Yes I would because I’m paying for it and I work.
He has to know life is unfair sometimes.
Unless he finds somewhere he likes in the same area as the camp your
Other kid likes, that should work out.
He can go and he’ll tank you later.
I would probably make him go. He can make friends 
Nope, don’t make him.
There are alot of summer activities. My daughter is going to a camp for 6 weeks, she’s also taking swimming lessons and is doing Bible camp. I do ask her if she wants to do these things and if she says no, then we don’t. Ask him if there’s anything else he might be into in doing
I’d make him go. But that’s just me. He’ll have a good time when it’s all said and done. Kids swear they don’t like anything but once he gets to the camp meets new friends, plays and all that he gonna have a blast.
Noo he could be getting bullied , do you wanna be some where you don’t want to be all summer ?
2 Likes
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Parents make decisions not the kids. The father leads the family and the wife is his helper and nurturer of the family.
Gaming is very addictive. We eliminated it. Ever wonder why Apple and Microsoft executives do not even let their kids have mobile devices?
In 2007, Gates, the former CEO of Microsoft, implemented a cap on screen time when his daughter started developing an unhealthy attachment to a video game. He also didn’t let his kids get cell phones until they turned 14.
I wasn’t sure about it till I got there camp is a blast
Absolutely. You are the parent and you run things.
Is there a option where if he become really unhappy and didn’t like it you could collect him?
Tell him to give it a try. One full week at the very least. You both can revisit the issue after that. And then ask specifically “why?” 
Some of my best memories were of 4H and church camp. Good luck mom. (((HUGS)))
i knew no when i read “make”
Make him go. He will bitch and moan first day or two but then will enjoy it.
If he doesn’t want to go, see if he’ll volunteer at your neighborhood library. They always have activities that he could help the smaller ones on. My daughter loved helping.
I would make him go. I have a 10 year old, that flipped out about going, ended up loving it, and is going again this year! I’m also a gen x’er and we don’t cave easily either lol! I’m telling you, I bet you he will end up loving it! Its thar separation anxiety from their video games im telling you! Then, when he gets home, he will tell you he wants to go again next year lol!
1 Like
In my eyes parent does not mean dictators so I would not make him go I would let him choose how he wants to spend his summer I mean he’s in school the rest of the year this technically is his vacation time
I’d have an honest conversation about why they don’t want to go & see if we could come to a reasonable agreement about it.
Nope. This is a good opportunity for him to make new friends in your new neighborhood.
I was a camp director in MN for years. Loved it
No but i would make him go outside and make friends
At that age I wouldn’t send him if he doesn’t like it
1 Like
It could be a way For him to Meet some new friends
Find something he likes and help him succeed at that. Don’t force him to do something he hates
Just make sure it’s not a religious summer camp please
2 Likes
Is he paying any bills from his job?? Didn’t think so… Send him!
Chances are you signed a contract. Make him go
Would he enjoy virtual summer camps? I have several! We use hands on crafts and experiments to make it engaging while they are also learning!
It might be an option! Here are a couple specific ones but a full list can be found at creativemindslearningcenterllc.org
Engineering
All About Engineering Camp | Small Online Class for Ages 7-12
Slime Camp
Tarot available. Pm for info. 9x certified. Prices from $1.50 to $30.
Yes I would send him
I would make him go.
Camp Suck-O, here he comes!
1 Like
if you barley moved I feel like you should let your son play games but have him doing some actives like swimming or something that makes him interested besides games
Maybe if he goes once or twice a week? If that is possible or if you can get out of him the reason why he doesn’t like it and maybe you could agree or disagree if going back is a good idea for everyone or not.
From a kid that was forced as a kid… make him go. If he actually gives it a chance and doesn’t like it then agree not to sign him up again. But make him go. He’s 11, he will change his mind about it daily but enjoy it overall.
I make my kids try it at least for a week, who knows maybe they make friends, but I’ve also had them deal with bullies and in that case I let them stay home. But they have a chore and must play outside and limited TV and game time.
Did the camp already start like did he even give it a chance… i would make mine go.
How about grandma and grandpas,my son especially could hardly wait for school to be out,so he could take off to Grandma’s.he was an only boy,I also have 2 girls,they loved camp.a bunch of boy cousins also showed up at Grandma’s,they enjoyed their summers
1 Like
If he doesn’t have a good reason as to why he hates it, I’d make him go!
Yes he will make friends there in time sitting inside is not the answer
Maybe look into different day camps? Maybe find one that suits his interests? I know the YMCA in my area offers different kinds of day camps, they do all kinds of different things.
Is there an option to go part time like maybe a couple of days a week vs. every day? That may be a compromise. When my kid was that age she knew everyone and it was the same she just didn’t enjoy it. Now she had went since kindergarten and it was the same field trips and what not so she was bored. However and we compromised and did part time. With your situation I do think he should at least do part time it’s a good way for him to meet new friends something he won’t be able to do being the the house all day.
Make him go to camp, it’s better for him to get out and to be around kids . He might hate it now but he will thank you later in life
Why doesn’t he like it? Get to the bottom of that… then decide.
Nope, I would not force it. I was one of those kids that had terrible separation anxiety as a kid and really struggled sleeping anywhere except home, and although my kids aren’t really like that, I could never force them to stay somewhere they didn’t want to go… I know what that feels like and I wouldn’t do that to my kids.
Nope Let him stay home and play video games. What’s it really going to hurt? And you know exactly where he’s at and what he’s doing. So you know he is safe
3 Likes
He can go to camp and see what happens - he might find he enjoys the change of scenery and might make new friends. If not, he got a life experience since sometimes we have to do things we don’t like, with people we don’t like. If it gets to be too much, he can call for you to come get him. It was a 50/50 shot for me. Some summers I’d love camp, others I’d call my mom by the 2nd night.
If he truly doesn’t want to go, he can do chores around the house AND outside a couple hours a day, every day or no games. There’s nothing wrong with playing a video game, but if that’s his main reason for not wanting to go, he can go. The game will be there when he gets back.
I’d make him go. My son is 12 and there are times I make him go places or do things he doesn’t want to. It’s apart of life. He’ll live! And with any luck he’ll make new friends!!
I would at least make him try it for a few days. Especially cause right now he has no friends. He needs to get out there and try. If he still doesn’t like it, then let him stay home. 
Just remember, “one time at band camp”! He might just love it. Can’t be afraid to try something
It just started…
Give it time. He might make friends and love it.
Sitting home on video games is far worse!
He’s 11 to young to stay home all day alone! If police come you will get arrested and done for neglect! There’s no law to leave a child alone BUT there is especially if police feel like he isn’t responsible enough you will get done for child neglect happened to someone I know
1 Like
I’d make him try it for a week or two and go from there. If he doesn’t end up liking it and continues to resist, then I’d let him stay home and guve boundaries and rules as someone mentioned above. Like electronics for a certain amount of time…reading time, etc.
Nah i would never force my son to do something he doesn’t want to do, schools offers other options like learning to play guitar or look for sports he can join, I’ll tell my son he shouldn’t be expecting to be home playing video games he will do something else
Make him go outside and play in water or something tell him if he wants to stay home hes gotta come up with stuff to do and tell him he can have the video games afterwards
You are the parent. The child is 11 years old. Kids dont like anything lol. I’d make him go.
1 Like
11 is a rough age. I wish you all the luck
You just moved. Chances are he will make friends now that will be in his classes next year. He’s either going to be awkward and want to stay home now because of anxiety or when school starts back up. I get it. I still get anxiety about going places. Try to make excuses or back out. But once I get there, I actually enjoy it. I’m sure he will too.
Sometimes I have to make kids do things, in turn I make myself the bad guy and my kids end up thanking me for it later.
“Thank you mom, while camp was kind of lame I did make this one new friend and they are so cool and we just made fun of camp together.”
If it’s not something like that I’d get a call a few days in about how bad they want to come home and I’d say “well, hell you gave it a shot, I guess as long as you’re helping out around the house for some kind of movement other than your thumbs, I’ll come pick you up.
Deal?”
Why does every one who has the ability to pay for some sort of camp for their kids aways send them to some camp?
Ever think that maybe just maybe you as the parent take the week or 2 off and do road trips and spend time with your kids?.
Maybe enrolling them in cub scouts they might have been interested in going.
Hell used to go to the park in my day.
The parks and rec division had things to do for free.
Hell even the library can have things to do, no one said they had to stay home inside all summer only you.
Check into your local Boys and girls club, they can hang out there all day and do different activities
Talk with him to see what he doesn’t like about that camp. It could be something simple. Could be more to the story. But, see what he says.
If there is another option for him, like day camp or something like that, let him choose.
Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. Should I make my son go to summer camp? - Mamas Uncut
Tell him he can stay home but if he does he can’t sit around all day. Give him things to do around the house , Or tell him camp is a good chance to get out and make friends. But he’s adjusting to the move. So try having him home and doing some things around the house for a few hours and see how that goes. If that doesn’t work than tell him he has to go to camp. Let him make a choice
I would make my son.
Yep!! He’ll get over it
3 Likes
He will be fine… send him to camp … he should have fun and make new friends!
3 Likes
I wouldnt because when my mother forced me to go all the time, I got bullied almost every day and one time I warned her if she sent me I was gonna end up with lice, I tried to stay away from all the kids, I still ended up with lice and had to cut ALL of my hair of because it was so bad and we cpupdnt get rid of them
2 Likes
Maybe try something else. Try an agreement that if he stays home that he has to read 1 book a month. I was an extremely antisocial kid and I enjoyed my time alone
If it were me, I’d tell him if he stays home, he only gets 1 hour a day of video games. If he breaks that rule, then none. You can set limits and see time spent on devices.
5 Likes
My brother is like this. My parents put us in karate and my brother really liked it. I loved it to bc it was something we did together. Taught us self discipline. He is a gamer and still a game. Does very well with it he live streams and makes money doing it. If it were not for karate I don’t think he would be who he is rn. He has aspergers also. So him doing something he did not have interest was of no use.
I wouldn’t “make” him go, some kids are naturally not social, but he wouldn’t be staying home to play video games all day every day. Give him reasonable chores, read for a full hour every day, he’d have to go outside in the backyard to stretch, run in circles, do jumping jacks, for an hour a day, and yes, play video games, with a two hour per day limit. One hr in the morning, one hr in the afternoon. Compromise is the key.
3 Likes
My daughter’s summer camp is 4 weeks, half days. I told her she could goor she could stay home and help me deep clean the house.
2 Likes
We made it a rule they all went and that was the only thing they had to do during the summer (besides vacation or family outings ) after a few years they all loved it . Now graduates they say looking back they loved it 
I wouldn’t force my 11 year old. But I’m willing to bet if he went even for the first couple if days he’d enjoy it and make fine friends. Maybe comprise see if he’ll go even for a few days to see if he enjoys it good luck
4 Likes
Should never force them, they will only end up hating it more 
1 Like
Look for sports offered in your area. See if they offer day camp
Encourage him. Maybe he could reach out to a bunk mate on zoom before camp.
Maybe find a camp that focuses on something he is interested in.
I hated everything before I did it I say make him go and see how he likes it
2 Likes
I’d make him do something constructive. Boys and girls club or anything besides sitting home with electronics.
Make him go. Not healthy for him to be sitting at home alone all summer long. He’ll adjust to the camp and in the long run it’ll help him meet new friends, keep his mental health steady, he’ll get some exercise & get some help with social skills.
All good things!
2 Likes
I would send him. He will get to interact with other kids his age.
1 Like
I wouldn’t send him if he didn’t want to go he’s old enough to make that decision
2 Likes
Take away the video games, then he will willingly go
1 Like
Don’t make him go but make him do things around the house and earn video game time
If you have alternate relative or family friend he can stay at then try that too. But if those are your only options I was told that we need to stop trying to solve life problems for our kids. Life problem: going somewhere you don’t enjoy. Solution: find a way to make the best of it and enjoy it. Let him solve that life problem himself. You are doing your best as a mom. Let him figure out what to do with his dislike when he gets there.
Why does he hate it?
Yes. That’s how to break the cycle. Push. It builds character. Or, tell him he either goes to camp or he only gets up to 1 hour a day on electronics. Just remember, he is 11, they hate everything except screen time. He will be ok if he goes. It’s not healthy to just sit in all day on your butt playing video games. Video games is the leading cause of social anxiety in preteens and early teens. Get him out.
2 Likes
Get your son to inactive camp. Actvets
1 Like