Holiday clubs for kids - Cruel or kind?

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I've just booked my two kids into a few days of holiday clubs for both Easter and Summer (Camp Beaumont discount runs out on 28/2 for anyone who's interested....)
The eldest one has been before and really enjoyed it.

I'm just really surprised by some peoples response though - lots of 'poor kids' and 'can't you be bothered' etc!

DH & I both work from home, and I find it impossible to do both things at the same time (i.e. look after kids/ do any work) so I feel that it's better for them to have organised fun with friends rather than a grumpy mummy with half an eye on here e-mail?

Why not send them on a holiday camp? They will do interesting and constructive things.

I went on several holiday camps/ playschemes when I was young inspite of the fact that my mum was at home. I loved it.

Frances - I agree - it's just that I find it surprising that some of the other Mums I know who spend their entires lives ferrying kids around to after school drama/ ballet/ swimming etc seem to condemn holiday clubs as only something people who can't be bothered to look after their kids use?

(Perhaps they secretly want to send them, but daren't tell anyone, so condemn instead? )

I think they are a good idea because kids who are used to school get bored in the holidays and there is only so much us parents can do to amuse them especially if we have work commitments as well.
They will get to play with other children, participate in fun activities like games and sports that would be boring in the garden if it was just the both of them. It is not even as if you are saying you put them there all day every day is it?

I think the ones who say you can't be bothered cannot be bothered themselves, the holidays mean they don't have to make sure they are organised to get out for a set time in the morning and drop off and collect if there is no school.

as long as the kids arn't near me - its a good thing all round

Ha ha - good - you lot think like me then - excellent!

Depends on the child. If your kids like club type activities why not. I used to look forward to and thoughly enjoy holiday club week when I was kid and that was just a mornings only thing run by our church.
If your kids don't like being part of group and like chilling out on their own at home fine , let them do that.
As most adults only have 4-5 weeks holiday and most school kids have 10+ using holiday clubs seems a good idea to me. I just hope my boy is as sociable then as he is now. ( 11m/o and likes his Child Minder days)

Well, I run a church Holiday Club for one week in the summer holidays. We are always full, with 80+ kids, most of whom don't normally darken the door of a church for the rest of the year, so they are under no obligation to come!

And yes, the kids have an absolute ball. And so do I

I might have reservations about kids being booked into clubs for the whole holiday, instead of having any family time. It's a question of balance, I guess.