The following is a guest post from momAgendaCOMM blogger Kim-Marie Evans.
Sending the kids off to summer camp this year? Gone are the days of just a sleeping bag and some bug spray. I think sending them to college might be easier, and less expensive.
Three of my four darling children all wanted to go to camp this summer. Not being very smart, I didn’t make them all go to the same camp or go at the same time. So now I’m a glorified form filler outer/Target shopper/long haul driver.
Learn from my mistakes…
Here are my Top 5 Sanity Saving Tips for Sumer Camp:
1. Schedule your child’s physical when you plan their birthday party. Most insurance companies pay for an annual physical. Even if the school doesn’t require it, every camp will. The pediatrician can give you a generic camp form and a copy of the needed vaccinations. Some camps accept these, so keep a copy of one on file.
2. File the camp forms and vaccinations in your momAgenda Kitchen Folio. NEVER give the original away! Make tons of copies, you’ll be shocked how often you need these damn things.
3. Print the packing list for camp early and shop online. You’ll save a fortune if you buy shorts when you get that 30% off Old Navy sale e-mail and buying a portable fan last minute when it’s 100 degrees out is not always easy, or possible. Stay ahead of the curve by shopping early when you know the list of things you’ll need.
4. Coordinate kids’ camp schedules so mom gets a break. Get out your momAgenda monthly planner and make sure camps overlap. If you’re going to spend a king’s ransom, you might as well get some much deserved “me” time.
5. Don’t screw it up for the rest of us by visiting your child. Visiting day just makes everyone cry. Unless your child is going away for over a month, they will be just fine without a visit, and so will I, because when YOU visit, my kids makes me feel guilty. Stay home and FedEx some cookies.
Kim-Marie Evans is a lifestyle blogger who writes about motherhood and travel on her personal blog The Luxury Travel Mom. You can always find her on Twitter and Facebook.