Summer Camp for Little Tykes?

Summer Camp for Little Tykes?

Summer camp is a rite of passage for many kids. But an Aug. 15 Wall Street Journal article reports that younger children, some as young as 4 years old, are heading off to sleep-away summer camp. UAB child psychologist Vivian Friedman, Ph.D., says sending children to camp too soon can cause them to become emotionally withdrawn or even angry. “Children are not typically ready for the autonomy of summer camp before the age of 8, and age 10 is even more realistic. Most young children will feel homesick. They will feel abandoned or sent away rather than feeling that they have been sent to have a good time. As a result, they may become angry, aggressive or emotionally withdrawn. Others may become very clingy.”

Contact Friedman at 205-934-5156 or [email protected].