Summer camp can be a luxury for some families, a necessity for others, and a legend for the rest of us. When we first moved to Agoura Hills and took a look at some of the offerings around us, I was jealous. Archery, daily swimming, movies, crafts, games, and delicious homemade meals? Sign ME up, never mind the kids!

Now I am a work-at-home parent, and the kids’ schedule takes priority over everything else. Translate that into: I’m not working much, so there’s no need to send my kids to summer camp, aside from the sanity break I will need after a week of two little boys arguing with each other about everything from who gets the blue cup to who gets to press the cross walk button on the street corner.

Last year a friend of mine sent her kids – all three of them – to sleepover camp for seven weeks. 

I know!  When she told me this, my head swam with all of the wonderful things I could do in seven weeks at home with no kids around. I could take a bath! I could reorganize everything! I could go see movies, or paint the bedroom, or sleep in more than one morning in a row!

I dream of this happening someday when my kids are old enough to stay away from home for longer than a sleepover. Catalina Island Camps is close enough to us that it’s easy to bring the kids and pick them up at the end of their term, but far enough away – a ferry ride, even – that it feels exotic and oh-so-grownup. A chance to be independent while also bonding with their cabin mates from all over the country and counselors would be an enriching experience for my boys. Plus, they would have the chance to snorkel, ride a zip line, learn how to sail or rock climb, and participate in a community that has nothing to do with their parents.

Since CIC is priced accordingly, affording the best facilities and staff – and safety – for now it’s just a dream. Meanwhile, my kids will attend the half day camp at the Reyes Adobe Mission which is run by the Agoura Hills Park and Recreation department. The boys know and love the counselors there, and the cost is reasonable. We all get a break from each other, and the kids get physical activity and they learn something, too.

What are your summer camp plans for your children?

This post is an entry into a raffle for a 2-week camper stay at CIC. If I win, I will give the session to a lucky reader in a future giveaway.