and some outdoor toys along with some art materials. You can have "rest time" in the afternoon. You put your feet up and he stays in his room with a few books to look at. He may even fall asleep.

Answer 4

I would say that it is safer to not let him go back to that group. 17 is rather young to be in charge of so many children that young. If the 17 year old was qualified I could see, but at that age I don't see how they could be qualified. I would have been scared out of my mind to think that the primary caregiver is 17, and did not even see your child fall in the pool. You may have to give up a little time for rest to see to the safety of your children. I was pregnant with my second while my oldest was 3, so I do know how tired you are. But I would not have traded rest, for my child's safety. Is there no one else who could take the child for a few hours a day? Maybe even a type of daycare that does part days? See if you can find another option.

Answer 5

My goodness, that's terrible. Tell whoever's in charge of the camp what that counselor has been doing, because it sounds like she's treating him worse just because he's a little younger (heck, there are even 4 year olds who still sometimes need help with the things you mentioned- does she help them if it's necessary?). The fact that she didn't care when your kid got all cut up really scares me, and I'm tempted to say it may be grounds for taking legal action (especially if his cuts get infected and he has to go to the doctor for it). I'd say that counselor needs to get fired/kicked out. If nothing you do solves the problem, just take him out of the camp; it's not worth risking his safety.

Answer 6

I would take my child out of that camp. I've been pregnant and had three little ones running around. I didn't send them away during the day because I was tired. I wouldn't send my kids to this camp if they are in danger and your child is. If he really did fall into the pool they are doing a bad job at watching your son. I don't see how you could let him go after that.

Answer 7

For starters...your son is obviously too young to be in summer camp. He needs much more attention than a normal counselor can provide.
You need also need to consider the fact that these counselors cannot give 100% exclusive attention to one child but have to equally distribute their attention to all the children they are overlooking.

Perhaps you need to take your son off the camp...

Answer 8

I would go to the camp and talk to the person in charge. Tell them what's going on with your son and then talk to the counselor himself. If that doesn't fix it then pull him out of that camp and get your money back. If that counselor doesn't want to do his job he needs to be fired. Act now before something else happens.

Answer 9

You are better than me because I am pregnant and I woulda flew down to that camp site when my child came home all cut up!!!!!!!! Maybe you can have the lifeguard explain what happen to whoever runs that place and tell them how the counselor wasn't paying attention. Be careful though because that counselor might treat your child different because you made a big ol' scene, and you wouldn't want that to happen!

Answer 10

Your son is clearly too young to be in this camp. The counselors are not trained (nor is it their job) to help your son get dressed, swim and tie his shoes. Those required skills are precisely why the camp is for children 4 years and older!

I know lots of parents try to push their kids into the next level class - it's like they think it means they're advanced children. Take him out and try again next year.