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Original poster

Beaver camp weekend before Christmas?

30 replies

Greenbutterlfy566 · 13/12/2019 16:05

My son wants to attend a camp with the beavers the weekend Before Christmas.. (indoors) Most of the others are going.

AIBU that I think it’s too close to Christmas and we should be spending time as a family to let him go?

On top of that, he asked to come come home last week and they refused.

What would you do?

OP posts:
lalalalala123456 · 13/12/2019 16:08

I would let him go its only for the weekend, and it is probably the only year that he will get to do it with the beavers? If anything, I guess it is an experience. Then when he comes back, just make the lead up special for Christmas. What do you mean they refused to let him home? Home from his Beavers group ?

PotteringAlong · 13/12/2019 16:09

I’d let him. What family stuff do you want to do that it’s stopping you from doing?

Original poster
Greenbutterlfy566 · 13/12/2019 16:10

Lala, thanks for the advice. yes home from his beavers group. He wasn’t feeling well and he asked to go home and they refused.

OP posts:
Selfsettling3 · 13/12/2019 16:11

Surely you will be spending lots of time together over Christmas so it’s a great time for him to go.

Wolfiefan · 13/12/2019 16:13

In what way wasn’t he feeling well? And how close to the end of the (probably quite short session.)?
There’s plenty of time over Christmas to be with family. I would let him see his friends if he would like to.

lalalalala123456 · 13/12/2019 16:16

The only thing I can think of as to why they didn't let him go , as perhaps as they have a duty of care for him for that time , like any other group or care provider, they can't just let kids go due to health and safety and safeguarding reasons? They should have called you though in the first instance if he really wasn't well. Maybe they told him to sit out until home time?

Makinglists · 13/12/2019 16:17

If he generally enjoys beavers he will have a great time - let him go it's a fantastic experience for someone t his age

marchingonwithmother · 13/12/2019 16:19

I'd let him go. He wants to and it'll be fun for him.

Invisimamma · 13/12/2019 16:20

Do you actually have plans? If not, let him go.

Chocolatecake12 · 13/12/2019 16:20

I’d let him go and use the time to maybe go out for a grown up dinner and drinks! Then I’d spend the daytime finishing off all the wrapping and getting any prep done so that when he’s back from camp you really can spend time together then.

Sweetooth92 · 13/12/2019 16:28

Our beaver group always do a full group camp (beavers-scouts) the first weekend in December.
It’s the most popular weekend of the year, always end up with 50+ kids as all the parents use it to shop, go out etc. Especially those with siblings over the three sections. We have to fix the weekend now as if we changed if there would be uproar Now they’ve had 5-6 years of the same one.

We always do a disco/party the Saturday night after a full Christmas dinner, loads of activities and Christmas crafts etc. Maybe it was the only weekend they could do a Christmas camp that all their volunteers could make?

Thesearmsofmine · 13/12/2019 16:29

My son is going to camp next weekend, he’ll even miss my birthday but he wants to go and will have a fab time no doubt!

Neolara · 13/12/2019 16:34

I'd call that a result. He goes off to camp. You can get on with present buying / Xmas prep.

LazyDaisey · 13/12/2019 16:35

It’s down to when the volunteers can do it, isn’t it.

Panicmode1 · 13/12/2019 16:38

My son loves "Christmas cake camp". All the Beavers go off (it's actually a couple of w/es before Christmas) with fruit cake ingredients and icing - on the Friday night they all bake their cakes and watch Elf or something Christmassy while they bake and then on the Sat am, a sugarcraft lady comes in and teaches them to decorate their cakes. They are fabulous cakes and they all have a blast. Unless you have specific plans he'll miss out on, I'd let him go!

Ragwort · 13/12/2019 16:39

Of course let him go if wants to ... and don’t forget to make sure you thank the leaders, they are the ones being kind to give up a weekend before Christmas.

Not sure what you mean about wanting to come home from Beavers, was it just a normal weekly meeting? Perhaps he asked if he could go home & they said something like ‘see how you feel in 20 mins’ & then he was fine? I used to be a Cub Leader & we had Cubs wanting to go home if they lost a game or some other petty reason. That was in the days before mobile phones Grin so it was a massive pain if someone wanted to go home.

And think about how we had to run camps before mobile phones? We all survived.

littleducks · 13/12/2019 16:53

Most beaver meetings I know are 90 min or under, I wouldnt expect leaders to send children home early unless really ill or vomiting. Does his group have an longer meeting time.

If the weekend doesn't work for you tell him he cant go. But understand leaders are volunteers giving up their weekend before xmas so its harsh to grumble about timing. It may be what suits them best or other parents may prefer it in school holidays to term time so they dont have worry if kids dont sleep enough.

Leeds2 · 13/12/2019 16:55

I would let him go if you haven't actually got anything booked. So, if you already have panto tickets, he wouldn't be going. If you have vague plans to go for a walk looking at the lights, possibly, then he would be going. If you have vague plans, tell him what they are so he can choose whether he wants to do that, or beavers. If he then chooses to stay home, you can't then back out of whatever you have promised!
Have they only given you a week's notice? That seems very odd.

Mrsjayy · 13/12/2019 17:00

He can't have been affected by not coming home because he wants to go again let him go what family stuff have you got planned that he is missing?

BrightonBB · 13/12/2019 17:08

Sounds like brilliant Beaver leaders - I’d love free time before Christmas to get sorted in the house and wrapped. Well done to them as they give up their time for parents to benefit. I guarantee kids would rather be at a Beaver camp than any family do.

Mrsjayy · 13/12/2019 17:10

I also think it is a brilliant thing for them to offer a weekend to prepare for santa or just a breather before the maddness begins.

Original poster
Greenbutterlfy566 · 14/12/2019 13:25

Thankyou everyone sorry for the late reply.

In answer to some posts . Yes he was quite ill that day.

The things we’d be doing together as a family would be ice skating and the cinema. Seeing Santa.

OP posts:
Panicovereveryone · 14/12/2019 13:28

we should be spending time as a family should? Says who? I’d let him go if he wants to

PerspicaciaTick · 14/12/2019 13:32

If you don't want him to go then you need to own that decision. Don't try and paint the Beaver colony leaders as unreasonable and don't try and imply you are doing parenting better than the families who allow their child to go to camp.

HeyMac · 14/12/2019 13:37

Little children often say they feel a bit poorly as they are over excited or nervous and usually after a bit of jollying on they feel better. He really can't have been that ill if you happily dropped him off?

Either send or don't send but lots of scout groups have a Christmas camp. Gives parents a rest before the mayhem, allows children some running around and often exercise in cold and dark time of year and away from endless Christmas media.

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