Lakeside cabins and late-night bunkbed chatter, campfire songs, and the great outdoors. Each year, millions of kids in the U.S. head off to sleepaway camp for unplugged fun, hoping for a taste a freedom and friendships that last a lifetime.
But in between the kayaking, crafting, swimming and hikes, are the sunburns, bug bites, homesickness, and bunkmates who snore. Parents hear about it all—the good, the bad, the exaggerated—in those letters home.
One parent, whose kids both attended sleepaway camp, says she remembers writing to her own folks, “Someday I’ll forgive you for sending me here, but no time soon.” Her son, on the other hand, sent her a note saying, “I had to write this to get into dinner.” Another mom said when her son was at scout camp he sent her a single letter home: the letter “E” written large enough to cover the entire page.
The correspondence is as unique as the campers. Someone could write a book about the things kids say in letters home. And someone did! Two, in fact. Diane Falanga is the author of P.S. I Hate It Here! Kids’ Letters from Camp and P.S. I Still Hate It Here! More Kids’ Letters from Camp. A mother of two inspired by the funny letters from her own kids, Falanga pored over thousands of letters in writing both books.
“These letters reveal that kids are wittier and more sophisticated than we might assume, and that the experience of being away from home for the first time creates hilarious and lasting memories,” she said.
— A proud mom and Jersey Girl, Jennifer Doktorski is the author of six young adult novels and lives with her family in Central NJ. Learn more at jendoktorski.com.
— All letters (except for The Happy Camper) were excerpted from P.S. I Hate It Here! Kids’ Letters From Camp by Diane Falanga, Abrams Books, 2010.
Get the latest on the best things to do with your family in and around New Jersey by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram!
Read More:
What You Need to Know About Finding a Summer Camp For Your Kid
