To pick my daughter up from holiday camp 150 odd miles away

[ShatnerssBasoon]

Please be kind as first time posting properly and first time any of my children have been away without family. DD is 12 and has gone away to children's summer camp for 7 days. Went on Sunday... there's no mobile phones but she's called on camp computer at allocated time to say she is having a bad time and wants to come home. She was in tears and says other girls are not being nice and there's not much to do. She's in a communal tent with other girls but not hanging out with her. She has one local friend who's there but it's snubbing her now they are there. It breaks my heart a bit to have her crying and wanting to come home. I want to go and get her... DH says it's nuts and she'll be fine. What should I do? I work in MH and he says my judgement is clouds by this

@ShatnerssBasoonSorry I have nothing useful to say but wanted to hat tip your Brass Eye ref. Really hope your daughter ends up having a great time and comes home with lots of stories to tell and appearing more confident.

I'm glad she's feeling better about it.

Glad to hear you’re both happier.

From someone who’s been the camp leader side many times - tread carefully with the keeping in touch. Be open if she gets in touch, but also give her the space to properly immerse herself in camp world. It’s often only when the world outside camp starts to raise its head that homesickness or I’m not enjoying it creeps in. Up to that point it wasn’t on the child’s radar as something to think about.

(eg. Bet you weren’t thinking about a lovely slice of Victoria sponge cake and how it’s a shame you haven’t had one for a while until I mentioned it).

I suspect an autocorrect from ‘is’

What a stereotypical Mumsnet pile-on post 😂

I accidentally hit YANBU but I didn’t mean it. I used to work at a camp and it is very normal for children to be upset/homesick right at the beginning, especially those who haven’t been away from home before and/or who don’t know many other children there. They just need to give it a chance and they will be much happier within a couple of days. And especially at 12, I’d be far more likely to have her stick it out than if it were a younger child.

edit: sorry hadn’t read the update before posting. Glad to hear she is laughing now!

That's promising. I hope she continues to relax into it.