1st cubs camp weekend tonight im so anxious give me some good stories

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My 8 year old has joined cubs about 4 weeks ago now today is her 1st camping weekend im so anxious about her going . I don't think she will settle and I've been thinking extreme thoughts about what may happen and I know its not likely to. Have your children been on cubs camp before how did they like it tell me your stories?

The first camp my eldest went on, he apparently couldn't sleep along with another child. They were put together and allowed to chat till they dosed off. On other camps a magic blanket is given out to cosy into (big fleecy blanket) to reassure them if they feel..... Anything it seems 🤷. They all want a shot of this blanket. Suffice to say he (along with his younger siblings) have now been on countless camps / he volunteers with a younger section now and also been selected to go to South Korea next year to the World Scout Jamboree - am I nervous - absolutely - but the confidence / independence / activities these camps have given him is something we as parents could never give ( I believe). They (and she ) will hopefully love it and the leaders are FAB giving up all their time. Try and relax and know that if any concerns the leaders will call you. Big hugs - it's hard letting go.

Mine both love it, but they come from a family where we read lots of Enid Blyton style books and they see it as a massive adventure. They mostly remember the food and the games, and talk about it for weeks afterwards.
I think the camp leaders work very hard to make sure each child is in a tent or bunk with children who they will get on with, and I think they try to put some experienced campers with the first-timers.
Just label everything she takes or you probably won’t get it back at the end! It is amazing how much kit gets lost at camp. Biros work well on fabric, nail varnish is good for marking plates etc. Pack her bag together so that she knows where each item is.
Also, expect her to be very tired and a bit grumpy or tearful when you pick her up. It’s just lack of sleep, and once she’s caught up with sleep, she’ll look back on it with fond memories.
If you’re really anxious, try to keep yourself busy while she’s away.

My kids have been on so many, and loved every one.

She'll likely be too distracted with her friends to get upset.

Over all the camps that I've attended as an adult, I can remember less than a handful of kids who've been homesick, and I don't recall any that were so unable to settle that they had to be picked up in the night. One kid I remember went home the next morning, but stuck out the night time, her friends kept her company and reassured her overnight.

My daughter has been going for a few years now started in beavers then onto cubs. When she first started approx the same time 4 weeks in they had an aquarium sleepover but she didn't go as she wasn't confident enough yet. It's OK to give this first one a miss until she's a bit more settled they will understand. But if your child seems keen to go then I would send her. They will contact you if they have any concerns or if your daughter is very upset. My experience is that they don't let the children talk to you when away as it can upset them but usually have a FB group that they post updates on but that may depend on sections. They keep them busy with activities. If you are really worried speak to them they will be able to reassure you and explain what will happen and what they will do if your daughter is struggling

Know how you feel, our 8 year old went on a large mass camp across our county the other week. We were so worried as it was just first one. But he loved it. Hopefully your DD will be the same x

I used to help with Beaver camps. I always took extra fleecey blankets and battery powered fairy lights, so anyone feeling a bit nervous could have night lights strung inbetween the tent layers, and a cuddly blanket. Leaders take shifts and patrol around the tents (or sit in the door way if it's an indoor one) so anyone who's upset but not coming forwards gets heard and checked on.

I've only once had children need to go home, one of whom was sent with one of those toddler airbeds with the built in blanket, so sleep on. Nothing else. We had to use leaders spare equipment for him, and the poor lad just couldn't settle.

The kids are usually so busy with all the things going on, and having a blast with their friends. Homesickness is rarely an issue.

There's also a lots of risk assessments and training that have to happen before you're allowed to run a night away, and the activities are usually things the leaders have done plenty of times before. When we've done extra stuff, like archery or wall climbing, we've had specialists join us to run it.

Both my girls have done several camps now and they absolutely love them. My youngest is also off to cub camp this weekend and she's very excited. We also have a facebook page to watch for updates, and have little to no direct communication for the duration. One leader usually has the single point of contact phone, and everyone's details, in case of emergency. But there's usually plenty of pictures and updates on the facebook page, and of course the epic post camp run down from my girls when they get home and have to tell us everything. 😃

The first time is always the worst time for a parent.

Does she want to go? If she does but is unsure, ask if she can come for the day events tomorrow and not sleepover.

We did this when my child moved to Cubs and I ended up with a phone call saying not to collect as he wanted to stay over in the end. He is now an Explorer, young leader and off to Korea for the Jamboree and I'm dreading that but know he will be fine.

She will be well looked after by the leaders and won't be left or put in a dangerous position. Any problems.and they will phone but won't let you contact the child directly as this doesn't help anyone.

Just be prepared to collect her at the end of camp, to have lost something despite it being labelled and to be absolutely shattered.

One important tip. Don’t tell them you’ll come and get them if they’re homesick. Because they will be and it’s impossible for the leaders to argue that one. We had a cub whose parents said “if you’re not happy sleeping we will come and get you” first night we got him though second night inconsolable and just kept saying mum said she’d come and get me so we ended up ringing parents to come and get him. They turned up in diner suit and dress as we’re going out.

your DD will love it and the leaders will be used to dealing with the very rare homesick cases.

in 20 years he was on the only cub they went home due to homesickness. But we also made the point of using that story at every parents meeting going foreword.

i find the updates bit quite sad as it takes away from the cub coming home and telling you all the exciting things they did.

much better to post the photos etc on the group afterwards.

Done plenty of camps as a leader and currently prepping for one next week, I also have a child who has just spent his first night away ever from us in beaver camp. It really helps us if you send them off excited on your behalf… the parents who go “oh but we’ll miss you and are you sure you will be alright” tend to have children who are homesick more. You may or may not get lots of updates on Facebook or whatever - if I’m looking after children in a place with little reception, I’m not going to be spending lots of time putting photos up.

My plan is usually to get them busy, full and to bed early enough that the homesickness doesn’t kick in. Usually night 3 is where the wobbles kick in, which for a weekend camp isn’t a thing, so expect a dirty but pleased to see you child on Sunday.

As a leader I'm just about recovered from last week's camp!

Is it one night or two? The first night, they are over excited and are tricky to get to sleep. Second night is a lot easier. We have tricks for homesickness (distraction basically). We can also pick up on on genuine not coping not just them thinking its too much.

During the day there's too much going on.

Label everything. Please please please label uniform items. Please.

No snacks in tents. We aren't being killjoys. Its to stop ants etc. We feed them plenty (cooked breakfasts, snacks, lunch, dinner and supper!)

Label medication. Written schedule is great too.

All my kids have done lots of camps and I help out with cubs too and at the camps.

make sure you are cheerful about them going and they have properly warm camping stuff for overnight (onesies and warm sleeping bag). If they get cold overnight that’s when they can’t sleep and it can be really hard to warm back up even in summer (we would always then lend our own sleeping bags etc but it does take quite a while to warm up once cold)

if you don’t think they are ready for the full camp, take an approach of ‘ let’s go do the day things and if you want to stay over you can’ rather than ‘if you don’t like it I’ll come and pick you up’. Chat to the leaders and work with them. I had 2 of my kids be enthusiastic and happy from the start and one who took a good 18 months to be confident staying over night (he is now the most adventurous!)

i love helping out, you get to know the kids so well and they blossom with confidence and really rise to the challenge. And get so many great experiences. You very often get a few children who are tearful at one point or another but we are there to help them and you quickly get a sense of which leader is the right one to support a particular child. The other children also rise to the challenge and really look after each other (with a watchful eye from us).

be honest if your child is a fussier eater or might wet the bed. We can definitely help with this (and would want to know) and it allows us to plan more easily so they have a great time

oh and name everything! Really clearly! It’s amazing how many don’t recognise the sleeping bag they’ve been sleeping in all camp when it comes to packing up!

Both my DS went camping and various sleepover events at their scout hut, they absolutely loved it! My only recommendations are - label EVERYTHING and direct them to the shower as soon as they get home!! 😂

The very worst that will happen is she won’t settle - and a leader will look after her and call you if she is distressed.

but in my experience both as a parent and as a former Brownie volunteer, she will settle no problem.

they keep them busy, so that they are ready for bed. And even if there are high jinks on night one, they all sleep like logs on night two!

My three eldest kids have been on countless Beaver and Cub camps, and I went on one as a parent helper recently.

The kids settled to sleep fairly quickly on the camp I went on (I think it helped that they were exhausted from a late evening in the rain!). None of them struggled at all, though they were all exhausted by the time they went home!

One thing I would do is mention to the leader that you'd like to be called if your child asks to go home. Some of the other Beaver groups had a higher threshold for calling home than we would have done

As others have said put a positive spin on it, help them pack.

Take their second favourite teddy, and roll it up inside the sleeping bag so it's easily found at bed time. Sadly stuff does get mixed up and you don't want to lose the treasured teddy.

Are there other girls going? Not sure of the rules but when DD went they had a girls only tent.

As for happy stories, mine all loved it from Beavers onwards, rain, shine, snow, howling gales. All were young leaders, two went to World Scout Jamboree and made friends for life. One is going to South Korea as a volunteer.

Actually they are off to Cub camp next weekend as a leader - just pulled out his kit including the plate bag I made when he was a Beaver, and his camp blanket.

That's a point - get a fleece blanket (IKEA have cheap ones) and suggest they buy a blanket badge from the camp shop - it could be the start of a great souvenir collection.