To think this is a stupid rule - no calls home on scout camp!

[Besidemyselfwithworry]

So I’ll keep it short
Son age 14 is at poacher a big international scout camp in Lincoln about an hour away from us for a week.
he’s done camps before for a weekend but not a week
they said “no mobiles” incase they loose them and filming and kids being homesick.
however his mate has gone just for the day, he had a phone and he’s face timed me on it and he was so excited to tell me what he’s been up too it was really nice to hear from him.
I just think they should be allowed them even if they hand them in at bedtime or whatever but does this seem odd to everyone else??

scout group are updating on a group wattsapp with photos etc…

I think the no phones (or at least no smartphones) is ok. I don’t understand how calling home increases homesickness though and sometimes a kid will only say to a parent (if negative) what is actually happening. My kids were on a scout trip. There is an option to go for three or seven days. One wanted to go for three. When we picked up, other DC ran over crying (previously loved cubs and scouts camping, would stay two weeks if could). DC was in a tent with a couple of shitty bullying older kids who were making DC and the others really miserable. I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t done the early pick up for other DC.

My son is there but allowed his phone (not that he wants to phone us 😂 and never would). Must be individual scout group rules.

Agree with this. Kids need to be able to get out and enjoy themselves without distraction, or being tied to their parents.

Oh my goodness, that's awful!
We have a tag in DS' coat (because he has epilepsy and sometimes has absence seizures) and in DD coat (because it's expensive, more than all her other school uniform put together!) but it isn't an AirTag (we have Android phones) and we put one in DD case when she and I went on holiday but they wouldn't make a noise.

This is normal and the rule is reasonable.

Your DS can fill you in on the highlights of his week when he gets home.

You should probably start weaning yourself off the constant interaction as it will be hard to go cold turkey when he heads off to university.

It will be good for both of you actually. Your son needs to develop a sense of separation from you too.

I’d imagine there’s some part of it that’s a safeguarding reason to, especially when it comes to video etc. there’ll still be children who’s parents/guardians don’t want them splashed all over social media and that’s much harder to control when you have loads of kids with phones

Safeguarding is definitely part of it - social media is a risk, as you say, and children and young people filming one another.

Sensible to ban phones. You can get in touch in an emergency. He can tell you about it when he gets home.